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Anisha Dutta

Articles by Anisha Dutta

Ex-defence personnel hit by phishing attack

No government data has been compromised since sensitive systems are sequestered, officials said.

Two senior officials involved with the country’s cyber security said such attacks are not new or uncommon. “No government data has been compromised since sensitive systems are sequestered,” said one of these officials. (via social media/ twitter )

india news

Published on Feb 21, 2021 01:54 AM IST

ByBinayak Dasgupta, Anisha Dutta, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Phishing attack targets Indian officials through rogue email from government ID

HT could not immediately determine the total number of officials targeted, and if any computers were successfully breached.

The National Informatics Centre (NIC) issued an alert soon after the attack, although it isn’t clear at this time whether any of the targeted computers were compromised.(Representative image)

india news

Updated on Feb 18, 2021 09:03 AM IST

ByAnisha Dutta, Binayak Dasgupta, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Rail Roko: Railways deploys additional security across 4 states, calls for peace

Farmer groups have called for a Rail Roko agitation on Thursday in a bid to intensify their protest against the three contentious farm laws. Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a united front of farmers’ unions, is spearheading the agitation

india news

Updated on Feb 18, 2021 02:58 AM IST

ByAnisha Dutta

Road crashes in India hike poverty, poor suffer more deaths: World Bank report

The report also brings out the sharp rural-urban divide and the disproportionate impact on women. Women bore the burden of crashes across poor and rich households, often taking up extra work, assuming greater responsibilities, and performing caregiving activities after a crash.

Road crash deaths in India, which are the highest in the world, are a burden on its demographic dividend and have a tangible impact on poverty. (HT PHOTO).

india news

Updated on Feb 13, 2021 08:07 PM IST

ByAnisha Dutta

Need highways road safety police: Report

The report, a copy of which has been reviewed by HT, has come against the backdrop of the National Road Safety month being observed by the Centre between January 18 and February 17.

NHAI will resume toll collection on national highways from April 20

india news

Published on Feb 08, 2021 12:31 AM IST

ByNeeraj Chauhan, Anisha Dutta

Need highways road safety police: Report

New Delhi: The Centre and states must form dedicated national and state-level highway road safety police, and enhance the institutional framework with statutory bodies in the form of road safety authorities with quasi-judicial powers and sizable funds, the Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPRD) has recommended

india news

Published on Feb 07, 2021 11:38 PM IST

ByNeeraj Chauhan and Anisha Dutta

Railways keeps up operating ratio despite Covid-19 losses

“Railways’ operating ratio is expected to improve by end of the current financial year to 96.96%, despite the disruption caused due to Covid-19,” Railway Board member (finance), Naresh Salecha said on Monday.

Indian Railways’ massive pension bill of more than <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>51,000 crore in the current financial year has been converted into a loan by the finance ministry.(HT Photo)

business

Published on Feb 03, 2021 06:36 AM IST

ByAnisha Dutta, New Delhi

Centre launches voluntary vehicle scrappage policy

The vehicle scrapping policy aims to take old, polluting vehicles off the roads and send them to the scrapyard.

“This will help in encouraging fuel efficient, environment friendly vehicles, thereby reducing vehicular pollution and oil import bill.,” FM Nirmala Sitharaman said in her budget speech.(HT Photo)

budget

Updated on Feb 02, 2021 01:49 AM IST

ByAnisha Dutta, New Delhi

Farm protests: Cops wanted Delhi-bound trains stopped

Citing intelligence inputs, Delhi Police told Northern Railways on Sunday that farmers from Punjab and Haryana planned to protest in the Capital on Monday and hoist flags on Parliament House, according to two letters written by the force.

Northern Railways said on Monday it diverted only three trains, for “operational reasons”.(PTI)

cities

Updated on Feb 02, 2021 05:32 AM IST

ByAnisha Dutta, New Delhi

Railways to monetise freight corridor assets, focus on national plan 2030

The national transporter has been allocated ₹1.10 lakh crore, of which ₹1.07 lakh crore accounts for the capital expenditure

Nirmala Sitharaman, India's finance minister. (Bloomberg)

budget

Updated on Feb 02, 2021 03:23 AM IST

ByAnisha Dutta, New Delhi

Govt announces voluntary vehicle scrapping policy; to phase out old and unfit vehicles

The details of the policy will be declared within 15 days, Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday

budget

Published on Feb 01, 2021 05:30 PM IST

ByAnisha Dutta

Govt announces highest capex in highways, economic corridors in poll-bound states

