Important News - 2025-06-23
23 June 2025
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Schemes (1)
Kerala Women’s Commission Addresses IT Sector Challenges at Kozhikode Public Hearing
The Kerala Women’s Commission organized a public hearing at UL Cyber Park in Kozhikode on June 23 to address the challenges faced by women in the IT sector. The hearing, inaugurated by Commission Chairperson P. Sathidevi, saw participation from women employees of both UL Cyber Park and the Government Cyber Park. T.K. Kishore Kumar, Chief Operating Officer of UL Cyber Park, presided over the session and offered immediate solutions to some concerns. Key issues raised included discriminatory treatment of pregnant employees, denial of maternity benefits, termination from service, and withholding of salary hikes. The panel, comprising Shaji Sugunan, K. Chandrashobha, R. Jayasree, and N. Divya, recommended measures such as lighter workloads during menstruation, career gap training, and cab services for night shifts. The Commission emphasized the mandatory formation of Internal Complaints Committees (ICC) in organizations and the importance of quarterly ICC meetings. Plans were also discussed to introduce after-school care facilities and improve existing crèche services. Ms. Sathidevi urged women to build confidence to overcome crises and highlighted the Commission’s ongoing efforts to address sector-specific issues through public hearings.
Ranks & Reports (1)
Telangana’s VeriFast App Tops National Passport Verification Efficiency Rankings
The Telangana Police has achieved the top rank in passport verification efficiency among all Indian States, thanks to its digital platform, VeriFast. This recognition was announced ahead of Passport Seva Divas on June 24. Director General of Intelligence B. Shivadhar Reddy will receive the Certificate of Excellence in New Delhi from the Minister of External Affairs. VeriFast, designed to streamline passport verification, has placed Telangana at the forefront of technological innovation in public services. The State consistently records the fastest average turnaround time (TAT) for verifications, often completing the process in under three working days, surpassing national requirements. According to national data, Telangana processes over 2,000 passport verifications daily, with annual figures exceeding eight lakh. The system boasts over 95% satisfaction among applicants due to its transparency, reliability, and real-time SMS updates. Most police stations report zero backlog due to dynamic reassignment and balanced workload distribution. VeriFast integrates with the State’s intelligence databases to detect and prevent fraudulent applications. It follows a tiered workflow involving Field Verification Officers, Inspectors or Assistant Commissioners of Police, and Passport Verification Cells, ensuring accuracy and accountability. The platform is compatible with Android, iOS, Windows, and Linux, eliminating the need for expensive hardware. Future upgrades will allow applicants to schedule verification slots, making the process more convenient. Its data analytics feature helps the police monitor verification trends, identify suspicious activity, and aid in crime analysis, including detecting illegal emigration rackets.
Festivals (2)
Fourth Annual Sri Jagannath Rath Yatra in Karimnagar on July 5
The fourth annual Sri Jagannath Rath Yatra, organized by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), is set to take place in Karimnagar on July 5. The event was officially announced with the release of its wall poster by Ponnam Prabhakar, the Minister for Transport and Backward Classes Welfare, on Sunday. The ceremony was attended by ISKCON Karimnagar unit president Narahari Das, Ratha Yatra-2025 committee president Kanna Krishna, and other notable members including Dr. L. Rajabhaskar Reddy, Tummala Ramesh Reddy, and Burra Madhusudhan Reddy. Additionally, construction of a new ISKCON temple near the Police Training College (PTC) in Karimnagar is currently underway.
Aani Thirumanjanam Festival Begins at Sri Natarajar Temple in Chidambaram
The 10-day Aani Thirumanjanam festival commenced with the traditional flag hoisting ceremony at the Sri Sabanayagar temple, also known as the Sri Natarajar temple, in Chidambaram on Monday. The event began with special pujas dedicated to the presiding deities, Lord Natarajar and Goddess Sivagami Sundari, as well as the flag mast. Hundreds of devotees gathered at 7 a.m. to witness the rituals. The festival, which is one of the two major annual 10-day celebrations at the temple, will feature a car procession on July 1 and the Aani Thirumanjanam festivities on July 2. During this festival, Lord Nataraja is taken around the four car streets of the temple town, a tradition also observed during the Arudra Darshan festival.
