NewsBytes

PM Modi flags off 4 new Vande Bharat trains

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flagged off four new Vande Bharat Express trains here from the Banaras railway station. The new Vande Bharat Express trains will operate on the Banaras-Khajuraho, Lucknow-Saharanpur, Firozpur-Delhi and Ernakulam-Bengaluru routes. The semi-high-speed trains will significantly reduce travel time between major stations, enhance regional mobility, promote tourism and support economic activity across the country, according to an official statement. The Banaras-Khajuraho Vande Bharat will connect prominent cultural and religious destinations, including Varanasi, Prayagraj and Chitrakoot, officials said. Addressing a gathering after the launch of the four trains, the prime minister said, "With so many Vande Bharat trains running and flights arriving from countries across the world, all these developments are now linked to growth. Today, India is also moving rapidly on this path.”

After UNESCO tag for Lucknow, UP CM bats for 'One District, One Cuisine' across state

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday floated the idea of "One District, One Cuisine" to promote food from across the state globally, after Lucknow's recent induction into UNESCO's Creative Cities Network, under the 'Gastronomy' category. He said the global honour was not only for Lucknow, but also for the diverse cuisine of Uttar Pradesh. In a post on X, Adityanath said in the context of the capital city's selection, the diverse cuisine of the state and its unique flavours need to be introduced to the world. "Take a journey through the world of flavours around you or take a photo or video of your home-cooked dishes and share them on social media with #OneDistrictOneCuisine," he said. The chief minister said every district in the state keeps its culture, pride and history alive with its unique taste. "Lucknow's chaat, malaio of Banaras, Meerut's gajak, sohan halwa of Banda, baalushahi of Baghpat, Agra's petha, Mathura's perhaa, Moradabadi daal, kurchhan of Khurja... the list is quite long," he wrote on X. Adityanath said every dish has its own taste and an illustrious history.

Tea Board for effective adoption of food safety standards by industry

The Tea Board called for an effective adoption of food safety standards, asserting that such a measure will enable the industry to achieve long-term sustainability. In the new plant protection code (PPC) released by the board, it said that the food safety standards will also help the industry safeguard the plantation environment and ensure the welfare of workers and small farmers. The PPC aims to achieve sustainability through good agricultural practices, including integrated pest management and promotion of alternative pest control strategies, to gradually reduce dependence on chemicals, according to it. Large-scale adoption of integrated pest management from the very beginning of the season will be crucial in ensuring food safety and adequate crop protection, the Tea Board said. According to the board, consumers are now increasingly demanding products made without adversely impacting the environment. The PPC document will help the industry in getting guidelines for the safe usage of plant protection formulations in tea cultivation.

Centre notifies new deep-sea fishing rules

In a significant move to unlock the potential of India's vast marine resources, the Centre has notified new rules for deep-sea fishing in the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), with a focus on empowering fishermen, cooperatives and small-scale fishers, while banning foreign vessels from operating in Indian waters. The rules, notified on November 4, fulfil the Budget 2025-26 announcement and are expected to open new avenues for India's marine fisheries sector, particularly in tapping high-value tuna resources that have remained largely underutilised despite neighbouring countries harvesting them in the Indian Ocean region, the fishery ministry said in a statement. The new framework prioritises Fishermen Cooperative Societies and Fish Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs) for undertaking deep-sea fishing operations using technologically advanced vessels. A key innovation is the introduction of the mother-and-child vessel concept, which allows mid-sea transhipment under Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulations, particularly beneficial for the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands, which account for 49 per cent of India's EEZ area. To protect the marine ecosystem, the rules ban harmful fishing practices such as LED light fishing, pair trawling and bull trawling. Under the new rules, mechanised and large-sized motorised vessels will require an Access Pass, which can be obtained free of cost through the online ReALCRaft portal.