Finance minister announced a slew of highway projects and economic corridors in the poll-bound states of West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, all of which are worth over ₹2.12 lakh crore

budget

Updated on Feb 01, 2021 03:24 PM IST

ByAnisha Dutta

Parliament: New chambers to provide better ‘line of sight’ for MPs

In the existing Lok Sabha chamber, key sections of the treasury bench and the Opposition rows face each other but the table of the secretariat, that is placed between them, blocks the view from both sides

The proposed model of the new Parliament. (PTI)

india news

Updated on Jan 25, 2021 04:25 PM IST

BySaubhadra Chatterji and Anisha Dutta

Final probe report on Kozhikode air crash due in January delayed by 2 months

In August 2020, an Air India Express Boeing-737 plane repatriating Indians stranded in Dubai due to the pandemic overshot the runway in heavy rain and crashed

People stand by the debris of the Air India Express flight that skidded off a runway while landing in Kozhikode, Kerala, in August 2020. The special evacuation flight bringing people home to India who had been trapped abroad because of the coronavirus skidded off the runway and split in two while landing in heavy rain killing more than a dozen people and injuring dozens more. (AP)

india news

Updated on Jan 21, 2021 10:03 AM IST

ByAnisha Dutta

Government may rationalise 120 autonomous bodies

In a slew of recommendations to the cabinet secretariat, a copy of which has been reviewed by Hindustan Times, the department has suggested that 83 of the 231 autonomous bodies be retained and 117 merged into just 29. It recommended that the Centre disengage from 20 entities.

In 2018, the Union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the proposal for closure of two autonomous bodies, namely the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi and Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh.(AP)

business

Updated on Jan 19, 2021 11:14 AM IST

ByAnisha Dutta, New Delhi

India’s vaccine ferrying drive begins, 9 flights to 13 cities take off on Day 1

The Centre had begun preparations for the transportation of the vaccines in December, the aviation ministry had instructed airport operators, ground handling service providers and airlines to put in place standard operating procedures for the transportation of Covid-19 vaccines.

A truck carrying the first consignment of Covid-19 vaccines leaves from Delhi Airport for the Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital, in New Delhi. (Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO).

india news

Published on Jan 12, 2021 10:38 PM IST

ByAnisha Dutta | Edited by Sohini Sarkar

Hertiage Conservation Committee clears Centre's proposal for new Parliament

"The proposal has been cleared by the committee today. It was sent a few days ago, discussed and cleared," housing ministry secretary Durga Shankar said on Monday in response to a query during a press conference.

Pedestrians wearing walk past the construction site for the new Parliament building, part of the Central Vista redevelopment project, in New Delhi. (Bloomberg)

india news

Updated on Jan 11, 2021 07:57 PM IST

ByAnisha Dutta

India ticks more boxes in vaccination drive checklist

Government officials remained tight-lipped about the schedule for the jabs, but frenetic behind-the-scenes activity, especially at airports, underlined last-minute efforts to put in place foolproof vaccine distribution strategy.

A health official adjusts a mask on a Covid-19 awareness exhibit during a dry run or a mock drill for the Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine delivery at a government hospital, in Chennai on January 8, 2021. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP)(AFP)

india news

Updated on Jan 09, 2021 09:30 AM IST

ByRhythma Kaul, Anisha Dutta, Steffy Thevar

Govt issues guidelines for transportation of Covid-19 vaccine by air

As per the guidelines, the vaccine vials are to be packaged in dry ice.

File photo: A health worker takes part in a dry run as part of preparedness for the administration of Covid-19 vaccine.(PTI)

india news

Updated on Jan 08, 2021 11:08 PM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByAnisha Dutta

‘Vista consultations to be made public’: Hardeep Puri

The minister spoke about the Supreme Court’s approval for the project and the concerns raised over the alleged lack of public hearings on the project and its environmental impact.

Hardeep Puri said the heritage committee is headed by our additional secretary; the process would have been finished by now.(PTI)

india news

Updated on Jan 08, 2021 10:39 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByAnisha Dutta, New Delhi

Shapoorji Pallonji’s bid for Central Vista avenue lowest

Four firms qualified for the financial bid that opened on January 1 to redevelop the avenue: ITD Cementation quoted Rs 490 crore, NCC Limited quoted Rs 601 crore and Tata Projects Limited quoted Rs 488 crore.