Politics (4)
ED Questions Former MP D.K. Suresh in ₹8 Crore Money Laundering Case
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) questioned former MP D.K. Suresh on Monday in connection with a money laundering case involving city-based businesswoman Aishwarya Gowda. Gowda is accused of cheating several individuals, including jewellers, to the tune of ₹8 crore by falsely claiming to be Suresh’s sister and leveraging his political connections. Suresh, brother of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, denied any personal or financial ties to Gowda and stated that he had already filed a complaint with the police regarding the misuse of his name. The ED has provisionally attached properties worth ₹3.98 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, linked to Gowda and others. The investigation was initiated based on multiple FIRs registered against Gowda, her husband Harish K.N., and others for defrauding investors by promising high returns on gold and cash investments. Gowda was arrested by the ED in April 2024.
Yadava and Kuruma Communities Demand Cabinet Representation and Health Benefits
Members of the Yadava and Kuruma communities organized a protest march to Gandhi Bhavan, the Congress party headquarters, demanding Cabinet representation, free health cards, and insurance for individuals involved in sheep rearing. The protesters, dressed in traditional attire and accompanied by livestock, raised slogans emphasizing their demands. Police intervened to manage the situation. The protest coincided with AICC incharge Meenakshi Natarajan's meetings with various party wings. This is not the first such protest; earlier, the communities had met with Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud to voice their concerns.
Chellanam-Kochi Janakeeya Vedhi Protests Case Against Priests Over Sea Erosion Crisis
The Chellanam-Kochi Janakeeya Vedhi organized a torchlight protest on Monday, condemning the registration of a police case against priests from the Alappuzha and Kochi dioceses. These priests had staged a hunger strike in solidarity with the residents of Chellanam panchayat, who are suffering due to severe sea erosion. The protest was called off on June 30 after the District Collector promised to address the issue of sea erosion in a meeting with the Chief Minister on July 3. The organization criticized the government for its alleged apathy towards resolving the sea erosion crisis, which has left many homes in Chellanam damaged and uninhabitable. They demanded the withdrawal of the case against the priests, arguing that the government’s suppression of protests was undemocratic. Temporary barriers of geobags were planned to be deployed along vulnerable coastal stretches as a short-term solution, but the work remains incomplete despite the imminent threat of high tides during the next new moon.
J.P. Nadda Honors Syama Prasad Mookerjee on 72nd Death Anniversary
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president and Union Minister J.P. Nadda paid tribute to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his 72nd death anniversary, observed as 'Balidan Diwas' (Sacrifice Day). Nadda highlighted Mookerjee's pivotal role in India's independence and his opposition to Articles 370 and 35A, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Mookerjee, the founding president of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, passed away under mysterious circumstances in Srinagar jail in 1953. Nadda emphasized that the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A in 2019 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership was a historic step and a true tribute to Mookerjee's vision. Mookerjee, born in Bengal, also served as Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University at the age of 33 and was a minister in Jawaharlal Nehru's first cabinet before resigning due to ideological differences. He is remembered for his slogan, 'Ek desh mein do nishan, do vidhan, aur do pradhan nahi chalenge' (Two symbols, two Constitutions, and two heads will not work in one country), which became a rallying cry against Kashmir's special status.
