Kerala Is India's First Fully E-Governed State: Chief Minister P Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday declared the southern state as India's first fully e-governed state where an entire range of government services have been digitised so that they can be provided to the citizens promptly and transparently.

The Chief Minister, after declaring the state as totally e-governed, said it would not only create a network of government offices and citizens, but would use technology for Kerala's development and empower the people by bridging the digital divide.

It would also fast track the journey towards a knowledge society and economy with total e-literacy, he said at the 'Total e-Governance Kerala' event held here.

"By the term governance what the present government means is total commitment to fulfil the promises it has made to the people. The government and governance are reaching out to the people more and more, he said.

"The service delivery has been made people-oriented and corruption-free and public utilities have become people-friendly. These transformative changes have been felt by people in the last seven years," the Chief Minister said.

The government will not stop and rest on its laurels and would focus on ensuring that services reach the masses instead of the people having to knock on the doors of departments for the same. "This can be ensured by leveraging new technology, and that is exactly what the government is focusing on," Mr Vijayan said.

One such "bold step" in that direction was making internet access a citizen's right by rolling out the KFON (Kerala Fibre Optic Network) project, he said and added that it would make access to the internet affordable or free of cost.

He also listed out the other government initiatives -- like a single-window portal called e-Sevanam for delivering as many as 900 services -- for ushering in e-governance which would soon be extended to taluk-level offices.

"In panchayats, delivery of as many as 250 services has been made online," the Chief Minister said.

Setting up the country's first digital university in the state and launch of the digital science park project worth Rs 1,500 crore were the other major steps taken by the government to bridge the digital divide and bring about total e-governance, he said.

Noting that the total e-governance declaration coincided with the second anniversary of the LDF government, Mr Vijayan said his administration has turned the occasion into an opportunity to unveil a series of pro-people projects including the 100-day programme, instead of seeing it as an occasion for just celebrations.

In his welcome address, State Chief Secretary V P Joy said with Kerala becoming the first complete e-governance state in the country, there won't be any delay in providing services to people from government departments and offices.

He said the changes resulting from the implementation of e-governance would reflect in all sections of society and it would be a decisive factor in social progress.

The delivery of all vital services has already been digitised, covering all key domains including health, education, land revenue, documentation of properties, public distribution system and social security payouts, a government statement said.

An exhibition featuring digitisation of service delivery by various government departments is going on at Kanakakunnu here and entry to the same, which is free for the public, would close on May 27, it said. 

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Rains Trigger Landslides In Parts Of Himachal, Yellow Alert Issued

Moderate to heavy rains, accompanied by lightning and thunderstorm, lashed several parts of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday, triggering landslides and disrupting vehicular traffic and power supply.

A total of 19 roads were closed due to inclement weather in the last few days. A maximum of 11 roads were closed for vehicular traffic in Sirmaur, three in Kullu, two each in Chamba and Shimla and one road was closed in Kangra. A total of 171 transformers were also disrupted.

The Shimla-Theog road (National Highway 5) was blocked for vehicular traffic for nearly two hours following a landslide due to the ongoing excavation work to erect a retaining wall near Theog, about 30 km from here, in the morning.

The landslide occurred around 7 am and it took almost two hours to open the blocked road, said Rahul, a commuter. A large number of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the road for hours.

The heavy vehicles were diverted to Narkanda via Basantpur on the Shimla-Rampur road, Superintendent of Police (SP), Shimla, Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi said, adding that a technical team of the public works department visited the site to explore the possibility of making a temporary bailey bridge on the stretch.

A landslide was reported from Tholong village, near Keylong, in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti. Reports of power being snapped or an erratic power supply poured in from Shimla, Hamirpur and Bilaspur districts.

Shimla and its surrounding areas witnessed heavy rain accompanied by strong winds in the afternoon. Visibility was reduced to a few metres, disrupting vehicular traffic.

Widespread rains occurred across the state. Dharampur was wettest with 67 mm rains, followed by Bijahi, Kumarsain and Gaggal (60 mm each), Narkanda (57 mm), Sundernagar (56 mm), Una (49 mm), Kotkhai, Kasauli and Solan (48 mm each), Tissa (46 mm), Arki and Kheri (45 mm each), Guler (42.6 mm), Jubbarhatti (41 mm), Gohar and Pandoh (40 mm each), Bilaspur (38 mm) and Shimla (36 mm).

The day temperatures crashed by a few degrees. Una recorded a high of 31.4 degrees Celsius, 6.6 notches below normal.

The local meteorological centre has issued a "yellow" warning of thunderstorm and lightning at isolated places from May 26 to 28, and forecast rains at many places in lower areas on Friday and rains and thunderstorms at isolated places in the lower and mid hills from May 27 to 29.

The ongoing wet spell has reduced the pre-monsoon rain deficit from March 1 to May 25 to 11 per cent as the hill state has received 254.6 mm rains, compared to the normal rainfall of 230 mm.