This will be the second phase of redevelopment after Tata Projects Limited was tasked with the construction of the new Parliament complex on September 29, 2020.

india news

Updated on Jan 07, 2021 05:06 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByAnisha Dutta, New Delhi

India to lift UK flight ban on Jan 8, allow partial flight operations

The government has put a cap of 30 weekly flights between the countries with 15 flights each allowed for carriers of the two countries.

Union Minister for Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri said operations till January 23 will be restricted to 15 flights per week each for Indian and British carriers.(PTI)

india news

Updated on Jan 01, 2021 10:30 PM IST

HIndustan Times, New Delhi | ByAnisha Dutta

New conditions okayed for Central Vista revamp

The total built-up area has been reduced from 18,37,057 sq.m to 17,21, 500 sq.m, but the cost of the redevelopment project has increased by ₹1,656 crore, from Rs.11,794 crore to Rs. 13,450 crore.

CPWD, the project developer, submitted in a presentation to EAC that the common central secretariat will consolidate all ministries of the Centre and improve productivity and efficiency of administration.(Special arrangement with HT)

india news

Updated on Dec 31, 2020 04:49 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByJayashree Nandi and Anisha Dutta

Airport operators told to draft SOPs for Covid-19 vaccine transport

The SOPs will be drafted in coordination with the ministry of health and the department of pharmaceuticals, which will be spearheading the formation of a multi-mode cold chain that will ensure the refrigerated production, transport, storage and distribution of the vaccines .

The aviation ministry has held a round of meetings with airline executives on transport logistics.(REUTERS)

india news

Updated on Dec 31, 2020 03:56 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByAnisha Dutta

India likely to extend ban on UK flights, vaccine cold-chain being prepared: Hardeep Puri

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said he did not expect that the UK flight ban extension to be a long or indefinite one.

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri at a press conference on Tuesday.(https://twitter.com/HardeepSPuri)

india news

Published on Dec 29, 2020 07:36 PM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByAnisha Dutta

India suspends UK flights

All passengers who arrive from the UK on December 21 and 22 will be asked to take an RT-PCR test for Covid-19 at the airport, with only those who test negative be allowed to go home, where they will need to isolate for seven days.

A passenger walks at Fiumicino airport after the Italian government announced all flights to and from the UK will be suspended over fears of a new strain of the coronavirus, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease in Rome, Italy.(REUTERS)

india news

Updated on Dec 22, 2020 06:28 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByAnisha Dutta and Rhythma Kaul

India suspends UK flights till December 31 over new variant of Covid-19

The ministry of civil aviation on Monday also noted passengers from all transit flights arriving from UK scheduled to reach India by December 22 will be subjected to mandatory RT-PCR tests on arrival

The decision has been taken amid concerns over a new strain of the coronavirus that is feared to be more contagious, which forced at least five countries on Sunday to ban travel from the United Kingdom, with several others considering similar restrictions.(Representational Photo/REUTERS)

india news

Updated on Dec 21, 2020 08:17 PM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByAnisha Dutta

Govt to explore railways’ infra for Covid19 vaccine transportation

Special refrigerated vans may be set aside for transporting the vaccine or luggage compartments may be modified into temperature-controlled units. Refrigerated vans have the capacity to carry 17 tonnes of cargo, with a deep freezer capable of handling temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius.

The national carrier also uses modified refrigerated luggage compartments with a temperature-controlled chamber of 2/4 tonnes capacity for carrying perishable items.(File Photo. Representative image)

india news

Updated on Dec 21, 2020 07:40 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByAnisha Dutta

‘Unity sphere’, tech dome in New India garden plan

The complex is being built as part of the Central Vista redevelopment project. The Nav Bharat Udyan will come up on 20.22 acres on the western bank of Yamuna. It is expected to be unveiled to the public by August 15, 2022, when India turns 75.

india news

Updated on Dec 18, 2020 07:59 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByAnisha Dutta

Govt narrows on five firms for the next phase of the Central Vista redevelopment project

According to officials aware of the development, the five firms — Tata Projects Limited, Shapoorji Pallonji Group, ITD Cementation, NCC limited and PSP Projects limited — submitted their technical bids on Monday.

The second phase of the project will include the demolition of dozens of office buildings.(Special arrangement with HT)

cities

Updated on Dec 15, 2020 07:03 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByAnisha Dutta

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Anisha Dutta

No government data has been compromised since sensitive systems are sequestered, officials said.

