India News
Government eases restrictions on visa and travel, OCI and PIO card holders can visit India
The Home Ministry said the OCI and PIO card holders can also now enter India by water and air routes through authorized airports and seaport immigration check posts.

In a move to boost air travel, the government on Thursday announced that Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card holders can visit India for any purpose, except for tourism. The government has eased the restrictions imposed in view of coronavirus pandemic and restored the validity of all the existing visas, except electronic visa, tourist visa and medical visa nearly after eight months after the nationwide lockdown. The government had suspended all the visas and restricted travel to contain the spread of the disease both outside and inside the country.
The Home Ministry said the OCI and PIO card holders can also now enter India by water and air routes through authorized airports and seaport immigration check posts.
The Ministry of Home Affairs statement said this includes flights operated under Vande Bharat Mission, Air Transport Bubble arrangements or by any non-scheduled commercial flights as allowed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. All such travelers will, however have to strictly adhere to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding quarantine and other health/Covid-19 matters.
If the validity of existing visas has expired, fresh visas of appropriate categories can be obtained from the concerned Indian Mission/Posts. Foreign nationals intending to visit India for medical treatment can apply for a Medical Visa including for their medical attendants. Therefore, this decision will enable foreign nationals to come to India for various purposes such as business, conferences, employment, studies, research, medical purposes etc, the statement further read.
Read Also: INDIA DENIES VISA TO US BODY OVER RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT.
After nearly two months of suspension of the international flight, the government resumed domestic passenger flights from May 25 with 33 perent occupancy. The Civil Aviation Ministry later increased the limit from 33 to 45 percent on June 26.
India News
PM Modi says hat-trick victories guarantee 2024 hat-trick
Narendra Modi claimed that dissatisfaction among youth over paper leak and recruitment scam led to ouster the governments of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan.

After the BJP’s sweeping victories in the assembly elections of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the victory is of a self-reliant India, honest, transparency and good governance. Hailing that this hat-trick of victories has given guarantee for a 2024 hat-trick, he said that voters do not believe talk in thin air, false promises and rather support a concrete roadmap for development and good governance.
Referring to the Congress demand for a caste census, PM Modi said that some people tried to divide the country on caste lines during the elections. He added that for him there are only four castes namely women, youth, farmers and poor whose empowerment can strengthen the country. He stated that the people from all castes, regions, communities voted for the party and that every poor person feels that he has won.
ELECTION 2023 COVERAGE: Madhya Pradesh | Rajasthan | Chhattisgarh | Telangana
Addressing party workers at the BJP headquarters, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the women, mentioning that women believe only BJP can provide guarantee for their security, safety and dignity. He remarked that women empowerment is an important pillar of BJP’s model of development. He also assured the women that all the promises will be fulfilled.
Referring to Congress’s defeat, Narendra Modi claimed that dissatisfaction among youth over paper leak and recruitment scam led to the ouster of the governments of Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. He mentioned that be it in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh or Telangana, the incumbent party was thrown out of power because it was against the youth and had scams in its tenure. Especially thanking the people of Telangana, he said that the BJP will leave no stone unturned in working for them.
Modi underlined that the BJP government not only makes policies but also ensures that they reach the rightful beneficiaries. He further stated that these victories are a clear warning to those who are not ashamed to stand with the corrupt and try to cover up their deeds.
Slamming the opposition alliance INDIA, the Prime Minister asserted that coming together can yield good photo opportunities and media headlines but cannot win people’s trust. He also requested Congress and its allies to not indulge in politics that empower the anti-national forces.
India News
Welfarism beats the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan
Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched several schemes for women including cash incentives and even delivered two tranches of Rs 3000 each on Rakhi and Karwa Chauth to married women.

By Neeraj Mishra
In one giant swoop, the BJP has cornered entire Western and Central India with its latest victories in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. The party now controls the entire cow belt giving it the right platform for 2024.
While Rajasthan was iffy for the Congress, it was overconfident in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, where a combination of weak and divided local leadership and women voters eventually brought it down. It has lost Madhya Pradesh 65-164 and Chhattisgarh 34-56.
ELECTION 2023 COVERAGE: Madhya Pradesh | Rajasthan | Chhattisgarh | Telangana
In many ways, these were elections driven by labarthis (beneficiaries) and the BJP proved itself with better planning, strategy and implementation. In Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched several schemes for women including cash incentives and even delivered two tranches of Rs 3000 each on Rakhi and Karwa Chauth to married women.
In Chhattisgarh, where the BJP was in the opposition, it adopted a better strategy by promising Rs 12,000 per annum to married women and later getting them to sign some forms which made the signatories believe they would receive the promised benefit later. BJP workers got more than 30 lakh forms signed and in a state with more women voters than men, it surely means something.
In MP, an overconfident Congress made a mess of ticket distribution. Digvijaya Singh grabbed the largest share and brought in all his 90s cabinet. Eventually, they all lost. It is perhaps time to get rid of Digvijaya and Kamal Nath altogether just like Uma Bharti was ex-communicated from the state by the BJP in 2007 after Shivraj became CM. It paved way for the new.
The loss in both states will hurt the party not only in the three states but its ramifications will be felt at national level with INDIA and other alliances.
India News
Rajasthan election result: Despite his confidence, Ashok Gehlot fails to break anti-incumbency jinx
Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said the people of the state have rejected the Congress misgovernance and accepted the BJP’s suraaj.

The victory of the BJP in Rajasthan underlines the fickleness of the voter despite being a recipient of several welfare schemes introduced during Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s tenure. The BJP is set to win 115 seats compared to the Congress’ 69 ending Gehlot’s efforts to overturn the state’s 30-year record of not re-electing the incumbent government.
Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said the people of the state have rejected the Congress misgovernance and accepted the BJP’s suraaj. She said that the people will also vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to serve them in 2024. She said the party’s victory in Rajasthan was also because of the leadership given by BJP president JP Nadda and party workers.
ELECTION 2023 COVERAGE: Madhya Pradesh | Chhattisgarh | Telangana
Raje prayed in the temples of the state ahead of the results. The BJP has not named a CM candidate during the campaign. Now, the party has to decide who will be the chief minister. Raje, who won from the Jhalrapatan seat, is a frontrunner but given the cold vibes between her and PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, speculation has been rampant pitching other names including Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.
The election, however, was won by PM Modi’s intense campaigning in the state despite its history of anti-incumbency. The key topics that won the voters over include the law and order situation in the state. These include crimes against women and the murder of an Udaipur tailor over the much-flayed comments against Prophet Muhammad.
Exit polls were split over the results in the state. Some gave the Congress an edge however slight, while others gave it to the BJP.
Within the Congress, Gehlot had overcome the internal challenge posed by former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot and unveiled welfare schemes for many sections of voters, including a significant health plan. Despite all his efforts, Gehlot had to eat humble pie after persistent claims that his party would return to power and break the jinx, which stuck to being a jinx.
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