Heritage (1)
Bengaluru Forest Department Reclaims 120 Acres of Encroached Forest Land
The Forest Department of Bengaluru recently conducted a significant encroachment drive, reclaiming 120 acres of forest land in East Bengaluru, with an estimated market value exceeding ₹4,000 crores. The operation took place at Survey No. 1 of Kadugodi Plantation, Bidarahalli Hobli, where temporary industrial sheds and under-construction buildings were demolished. The land, originally granted to the government by the Mysore Maharajas in 1896 and declared a reserve forest in 1907, had been illegally encroached upon, with residential plots sold without proper documentation. The encroachment clearance was carried out under the supervision of Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre, who emphasized the Supreme Court's directive that 'once a forest, always a forest.' The reclaimed land will contribute to increasing Bengaluru's green cover. Over the past two years, a total of 248 acres of forest land, valued at over ₹8,000 crores, have been cleared of encroachments.
Miscellaneous (3)
Tamil Actor Srikanth Arrested for Alleged Cocaine Procurement from Drug Cartel
Tamil film actor Srikanth, also known as Sriram Krishnamachari, was arrested on June 17, 2024, by the Nungambakkam police of the Greater Chennai Police for allegedly purchasing cocaine from a drug cartel. The cartel includes a Nigerian national who was recently apprehended. Authorities are also searching for actor Krishna, believed to be in Kerala. A senior police officer stated that Srikanth had been in regular contact with three recently arrested drug offenders. The investigation revealed that he procured and consumed cocaine. Srikanth, who made his acting debut in the 2002 Tamil film Roja Kootam, has starred in notable films like April Maadhathil (2002), Parthiban Kanavu (2003), Okariki Okaru (2003), and Nanban (2012), and has received multiple awards, including Nandi Awards and Filmfare Awards. The Anti-Narcotics Intelligence Unit (ANIU), operating under Greater Chennai Police Commissioner A. Arun, gathered intelligence leading to the arrests of Pradeep Kumar and John, who were found in possession of 11 grams of cocaine. Pradeep confessed to supplying drugs to T. Prasad, a dismissed AIADMK functionary, who allegedly sold the cocaine to Srikanth at a Nungambakkam pub last month. Prasad, previously arrested for a brawl at a bar, was also involved in a job racket. Police searched Srikanth’s residence in the Nungambakkam Lake Area, seizing small quantities of cocaine. Srikanth was detained for questioning and arrested after his blood test confirmed narcotics use. He was examined at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. The cocaine was reportedly sourced from Bengaluru through Pradeep and John, who purchased it for ₹7,000 per gram and sold it in Chennai for ₹12,000. Commissioner Arun has directed the ANIU and local law enforcement to intensify surveillance and crack down on organised narcotics trafficking. Investigations are ongoing to apprehend other individuals linked to the syndicate.
TDLSA Reunites Mother and Daughter Through Harmony Hub Scheme
The Thiruvananthapuram District Legal Services Authority (TDLSA), under the Kerala State Legal Services Authority’s Harmony Hub scheme, successfully reunited a septuagenarian mother with her estranged daughter after a decade-long separation caused by a family dispute. The daughter, a divorcee, had left her parents' home and had no communication with them for nearly 10 years. The case was handled by senior civil judge and DLSA secretary S. Shamnad. On Monday, the mother and daughter reconciled in the presence of other family members. Additionally, the mother handed over matured fixed deposit certificates worth ₹25,000 each for her daughter’s two children and agreed to transfer ₹7 lakh as her daughter’s share of funds, which will be deposited in a nationalised bank at Vellayambalam.
Controversial Lake Development Project in Hyderabad Under CSR Initiative
A small park managed by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, has become the center of controversy due to a lake development project funded under a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. The project involves filling a water body with debris to create a walking track, dredging sewage, and laying inlet and outlet pipelines. The Rotary Club International is funding the project, which includes sewage diversion and the construction of a stormwater drain. However, the newly laid drain meets a sewage line downstream, potentially polluting the lake. The Lake Protection Committee (LPC) under the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) was not consulted, and the lake is not listed in their database of notified lakes. Critics argue that the project is a temporary fix that does not address the city's perennial water management issues.
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