Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 8 (ANI): A massive fire broke out in a multi-storey building near strand road in Kolkata on Monday.
The blaze broke out on the third floor of the building.
Eight fire tenders rushed to the spot to douse the blaze.
More details awaited. (ANI)

By Kumar Gaurav
New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): BJP has directed its MPs, MLAs, and other public representatives to look after and support the vaccination drive against COVID-19.
On the direction of Bharatiya Janata Party National President J P Nadda, BJP National General Secretary and headquarter in-charge Arun Singh has sent an internal circular to all state units chief, all state general secretaries and all-state in charges with some of the direction to make India’s vaccination drive against Corona a grand success.
BJP has also appointed a national coordinator for this programme. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Dr Anil Jain will coordinate with all the state units of BJP for the vaccination drive.
According to the circular, the biggest COVID-19 vaccination drive is in process. More than two crore people have been vaccinated till now justifying the spirit of Vasudev Kutumbakam. We have exported vaccine to 47 countries for which the entire nation is all praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
BJP president accordingly wants our party karyakartas to undertake the tasks to make COVID-19 vaccination drive a grand success.
The party has asked its leaders and cadres to hold door to door contact campaign for sensitising people for the vaccine.
Party cadets should help people in registration on Cowin portal and Aarogya Setu app with the required document.
The party should also set up helpdesk at public places, various community centres and vaccination centres at mandal level for awareness campaigns and necessary help to public at large.
BJP workers should also arrange transport for elderly and sick people to the vaccination sites and hospitals and drop them back. Arrangements should be done for safe drinking water at the vaccination sites.
Awareness campaign should also be held in society to sensitise the people about vaccination drive through various media and social media and other modes of communication.
Public representative and office bearers should visit various vaccination centres and provide necessary help to the extent possible on the humanitarian ground.
BJP also asked its leaders and cadres to ensure effective planning and monitoring of the campaign and for this some office bearers will be given responsibility at state district and mandal levels.
Party president had asked BJP medical cell of the party to actively participate in this campaign and help people to get vaccinated.
All MPs MLAs and other public representatives to ensure their active role in this vaccination drive. At last BJP has appealed to all its workers to work selflessly and make this vaccination drive great success in a planned way. (ANI)

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 8 (ANI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday presented the state budget for 2021-22 in the state assembly and said the government has decided to provide zero per cent interest loans to farmers who take crop loans up to a limit of Rs 3 lakh and make timely repayment.
Pawar said the amount of interest on crop loan will be paid by the government on behalf of farmers. The required funds will be provided by the government, he said.
“Keeping in view the objective to free the farmers from interest burden and prevent them from turning defaulters, the government has decided to provide zero per cent interest loans to farmers who take crop loans up to a limit of Rs 3 lakh and make timely repayment,” he said.
Pawar said that the government has also planned to invest Rs 2,000 crore to strengthen the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC).
An outlay of Rs 7,350 crore has been proposed for the Rural Development Department.
Maharashtra assembly budget session started on March 1 and will be last till March 10. The session was curtailed due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday presented a baton of honour and a letter of appreciation to former Puducherry lieutenant governor Kiran Bedi at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Kiran Bedi received a Baton of Honor decorated with the emblem of the Indian Republic and a letter of appreciation from President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The former Puducherry lieutenant governor received a Baton of Honor decorated with the emblem of the Indian Republic and the appreciation letter recognizing her service in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Kiran Bedi was removed as the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry on February 16 by the President of India and Tamilisai Soundararajan took additional charge as the Lieutenant Governor on February 18. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Information and Broadcasting, and Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, on Monday stated that women have extra qualities of compassion, consistency and courage compared to males, adding that they are hard-working and diligent in their work.
“God didn’t discriminate while creating female and male. My experience is that women have extra qualities of compassion, consistency and courage compared to us males. They are hard working and diligent in their work,” said the Union Minister in his address at the launch of the e-book “The Green Queens of India – Nation’s Pride” on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
He further expressed happiness over the fact that women forest officers in our country are now being recognised.
“Present in this event are women forest officers from across the country. I am glad that women forest officers are being recognised. 280 IFS and more than 5,000 women frontline staff– I welcome them all. God didn’t discriminate while creating female and male,” said Javadekar here today.
He further said, “An oil container ship was driven by females and this is the first example in the world. Women were restricted from getting education and exposure. And we are now seeing in board exams female students perform better because of their consistency.”
The union minister gave further examples of women’s strength and stated that women are present in all fields.
“In Gir, to tranquilise lions, women frontline workers do that. In history, we have examples of Rani Ahilyabai Holkar, Chennamma and Jhansi ki Rani who fought wars. This is women’s strength. Today women are present in all fields.”
The Minister also announced that five frontline workers shall be rewarded next time.
Javadekar also stated that women should get their due as per their capacity, adding that women work with the same force as men in politics.
“It’s a good opportunity today but as per their capacity, women should get their due. In politics, women work with the same force,” remarked Javadekar.
International Women’s Day is celebrated worldwide every year on March 8 to recognise the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women across the globe. This year, the theme for International Women’s Day 2021 is ‘Choose to Challenge’. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma on the occasion of International Women’s Day remembered former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and said let us pledge to bring transformative change in social attitudes and end prejudice, discrimination, atrocities and give respect to our women.
“This is a day to celebrate and recall the contribution of Indian women, well documented in history, from freedom fighters, social reformers, scientists, business leaders, sports persons, front-line warriors, astronauts, and armed forces and our illustrious Prime Minister Smt Indira Gandhi,” said Sharma.
“On this day, let us pledge to bring transformative change in social attitudes and end prejudice, discrimination, atrocities and give respect to our women,” he added.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted women on the occasion of International Women’s Day and said India takes pride in its many accomplishments. He said it was his government’s honor to work towards furthering women’s empowerment in the country across a wide range of sectors.
“Saluting our indomitable ‘Nari Shakti’ on International Women’s Day! India takes pride in the many accomplishments of the women of our nation. It is our Government’s honor to be getting the opportunity to work towards furthering women empowerment across a wide range of sectors,” PM Modi tweeted. (ANI)