The Evening Wrap: Fresh date for NEET-PG to be announced within two days, says Dharmendra Pradhan

The new schedule for NEET-PG will be announced by the National Board of Examinations (NBE) within the next two days, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on June 29. NEET-PG is among the exams cancelled last week as a pre-emptive measure amid a raging row over alleged irregularities in competitive tests. “The date of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, Post Graduate will be announced by the NBE in one or two days,” Pradhan told reporters in Panchkula on the sidelines of Haryana BJP’s extended state executive meeting. The comments by Pradhan come a day after the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced revised dates for three exams which were cancelled. The University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) which was cancelled a day after being conducted on June 18 after the education ministry received inputs that the integrity of the exam was compromised, will now be conducted from August 21 to September 4. Delhi floods: Two boys drown in waterlogged Siraspur underpass Two boys drowned in the waterlogged section at an underpass in outer north Delhi’s SP Badali area on June 29 afternoon, a day after the city was lashed with heavy rains. The incident occurred near the Siraspur underpass near the metro, which was flooded with 2.5-3 feet of water, a senior police officer said. The police received a call about the boys drowning around 2.25 pm, and a team was immediately rushed to the spot. They conducted a search operation, and with the help of a fire brigade, they recovered the bodies, the officer said. One of the boys is a resident of Siraspur, while the identity of the other one is yet to be ascertained, he said. Prima facie, it appeared to be a case of suspected drowning while the boys were taking a bath, another officer said. The bodies have been shifted to Babu Jagjeevan Ram Hospital. An inquest proceeding under 174 Code of Criminal Procedure is underway, he said. Officer held for human trafficking: Fully cooperating with law enforcement agencies, says Navy After the arrest of a Lieutenant Commander rank officer by Mumbai Crime Branch for alleged involvement in trafficking people to South Korea on forged documents, the Indian Navy on June 29 said it would fully cooperate with law enforcement agencies. The Navy remains committed to holding its personnel to maintaining the highest standards of conduct always, a defence spokesperson said. Lieutenant Commander Vipin Kumar Dagar (28) was arrested from Colaba in south Mumbai on Thursday for allegedly being part of a gang that was sending people to South Korea on forged documents for money. As per police, Dagar’s associates had confessed they had sent 8-10 people to the East Asian country in this manner and had charged ₹10 lakh per case. In a statement, the defence spokesperson said, “A complaint on misconduct of an officer was received by the Navy from the Republic of Korea (RoK) Consulate in Mumbai. On investigation by the Navy, it was found that the case had possible links to a fraudulent visa racket gang.” “Accordingly, Indian Navy informed the Civil Police with their concerns and information held, which started a detailed investigation. The Navy is fully cooperating with the law enforcement agencies and remains committed to holding its personnel to maintaining the highest standards of conduct always,” the spokesperson added. Police said Dagar, who is a resident of Haryana and is the son of an air force personnel, has been remanded in police custody till July 5. Setty to become new chairman of SBI; FSIB recommends him as successor of Khara Government appointment selection panel FSIB on June 29 selected senior-most managing director Challa Sreenivasulu Setty for the position of Chairman of country’s largest lender State Bank of India. Setty, who was appointed managing director in January 2020, currently looks after International Banking, Global Markets and Technology verticals. He will succeed Dinesh Kumar Khara, who will be superannuating on August 28, when he turns 63, the upper age limit for the position of SBI Chairman. Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB), the headhunter for directors of state-owned banks and financial institutions, interviewed three candidates on June 29, 2024 for the position. As per the convention, the chairman is appointed from a pool of serving managing directors of SBI. Usually, senior-most managing director becomes chairman of the bank. The final decision on FSIB recommendation would be taken by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After Delhi, part of canopy collapses at Rajkot Hirasar international airport amid heavy rain in Gujarat A part of the canopy at Rajkot Hirasar international airport terminal collapsed following heavy rain in Gujarat on June 29. A video, which is now viral on social media, shows the canopy collapsing at the passenger pickup and drop area outside the airport terminal. No injury or deaths have been reported so far due to the accident, according to officials. The new greenfield airport was inaugurated by PM Modi in July 2023. