Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jayant Sinha on Saturday (March 2) requested party president JP Nadda to relieve him of "direct electoral duties" stating that he wished to focus on efforts to fight climate change.&nbsp;

Sinha took to his official social media handle and wrote, "I have requested Hon'ble Party President Shri @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my direct electoral duties so that I can focus my efforts on combating global climate change in Bharat and around the world. Of course, I will continue to work with the party on economic and governance issues. I have had the privilege of serving the people of Bharat and Hazaribagh for the past 10 years."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I have requested Hon’ble Party President Shri <a href="https://twitter.com/JPNadda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JPNadda</a> ji to relieve me of my direct electoral duties so that I can focus my efforts on combating global climate change in Bharat and around the world. Of course, I will continue to work with the party on economic and governance…
— Jayant Sinha (@jayantsinha) <a href="https://twitter.com/jayantsinha/status/1763854032861327747?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

He further thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for providing him with the opportunities.

"Moreover, I have been blessed by the many opportunities provided by Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, Hon'ble Home Minister Shri @AmitShah ji, and the BJP leadership. My sincerest gratitude to all of them. Jai Hind!,"&nbsp;his post read.

This came hours after former World Cup winner and Member of Parliament of BJP Gautam Gambhir requested the party to relieve him from political duties stating that he wanted to focus on his upcoming cricket commitments.

He also thanked the party's leadership for the opportunities they provided him with.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-world-cup-winner-and-mp-gautam-gambhir-requests-ruling-bjp-for-release-from-political-duties-695777">Former World Cup winner and MP Gautam Gambhir requests ruling BJP to relieve him of political duties</a>

“I have requested Hon’ble Party President @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji and Hon’ble HM @AmitShah ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind!,” Gambhir wrote on his official X handle.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I have requested Hon’ble Party President <a href="https://twitter.com/JPNadda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JPNadda</a> ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon’ble PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> ji and Hon’ble HM <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AmitShah</a> ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind!
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) <a href="https://twitter.com/GautamGambhir/status/1763785102268772777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

Gambhir had successfully contested the East Delhi seat in the 2019 general elections with a winning margin of 6,95,109 votes having joined the party in March of the same year.&nbsp;

Some reports say that both the MPs were not very popular in their respective constituencies and the party had made it clear that the MPs who did not perform as per expectations would not be included in the list this time.

Which is why the move seems like a dignified exit for the leaders, the reports added.

(With inputs from agencies)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jayant Sinha on Saturday (March 2) requested party president JP Nadda to relieve him of "direct electoral duties" stating that he wished to focus on efforts to fight climate change.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jayant Sinha on Saturday (March 2) requested party president JP Nadda to relieve him of "direct electoral duties" stating that he wished to focus on efforts to fight climate change. Sinha took to his official social media handle and wrote, "I have requested Hon'ble Party President Shri @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my direct electoral duties so that I can focus my efforts on combating global climate change in Bharat and around the world. Of course, I will continue to work with the party on economic and governance issues. I have had the privilege of serving the people of Bharat and Hazaribagh for the past 10 years." I have requested Hon’ble Party President Shri @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my direct electoral duties so that I can focus my efforts on combating global climate change in Bharat and around the world. Of course, I will continue to work with the party on economic and governance… — Jayant Sinha (@jayantsinha) March 2, 2024 × He further thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for providing him with the opportunities. "Moreover, I have been blessed by the many opportunities provided by Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, Hon'ble Home Minister Shri @AmitShah ji, and the BJP leadership. My sincerest gratitude to all of them. Jai Hind!," his post read. This came hours after former World Cup winner and Member of Parliament of BJP Gautam Gambhir requested the party to relieve him from political duties stating that he wanted to focus on his upcoming cricket commitments. He also thanked the party's leadership for the opportunities they provided him with. Also read: Former World Cup winner and MP Gautam Gambhir requests ruling BJP to relieve him of political duties “I have requested Hon’ble Party President @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji and Hon’ble HM @AmitShah ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind!,” Gambhir wrote on his official X handle. I have requested Hon’ble Party President @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji and Hon’ble HM @AmitShah ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind! — Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) March 2, 2024 × Gambhir had successfully contested the East Delhi seat in the 2019 general elections with a winning margin of 6,95,109 votes having joined the party in March of the same year. Some reports say that both the MPs were not very popular in their respective constituencies and the party had made it clear that the MPs who did not perform as per expectations would not be included in the list this time. Which is why the move seems like a dignified exit for the leaders, the reports added. (With inputs from agencies)

India: BJP leader Jayant Sinha requests JP Nadda to relieve him from electoral duties

Watch Gravitas full segment and know what has been the most trending and important stories of the day. Watch this video to know more.

Watch: WION Gravitas, 30th April, 2019

A day after releasing its first list of 184 candidates, the Central Election Committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday released its 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th lists of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections 2019.

The party announced the names of 48 candidates. The list was announced by Union Minister JP Nadda during a press conference in New Delhi.&nbsp;

The list was released by BJP's Central Election Committee secretary and Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda here at a press conference. Out of 48 candidates, two are from Goa, 15 from Madhya Pradesh, 15 from Gujarat, 10 from Jharkhand, 4 from Himachal Pradesh and two from Karnataka. BJP MP Janardan Mishra will contest from Madhya Pradesh`s Reva while MP Rakesh Singh from Jabalpur.

The BJP has fielded former BCCI President Anurag Thakur from Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur, Suresh Kashyap from Shimla, Kishan Kapoor from Kangra.