HT could not immediately determine the total number of officials targeted, and if any computers were successfully breached.

Farmer groups have called for a Rail Roko agitation on Thursday in a bid to intensify their protest against the three contentious farm laws. Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a united front of farmers’ unions, is spearheading the agitation

The report also brings out the sharp rural-urban divide and the disproportionate impact on women. Women bore the burden of crashes across poor and rich households, often taking up extra work, assuming greater responsibilities, and performing caregiving activities after a crash.

The report, a copy of which has been reviewed by HT, has come against the backdrop of the National Road Safety month being observed by the Centre between January 18 and February 17.

“Railways’ operating ratio is expected to improve by end of the current financial year to 96.96%, despite the disruption caused due to Covid-19,” Railway Board member (finance), Naresh Salecha said on Monday.

The vehicle scrapping policy aims to take old, polluting vehicles off the roads and send them to the scrapyard.

Citing intelligence inputs, Delhi Police told Northern Railways on Sunday that farmers from Punjab and Haryana planned to protest in the Capital on Monday and hoist flags on Parliament House, according to two letters written by the force.

The national transporter has been allocated ₹1.10 lakh crore, of which ₹1.07 lakh crore accounts for the capital expenditure

The details of the policy will be declared within 15 days, Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday

Finance minister announced a slew of highway projects and economic corridors in the poll-bound states of West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, all of which are worth over ₹2.12 lakh crore

In the existing Lok Sabha chamber, key sections of the treasury bench and the Opposition rows face each other but the table of the secretariat, that is placed between them, blocks the view from both sides

In August 2020, an Air India Express Boeing-737 plane repatriating Indians stranded in Dubai due to the pandemic overshot the runway in heavy rain and crashed

In a slew of recommendations to the cabinet secretariat, a copy of which has been reviewed by Hindustan Times, the department has suggested that 83 of the 231 autonomous bodies be retained and 117 merged into just 29. It recommended that the Centre disengage from 20 entities.

The Centre had begun preparations for the transportation of the vaccines in December, the aviation ministry had instructed airport operators, ground handling service providers and airlines to put in place standard operating procedures for the transportation of Covid-19 vaccines.

"The proposal has been cleared by the committee today. It was sent a few days ago, discussed and cleared," housing ministry secretary Durga Shankar said on Monday in response to a query during a press conference.

Government officials remained tight-lipped about the schedule for the jabs, but frenetic behind-the-scenes activity, especially at airports, underlined last-minute efforts to put in place foolproof vaccine distribution strategy.

As per the guidelines, the vaccine vials are to be packaged in dry ice.

The minister spoke about the Supreme Court’s approval for the project and the concerns raised over the alleged lack of public hearings on the project and its environmental impact.

Four firms qualified for the financial bid that opened on January 1 to redevelop the avenue: ITD Cementation quoted Rs 490 crore, NCC Limited quoted Rs 601 crore and Tata Projects Limited quoted Rs 488 crore.

The government has put a cap of 30 weekly flights between the countries with 15 flights each allowed for carriers of the two countries.

The total built-up area has been reduced from 18,37,057 sq.m to 17,21, 500 sq.m, but the cost of the redevelopment project has increased by ₹1,656 crore, from Rs.11,794 crore to Rs. 13,450 crore.

The SOPs will be drafted in coordination with the ministry of health and the department of pharmaceuticals, which will be spearheading the formation of a multi-mode cold chain that will ensure the refrigerated production, transport, storage and distribution of the vaccines .

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said he did not expect that the UK flight ban extension to be a long or indefinite one.

All passengers who arrive from the UK on December 21 and 22 will be asked to take an RT-PCR test for Covid-19 at the airport, with only those who test negative be allowed to go home, where they will need to isolate for seven days.

The ministry of civil aviation on Monday also noted passengers from all transit flights arriving from UK scheduled to reach India by December 22 will be subjected to mandatory RT-PCR tests on arrival

The complex is being built as part of the Central Vista redevelopment project. The Nav Bharat Udyan will come up on 20.22 acres on the western bank of Yamuna. It is expected to be unveiled to the public by August 15, 2022, when India turns 75.

According to officials aware of the development, the five firms — Tata Projects Limited, Shapoorji Pallonji Group, ITD Cementation, NCC limited and PSP Projects limited — submitted their technical bids on Monday.

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