Here are the top 5 news updates of October 1, 2021:
Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) secretary today termed media reports indicating approval of financial bids by the Central government in the Air India disinvestment as 'incorrect'. The DIPAM secretary also stated that the media will be informed of the government's decision as and when it is taken. The share purchase agreement (SPA) has been given to the bidders in the meeting recently and the process will start after a formal announcement is made after it is approved by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah-led ministerial committee. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia are also members of the committee.
A lookout notice has been issued against former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh following inputs that he might have left the country, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil has said. "There are inputs that Singh may have left the country. But there is no concrete information yet," he said. "Being a government officer, there are restrictions on travelling abroad. You can't leave the country without the government permission. Still if he has left, it is not good," Walse Patil added. He said the state government was in touch with the Centre to find Singh, who had levelled allegations of bribery against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh.
The Shiv Sena today called for the need to appoint a full-time Congress president, and said the confusion prevailing over the leadership in the party was as much responsible for the political crisis in Punjab as the BJP. The Sena also claimed that although Rahul Gandhi was trying to resolve the issues faced by the Congress, the old-timers in the party were in a secret pact with the BJP to stop him from doing so with the aim of sinking the party. Criticising former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh and also Goa's ex-CM Luizinho Faleiro, who has now joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Sena said, "It is the height of their thick-skinned behaviour. These leaders were given top posts, like chief minister of their respective states by the Congress, but they are now leaving the party."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called for ensuring water and sewer line connections to every urban household in the country. He further said that an increase in sewage water treatment will help in keeping the country's rivers cleaner. Speaking at the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) 2.0 and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0, PM Modi said, "We need to ensure 100 per cent urban families receive water connections and sewer line connections. Once sewage water treatment increases in our country, it will help in keeping our rivers cleaner." PM Modi also pointed out that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led Central Government had allotted nearly Rs 4 lakh crore for urban development.
Extending its losses for the fourth straight session, equity benchmark Sensex tumbled 361 points today, weighed by HDFC twins, ICICI Bank and TCS amid a weak trend in global markets. The 30-share BSE index ended 360.78 points or 0.61 per cent lower at 58,765.58. Similarly, the NSE Nifty declined 86.10 points or 0.49 per cent to 17,532.05. Bajaj Finserv was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding over 3 per cent, followed by Maruti, Bharti Airtel, Asian Paints, Bajaj Finance and HDFC. On the other hand, M&M, Dr Reddy's, UltraTech Cement and PowerGrid were among the gainers.
