Minister of Earth Sciences Kiran Rijiju reportedly troubled by French IT company Atos. The reason for this is being said to be the delay in the delivery of two supercomputers by the French company. Indian Weather Forecasting Institute. According to a report by news agency PTI Ministry of Earth Sciences Last year, Atos Group had ordered two supercomputers worth $100 million from French firm Avidyne to enhance the computing capabilities of its institutions – the National Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) and the National Weather Service (NCMRWF). Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM).
“I am more worried because the target we had set was December. The Union Cabinet had already approved purchasing supercomputers. We have only four petaflop capacity. We want to install up to 18 petaflop capacity,” Rijiju told PTI in a video interview.
He said the French company is in some financial trouble and wants the government to make payments to its subsidiary.
Minister says he is ‘worried’ about the delay
Rijiju said he was worried about the delay as the company had gone beyond the deadline. “But I think we’ll sort it out soon,” he said. He said the government wanted to be “very correct in its position legally”.
The minister said, “We are ready to release the money because we want the machine immediately. The only problem is that the amount is not small. So if we pay now, if the company goes bankrupt or something happens, who will save.”
Rijiju further said that the government is taking some steps to speed up the delivery of supercomputers, but did not elaborate. “But I hope the French government will also intervene because we have a good understanding and very good relations with the French government.
“Since this is a high-cost instrument, we want to ensure that the transaction is done in a lawful and fair manner,” he said.
Rijiju said, “Outwardly, everything is ready. It is only a problem with the main company. They want us to make payments to their subsidiary. We will make payments only to the company with which we have entered into the MoU.”
Supercomputing systems based on Avidyne’s Bullsequana XH2000 are said to have a combined power capacity of up to 21.3 petaflops.
Supercomputer in IITM
Pune-based IITM’s supercomputer will provide 13 petaflop computing power for atmosphere and climate research. As per PTI report, it will integrate 3,000 CPU nodes using AMD EPYC 7643 processor and 26 GPU nodes through NVIDIA A100 Tensor Core GPU. The system will benefit from the NVIDIA Quantum InfiniBand networking platform with in-network computing, 3PB all flash and 29PB disk-based DDN EXAScaler ES400NVX2 storage, and Micron high-technology memory.
The existing computing facility at NCMRWF is 2.8 petaflops and at IITM is 4 petaflops respectively.

दिल्ली से सटे गाजियाबाद जिले से एक बेहद भावुक और दर्दनाक खबर सामने आई है. राजनगर एक्सटेंशन की राज अंपायर सोसायटी में रहने वाले 30 वर्षीय हरीश राणा को आखिरकार इच्छामृत्यु की इजाजत मिल गई है। करीब 13 साल पहले एक हादसे ने उनके सपनों और भविष्य को पूरी तरह से बदल दिया। तब से वह बिस्तर पर थे और गंभीर हालत में जी रहे थे। लंबे समय से चल रही कानूनी प्रक्रिया और पारिवारिक दिक्कतों को देखते हुए अब उन्हें असहनीय दर्द से राहत पाने का रास्ता मिल गया है। यह मामला देश में निष्क्रिय इच्छामृत्यु और लाइलाज मरीजों के अधिकारों को लेकर भी नई चर्चा शुरू कर रहा है.

एक हादसे ने मेरी पूरी जिंदगी बदल दी
हरीश राणा की कहानी संघर्ष और टूटे सपनों की कहानी है। वर्ष 2013 में हरीश बीटेक सिविल इंजीनियरिंग के अंतिम वर्ष का छात्र था। पढ़ाई के साथ-साथ वह एक अच्छे वेटलिफ्टर भी थे और खेल में अपना करियर बनाना चाहते थे। रक्षाबंधन की शाम उसने अपनी बहन से फोन पर बात की थी। लेकिन करीब एक घंटे बाद परिवार को खबर मिली कि वह चंडीगढ़ के एक पेइंग गेस्ट हाउस की चौथी मंजिल से गिरकर गंभीर रूप से घायल हो गए हैं. अगले दिन उन्हें फाइनल वेटलिफ्टिंग प्रतियोगिता में हिस्सा लेना था, लेकिन उन्हें अस्पताल के बिस्तर पर जाना पड़ा।