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Video: Flood-Like Scene After Water Pipeline Bursts In Assam; 1 Killed

A woman was killed, and over 30 people were injured after the municipal body's water supply pipe burst in Assam's Guwahati. The high pressure of water also damaged at least 40 houses in the Kharguli area of Guwahati.

The dramatic visuals of the incident are now viral, showing water gushing through streets. Several vehicles were swept away due to the high pressure of water that caused a flood-like situation in the area, with water getting splashed several feet away.

Over 600 people were affected, and a woman died in the incident. The victim was a resident of one of the houses. The pipeline is maintained by Gammon JICA.

The injured were taken to a nearby hospital, and the police have cordoned off the area.

The Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has assured that the water supply will be restored soon.

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Court Questions Jail Officials Over Failure To Prevent Gangster's Murder

The Delhi High Court on Friday asked Tihar jail authorities some searching questions about how dreaded gangster Tillu Tajpuria was killed in a knife attack by a rival gang inside the high-security prison while security staff watched the incident, captured on CCTV cameras, live.

It questioned the prison authorities about the delay in responding to the brutal attack.

The high court asked why the security personnel deployed in the jail premises do not have walkie talkies for communication and termed it as unacceptable.

"What bothers me is that it is watched on CCTV cameras. How can the police take so much of time that it cannot be stopped while the incident is happening," Justice Jasmeet Singh said and asked the counsel for the state as to what is the distance between the jail and surveillance area.

"It shakes my judicial conscience!" the judge said.

"It shakes everybody's conscience, it does shake and we are taking positive steps," responded the counsel.

The high court was hearing a petition filed by Tajpuriya's father and brother seeking a CBI investigation into the "brutal murder" inside the Tihar Jail premises on May 2.

Additional Standing Counsel Rahul Tyagi, representing the state, said the surveillance area is 600 metres away from the jail and told the court that inmates involved in the incident have been arrested for Tillu Tajpuria's murder.

"I am assuring you that if someone from outside was involved, action will also be taken against them," he said.

"They don't have walkie talkies? Why? What is the point? So every time an incident happens, the person from surveillance goes to the jail which is 600 metres away," the jugde asked the government lawyer.

Rahul Tyagi said it is against the jail manual to carry weapons inside and now the authorities are exploring the possibility of arming them.

"I know this is a brutal incident but our reaction should not be immediate. Let us take a cool and calculated decision... Hard cases make bad laws. It should not get a knee jerk reaction," the state's counsel submitted.

Unconvinced, the court asked why the authorities have to wait for any such incident to happen to take action and said the reaction has to be commensurate with the offence.

"Why do we have to wait for an incident to happen and then we say that hard cases make bad laws and knee jerk reactions? How is it fair? Think about it from a rational person's point of view. You have a prison which is 600 metres away from your surveillance (area). The idea of surveillance is to see the movement of the prisoners, that these kinds of incidents don't take place.

"So, the moment the incident is taking place, at best the officer will run. How will he call up? He does not have a walkie talkie. It is unacceptable," the judge said.

The state's counsel said the authorities were taking it as an opportunity to improve things and change the system.

The jail superintendent concerned was also present in the courtroom during the proceedings.

"It is a high security prison, you are aware. Look at the recovery that you have made from surprise checks. Does it not show the potential of huge threats," it said.

The state's counsel said the improvised knives recovered from inmates were crafted from material like fans inside the jail and nothing came from outside.

Advocate Ajay Kumar Pipaniya, appearing for the petitioners, said as Tillu Tajpuriya apprehended threat to his life, applications were filed before a trial court and orders were passed.

"He apprehended a threat to his life and judicial order was passed to take care of his safety and then such an incident happened. This is not acceptable," Justice Singh said.

The high court had earlier questioned the jail authorities over recovery of four knives from the premises where Tillu Tajpuriya was stabbed to death and termed it as "unacceptable state of affairs".

The judge had watched the video in the court and said it was seen that Tillu Tajpuriya was dragged out of his cell and stabbed to death.

A CCTV video which emerged on social media purportedly showed Tillu Tajpuriya being attacked in front of security personnel and also when they were carrying him away after he was stabbed. The personnel did nothing when a dying Tillu Tajpuria was repeatedly stabbed while he was being carried away.

Tillu Tajpuriya was assaulted with improvised weapons allegedly by four members of the Jitendar Gogi gang inside the high-security prison. Gogi was shot dead at Rohini court, allegedly at Tillu Tajpuria's command, in 2021. The bloody feud for supremacy between the two gangs has been going on for the last many years and has claimed several lives.

According to jail officials, seven personnel of the Tamil Nadu Special Police (TNSP), who were on duty when Tillu Tajpuriya was stabbed to death, have been suspended following the incident.

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People Can Now Camp At The House That Inspired 'The Conjuring'

Lovers of 2013 movie 'The Conjuring' now have a chance to experience the spooky and eerie surroundings of the house where it was filed. A Facebook page of named The Conjuring House has announced a paranormal camping option for visitors who are brave enough to experience it. Called "GHamping" (a term that's supposed to mean GHost + Camping), it is a combination of ghost and camping. The house is situated in the community of Burrillville, near the Massachusetts border, in the United States. It is to be noted that there have been several accounts of ghost sightings and eerie activities at the isolated farmhouse over the years, as per a report in NBC News.

