India News
Notice to Centre over transfer of PM CARES Fund contributions to NDRF.
A three judge bench comprising Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice MR Shah was hearing a petition filed by Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) seeking setting up of a National Plan under the Disaster Management Act (DM Act).
The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to Central Government on a plea seeking transfer of all funds from PM CARES Funds to National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
A three judge bench comprising Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice MR Shah was hearing a petition filed by Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) seeking setting up of a National Plan under the Disaster Management Act (DM Act).
The petitioner organisation has prayed that all present and future collections, contributions, and grants for the fight against COVID-19 should be credited towards the National Disaster Relief Fund in accordance with Section 46(1)(b)of the DM Act.
CPIL has further sought directions to the Union of lndia to prepare, notify and implement a National Plan under Section 11 read with Section 10 of the DM Act to deal with the current pandemic and to lay down minimum standards of relief, under Section 12 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, to be provided to persons affected by the COVID-19 virus, as well as by the resultant national lockdown.
The petitioner has further pointed out that the latest National Plan uploaded on the website of National Disaster Management Authority is of the year 2019 and the same does not comprehensively deal with situations arising out of the current pandemic and has no mention of measures like lockdown, containment zones, social distancing in it.
Hence, the petitioner has submitted that “the National Plan should provide inter alia proper and detailed mechanism for any future lockdown measures, detailed coordination mechanism between Centre and States, social distancing norms keeping in mind the predicaments of the lower strata of the society, least disruption of public transports and essential activities, large scale ramping up of quarantine facilities along with rapid manufacturing of testing and PPE kits and all this needs to be done transparently”.
On the non mandatory CAG Audit of the PM CARES Fund, the CPIL has submitted that Centre has been refraining from divulging information about the specific utilization of crores of rupees that have been contributed/ donated to the PM-CARES Fund till date.
The petitioner has, therefore, urged the Court to direct the Centre to utilize NDRF for the purpose of providing assistance in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic in compliance with Section 46 of the DM Act, and the entire fund collected in the PM CARES Fund till date may be directed to be transferred to the NDRF.
India News
Gorakhnath temple attack convict sentenced to death by NIA court
Gorakhnath temple attack convict Ahmad Murtaza Abbasi was sentenced to death, Monday, by a special anti-terror court.

Gorakhnath temple attack convict Ahmad Murtaza Abbasi was sentenced to death, Monday, by a special anti-terror court.
A report quoting Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), Prashan Kumar, said that Abbasi was awarded the death penalty under Section 121 of the Indian Penal Code by a special NIA court for attacking security personnel stationed at Gorakhnath temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur in April last year.
Abbasi, a chemical engineer, was arrested following an attack with a sharp-edged weapon on Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel posted at the Gorakhnath temple.
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Police said that after interrogation, Abbasi revealed he was in cahoots with the Islamic State and had taken an oath to fight for the global terrorist group. They said that Abbasi was also providing financial aid to the terror group’s sympathizers and supporters.
Ahmad Murtaza Abbasi, a resident of Civil Lines area in UP’s Gorakhpur, is an IIT-ian with a degree in chemical engineering from IIT-Mumbai.
According to the police, Abbasi suffered from mental health issues for which he underwent treatment from several doctors and ultimately led to him separating from his wife in 2017.
On April 3 last year, Abbasi tried to force his way inside the Gorakhnath temple, when stopped, he proceeded to attack the security men deployed there with a sickle in which two constables were injured. However, he was overpowered and arrested.
The ATS investigation revealed that the Abbasi’s attack was part of a “deep conspiracy.” The UP Home Department had said the attack could be termed as a terror incident.
Mughal Garden: Opening date, timing, entry price and how to book Amrit Udyan tickets online
India News
Mughal Garden: Opening date, timing, entry price and how to book Amrit Udyan tickets online
Mughal Garden, now renamed Amrit Udyan, at Rashtrapati Bhavan is all set to open for the public from January 31. President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday graced the opening of the gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan, Udyan Utsav 2023.

