Mundali (Odisha), Mar 06: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday asserted that the country is on the verge of eliminating Maoists by the end of this month, and said security forces will defeat those who dream of building a red corridor from Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh to Pashupati in Nepal.

Addressing a function marking the 57th Raising Day of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Mundali in Odisha’s Cuttack district, he said the force acts as a catalyst for the country’s economic growth by providing security to major establishments.

“Today, I want to assure the nation that the country will be Maoist-free by March 31. Our forces will defeat those who dream of building a red corridor from Tirupati to Pashupati,” he said.

It will be a big achievement for the country’s security forces under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to uproot Maoists from the country, Shah said.

“Our security forces have reached the expectations, and the country is now on the verge of eliminating the red rebels,” he said.

In order to achieve the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, as aimed by the Prime Minister, the forces have ensured internal security, the most important ingredient for the growth of a nation, the union home minister said.

Noting that the CISF has been providing security to major installations, ranging from reservoirs and industries to Parliament, Shah said the force “played the role of a catalyst for the economic growth of the country”.

Shah emphasised that higher economic growth is achieved when peace exists, and said, “Our security personnel have effectively implemented their resolutions to maintain industrial peace”.

He said that the vision of building a strong national economy and making India the world’s largest economy cannot be realised without industrial development, and providing a secure environment for industrial growth requires a national-level industrial security force.

In his address, Shah said that after completing 56 years today, the CISF has risen from zero to the pinnacle in the field of industrial security, which is a saga of the force’s dedication and valour.

He said that by combining courage, sacrifice, and dedication with the rich traditions of India’s history, and equipping itself with modern weapons, CISF has demonstrated the resolve to face every kind of challenge.

Stating that the vision for India’s industrial development cannot be imagined without the CISF, Shah said his ministry has recently decided to entrust the security of all ports to the force.

In the coming days, the force will also provide security to private industrial groups in hybrid mode, the union home minister added.

The Prime Minister has placed these resolutions before the people — to make India a fully developed nation by 2047, to achieve the top position globally in every sector, and to make the country the world’s third-largest economy by 2027, he pointed out.

He stated that CISF is playing the role of a catalyst in achieving these goals.

Shah inaugurated two residential projects and laid foundation stones for three reserve battalions with a total cost of Rs 890 crore on virtual mode.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and others were present at the programme.

Jammu, Mar 06: The pension bill of the Jammu and Kashmir government is set to double in the 10-year period between 2020-30, with approximately 2.48 lakh retired employees being paid allowances, officials said.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration also said there is no proposal under consideration to revive the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), asserting that it would be fiscally unsustainable in the long run and could pose significant risks to financial stability.

As per official data of the government, Rs 5,829 crore were paid as pension to retired employees in 2020-21 and the figure is set to go up to Rs 11,798 crore in 2030-31. This is as per a government reply to a cut motion in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly recently.

The year-wise pension outgo over the last five years has shown a steady rise — Rs 6,668 crore in 2021-22, Rs 7,463 crore in 2022-23, Rs 8,364 crore in 2023-24, Rs 9,350 crore in 2024-25 and Rs 9,127 crore in 2025-26.

Based on the number of employees retiring, the pension outgo is projected to increase further in the coming years. It is estimated to be Rs 11,798 crore in 2030-31.

Officials said that the expansion in pension commitments may continue till the early 2040s, after which the burden is expected to stabilise as employees covered under OPS substantially retire.

They said that the introduction of the New Pension Scheme (NPS) in 2010 provides a sustainable pension framework with effective fund management, unlike OPS which does not have a dedicated pension fund.

They said that Jammu and Kashmir, being an expenditure-led region with modest revenue receipts and limited avenues for investment, has witnessed disproportionate growth in pension liabilities in the past.

Earlier also, pension expenditure had nearly doubled from Rs 731 crore in 2004-05 to Rs 1,495 crore in 2009-10, they said.

Following a cabinet decision in 2009, the government transitioned from a Defined Benefit Pension Scheme — OPS — to a Defined Contribution Pension Scheme — NPS — for all government employees appointed on or after January 1, 2010, through amendments in the J-K Civil Service Regulations, they said.

They further maintained that while fulfilling its commitment to eligible pensioners under OPS, the government ensures that developmental allocations and activities are not adversely affected. Once the pension outgo stabilises around 2040, proportionately more funds are expected to be available for the development sector, it added.

Kolkata, Mar 06: In this era of changing geopolitics, oceans have once again come to the centre of the world’s power balance and it is India’s responsibility to provide leadership with confidence and capability, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday, referring to the escalating conflict in West Asia.

The unfolding developments in West Asia are “highly unusual” and the situation in the region could adversely impact the global economy, he said addressing an event here.

“What is happening in West Asia is highly unusual. It is difficult to make any firm comment at this stage on the direction in which conditions in West Asia might proceed going forward,” he said.

“If we look at the Strait of Hormuz or the entire Persian Gulf region, it is an extremely important area for the world’s energy security. When there is disturbance or disruption in this region, it directly impacts the supply of oil and gas,” he said.

“Not only that, today we are witnessing supply chain disruptions not just in the energy sector, but in other sectors as well. The direct impact of these uncertainties falls on the economy and global trade,” he said.

Singh said the current situation has once again reflected the importance of oceans.

“In this era of changing global geopolitics, oceans have once again come to the centre of the world’s power balance. At such a time, as a major maritime nation, it is India’s responsibility to provide leadership with confidence, capability, and a clear vision,” he said.

The defence minister, however, did not make any direct or indirect reference to the US sinking an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka two days back.

The Iranian frigate, IRIS Dena, was returning home after participating in the Milan multilateral naval exercise hosted by India. At least 87 Iranian sailors were killed in the attack, which marked a major escalation in the conflict between the US and Iran outside of the Persian Gulf.

The US launched military strikes on Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Following the military offensive, Iran carried out a wave of attacks mainly targeting Israel and American military bases in several Gulf countries including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

In the last three days, the conflict has widened significantly with attacks and counter-attacks by both the sides.