MAMATA TO SKIP NITI MEETING AS IT COINCIDES WITH EID

KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday said she will not be able to attend the NITI Aayog meeting scheduled on June 16 as it coincides with Eid-ul-fitr. She indicated that no representative would be sent on her behalf. “I have received the letter for the meeting. According to the calendar, June 16 is a national holiday on the occasion of Eid. How can I leave the state?” Banerjee said. However, she did not say anything about attending the meeting in case the date of Eid is changed over sighting of the moon. Asked whether someone would be sent to represent her, she said “The invite is to me. How can someone else go?”

Odisha Congress to call for shutdown on Mahanadi issue

BHUBANESWAR: The Congress will call for a statewide shutdown over the Mahanadi river issue, party’s state president Niranjan Patnaik said on Saturday. He said a decision on the date will be taken after talks with like-minded political parties and organisations. He said both the Centre and the state government have no concern for the people of Odisha, and are shedding crocodile tears on water crisis. Patnaik said Prime Minister Narendra Modi refrained from giving any assurance to resolve the dispute with Chhattisgarh during his visit to Cuttack.

Suresh Prabhu asks Airbus to make planes in India

NEW DELHI: Civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu has asked aircraft manufacturer Airbus to build planes under the ‘Make in India’ initiative and contribute to the country’s aviation sector. Prabhu visited the Airbus facility in Toulouse on Friday during his ongoing visit to France and said that if Airbus decides to make aeroplanes in India, it will lead to job creation and will be a win-win situation for both the countries.

Girl missing after flash floods in Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN: A girl was missing while two children were rescued in Uttarkashi district after they were swept away by a severe hailstorm coupled with heavy rains and flash floods in parts of Uttarakhand late Friday. The hailstorm killed four animals in Pauri district while in Dehradun, it uprooted several trees which fell on electric poles disrupting