"Hello Folks! We are excited to launch our new Overnight Experience: Only 20 dates available from June to October," The Conjuring House said in the Facebook post dated May 18.

The official website states, "Our new GHamping experience will take you beyond the walls of The Conjuring House and immerse you in the land for an unforgettable overnight investigation within the walls of our 3-4 person tents. Visitors are to bring their equipment to investigate what might await in the darkness because this excursion is sure to test your capacity to experience the paranormal."

As per their website, there are eight sites available each with its own "fright factor rating". The cost for an overnight stay varies depending on the style of tent or caravan and is between $300 (Rs 24,822) and $400 (Rs 33,000). Also, there is an extra flat price of $50 per person for stays longer than one night.

The 14-room farmhouse served as a film location for the 2013 horror movie and is based on the experiences of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.

The website further mentions, "This mystical farmhouse offers visitors an opportunity to engage with authentic paranormal activity and is considered one of the most active paranormal locations in the world."

However, the camping guests will not be permitted to enter The Conjuring House and the campsites have reserved lack showers, electricity, propane and running water. The website says, "Cell service and Wi-Fi can be very spotty in the woods and lower fields." Further, the visitors who reserve "GHamping" visits will receive assistance from a caretaker and have access to the 8.5 acres of the property as well as the Merchandise Room store. A historical tour of the grounds as well as sleeping cots, lamps, camp chairs, central fire pits, gas grills, water and 'Portal Potties' will be made available.
Teenagers between the ages of 16 and 17 who wish to engage in "GHamping" must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

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SBI To Pay Delhi Man Rs 2 Lakh After Sending Bill For Expired Credit Card

A Delhi consumer forum has directed the SBI Cards & Payments Services Pvt. Ltd. to pay Rs 2 lakh to a person here for sending him bill even after his card's expiry and blacklisting him for non-payment of the charges.

The New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum comprising its president Monika A Srivastava and members Kiran Kausal and Umesh Kumar Tyagi directed the company to pay the amount to M J Anthony, a former journalist, for "deficiency in providing services".

The forum noted that the company had blacklisted him in the CIBIL system of the wilful defaulters maintained by the RBI, which resulted in the rejection of his applications for credit cards from another bank where he had maintained regular account for nearly two decades.

"This Commission is of the view that the SBI Cards & Payments Services Pvt. Ltd. has been deficient in providing services to the complainant and though the damage/loss occasioned to the complainant in terms of credit rating cannot be measured in terms of money yet punitive damage ought to be awarded against OP (opposite party) therefore, OP is directed to compensate the complainant by paying a sum of Rs 2 lakh as compensation within two months from the date of this order failing which the sum payable would be Rs 3 lakh," the forum said.

The forum passed the order on May 20 on Anthony's complaint seeking compensation, claiming that he had requested the company to cancel his card in April 2016 much before its expiry and not to renew it.

He did not use the card for any transaction after April 9, 2016 and had destroyed the card according to rules, he said, adding that no payment was due at that time on the card.

In September, the complainant received a letter from the company about the cancellation of his card, however, the company continued to send bills relating to the card ignoring his protest e-mails, he said.

The bills were to the tune of Rs 2,946 by May 18, 2017 inclusive of late payment charges and penalty, he said.

He stated that in the same letter, the company had warned him to pay the bill otherwise it would "have adverse impact on the credit history as maintained by the credit Bureau and may hamper future credit requirement".

The company further blacklisted him in the CIBIL system of the wilful defaulters maintained by RBI and he had trouble in getting loans or credit card.

During the argument, the company had denied the allegations.

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US Approves $285 Million Sale Of Air Defence System To Ukraine

The United States on Wednesday announced the approval of a $285 million sale of a NASAMS air defense system and related equipment to Ukraine as Kyiv seeks to boost protection against Russian strikes.

"Ukraine has an urgent need to increase its capabilities to defend against Russian missile strikes and aircraft," the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement. "Acquiring and effectively deploying this capability will enhance Ukraine's ability to defend its people and protect critical national infrastructure."

The agency also said the sale will support US foreign policy national security goals by "improving the security of a partner country that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe."

The sale would not require any additional US government employees or contractors to be assigned to Ukraine, the statement added.

The State Department approved the sale, and the DSCA on Wednesday provided the required notification to Congress, which still needs to sign off on the transaction.

Countries including the United States that are supporting Ukraine in its battle against invading Russian forces have donated tens of billions of dollars of military equipment to Kyiv, but this transfer would be a sale.

Ukraine's air defenses have played a key role in protecting the country from strikes and preventing Moscow's forces from gaining control of the skies.

When Russia invaded in February 2022, Ukraine's air defenses largely consisted of Soviet-era planes and batteries.

They have since been significantly augmented by Kyiv's international supporters, who have donated a series of systems including NASAMS.

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