Among those contesting from Jharkhand include Sunil Soren from Dumka, Nishikant Dubey from Godda, and Pashupati Nath Singh from Dhanbad.

The BJP will support Sumalatha as the independent candidate from Karnataka`s Mandya.BJP also released its list of six candidates legislative assembly bye-polls in Gujarat and Goa candidates.

In Goa, BJP has fielded Dayanand Raghunath Sopte will contest from Mandrem, Joushua Peter Desouza from Mapusa and Subhash Ankush Shirodkar from Siroda.

Three Candidates each for the legislative assembly of Gujarat and Goa bye-polls were also announced.&nbsp;

Parsotambhai Sabariya (Dhrangradhra) Raghavjibhai Patel (Jamnagar Rural) and Javaharabhai Chavda (Manavadar) will contest bye-polls in Gujarat.&nbsp;

The seven-phase of 17th Lok Sabha elections in the country are slated to begin on April 11 and will go on till May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

(With inputs from ANI)

A day after releasing its first list of 184 candidates, the Central Election Committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday released its 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th lists of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections 2019.

A day after releasing its first list of 184 candidates, the Central Election Committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday released its 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th lists of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections 2019. The party announced the names of 48 candidates. The list was announced by Union Minister JP Nadda during a press conference in New Delhi. The list was released by BJP's Central Election Committee secretary and Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda here at a press conference. Out of 48 candidates, two are from Goa, 15 from Madhya Pradesh, 15 from Gujarat, 10 from Jharkhand, 4 from Himachal Pradesh and two from Karnataka. BJP MP Janardan Mishra will contest from Madhya Pradesh`s Reva while MP Rakesh Singh from Jabalpur. The BJP has fielded former BCCI President Anurag Thakur from Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur, Suresh Kashyap from Shimla, Kishan Kapoor from Kangra. Among those contesting from Jharkhand include Sunil Soren from Dumka, Nishikant Dubey from Godda, and Pashupati Nath Singh from Dhanbad. The BJP will support Sumalatha as the independent candidate from Karnataka`s Mandya.BJP also released its list of six candidates legislative assembly bye-polls in Gujarat and Goa candidates. In Goa, BJP has fielded Dayanand Raghunath Sopte will contest from Mandrem, Joushua Peter Desouza from Mapusa and Subhash Ankush Shirodkar from Siroda. Three Candidates each for the legislative assembly of Gujarat and Goa bye-polls were also announced. Parsotambhai Sabariya (Dhrangradhra) Raghavjibhai Patel (Jamnagar Rural) and Javaharabhai Chavda (Manavadar) will contest bye-polls in Gujarat. The seven-phase of 17th Lok Sabha elections in the country are slated to begin on April 11 and will go on till May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. (With inputs from ANI)

Lok Sabha polls 2019: BJP fields Anurag Thakur from Hamirpur, Jayant Sinha gets Hazaribagh

Discussions on a bailout package for embattled state-run carrier Air India are at an "advanced stage", the Junior Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha said on Wednesday.

India's government has been working on a package for Air India after plans to sell a majority stake in the debt-laden airline failed this year due to a lack of interest from bidders.

"We are going through the government approval process," Sinha told reporters, without giving details.

Air India, which has survived for years with the help from taxpayers, has asked the government for 21.21 billion rupees ($292 million) in additional equity to pay the carrier's bills to vendors.

India's top civil aviation bureaucrat said in September that a $120 million capital injection for Air India was on the way, and the government is also working on a relief package for the airline industry.

Jet Airways, India's largest full-service carrier, and state-owned Air India are struggling to stem losses in the world's fastest-growing domestic aviation market, where competition is intense and fuel taxes are high.

India's airline industry is forecast to lose up to $1.9 billion this financial year due to rising costs and low fares, according to consulting firm CAPA.

The civil aviation ministry has proposed other measures to help the airline industry, including adding aviation turbine fuel to a nationwide goods and services tax, Sinha said.

Discussions on a bailout package for embattled state-run carrier Air India are at an "advanced stage", the Junior Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha said on Wednesday.

Discussions on a bailout package for embattled state-run carrier Air India are at an "advanced stage", the Junior Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha said on Wednesday. India's government has been working on a package for Air India after plans to sell a majority stake in the debt-laden airline failed this year due to a lack of interest from bidders. "We are going through the government approval process," Sinha told reporters, without giving details. Air India, which has survived for years with the help from taxpayers, has asked the government for 21.21 billion rupees ($292 million) in additional equity to pay the carrier's bills to vendors. India's top civil aviation bureaucrat said in September that a $120 million capital injection for Air India was on the way, and the government is also working on a relief package for the airline industry. Jet Airways, India's largest full-service carrier, and state-owned Air India are struggling to stem losses in the world's fastest-growing domestic aviation market, where competition is intense and fuel taxes are high. India's airline industry is forecast to lose up to $1.9 billion this financial year due to rising costs and low fares, according to consulting firm CAPA. The civil aviation ministry has proposed other measures to help the airline industry, including adding aviation turbine fuel to a nationwide goods and services tax, Sinha said.

Talks on Air India bailout package at 'advanced stage': Report 

The aviation ministry is targeting a five-fold increase in passenger trips to one billion per annum in 15-20 years in view of the huge growth opportunities the sector holds, Union Minister Jayant Sinha said today.

The Minister of State for Civil Aviation said that the government is working on steps such as developing new greenfield airports and skilling manpower to achieve this target.

&quot;A target of billion passenger trips in the next 15 to 20 years is very realisable and is, in fact, a realistic target that we should be looking for,&quot; he said here at the AIMA event.