13 साल तक इलाज और आर्थिक संघर्ष चला
हादसे के बाद से हरीश लगातार बिस्तर पर हैं। उनके पिता अशोक राणा ताज सैट्स एयर कैटरिंग से सेवानिवृत्त हुए हैं। उन्होंने अपनी पूरी जमा पूंजी अपने बेटे के इलाज पर खर्च कर दी. हरीश को अपनी देखभाल के लिए हर महीने भारी खर्च उठाना पड़ता था। नर्स का खर्च हर महीने करीब 27 हजार रुपये था, जबकि फिजियोथेरेपी पर करीब 14 हजार रुपये खर्च होते थे। इसके अलावा हर महीने दवाइयों पर 20 से 25 हजार रुपये खर्च होते थे. अशोक राणा को केवल 3,500 रुपये मासिक पेंशन मिलती है। छोटे बेटे आशीष की नौकरी से परिवार का खर्च चल रहा था। सरकारी मदद न मिलने से परिवार आर्थिक और मानसिक रूप से परेशान था।

लंबी कानूनी लड़ाई के बाद मिला फैसला
परिवार ने पहले भी इच्छामृत्यु की इजाजत मांगी थी, लेकिन 8 जुलाई 2024 को हाई कोर्ट ने उनकी अपील खारिज कर दी थी. बाद में परिवार की स्थिति और हरीश की स्थिति को देखते हुए मामले पर पुनर्विचार किया गया। आख़िरकार अब उन्हें इच्छामृत्यु की इजाज़त मिल गई है.

पिता और पड़ोसियों की भावुक प्रतिक्रिया
हरीश के पिता का कहना है कि वह 13 साल से अपने बेटे को दर्द से दर्द सहते हुए देख रहे हैं. इसी दर्द के चलते उन्होंने ये कठिन फैसला लिया. समाज के लोगों का कहना है कि हरीश काफी समय से बिस्तर पर थे और परिवार की हालत काफी खराब हो गई थी. अब हरीश की याद में सोसायटी में शांति सभा का भी आयोजन किया जाएगा। यह घटना लोगों को गहरे भावनात्मक स्तर पर सोचने पर मजबूर कर रही है.

The 74 expedition members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are preparing for an important spacewalk to advance microgravity research. NASA Flight engineers Jessica Meyer and Chris Williams prepared spacesuits in the Quest airlock, cleaned cooling loops and reviewed procedures for the March 18 extravehicular activity (EVA). They will perform kit modifications and install route cables for the seventh roll-out solar array, increasing ISS power capacity. Meanwhile, Jack Hathaway and ESA’s Sophie Adenot test EchoFinder-2, an AI-augmented reality ultrasound device in the Columbus module that autonomously scans organs to reduce reliance on Earth for distant missions. NASA further reported that Roscosmos astronauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev monitored vascular health with sensors, while Andrey Fadeyev maintained the oxygen generator and water systems. Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL opens for re-entry into the Pacific via Canadarm2 on March 12, after delivering 11,000 pounds of cargo through September 2025. These efforts are a mix of maintenance and science, fueling the president’s deep space ambitions as part of the Artemis push. Live coverage across all NASA platforms begins at 6:45 a.m. EDT.

Spacewalk preparations on the international space station

NASA flight engineers Jessica Meir and Chris Williams are leading the charge for the upcoming spacewalk on March 18. Inside the Quest airlock, the two carefully cleaned the cooling loops on their spacesuits, refilled water components, and inspected the helmets to ensure everything worked flawlessly during the six-and-a-half-hour extravehicular activity (EVA). Their mission? To install a modification kit and route cables on the port side of the ISS for a future roll-out solar array, the seventh such array to boost the station’s power output. As posted on their This spacewalk highlights the ongoing upgrades keeping the ISS operational amid its aging infrastructure.Veteran astronaut Jessica Meyer, with her experience from previous EVAs, pairs seamlessly with Chris Williams, who has been adapting to station life since November. Their teamwork at the Quest Airlock not only prepared the hardware but also reviewed critical emergency procedures for the harsh vacuum of space. Augmented reality and AI in space health screeningInnovation is not just outside the station, it is thriving inside as well. Flight engineer Jack Hathaway of NASA and Sophie Adenot of the European Space Agency (ESA) conducted an augmented-reality-guided ultrasound scan using the EchoFinder-2 device in the Columbus laboratory module. They took pictures of each other’s abdomens and vascular systems, with AI analyzing the data to automatically identify the organs. An ESA report on the technology explains, “EcoFinder-2 opens the door to autonomous ultrasound using minimal training and low-tech hardware for space missions, reducing the reliance on Earth-based experts critical for future Mars trips where signal delays stretch up to 20 minutes. Adenote, on his first mission since February 2026, and Hathaway, a U.S. Navy captain with more than 2,500 flight hours, swapped roles to test the system’s reliability in weightlessness. Meanwhile, NASA’s blog further reports that Roscosmos astronauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev monitored circulatory health with blood pressure cuffs and sensors on the forehead, fingers and toes. Data sent to the laptop helps doctors track microgravity’s effects on vascular systems, from fluid changes to possible clots. Flight engineer Andrey Fadeyev kept life support running, servicing the electron oxygen generator in the Zvezda module and purifying water tanks to protect the crew’s supplies.