Mughal Garden, now renamed Amrit Udyan, at Rashtrapati Bhavan is all set to open for the public from January 31. President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday graced the opening of the gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan, Udyan Utsav 2023.
Mughal Garden has been renamed to commemorate the 75 years of independence. In keeping with the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebration’s theme, the garden has also been given a new name, Amrit Udyan.
Amrit Udyan’s opening and closing date
Amrit Udyan opens once a year to the public. This year, it will remain open for the general public from January 31 to March 26. However, it will be closed on all Mondays and on March 1 and 2 due to G20 meetings and March 8 on the occasion of Holi.
The garden will be accessible to special groups from March 28 to March 31. Amrit Udyan will open for farmers on March 28, people with disabilities on March 29, members of the armed forces, paramilitary groups, and police on March 30, and self-organized groups of tribal women on March 31.
Entry and exit for all visitors will be from gate number 35 of the President’s Estate, close to where North Avenue meets Rashtrapati Bhavan.
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Amrit Udyan timings
People can visit Amrit Udyan during the time period between 10 am and 4 pm.
How to book Amrit Udyan tickets online?
- Go to the official website of Rashtrapati Bhavan at https://rashtrapatisachivalaya.gov.in or https://rb.nic.in/rbvisit/visit_plan.aspx.
- On the homepage, select the option that reads Mughal Garden Visit.
- Enter the required details such as name, date of visit, etc.
- After that, you are required to submit your photo ID.
- Click on the register button.
People can also buy Amrit Udyan tickets offline. Walk-in visitors have to register themselves at the facilitation counters as well as at the self-service kiosk near Gate 12 of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The visitors will have 6 slots to choose from, so it is advised to make prior bookings to avoid rushing at the gate.
The number of guests that can be reserved at once is 30. However, schools and colleges reserve a maximum of 50 at a time.
Amrit Udyan entry/ticket price
There is no fee for the booking of slots or entry to the Gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan during Udyan Utsav. Visitors must, however, pay Rs 50 to enter Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Rashtrapati Bhavan will be open five days a week from Wednesday to Sunday and the Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum six days a week from Tuesday to Sunday. People can also witness the change of guard ceremony every Saturday, except on gazetted holidays.
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India News
Bank holidays February 2023: Banks to remain shut for 10 days, check dates here
Apart from festivals, banks will also remain shut on the second and fourth Saturdays.

Every month banks across the country remain shut due to festivals and other public and private holidays. In February 2023, both private and public banks will not function for 10 days. However, the holidays differ from state to state.
Festivals like Guru Ravidas Jayanti, Hazrat Ali Jayanti, Maha Shivaratri, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and others will be celebrated in February which might affect the functioning of banks in several states.
Full list of bank holidays in February 2023
DATE | DAY | HOLIDAY | STATES |
5 February 2023 | Sunday | Hazrat Ali Jayanti | Uttar Pradesh |
5 February 2023 | Sunday | Guru Ravidas Jayanti | Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana & Punjab |
15 February 2023 | Wednesday | Lui-Ngai-Ni | Manipur |
18 February 2023 | Saturday | Maha Shivaratri | Several states of India |
19 February 2023 | Sunday | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti | Maharashtra |
20 February 2023 | Monday | State Day | Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram |
21 February 2023 | Tuesday | Losar | Sikkim |
Apart from this, banks will also remain shut on the second and fourth Saturdays.
DATE | DAY | HOLIDAY | STATES |
12 February 2023 | Saturday | Second Saturday | All States |
15 February 2023 | Tuesday | Lui-Ngai-Ni | Manipur |
19 February 2023 | Sunday | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti | Maharashtra |
25 February 2023 | Saturday | Fourth Saturday | All States |
For those unversed, the Reserve Bank of India categorises holidays into three categories-Holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act and Real-Time Gross Settlement Holidays, Holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act, and Banks’ Closing of Accounts.
In January 2023, banks across the country will remain shut for 14 days.
Date | Day | Holiday | State |
---|---|---|---|
January 1, 2023 | Sunday | New Year Bank Holiday & Weekend Bank Holiday | All over India |
January 2, 2023 | Monday | New Year Bank Celebration | Mizoram |
January 5, 2023 | Thursday | Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti | Haryana and Rajasthan |
January 8, 2023 | Sunday | Weekend Bank Holiday | All over India |
January 11, 2023 | Wednesday | Missionary Day | Mizoram |
January 14, 2023 | Saturday | Second Saturday Bank Holiday | All over India |
January 15, 2023 | Sunday | Weekend Bank Holiday | All over India |
January 22, 2023 | Sunday | Weekend Bank Holiday | All over India |
January 23, 2023 | Monday | Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Jayanti | Tripura and West Bangal |
January 25, 2023 | Wednesday | State Day | Himachal Pradesh |
January 26, 2023 | Thursday | Republic Day | All over India |
January 28, 2023 | Sunday | Fourth Saturday Bank Holiday | All over India |
January 29, 2023 | Sunday | Weekend Bank Holiday | All over India |
January 31, 2023 | Monday | Me-Dam-Me-Phi | Assam |
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