He also said that the billion passenger trips would not come from aircraft alone but also from helicopters, seaplanes and passenger drones.

Many of these have still to be manufactured in the country and it provides tremendous business opportunities to start and develop these new technologies, he said.

Elaborating on passenger drones, Sinha said this is a big industry and in the coming years, it is likely to touch a trillion dollar mark.

&quot;We in India have the opportunity to be a leader in this. We are already working on drone regulations so we can set standards, develop different drone technologies,&quot; he said.

&quot;Like we have made air travel affordable to common people wearing &#39;hawai chappals, similarly we can go from auto-rickshaws to air rickshaws, that is the opportunity,&quot; he added.

Further, the minister said that the billion passenger trips would open tremendous opportunities for growth and investments for businesses.

&quot;In 2013, the total number of passenger trips was about 100 million. In 2017, we are going to get close to 200 million passenger trips,&quot; he said, adding that the total revenues of the airline industry last year was close to Rs 2 lakh crore.

Indian railways and the telecom sector also have the same level of revenues each, he said.

He said that today only 5 per cent of the 1.3 billion Indians travel by air.

Sinha said that this target would throw some major challenges and the government is working on it.

Safety and security is the number one concern and the ministry is working hard on this, he said, adding that &quot;we are working on a unified security architecture with CISF&quot; to ensure that all large or small airports have the same level of high security.

To ensure the safety of passengers, the ministry is investing spending on flight inspectors, air traffic controllers, and engineers.

He said land to build new greenfield airports is also a challenge. 
 
New airports are coming up in Navi Mumbai, Goa, Pune and Jewar in western Uttar Pradesh.

He informed that passenger trips at the Delhi airport stood at about 65 million currently and it would be doubled in the coming years.

&quot;We think to get one billion passenger trips, we have to invest Rs 4 lakh crore. That is what experts are saying,&quot; he said.

On the job front, he said about 2 lakh people are directly employed in the aviation industry and indirectly about 1.2 million.

&quot;This will quintuple. So we will have 6 million people working over the next few years,&quot; he said.

He added that revenues in the sector would increase significantly from Rs 2 lakh crore to Rs 8-10 trillion (Rs 8-10 lakh crore) in the next 15-20 years.

Huge business opportunities will be created in areas like logistics, cargo, airlines, airports and ground handling.

The Minister of State for Civil Aviation said that the government is working on steps such as developing new greenfield airports and skilling manpower to achieve this target

The aviation ministry is targeting a five-fold increase in passenger trips to one billion per annum in 15-20 years in view of the huge growth opportunities the sector holds, Union Minister Jayant Sinha said today. The Minister of State for Civil Aviation said that the government is working on steps such as developing new greenfield airports and skilling manpower to achieve this target. "A target of billion passenger trips in the next 15 to 20 years is very realisable and is, in fact, a realistic target that we should be looking for," he said here at the AIMA event. He also said that the billion passenger trips would not come from aircraft alone but also from helicopters, seaplanes and passenger drones. Many of these have still to be manufactured in the country and it provides tremendous business opportunities to start and develop these new technologies, he said. Elaborating on passenger drones, Sinha said this is a big industry and in the coming years, it is likely to touch a trillion dollar mark. "We in India have the opportunity to be a leader in this. We are already working on drone regulations so we can set standards, develop different drone technologies," he said. "Like we have made air travel affordable to common people wearing 'hawai chappals, similarly we can go from auto-rickshaws to air rickshaws, that is the opportunity," he added. Further, the minister said that the billion passenger trips would open tremendous opportunities for growth and investments for businesses. "In 2013, the total number of passenger trips was about 100 million. In 2017, we are going to get close to 200 million passenger trips," he said, adding that the total revenues of the airline industry last year was close to Rs 2 lakh crore. Indian railways and the telecom sector also have the same level of revenues each, he said. He said that today only 5 per cent of the 1.3 billion Indians travel by air. Sinha said that this target would throw some major challenges and the government is working on it. Safety and security is the number one concern and the ministry is working hard on this, he said, adding that "we are working on a unified security architecture with CISF" to ensure that all large or small airports have the same level of high security. To ensure the safety of passengers, the ministry is investing spending on flight inspectors, air traffic controllers, and engineers. He said land to build new greenfield airports is also a challenge. New airports are coming up in Navi Mumbai, Goa, Pune and Jewar in western Uttar Pradesh. He informed that passenger trips at the Delhi airport stood at about 65 million currently and it would be doubled in the coming years. "We think to get one billion passenger trips, we have to invest Rs 4 lakh crore. That is what experts are saying," he said. On the job front, he said about 2 lakh people are directly employed in the aviation industry and indirectly about 1.2 million. "This will quintuple. So we will have 6 million people working over the next few years," he said. He added that revenues in the sector would increase significantly from Rs 2 lakh crore to Rs 8-10 trillion (Rs 8-10 lakh crore) in the next 15-20 years. Huge business opportunities will be created in areas like logistics, cargo, airlines, airports and ground handling.

