Sugar, kerosene, tea leaves for poor in ration shops in Bihar
Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar government on Wednesday announced bonanza for the poor by including sugar, tea leaves and kerosene in the list of items to be provided through ration shops. The decision was taken at a review meeting of food and civil supplies department by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Cooperative Minister Jay Kumar Singh who participated in the review meeting told PTI that sugar was taken out of the PDS outlets’ list almost two decade ago. He said it was decided that each family would get 2 kg of sugar every month from PDS shops. Likewise, the beneficiary families would get 2.5 litre kerosene monthly. Food Minister Shyam Rajak said the meeting also decided in principle to provide tea leaf to beneficiaries of subsidised ration. Senior officials of Food and Civil Supplies and Cooperative Department participated in the meeting. Singh said it was decided to rigorously monitor movement of vehicles carrying subsidised food items to PDS shops by using GPS system to plug leakage in supply. (PTI)
Two Hizbul militants killed, army major injured in encounter
Srinagar: Two militants of terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen were killed on Wednesday while two army personnel, including a major, injured in an encounter in South Kashmir’s Shopian district. “Two militants have been killed while an army major and another soldier have suffered injuries in the gunfight,” police said. The militants have been identified as Shabir Ahmad and Aashiq Ahmad Dar, both belong to Hizbul Mujahideen, they said. The encounter began Tuesday after security forces received specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in Hef Shermal area of Shopian, 52 kms from here. As the joint team of police and army began a search operation in the area, the hiding militants opened fire on them triggering an encounter. The operation was halted during the night and resumed in the early hours on Wednesday and two militants were gunned down, a senior police official said. The operation is still in progress, police said. (PTI)
Precious idols from 200-year-old temple stolen
Barabanki: Three ‘ashtdhatu’ and five brass idols worth crores of rupees have been stolen from a 200-year-old temple in Masauli area here, police said on Wednesday. Thieves broke into Radha Krishna temple in Tikaitagar township last night and decamped with three ‘ashtdhatu’ idols weighing 10 kg and five other idols of brass, police said on Wednesday. The idols are said to be worth crores of rupees, police said adding that a case has been registered and investigations are on. (PTI)