Cygnus cargo spacecraft departing from the ISS

Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft is expected to undock on March 12, after a six-month stay beginning September 18, 2025. Loaded with trash and experiments, it will be grabbed by the Canadarm2 robotic arm from the Unity module and released for a fiery reentry over the South Pacific. The mission delivered more than 11,000 pounds of supplies, hardware and science payload under NASA’s Commercial Replenishment Service program. “Cygnus XL, operated by Northrop Grumman, is scheduled to depart the ISS on Thursday, March 12,” Space Coast Daily confirms, with live coverage beginning at 6:45 a.m. EDT on NASA+.Sophie Adenot will oversee Cygnus’ systems post-release, ensuring a smooth exit. This departure clears the docking port for future missions, maintaining the ISS’s role as a springboard for deep space ambitions.

Expedition 74 Crew: Pioneering Spacewalk

Expedition 74, running from December 2025, combines NASA, ESA and Roscosmos expertise for research in biology, physics and human physiology. From solar array upgrades powering the outposts of tomorrow to AI diagnostics paving the way for autonomous medicine, these activities captivate global audiences.As President Trump’s administration sets its sights on Artemis and beyond, the ISS remains Earth’s orbiting laboratory, where changes like turning on today’s solar arrays provide sustainable power for an expanded human presence in space. Watch the action live and witness history happening 400km above us.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched the campaign for the upcoming Kerala elections from Kochi and said the people of the state are now ready to move on from the long-standing dominance of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), asserting that the BJP’s recent electoral surge in the state is indicative of a broader political shift.PM Modi also took a dig at Rahul Gandhi and said that the ‘prince’ of Congress does not know the youth and many companies in India and Kerala are into drone manufacturing.He said, “The people of Kerala have seen that the Congress prince is unaware of the remarkable achievements of India’s youth in drone manufacturing. The Congress leaders are unaware that many companies are manufacturing drones in India.”Addressing a large public gathering in Ernakulam, Kochi, the Prime Minister cited the BJP’s victory in the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat and Thiruvananthapuram civic polls as evidence of the party’s expansion in the state.PM Modi said, “I am happy that the people of Kerala have now decided to free themselves from the vicious cycle of LDF and UDF. This confidence is clearly visible in this huge gathering.”Beginning his speech by greeting the audience in Malayalam, the Prime Minister referred to the state widely referred to as “Keralam”, calling it a tribute to the heritage of the Malayalam language.“It was your heartfelt call that Kerala should be known as Keralam. I am proud that now the entire country and the world is calling this great state as Keralam.” I am also proud that this historic work has been completed by the BJP-NDA government. It is a tribute to the wonderful heritage of Malayalam,” he said.PM Modi urged voters in the state to break the traditional cycle of alternating governments between the LDF and UDF and give the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) a chance to govern.“It is important to break the LDF-UDF pattern of government and give the BJP-led NDA a chance to serve you for the next five years. You have Modi’s guarantee,” the Prime Minister said.The comments come as the BJP looks to expand its political presence in Kerala, a state historically dominated by Left and Congress-led alliances. Party leaders are projecting the recent electoral successes as a sign of growing support for the BJP in the southern state.

Suryakumar Yadav of India poses with the trophy after winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India vs Sri Lanka 2026 final between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India on March 08, 2026. (Photo by Prakash Singh/Getty Images)

New Delhi: India’s T20I captain excited with historic win in Ahmedabad Suryakumar Yadav Unveiled an ambitious blueprint: lead India to the 2028 LA Olympics, win gold, and defend the T20 World Cup title in Australia and New Zealand later that year.“The next target is Olympic gold and also the T20 World Cup that year,” a jubilant Surya told reporters after India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs to become the first team to win consecutive T20 World Cups.