Aviation ministry eyes 5-fold rise in passenger trips to 1 billion in 15-20 years: Jayant Sinha

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha on Saturday claimed that air travel in the country was now cheaper than travel by auto-rickshaws on per kilometre basis.&nbsp;

He was speaking at the 27th International Management Conference of the Indore Management Association (IMA).&nbsp;

&quot;In today&#39;s India, the fares of aeroplanes are lower than that of autorickshaws. Some people will say that I&#39;m talking nonsense, but this is true,&quot; Sinha said.&nbsp;

Explaining the mathematics behind his claim, Sinha said, &quot;These days, passengers spend only Rs five per kilometre on air travel from Indore to Delhi. But if you take an autorickshaw in this city, then you need to spend a relatively higher price of Rs eight to ten per kilometre.&quot;&nbsp;

The minister claimed that more people were opting for air travel because the country had the cheapest fares in the world and added that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had remarked that a man wearing slippers is also now flying.&nbsp;

Sinha said that four years ago the number of people travelling by air was 11 crore and was likely to reach 20 crore by the end of the current fiscal.&nbsp;

Sinha said the government wanted to increase the number of people using air travel by five times to 100 crore in the coming years.&nbsp;

He said the country needed to promote innovation in entrepreneurship to provide affordable services to the common man and also to help it overtake large economies such as the United States and China.&nbsp;

He also took a dig at those who criticised the recent statement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who in a television interview claimed that people earning Rs 200 a day selling pakodas can be considered employed.&nbsp;

&quot;Media has been talking about &#39;pakoda economics&#39; these days. But what&#39;s wrong in this if we extend help in the entrepreneurship of some &#39;pakodawala&#39; at Hazaribagh so that, one day, he could start a fast food chain like McDonald&#39;s,&quot; he asked.&nbsp;

Calling for the use of electric vehicles in the country, Sinha said if entrepreneurs took the lead, then the country would have passenger drones, helicopter taxis and air- rickshaws powered by electricity, leading to freedom from traffic jams.&nbsp;

The minister claimed that more people were opting for air travel because the country had the cheapest fares in the world

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha on Saturday claimed that air travel in the country was now cheaper than travel by auto-rickshaws on per kilometre basis. He was speaking at the 27th International Management Conference of the Indore Management Association (IMA). "In today's India, the fares of aeroplanes are lower than that of autorickshaws. Some people will say that I'm talking nonsense, but this is true," Sinha said. Explaining the mathematics behind his claim, Sinha said, "These days, passengers spend only Rs five per kilometre on air travel from Indore to Delhi. But if you take an autorickshaw in this city, then you need to spend a relatively higher price of Rs eight to ten per kilometre." The minister claimed that more people were opting for air travel because the country had the cheapest fares in the world and added that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had remarked that a man wearing slippers is also now flying. Sinha said that four years ago the number of people travelling by air was 11 crore and was likely to reach 20 crore by the end of the current fiscal. Sinha said the government wanted to increase the number of people using air travel by five times to 100 crore in the coming years. He said the country needed to promote innovation in entrepreneurship to provide affordable services to the common man and also to help it overtake large economies such as the United States and China. He also took a dig at those who criticised the recent statement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who in a television interview claimed that people earning Rs 200 a day selling pakodas can be considered employed. "Media has been talking about 'pakoda economics' these days. But what's wrong in this if we extend help in the entrepreneurship of some 'pakodawala' at Hazaribagh so that, one day, he could start a fast food chain like McDonald's," he asked. Calling for the use of electric vehicles in the country, Sinha said if entrepreneurs took the lead, then the country would have passenger drones, helicopter taxis and air- rickshaws powered by electricity, leading to freedom from traffic jams.

Air travel cheaper than travel by auto-rickshaws: Jayant Sinha

Once a great airline and now decrepit, Air India would get split into four separate companies and the government is offering at least 51% in each of them as part of their disinvestment plan.

As per media reports, the plan was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The four sections in which the airline would get divided are airline business, regional arm, ground handling and engineering operations, said reports.

Media reports quoted Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha as saying that the core airline business comprising Air India and Air India Express, the low coast overseas arm will be offered as one company.

The process is expected to get complete by the end of the year 2018.

Last week, India had cleared a proposal to allow foreign investors which&nbsp;allows foreign investors to own up to 49% in the airline.

Recently, Tata group showed interest in bidding for Air India along with Singapore airline.

Tata group chairman N Chandrasekaran had said last year that his group was ready to bid for the state-run airlines. 
&nbsp; 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s administration had been exploring ways to privatise the loss-making national carrier, which was bailed out in 2012 with $5.8 billion of federal funding.

The airline is under the debt of more than Rs. 52,000 crore.

(With inputs from news agency) 
&nbsp;

The airline is under the debt of more than Rs. 52,000 crore

Once a great airline and now decrepit, Air India would get split into four separate companies and the government is offering at least 51% in each of them as part of their disinvestment plan. As per media reports, the plan was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The four sections in which the airline would get divided are airline business, regional arm, ground handling and engineering operations, said reports. Media reports quoted Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha as saying that the core airline business comprising Air India and Air India Express, the low coast overseas arm will be offered as one company. The process is expected to get complete by the end of the year 2018. Last week, India had cleared a proposal to allow foreign investors which allows foreign investors to own up to 49% in the airline. Recently, Tata group showed interest in bidding for Air India along with Singapore airline. Tata group chairman N Chandrasekaran had said last year that his group was ready to bid for the state-run airlines. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration had been exploring ways to privatise the loss-making national carrier, which was bailed out in 2012 with $5.8 billion of federal funding. The airline is under the debt of more than Rs. 52,000 crore. (With inputs from news agency)

Air India to be split into 4 entities ahead of sale: Reports

Union minister Jayant Sinha&#39;s name has cropped up in the leaked list of &#39;Paradise Papers&#39; of companies having offshore entities globally even as he today said the transactions were not done for any &quot;personal purpose&quot;.