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) built the new airport 25 km from Rajkot at Hirasar village. This is the third incident of infrastructure collapse at an Indian airport in under a week after Delhi’s IGI terminal-1 and Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur airport. The incident happened a day after a canopy over the forecourt at Terminal 1 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport collapsed over cars following heavy rain in New Delhi on June 28. One person died and six others were injured in the accident with the terminal suspending flight operations. Earlier on June 27, a part of a fabric canopy on the premises of the Dumna airport in Jabalpur collapsed due to accumulation of water amid heavy rains and crushed a car parked below, officials said. No injuries were reported in the accident. A cyclonic circulation active over south Gujarat brought widespread rains in several parts of the State on June 28 and the wet spell will continue for the next five days, weather office said. Congress targets Modi over report that Adani Group is collaborating with Chinese companies for solar project The Congress on June 29, citing a news report about the Adani Group selecting eight Chinese companies to assist its solar manufacturing project, questioned if the taxpayers’ money should benefit the Chinese firms. Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a post on X, Congress general secretary (organisation) Jairam Ramesh called for a strategy “to wean India of its dependence on China”. “The non-biological Prime Minister infamously told the nation on June 19, 2020, after the Galwan clashes that Na koi hamari seema mein ghus aaya hai, na hi koi ghusa hua hai (Neither has anyone entered our borders, nor has anyone occupied territories). However, he shows no hesitation in liberally issuing visas to Chinese workers to help one of his ‘tempowallah’ buddies,” Ramesh said, tagging the newspaper report about Adani Solar seeking Centre’s nod to bring a few engineers from China. “The Adani Group, a major recipient of taxpayer largesse via the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, has reportedly selected eight Chinese companies to help its solar manufacturing project and has asked for special permission to issue visas for 30 Chinese workers. Having facilitated multiple Modani scams such as coal and power-equipment over-invoicing and the amassing of illegal stakes in Adani Group companies -- all executed by individuals like Chang Chung-Ling and Nasser Ali Shaban Ahli -- why would the non-biological PM not waive national security considerations in this instance to benefit his partner and close friend?” Ramesh said. The Congress leader said that “these concessions are being made even as the Chinese continue to occupy 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory in eastern Ladakh and India’s imports from China have shot up from USD 70 billion in 2018-19 to USD 101 billion in 2023-24”. “Even the PLI scheme is benefitting China in sectors like electronics, solar etc. where PLI beneficiaries are signing giant contracts with Chinese vendors even as they enjoy taxpayer subsidies,” he added. Ramesh said these collaborations are happening in the name of self reliance. “It is time for a proper strategy to wean India off dependence on China, and to ensure that taxpayer funds do not benefit Chinese companies. Prioritising his friends over national interest may be second nature to the PM, but it cannot be allowed to become national policy,” he said. IMD warns of heavy rainfall in northwest and northeast India for next 5 days The India Meteorological Department on June 29 forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in northwest and northeast India over the next four to five days. A low-pressure area is currently situated over the northwest Bay of Bengal, adjoining the north Odisha-Gangetic West Bengal coasts, the weather office said. Cyclonic circulations have formed over northeast Rajasthan, east Uttar Pradesh bordering Bihar, and northwest Uttar Pradesh at lower tropospheric levels, it added. An east-west trough extends from northwest Uttar Pradesh to the low-pressure area. Due to these weather systems, isolated heavy rainfall is expected in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan from June 29 to July 3, the IMD said. Chhattisgarh, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha will likely receive heavy rainfall on June 29-30, and Bihar from June 30 to July 2. The IMD has also predicted very heavy rainfall in isolated areas in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, east Rajasthan, and west Madhya Pradesh during this period. In the northeast, a cyclonic circulation over northeast Assam will bring light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning, and isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall to Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura over the next five days. Isolated extremely heavy rainfall is expected in Arunachal Pradesh on June 29-30 and in Assam and Meghalaya on June 29. Isolated heavy rainfall has been forecast for Saurashtra, Kutch, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and coastal and south interior Karnataka from June 29 to July 1. Gujarat, Goa, and central Maharashtra are expected to receive heavy rainfall from June 29 to July 3, with isolated very heavy rainfall in Konkan, Goa, and central Maharashtra from June 30 to July 3. The IMD also said that the southwest monsoon has further advanced into the remaining parts of east Uttar Pradesh and some areas of west Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. Conditions are favourable for the monsoon to advance into more parts of west Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, and the remaining areas of west Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu over the next two to three days, it added. In Brief: A Delhi court on June 29 sent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody till July 12 in a corruption case related to the alleged excise policy scam. Kejriwal was produced in the court by the CBI after the end of his three-day custodial interrogation. The CBI sought 14 days jail for Kejriwal, saying his incarceration was required “in the interest of the investigation and justice”. Allowing the plea, Special Judge Sunena Sharma said that Kejriwal be produced in the court on July 12. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 29 June 2024 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( Fresh date for NEET-PG to be announced within two days, says Dharmendra Pradhan The [new schedule for NEET-PG will be announced]( by the National Board of Examinations (NBE) within the next two days, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on June 29. NEET-PG is among the exams cancelled last week as a pre-emptive measure amid a raging row over alleged irregularities in competitive tests. “The date of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, Post Graduate will be announced by the NBE in one or two days,” Pradhan told reporters in Panchkula on the sidelines of Haryana BJP’s extended state executive meeting. The comments by Pradhan come a day after the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced revised dates for three exams which were cancelled. The University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) which was cancelled a day after being conducted on June 18 after the education ministry received inputs that the integrity of the exam was compromised, will now be conducted from August 21 to September 4. Delhi floods: Two boys drown in waterlogged Siraspur underpass [Two boys drowned in the waterlogged section at an underpass]( in outer north Delhi’s SP Badali area on June 29 afternoon, a day after the city was lashed with heavy rains. The incident occurred near the Siraspur underpass near the metro, which was flooded with 2.5-3 feet of water, a senior police officer said. The police received a call about the boys drowning around 2.25 pm, and a team was immediately rushed to the spot. They conducted a search operation, and with the help of a fire brigade, they recovered the bodies, the officer said. One of the boys is a resident of Siraspur, while the identity of the other one is yet to be ascertained, he said. Prima facie, it appeared to be a case of suspected drowning while the boys were taking a bath, another officer said. The bodies have been shifted to Babu Jagjeevan Ram Hospital. An inquest proceeding under 174 Code of Criminal Procedure is underway, he said. Officer held for human trafficking: Fully cooperating with law enforcement agencies, says Navy After the arrest of a Lieutenant Commander rank officer by Mumbai Crime Branch for alleged involvement in trafficking people to South Korea on forged documents, the [Indian Navy on June 29 said it would fully cooperate]( with law enforcement agencies. The Navy remains committed to holding its personnel to maintaining the highest standards of conduct always, a defence spokesperson said. Lieutenant Commander Vipin Kumar Dagar (28) was arrested from Colaba in south Mumbai on Thursday for allegedly being part of a gang that was sending people to South Korea on forged documents for money. As per police, Dagar’s associates had confessed they had sent 8-10 people to the East Asian country in this manner and had charged ₹10 lakh per case. In a statement, the defence spokesperson said, “A complaint on misconduct of an officer was received by the Navy from the Republic of Korea (RoK) Consulate in Mumbai. On investigation by the Navy, it was found that the case had possible links to a fraudulent visa racket gang.” “Accordingly, Indian Navy informed the Civil Police with their concerns and information held, which started a detailed investigation. The Navy is fully cooperating with the law enforcement agencies and remains committed to holding its personnel to maintaining the highest standards of conduct always,” the spokesperson added. Police said Dagar, who is a resident of Haryana and is the son of an air force personnel, has been remanded in police custody till July 5. Setty to become new chairman of SBI; FSIB recommends him as successor of Khara Government appointment selection panel FSIB on June 29 selected [senior-most managing director Challa Sreenivasulu Setty for the position of Chairman]( of country’s largest lender State Bank of India. Setty, who was appointed managing director in January 2020, currently looks after International Banking, Global Markets and Technology verticals. He will succeed Dinesh Kumar Khara, who will be superannuating on August 28, when he turns 63, the upper age limit for the position of SBI Chairman. Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB), the headhunter for directors of state-owned banks and financial institutions, interviewed three candidates on June 29, 2024 for the position. As per the convention, the chairman is appointed from a pool of serving managing directors of SBI. Usually, senior-most managing director becomes chairman of the bank. The final decision on FSIB recommendation would be taken by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After Delhi, part of canopy collapses at Rajkot Hirasar international airport amid heavy rain in Gujarat A part of the [canopy at Rajkot Hirasar international airport terminal collapsed]( following heavy rain in Gujarat on June 29. A video, which is now viral on social media, shows the canopy collapsing at the passenger pickup and drop area outside the airport terminal. No injury or deaths have been reported so far due to the accident, according to officials. The new greenfield airport was inaugurated by PM Modi in July 2023. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) built the new airport 25 km from Rajkot at Hirasar village. This is the third incident of infrastructure collapse at an Indian airport in under a week after Delhi’s IGI terminal-1 and Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur airport. The incident happened a day after a canopy over the forecourt at Terminal 1 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport collapsed over cars following heavy rain in New Delhi on June 28. One person died and six others were injured in the accident with the terminal suspending flight operations. Earlier on June 27, a part of a fabric canopy on the premises of the Dumna airport in Jabalpur collapsed due to accumulation of water amid heavy rains and crushed a car parked below, officials said. No injuries were reported in the accident. A cyclonic circulation active over south Gujarat brought widespread rains in several parts of the State on June 28 and the wet spell will continue for the next five days, weather office said. Congress targets Modi over report that Adani Group is collaborating with Chinese companies for solar project The Congress on June 29, citing a news report about the [Adani Group selecting eight Chinese companies]( to assist its solar manufacturing project, questioned if the taxpayers’ money should benefit the Chinese firms. Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a post on X, Congress general secretary (organisation) Jairam Ramesh called for a strategy “to wean India of its dependence on China”. “The non-biological Prime Minister infamously told the nation on June 19, 2020, after the Galwan clashes that Na koi hamari seema mein ghus aaya hai, na hi koi ghusa hua hai (Neither has anyone entered our borders, nor has anyone occupied territories). However, he shows no hesitation in liberally issuing visas to Chinese workers to help one of his ‘tempowallah’ buddies,” Ramesh said, tagging the newspaper report about Adani Solar seeking Centre’s nod to bring a few engineers from China. “The Adani Group, a major recipient of taxpayer largesse via the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, has reportedly selected eight Chinese companies to help its solar manufacturing project and has asked for special permission to issue visas for 30 Chinese workers. Having facilitated multiple Modani scams such as coal and power-equipment over-invoicing and the amassing of illegal stakes in Adani Group companies -- all executed by individuals like Chang Chung-Ling and Nasser Ali Shaban Ahli -- why would the non-biological PM not waive national security considerations in this instance to benefit his partner and close friend?” Ramesh said. The Congress leader said that “these concessions are being made even as the Chinese continue to occupy 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory in eastern Ladakh and India’s imports from China have shot up from USD 70 billion in 2018-19 to USD 101 billion in 2023-24”. “Even the PLI scheme is benefitting China in sectors like electronics, solar etc. where PLI beneficiaries are signing giant contracts with Chinese vendors even as they enjoy taxpayer subsidies,” he added. Ramesh said these collaborations are happening in the name of self reliance. “It is time for a proper strategy to wean India off dependence on China, and to ensure that taxpayer funds do not benefit Chinese companies. Prioritising his friends over national interest may be second nature to the PM, but it cannot be allowed to become national policy,” he said. IMD warns of heavy rainfall in northwest and northeast India for next 5 days The India Meteorological Department on June 29 forecast [heavy to very heavy rainfall in northwest and northeast India]( over the next four to five days. A low-pressure area is currently situated over the northwest Bay of Bengal, adjoining the north Odisha-Gangetic West Bengal coasts, the weather office said. Cyclonic circulations have formed over northeast Rajasthan, east Uttar Pradesh bordering Bihar, and northwest Uttar Pradesh at lower tropospheric levels, it added. An east-west trough extends from northwest Uttar Pradesh to the low-pressure area. Due to these weather systems, isolated heavy rainfall is expected in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan from June 29 to July 3, the IMD said. Chhattisgarh, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha will likely receive heavy rainfall on June 29-30, and Bihar from June 30 to July 2. The IMD has also predicted very heavy rainfall in isolated areas in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, east Rajasthan, and west Madhya Pradesh during this period. In the northeast, a cyclonic circulation over northeast Assam will bring light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning, and isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall to Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura over the next five days. Isolated extremely heavy rainfall is expected in Arunachal Pradesh on June 29-30 and in Assam and Meghalaya on June 29. Isolated heavy rainfall has been forecast for Saurashtra, Kutch, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and coastal and south interior Karnataka from June 29 to July 1. Gujarat, Goa, and central Maharashtra are expected to receive heavy rainfall from June 29 to July 3, with isolated very heavy rainfall in Konkan, Goa, and central Maharashtra from June 30 to July 3. The IMD also said that the southwest monsoon has further advanced into the remaining parts of east Uttar Pradesh and some areas of west Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. Conditions are favourable for the monsoon to advance into more parts of west Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, and the remaining areas of west Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu over the next two to three days, it added. In Brief: A Delhi court on June 29 [sent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody till July 12]( in a corruption case related to the alleged excise policy scam. Kejriwal was produced in the court by the CBI after the end of his three-day custodial interrogation. The CBI sought 14 days jail for Kejriwal, saying his incarceration was required “in the interest of the investigation and justice”. Allowing the plea, Special Judge Sunena Sharma said that Kejriwal be produced in the court on July 12. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. 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