There is nothing wrong with Surya setting a high bar for the current Indian team, which has produced unreal consistency in this format since taking over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma in 2024.Surya has impressive statistics as a captain. Since taking over the reins after the 2024 World Cup, India have been the team to beat in the shortest format. Under Surya’s leadership, India have played 52 matches, won 42 (including two in the Super Over) and lost only eight games, while two matches ended in a no result.

India’s Suryakumar Yadav interacting with the crowd after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The Sri Lanka 2026 Final will take place between India and New Zealand on March 08, 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Prakash Singh/Getty Images)

The record under Surya is commendable but with talent waiting in the wings, age not on his side, poor form and doubts over his injured wrist, he may not be the right man to lead India in the future.Surya’s form had deteriorated before the T20 World Cup. He did not score any half-century in 23 innings. In that period, his strike rate was below 120. But he bounced back in style just in time for the T20 World Cup, scoring three fifties in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand. He continued that form in the T20 World Cup and played a brilliant inning of 84 runs off 49 balls in India’s opening match against America.After this Surya again started struggling with his form. In the tournament, he scored 242 runs in nine innings at an average of 30.25 and a strike rate of 136.72. He crossed the 30 mark thrice against Pakistan, Netherlands and Zimbabwe and looked vulnerable against quality spin in the middle overs.

AHMEDABAD, INDIA – MARCH 08: Suryakumar Yadav of India reacts during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The Sri Lanka 2026 Final will take place between India and New Zealand on March 08, 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

Against Namibia in Delhi, he was dismissed by 35-year-old left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz. R. On the dual-speed surface of the Premadasa Stadium, Surya put up a formidable performance against Pakistan’s spin trio of Saeem Ayub, Usman Tariq and Mohammad Nawaz. After Ishan Kishan’s fast start, Surya’s inning of 32 runs in 29 balls took away the momentum.In the next match against Netherlands, he again capped things off with 34 off 28 balls. Had it not been for Shivam Dubey’s 66 off 31 balls and Hardik Pandya’s explosive strikes, India would have been in danger as the margin of victory was only 17 runs.Against South Africa, Surya scored 18 runs in 22 balls while toiling hard at the crease. The Indian captain found his rhythm by playing a blazing inning of 33 runs in 13 balls against Zimbabwe in Chennai. This was his second impressive innings of the tournament.

AHMEDABAD, INDIA – MARCH 08: Suryakumar Yadav of India reacts during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The Sri Lanka 2026 Final will take place between India and New Zealand on March 08, 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

He faltered again in the virtual quarter-final against West Indies at the Eden Gardens. His innings of 18 runs off 16 balls took away the momentum of the high-scoring chase.In the semi-final, on a belter at Wankhede where the balls were flying, Surya was stumped by Adil Rashid. This was the second time in the tournament that he was caught fishing outside the crease.In the final, when India were approaching 200 in the 15th over, he decided to come in to bat instead of sending in-form Tilak Verma or Shivam Dubey. However, his stay lasted only for one ball as he went for a golden duck.

Despite his batting failures, he became the third Indian captain to lead the team to the T20 World Cup title, following in the footsteps of MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.with Jasprit Bumrah‘In the golden four overs, India will again go into LA 2028 and the next T20 World Cup as favourites, and that is no easy thing. But Surya may definitely not be the right person to lead India in the Olympics and the next T20 World Cup. India should thank Surya for his service and start creating a blueprint under a new captain.

मुजफ्फरनगर मंदिर विवाद जिसको लेकर शहर में हड़कंप मच गया श्री राधा कृष्ण मंदिर परिसर में दुकानदारों और मंदिर के पुजारी के बीच विवाद बढ़ गया। बताया जा रहा है कि किसी बात को लेकर शुरू हुई तकरार अचानक बढ़ गई और मामला इतना बढ़ गया कि पुलिस को हस्तक्षेप करना पड़ा.

घटना के बाद पुलिस दोनों पक्षों को थाने ले आई, जहां अधिकारी मामले की जानकारी ले रहे हैं और आपसी सहमति से विवाद को सुलझाने का प्रयास किया जा रहा है.