Sinha had worked with Omidyar Network as Managing Director in India and Omidyar Network had invested in a US company D.Light Design that has a subsidiary in Cayman Islands, according to a report based on the Paradise Papers investigation.

In a series of tweets today, Sinha said the transactions were legal and bonafide.

The transactions were undertaken on behalf of highly reputed world-leading organisations in my fiduciary role as partner at Omidyar Network and its designated representative on the D.Light Board, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation said.

&quot;It is crucial to note that these transactions were done for D.Light as an Omidyar representative, and not for any personal purpose,&quot; he noted.

Sinha, who is a former venture capitalist, also said all these transactions have been fully disclosed to relevant authorities through all necessary filings as required.

&quot;After leaving Omidyar Network, I was asked to continue on the D.Light Board as an independent director... On joining the Union Council of Ministers, I immediately resigned from D.Light Board and severed my involvement with the company,&quot; the minister said.

Sinha had earlier served as Minister of State for Finance.

The Paradise Papers is an investigation into offshore and banking assets carried out by the Indian Express with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/queen-elizabeth-ii-has-13m-in-investments-in-offshore-tax-havens-documents-23562" target="_blank">Paradise Papers: US commerce secretary has ties to firm linked to Putin&#39;s inner circle</a>

Sinha said the transactions were legal and bonafide

Union minister Jayant Sinha's name has cropped up in the leaked list of 'Paradise Papers' of companies having offshore entities globally even as he today said the transactions were not done for any "personal purpose". Sinha had worked with Omidyar Network as Managing Director in India and Omidyar Network had invested in a US company D.Light Design that has a subsidiary in Cayman Islands, according to a report based on the Paradise Papers investigation. In a series of tweets today, Sinha said the transactions were legal and bonafide. The transactions were undertaken on behalf of highly reputed world-leading organisations in my fiduciary role as partner at Omidyar Network and its designated representative on the D.Light Board, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation said. "It is crucial to note that these transactions were done for D.Light as an Omidyar representative, and not for any personal purpose," he noted. Sinha, who is a former venture capitalist, also said all these transactions have been fully disclosed to relevant authorities through all necessary filings as required. "After leaving Omidyar Network, I was asked to continue on the D.Light Board as an independent director... On joining the Union Council of Ministers, I immediately resigned from D.Light Board and severed my involvement with the company," the minister said. Sinha had earlier served as Minister of State for Finance. The Paradise Papers is an investigation into offshore and banking assets carried out by the Indian Express with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Also read: Paradise Papers: US commerce secretary has ties to firm linked to Putin's inner circle

Paradise Papers: No transactions done for 'personal purpose', says Jayant Sinha

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on September 28 accused its senior leader Yashwant Sinha of sympathising with &quot;jobless&quot; Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi and P Chidambaram and said his criticism on the way the economy had been handled was based on his &quot;personal frustration.&quot;

&quot;The ten years of the UPA Government at the Centre was one of the most corrupt ever. The reality is that Rahul Gandhi, Chidambaram and many others are finding themselves jobless and those who sympathise with such jobless leaders are also making an unfair criticism not based on facts, but based on one&#39;s personal frustration,&quot;&nbsp;BJP spokesman GVL&nbsp;Narasimha Rao told ANI.

The BJP also dismissed the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-power-admit-the-truth-chidambaram-on-yashwant-sinhas-attack-on-arun-jaitleys-economic-mess-20728"> Congress&#39; claims of economic mismanagement </a>and said that, at present, the government was doing very fine and finance minister Arun Jaitley had defended Yashwant Sinha&#39;s criticism against him by talking about economic issues rather than targeting any individual.

&quot;Jaitley categorically explained all the economic issues which are at present in debate like how the policies have worked fine in regards to demonetisation, in regard to implementation with the GST. How the Government is pro-active in solving the problems of people; how the Government is tackling the NPA problems; how much expenditure Government is taking into infrastructure?&quot; the party&#39;s national spokesperson, economic&nbsp;affairs, Gopal Krishna Agarwal said.&nbsp; 
 
On September 27, former finance minister&nbsp;&nbsp;Yashwant Sinha criticised Arun Jaitley for&nbsp;making a mess of Indian economy with measures such as demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST). He found support in former finance minister P Chidambaram who asked the government to admit the truth.&nbsp;

&quot;Will Power now admit the Truth that economy is sinking?&quot; the former finance minister wrote in one tweet. 
 
Defending the government&#39;s economic policies, and referring to Chidambaram and Yashwant Sinha&#39;s attacks on him,<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-slowdown-visualised-by-some-has-not-even-impacted-says-arun-jaitley-20804"> Arun Jaitley said yesterday that he did&nbsp;not have the luxury of being a former finance minister or a former finance minister who has turned a columnist.</a>&nbsp;Without taking names, he described Yashwant Sinha, 84, as a &quot;job applicant at 80&quot;.

&nbsp;&quot;I must confess that I do not have the luxury as yet of being a former finance Minister nor do I have the luxury of being a former finance minister who has turned a columnist. Therefore, I can conveniently forget a policy paralysis, four billion reserves left in 1991 and I can switch over and change a narrative. Speaking on persons and then bypassing the issues is something which is very easily done.&quot;

Backing the demonetisation,&nbsp;Jaitley said that the government intended to expose the black money market and track down those operating in it.

&quot;Demonetisation was not synonymous with confiscation of money. We gave an opportunity to people to come clean about their accounts held abroad. The prime minister had a very strong agenda on creating a new normal as far as the shadow economy in India was concerned,&quot; he said at a book launch.

The finance minister said he was being criticised for bringing out reforms too quickly.&quot;I am being criticised for doing incremental changes. Post GST, the biggest criticism was that why I implemented it so quickly after demonetisation,&quot; he said.

Arun Jaitley also downplayed&nbsp;remarks that the economy was&nbsp;on a downward spiral.

&quot;The Direct tax figures are 15.7 per cent over and above last year`s figure, so this so-called slowdown visualised by some, hasn&#39;t even impacted,&quot; he said.

Yashwant Sinha responded to Jaitley&#39;s job applicant remark by stating that had he been a job applicant, Jaitley would not have been finance minister in the first place.

In a rejoinder to his father, Yashwant Sinha&#39;s son and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said yesterday that demonetisation and the introduction of the GST were structural reforms that were necessary for transforming the economy in the long term and that GDP growth of one or two quarters was insufficient to ascertain the long-term impact of these measures.

He also rejected contentions that he wrote the opinion piece at anyone&#39;s bidding, insisting it was &quot;absolutely out of his own conscience&quot;.

He also said his difference of opinion with his father was &quot;very serious discussion&quot; and that it should not be seen &quot;in a personal way&quot;. 
&nbsp;

The BJP accused Yashwant Sinha of sympathising with "jobless" Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi and P Chidambaram

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on September 28 accused its senior leader Yashwant Sinha of sympathising with "jobless" Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi and P Chidambaram and said his criticism on the way the economy had been handled was based on his "personal frustration." "The ten years of the UPA Government at the Centre was one of the most corrupt ever. The reality is that Rahul Gandhi, Chidambaram and many others are finding themselves jobless and those who sympathise with such jobless leaders are also making an unfair criticism not based on facts, but based on one's personal frustration," BJP spokesman GVL Narasimha Rao told ANI. The BJP also dismissed the Congress' claims of economic mismanagement and said that, at present, the government was doing very fine and finance minister Arun Jaitley had defended Yashwant Sinha's criticism against him by talking about economic issues rather than targeting any individual. "Jaitley categorically explained all the economic issues which are at present in debate like how the policies have worked fine in regards to demonetisation, in regard to implementation with the GST. How the Government is pro-active in solving the problems of people; how the Government is tackling the NPA problems; how much expenditure Government is taking into infrastructure?" the party's national spokesperson, economic affairs, Gopal Krishna Agarwal said. On September 27, former finance minister Yashwant Sinha criticised Arun Jaitley for making a mess of Indian economy with measures such as demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST). He found support in former finance minister P Chidambaram who asked the government to admit the truth. "Will Power now admit the Truth that economy is sinking?" the former finance minister wrote in one tweet. Defending the government's economic policies, and referring to Chidambaram and Yashwant Sinha's attacks on him, Arun Jaitley said yesterday that he did not have the luxury of being a former finance minister or a former finance minister who has turned a columnist. Without taking names, he described Yashwant Sinha, 84, as a "job applicant at 80". "I must confess that I do not have the luxury as yet of being a former finance Minister nor do I have the luxury of being a former finance minister who has turned a columnist. Therefore, I can conveniently forget a policy paralysis, four billion reserves left in 1991 and I can switch over and change a narrative. Speaking on persons and then bypassing the issues is something which is very easily done." Backing the demonetisation, Jaitley said that the government intended to expose the black money market and track down those operating in it. "Demonetisation was not synonymous with confiscation of money. We gave an opportunity to people to come clean about their accounts held abroad. The prime minister had a very strong agenda on creating a new normal as far as the shadow economy in India was concerned," he said at a book launch. The finance minister said he was being criticised for bringing out reforms too quickly."I am being criticised for doing incremental changes. Post GST, the biggest criticism was that why I implemented it so quickly after demonetisation," he said. Arun Jaitley also downplayed remarks that the economy was on a downward spiral. "The Direct tax figures are 15.7 per cent over and above last year`s figure, so this so-called slowdown visualised by some, hasn't even impacted," he said. Yashwant Sinha responded to Jaitley's job applicant remark by stating that had he been a job applicant, Jaitley would not have been finance minister in the first place. In a rejoinder to his father, Yashwant Sinha's son and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said yesterday that demonetisation and the introduction of the GST were structural reforms that were necessary for transforming the economy in the long term and that GDP growth of one or two quarters was insufficient to ascertain the long-term impact of these measures. He also rejected contentions that he wrote the opinion piece at anyone's bidding, insisting it was "absolutely out of his own conscience". He also said his difference of opinion with his father was "very serious discussion" and that it should not be seen "in a personal way".

Yashwant Sinha's criticism of economy based on 'personal frustration': BJP

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha today (September 28) defended&nbsp;his father and senior BJP leader <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-power-admit-the-truth-chidambaram-on-yashwant-sinhas-attack-on-arun-jaitleys-economic-mess-20728">Yashwant Sinha&#39;s criticism </a>of the &quot;mess&quot; that finance minister Arun Jaitley had made of the economy.

In an editorial in The Times of India, Jayant Sinha countered his father&#39;s criticism that&nbsp;the slowdown in GDP growth rate was because of demonetisation and the recently-introduced Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Jayant Sinha said that demonetisation and the introduction of the GST were structural reforms that were necessary for transforming the economy in the long term and that GDP growth of one or two quarters was insufficient to ascertain the long-term impact of these measures.

The MoS Civil Aviation added that along with digital payments, GST and demonetisation would bring more people under the tax net and create transparency in the economy.