रूड़की रोड स्थित मंदिर परिसर में विवाद हो गया

यह घटना शहर के रूड़की रोड पर हुई. रामपुरी क्षेत्र कहा जा रहा है कि कहां कुष्ठ आश्रम परिसर में बना श्री राधा कृष्ण मंदिर आसपास कई छोटी दुकानें भी संचालित होती हैं। मंदिर परिसर में रहने वाले पुजारी और आसपास के दुकानदारों के बीच किसी बात को लेकर विवाद हो गया.

स्थानीय लोगों के मुताबिक दोनों पक्षों के बीच पहले भी कई बार विवाद हो चुका है. इसी क्रम में एक बार फिर किसी बात को लेकर विवाद सामने आया, जिसने अचानक गंभीर रूप ले लिया.

पुजारी पर मारपीट का आरोप

घटना के बाद मंदिर के पुजारी ने आरोप लगाया कि कुछ दुकानदारों ने उनके साथ मारपीट की. पुजारी का कहना है कि मंदिर के पास स्थित कुछ दुकानदारों से उनका लंबे समय से विवाद चल रहा है और इसी कारण यह स्थिति उत्पन्न हुई है.

बहरहाल, पुलिस इस पूरे मामले को लेकर दोनों पक्षों की बात सुनकर वास्तविक स्थिति की जानकारी जुटाने में लगी हुई है.

यह मंदिर कुष्ठ आश्रम के परिसर में स्थित है।

जिस जगह पर यह विवाद हुआ वह शहर का अहम और संवेदनशील इलाका माना जाता है. रामपुरी में कुष्ठ आश्रम परिसर इसी परिसर में बड़ी संख्या में कुष्ठ रोगी रहते हैं और इसी परिसर में श्री राधा कृष्ण मंदिर बना हुआ है।

यह मंदिर स्थानीय लोगों के लिए आस्था का केंद्र माना जाता है और भक्त नियमित रूप से यहां दर्शन के लिए आते हैं। मंदिर के पुजारी भी इसी परिसर में रहते हैं।

घटना के बाद मंदिर परिसर में लोग जमा हो गये

घटना की जानकारी जैसे ही आसपास के इलाके में फैली तो कई लोग मंदिर परिसर में पहुंचने लगे. बताया जा रहा है कि पुजारी के समर्थन में कुछ स्थानीय लोग भी वहां जमा हो गए, जिससे कुछ देर के लिए माहौल तनावपूर्ण हो गया.

मंदिर परिसर में शोर-शराबे की जानकारी मिलने पर तुरंत पुलिस को सूचना दी गई.

पुलिस ने मौके पर पहुंचकर स्थिति को नियंत्रित किया

सूचना मिलते ही पुलिस टीम मौके पर पहुंची और दोनों पक्षों को समझाकर स्थिति को नियंत्रित किया. विवाद को बढ़ने से रोकने के लिए पुलिस पुजारी और संबंधित दुकानदारों को थाने ले गई और बातचीत शुरू की।

पुलिस अधिकारियों का कहना है कि दोनों पक्षों की बात सुनी जा रही है और पूरे मामले की जानकारी जुटाई जा रही है.

समझौते के प्रयास जारी हैं

थाने में दोनों पक्षों को आमने-सामने बैठाकर बातचीत की जा रही है. अधिकारियों की कोशिश आपसी बातचीत से विवाद का शांतिपूर्ण समाधान निकालने की है.

पुलिस का कहना है कि किसी भी विवाद को कानून-व्यवस्था की समस्या बनने से पहले सुलझाना जरूरी है, इसलिए दोनों पक्षों को समझाने की कोशिश की जा रही है.

स्थानीय स्तर पर चर्चा चलती रही

इस घटना के बाद आसपास के इलाके में इस विवाद की चर्चा होने लगी. स्थानीय लोगों का कहना है कि पहले भी कई बार मंदिर परिसर में दुकानदारों और पुजारी के बीच विवाद हो चुका है.

हालांकि पुलिस के हस्तक्षेप के बाद फिलहाल स्थिति नियंत्रण में बताई जा रही है और इलाके में शांति है.