&quot;GST, demonetisation and digital payments are game-changing efforts to formalise India&rsquo;s economy. Transactions that were taking place outside of the tax net and in the informal sector are now being brought into the formal sector. In the long term, formalisation will mean (a) tax collections go up and more resources are available to the state; (b) friction in the economy is reduced and GDP goes up; and (c) citizens are able to establish credit more effectively as transaction records are digitised,&quot; Jayant Sinha wrote.

He said policy-making across industries had become more rules-based, auctions were more transparent and the Bankruptcy Code would provide relief to the long-standing problem of Non performing Assets in the banking sector.

Jayant Sinha also highlighted the benefits that the &quot;rules-based FDI regime&quot; and the linking of the Jan Dhan accounts with the Aadhaar Unique Identification Card had brought to the economy.&quot;

&quot;The Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity is powering Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and dramatically reducing leakages. Rs 1.75 lakh crore of benefits have been transferred directly to beneficiaries over the last three years. JAM is weeding out many ghost and fake beneficiaries and cutting out middlemen.&quot;

In an opinion piece in the Indian Express, Yashwant Sinha, former finance minister, criticised his own government, particularly Arun Jaitley and NJP chief Amit Shah, for sinking the economy.

In the opinion piece titled &quot;I need to speak up now&quot;, Yashwant Sinha also called PM Modi&#39;s demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes an &quot;unmitigated economic disaster&quot;. He also said the recently-introduced Goods and Services Tax (GST) was a &quot;badly conceived and poorly implemented&quot; havoc.

Jayant Sinha&#39;s editorial was on the lines of the BJP&#39;s response yesterday (September 27)in which it rejected Yashwant Sinha&#39;s criticism of the state of economy.

The party had said the Indian economy was the fastest growing in the world and some &quot;uncertainty&quot; was bound to occur when &quot;transformative&quot; measures like demonetisation and the GST are taken.

Top party leaders defended the economic situation. &nbsp;Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the Indian economy is the fastest growing in the world and the country&#39;s credibility has been established in the international arena under the Modi government.

&quot;The whole world admits that India is the fastest growing economy in the world. No one should forget this fact. In the matter of economy, in the international arena, India&#39;s credibility has been established,&quot; he told reporters in reference to Sinha&#39;s views.

Senior party leader and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said the government would not flinch due to some criticism and &quot;stay the course&quot; as it works to transform the economy.

&quot;There is bound to be some uncertainty when some transformative changes are made. It (economy) may take some amount of time to absorb these changes but this will pass. Challenges come but we will stay the course. The government is steadfast in its resolve to end black money and corruption. It won&#39;t flinch due to some criticism,&quot; he said.

 
&nbsp;

Jayant Sinha said that demonetisation and the introduction of the GST were structural reforms that were necessary for transforming the economy

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha today (September 28) defended his father and senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha's criticism of the "mess" that finance minister Arun Jaitley had made of the economy. In an editorial in The Times of India, Jayant Sinha countered his father's criticism that the slowdown in GDP growth rate was because of demonetisation and the recently-introduced Goods and Services Tax (GST). Jayant Sinha said that demonetisation and the introduction of the GST were structural reforms that were necessary for transforming the economy in the long term and that GDP growth of one or two quarters was insufficient to ascertain the long-term impact of these measures. The MoS Civil Aviation added that along with digital payments, GST and demonetisation would bring more people under the tax net and create transparency in the economy. "GST, demonetisation and digital payments are game-changing efforts to formalise India’s economy. Transactions that were taking place outside of the tax net and in the informal sector are now being brought into the formal sector. In the long term, formalisation will mean (a) tax collections go up and more resources are available to the state; (b) friction in the economy is reduced and GDP goes up; and (c) citizens are able to establish credit more effectively as transaction records are digitised," Jayant Sinha wrote. He said policy-making across industries had become more rules-based, auctions were more transparent and the Bankruptcy Code would provide relief to the long-standing problem of Non performing Assets in the banking sector. Jayant Sinha also highlighted the benefits that the "rules-based FDI regime" and the linking of the Jan Dhan accounts with the Aadhaar Unique Identification Card had brought to the economy." "The Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity is powering Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and dramatically reducing leakages. Rs 1.75 lakh crore of benefits have been transferred directly to beneficiaries over the last three years. JAM is weeding out many ghost and fake beneficiaries and cutting out middlemen." In an opinion piece in the Indian Express, Yashwant Sinha, former finance minister, criticised his own government, particularly Arun Jaitley and NJP chief Amit Shah, for sinking the economy. In the opinion piece titled "I need to speak up now", Yashwant Sinha also called PM Modi's demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes an "unmitigated economic disaster". He also said the recently-introduced Goods and Services Tax (GST) was a "badly conceived and poorly implemented" havoc. Jayant Sinha's editorial was on the lines of the BJP's response yesterday (September 27)in which it rejected Yashwant Sinha's criticism of the state of economy. The party had said the Indian economy was the fastest growing in the world and some "uncertainty" was bound to occur when "transformative" measures like demonetisation and the GST are taken. Top party leaders defended the economic situation. Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the Indian economy is the fastest growing in the world and the country's credibility has been established in the international arena under the Modi government. "The whole world admits that India is the fastest growing economy in the world. No one should forget this fact. In the matter of economy, in the international arena, India's credibility has been established," he told reporters in reference to Sinha's views. Senior party leader and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said the government would not flinch due to some criticism and "stay the course" as it works to transform the economy. "There is bound to be some uncertainty when some transformative changes are made. It (economy) may take some amount of time to absorb these changes but this will pass. Challenges come but we will stay the course. The government is steadfast in its resolve to end black money and corruption. It won't flinch due to some criticism," he said.