शांति और सौहार्द बनाए रखने की अपील

पुलिस अधिकारियों ने दोनों पक्षों को शांति बनाए रखने और किसी भी विवाद को बातचीत के जरिए सुलझाने की सलाह दी है. अधिकारियों ने कहा कि धार्मिक स्थलों पर किसी भी तरह का विवाद सामाजिक सौहार्द्र को प्रभावित कर सकता है, इसलिए सभी को संयम और समझदारी से काम लेना चाहिए।

रूड़की रोड स्थित श्री राधा कृष्ण मंदिर परिसर में दुकानदारों और पुजारी के बीच हुए विवाद के बाद पुलिस की सक्रियता से फिलहाल स्थिति नियंत्रण में है। दोनों पक्षों से बातचीत कर मामले को शांतिपूर्वक सुलझाने का प्रयास किया जा रहा है, ताकि क्षेत्र में शांति और आपसी सौहार्द बना रहे और भविष्य में ऐसी घटनाओं से बचा जा सके.

Bobby Kotickformer head of Activision Blizzard is reportedly considering buying tiktokBecause the app may be banned in the United States. The Wall Street Journal reports that Kotick has spoken ByteDanceThe company that owns TikTok is talking about buying this app, which could be worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
This comes as US lawmakers are introducing a new bill that would force ByteDance to sell TikTok within six months or block it from being available in US app stores. President Joe Biden has said that he will approve the bill if it is passed in Congress.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Kotick, head of OpenAI, Sam Altmandiscussed teaming up to buy TikTok at a dinner last week.
Kotick’s interest in TikTok comes after the demise of his 30-year-dominant Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft last year. The company faced a lawsuit saying it allowed sexual harassment and discrimination under Kotick’s leadership. The Wall Street Journal also said that Kotick knew about the bad behavior and did not tell everything to the board. Kotick was accused of harassment, but Activision Blizzard said the report was “misleading”.
Lawmakers are concerned about data privacy and TikTok’s ties to China. US President Biden, whose administration has already banned the app on state devices, has expressed his support for banning the app in the US. However, former President Donald Trump, who once wanted to ban TikTok, has changed his mind and said the ban would help TikTok’s rivals like Facebook and YouTube.
As the bill against TikTok is gaining support, the app has asked its US users to speak out for it, and has sent messages to users asking them to call their representatives. The bill, which passed a committee last week, is expected to be approved when the House votes on it on Wednesday. If it passes, it will go to the Senate, and then the bill will be signed by the US President. Former Activision boss reportedly wants to buy TikTok

A New York-based Indian-origin food brand has come under fire online after users noticed that the Goddess Lakshmi idol had been removed from its packaging.The controversy began after a post on Ax went viral, where Indian-American, an account known for highlighting issues related to Hindu Americans, called out the brand for a sudden change.The account criticized the brand for changing its longtime logo featuring the deity, calling it a “meaningless, confusing depiction.” “Did you remove it to get buyers who think Lakshmi offends them?! Bring her back!” This was the conclusion. The account has 44.2K followers on X and its callout quickly gained prominence on the app, sparking debate over the reasons behind the sudden change. The post quickly gained popularity online, sparking widespread debate about religious depictions on consumer packaging.The account, which has 44.2K followers on X, helped push the discussion into a viral trend, with users offering sharply divided opinions.Some users admitted that the presence of a deity on the packaging had made them uncomfortable in the past. One customer explained, “I don’t know man. I actually didn’t buy this brand because of the god on packaging. It was almost impossible to throw the empty packaging in the trash.” However, he also reflected on whether the brand should make changes to open itself up to more demographics, because “at the end of the day it’s about money.“The author of the post replied, “I think they removed it to not offend anti-Hindu haters.”Others expressed similar concerns about the disposal of packaging containing religious depictions. “Buying things with our gods on the packaging is always a dilemma for me. What to do with the package after using the contents? Don’t feel like throwing in the trash. It is precisely for this reason that I avoided purchasing any Agarbatti brand. “I’m kind of relieved,” another wrote. “Yes, this brand has become extremely bad for “South Asians,” one user said. “Oh my god, that’s too bad. I even trusted this brand,” supported another. Interestingly, most of the users in the comments seemed satisfied with the move, with some even demanding a bigger initiative to ban the use of God and Goddess idols on packaging, which are ultimately rejected. Amid the debate, one user pointed out that the change in packaging is not recent. They revamped the brand several years ago and this was done as per customer feedback as they were unable to throw away the packaging but also faced difficulty in collecting it. “They did this years ago and surprised you now realize they did this based on customer feedback because they can’t throw away and can’t even collect,” he wrote. According to a video shared on the brand youtube The logo of the channel, packaging was changed in 2020. “Your favorite food brand Lakshmi now has a new logo,” it says in the clip revealing the new logo of the lotus, a flower primarily associated with the goddess in Hindu mythology and held dear. The brand, which sells a variety of South Asian products including spices and food items, was founded in 1972 in Jackson Heights, New York by GL Soni and his brother KL Soni under their business, House of Spices. It has several stores in the US and caters to a largely South-Asian consumer base.