Structural reforms necessary: Jayant Sinha's rejoinder to father Yashwant Sinha

Minister of State (MoS) for civil aviation Jayant Sinha has decided to issue a national no-fly list in the first week of July after the controversy over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/indigo-airindia-bar-tdp-mp-diwakar-reddy-from-flights-after-ruckus-at-vizag-airport-16877">TDP MP J C Diwakar Reddy</a> &amp; &nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/air-india-lifts-flight-ban-on-shiv-sena-mp-ravindra-gaikwad-report-14286">Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad who were denied boarding rights</a> by various airlines for creating a ruckus on board.

&quot;A national no-fly list rules is currently being prepared and will be issued&nbsp;in first week of July,&quot; Sinha said.&nbsp;

The ministry of civil aviation had last month issued draft rules for a national no-fly list and invited stakeholders&#39; comments within&nbsp;30 days.

&quot;The process is underway right now, as we have said many times we are going through an analysis process and those recommendations are in front of the Cabinet right now and the Cabinet will take the process forward,&quot; Jayant Sinha added.

Jayant Sinha also said his ministry is working to create a &quot;unified security command&quot; to manage airports in the country which would be handled by the Central Industrial Security Force(CISF).

&quot;We want a unified command to be able to keep all of the airports under supervision through a robust set of security protocols. So unified security architecture is a major policy initiative that we have embarked on with the ministry of home affairs,&#39;&#39; said Jayant Sinha.

Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai &amp; Kolkata are amongst the busiest airports in India, there is a sizeable CISF presence already in these airports, however, with a unified structure in place, the CISF would be expected to take over the entire security and other administrative duties linked with airport security in the country. 
&nbsp;

The ministry of civil aviation had last month issued its draft rules for a national no-fly list

Minister of State (MoS) for civil aviation Jayant Sinha has decided to issue a national no-fly list in the first week of July after the controversy over TDP MP J C Diwakar Reddy & Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad who were denied boarding rights by various airlines for creating a ruckus on board. "A national no-fly list rules is currently being prepared and will be issued in first week of July," Sinha said. The ministry of civil aviation had last month issued draft rules for a national no-fly list and invited stakeholders' comments within 30 days. "The process is underway right now, as we have said many times we are going through an analysis process and those recommendations are in front of the Cabinet right now and the Cabinet will take the process forward," Jayant Sinha added. Jayant Sinha also said his ministry is working to create a "unified security command" to manage airports in the country which would be handled by the Central Industrial Security Force(CISF). "We want a unified command to be able to keep all of the airports under supervision through a robust set of security protocols. So unified security architecture is a major policy initiative that we have embarked on with the ministry of home affairs,'' said Jayant Sinha. Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai & Kolkata are amongst the busiest airports in India, there is a sizeable CISF presence already in these airports, however, with a unified structure in place, the CISF would be expected to take over the entire security and other administrative duties linked with airport security in the country.

National no-fly rule to be out in July: Civil aviation minister Jayant Sinha

The Centre on Friday will announce a draft rule for a &#39;no-fly list&#39; for unruly passengers in the aftermath of the debacle surrounding Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who assaulted an Air India staffer onboard a plane.

The Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) are being amended by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to facilitate such a list, the ministry of civil aviation said in a letter to Air India CMD, making an appeal to him to lift the ban on Gaikwad.

The no-fly list has been amended by Air India from the day Gaikwad hit 62-year-old R Sukumar with his slipper.

The following day, the Federation of Indian Airlines, which has Jet Airways, SpiceJet, IndiGo and GoAir as its members, made the announcement.

The draft will be made public by aviation minister Ashok G Raju and his deputy Jayant Sinha. For effective implementation, the Centre is likely to make some identification mandatory - either Aadhaar or passport number - while booking even domestic tickets.

The draft will give about a month for the public to comment. The aviation ministry will then take some time to study them and come out with the final CAR.

As per the IATA, in 2015, there were 10,854 reported cases of unruly behaviour by the passengers across airlines worldwide, which translate into one incident for every 1,205 flights.

(ANI)

The Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) are being amended by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to facilitate such a list

The Centre on Friday will announce a draft rule for a 'no-fly list' for unruly passengers in the aftermath of the debacle surrounding Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who assaulted an Air India staffer onboard a plane. The Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) are being amended by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to facilitate such a list, the ministry of civil aviation said in a letter to Air India CMD, making an appeal to him to lift the ban on Gaikwad. The no-fly list has been amended by Air India from the day Gaikwad hit 62-year-old R Sukumar with his slipper. The following day, the Federation of Indian Airlines, which has Jet Airways, SpiceJet, IndiGo and GoAir as its members, made the announcement. The draft will be made public by aviation minister Ashok G Raju and his deputy Jayant Sinha. For effective implementation, the Centre is likely to make some identification mandatory - either Aadhaar or passport number - while booking even domestic tickets. The draft will give about a month for the public to comment. The aviation ministry will then take some time to study them and come out with the final CAR. As per the IATA, in 2015, there were 10,854 reported cases of unruly behaviour by the passengers across airlines worldwide, which translate into one incident for every 1,205 flights. (ANI)

No-fly list: Centre to announce new rules today

jayant-sinha

Jayant Sinha, News on Jayant Sinha, stories on Jayant Sinha, articles on Jayant Sinha, Jayant Sinha stories at Wion, Jayant Sinha news, Jayant Sinha latest news

jayant sinha