उत्तर प्रदेश समाचार: उत्तर प्रदेश के बरेली जिले में तेजी से बढ़ती आबादी और आवास की बढ़ती जरूरत को देखते हुए एक बड़ी योजना को मंजूरी दी गई है। मुख्यमंत्री शहरी विस्तार योजना के तहत बरेली विकास प्राधिकरण को दो नई टाउनशिप विकसित करने के लिए 150 करोड़ रुपये दिए गए हैं। उत्तर प्रदेश कैबिनेट से मंजूरी मिलने के बाद अब बरेली विकास प्राधिकरण यानी बीडीए जमीन अधिग्रहण की प्रक्रिया तेज करने की तैयारी में है. इस योजना के तहत आने वाले समय में शहर में नए आवासीय क्षेत्र विकसित किए जाएंगे, जिससे लोगों को रहने के लिए बेहतर विकल्प मिलेंगे।

12 गांवों की जमीन पर नई कॉलोनियां बसाई जाएंगी
नई टाउनशिप बसाने के लिए बीडीए ने शहर के आसपास के 12 गांवों की जमीन चिह्नित की है। इन गांवों में आसपुर, खूबचंद, अदपुरा, जागीर, अहिलादपुर, बरकापा, कुम्हरा, कलापुर, मोहरनियां, नवदिया, कुर्मियान और हरहरपुर शामिल हैं। इन गांवों की जमीन का अधिग्रहण कर योजनाबद्ध तरीके से आधुनिक कॉलोनियां विकसित की जाएंगी। अधिकारियों का कहना है कि इस योजना से बरेली शहर का दायरा बढ़ेगा और लोगों को बेहतर आवासीय सुविधाएं मिलेंगी.

जमीन अधिग्रहण से पहले सर्वे कराया जायेगा
बीडीए अधिकारियों के मुताबिक जमीन अधिग्रहण से पहले संबंधित गांवों में विस्तृत सर्वे कराया जाएगा। इसके बाद जमीन की कीमत तय की जायेगी और किसानों व जमीन मालिकों से बातचीत की जायेगी. पूरी प्रक्रिया सरकारी नियमानुसार पूरी की जाएगी ताकि किसी भी पक्ष को कोई परेशानी न हो। अधिकारियों का कहना है कि नई टाउनशिप में सड़क, पार्क, बिजली, पानी, सीवर, स्कूल और अन्य जरूरी सुविधाओं की भी व्यवस्था की जाएगी. इससे लोगों को व्यवस्थित और आधुनिक माहौल में रहने का मौका मिलेगा।

आठ शहरों को 425 करोड़ रुपये का बजट मिला है
राज्य सरकार ने मुख्यमंत्री शहरी विस्तार योजना के तहत आठ शहरों को कुल 425 करोड़ रुपये जारी करने का फैसला किया है. इसमें सबसे बड़ा हिस्सा बरेली विकास प्राधिकरण को मिला है। 150 करोड़ रुपये की इस रकम से अथॉरिटी को जमीन खरीदने और टाउनशिप प्रोजेक्ट को आगे बढ़ाने में मदद मिलेगी. सरकार द्वारा दी जाने वाली यह राशि अधिकतम 20 वर्ष की अवधि के लिए उपलब्ध करायी गयी है. अधिकारियों के मुताबिक अब बीडीए जल्द ही चिह्नित गांवों में सर्वे और जमीन अधिग्रहण की प्रक्रिया शुरू करेगा। मुख्यमंत्री की प्राथमिकता वाली इस योजना को जल्द ही लांच करने की तैयारी की जा रही है। अगर यह प्रोजेक्ट समय पर पूरा हो गया तो बरेली में आवास की समस्या काफी हद तक कम हो सकती है और शहर के विकास को भी नई गति मिल सकती है.