Feature
We want freedom from single use plastic – Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in talks with representatives of NGOs of his constituency Varanasi. In this meeting, they are discussing about the efforts to distribute food grains and other assistance to them during the lockdown implemented due to Corona virus crisis.
The PM said something, read the update below –
Thousands of people have increased the glory of Kashi. Hundreds of institutions have expended themselves. Most of all I have not been able to talk, but I salute everyone’s work today. I salute every person connected with service.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that today when I am talking to you, then I am not only taking information from you, but you are taking the most inspiration. To make more work, people like you worked in this crisis, taking their blessings.
This crisis period of Corona has completely changed the way people think, understand, work, eat and drink. The way you all served, this service has a big impact on the life of the society.
Kabirdas ji has said- ‘The servant does not ask for the fruit, the apple should serve day and night’, that is, the one who does the service does not ask for the fruit of the service, day and night he serves selflessly.
These are our rites of selfless service of others, which are coming in handy during this difficult time, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In the same spirit, the Central Government has also made continuous efforts to share the suffering of the common people in this time of Corona, to reduce it.
The poor get ration, have few rupees, they have employment and they can take loan for their work, IM has taken care of everything.
Free gas cylinders have been given to the beneficiaries of the Ujjwala scheme for the last three months to ensure that the poor do not have fuel for cooking due to the lockdown.
Whether to deposit thousands of crores of rupees in Jan-Dhan account or to provide easy loans to the poor, employment of laborers, small industries, street vendors, or historical decisions for farming, animal husbandry, fisheries and other works The government has worked continuously. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
At this time, work is going on fast on different projects of about Rs 8 thousand crore in Kashi itself. When conditions are normal, the old raven in Kashi will return equally fast. For this, we have to prepare from now.
After the recent decisions of the government, saris here, for other handicrafts, will open new doors for the business of dairy, fisheries and bee-keeping here, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
I would urge the farmers, even the younger colleagues, to ensure greater participation in this type of business. With the efforts of all of us, our Kashi can grow into a major export hub of India and we should.
One thing we have to do again and again, we have to do with everyone, we also have to do with ourselves – we want freedom from single use plastic.
We have to change the habit of spitting on the paths. We have to make the ritual of two yards, the hotbed or face mask and the habit of washing hands. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
Entertainment
Meghalaya Reserves Legalized Gambling and Sports Betting for Tourists
The State Scores Extra High on Gaming-Friendly Industry Index
Meghalaya scored 92.85 out of 100 possible points in a Gaming Industry Index and proved to be India’s most gaming-friendly state following its recent profound legislation changes over the field allowing land-based and online gaming, including games of chance, under a licensing regime.
The index by the UK India Business Council (UKIBC) uses a scale of 0 to 100 to measure the level of legalisation on gambling and betting achieved by a state based on the scores over a set of seven different games – lottery, horse racing, betting on sports, poker, rummy, casino and fantasy sports
Starting from February last year, Meghalaya became the third state in India’s northeast to legalise gambling and betting after Sikkim and Nagaland. After consultations with the UKIBC, the state proceeded with the adoption of the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021 and the nullification of the Meghalaya Prevention of Gambling Act, 1970. Subsequently in December, the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Rules, 2021 were notified and came into force.
All for the Tourists
The move to legalise and license various forms of offline and online betting and gambling in Meghalaya is aimed at boosting tourism and creating jobs, and altogether raising taxation revenues for the northeastern state. At the same time, the opportunities to bet and gamble legally will be reserved only for tourists and visitors.
“We came out with a Gaming Act and subsequently framed the Regulation of Gaming Rules, 2021. The government will accordingly issue licenses to operate games of skill and chance, both online and offline,” said James P. K. Sangma, Meghalaya State Law and Taxation Minister speaking in the capital city of Shillong. “But the legalized gambling and gaming will only be for tourists and not residents of Meghalaya,” he continued.
To be allowed to play, tourists and people visiting the state for work or business purposes will have to prove their non-resident status by presenting appropriate documents, in a process similar to a bank KYC (Know Your Customer) procedure.
Meghalaya Reaches Out to a Vast Market
With 140 millions of people in India estimated to bet regularly on sports, and a total of 370 million desi bettors around prominent sporting events, as per data from one of the latest reports by Esse N Videri, Meghalaya is set to reach out and take a piece of a vast market.
Estimates on the financial value of India’s sports betting market, combined across all types of offline channels and online sports and cricket predictions and betting platforms, speak about amounts between $130 and $150 billion (roughly between ₹9.7 and ₹11.5 lakh crore).
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Delhi are shown to deliver the highest number of bettors and Meghalaya can count on substantial tourists flow from their betting circles. The sports betting communities of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are also not to be underestimated.
Among the sports, cricket is most popular, registering 68 percent of the total bet count analyzed by Esse N Videri. Football takes second position with 11 percent of the bets, followed by betting on FIFA at 7 percent and on eCricket at 5 percent. The last position in the Top 5 of popular sports for betting in India is taken by tennis with 3 percent of the bet count.
Local Citizens will Still have Their Teer Betting
Meghalaya residents will still be permitted to participate in teer betting over arrow-shooting results. Teer is a traditional method of gambling, somewhat similar to a lottery draw, and held under the rules of the Meghalaya Regulation of the Game of Arrow Shooting and the Sale of Teer Tickets Act, 2018.
Teer includes bettors wagering on the number of arrows that reach the target which is placed about 50 meters away from a team of 20 archers positioned in a semicircle.
The archers shoot volleys of arrows at the target for ten minutes, and players place their bets choosing a number between 0 and 99 trying to guess the last two digits of the number of arrows that successfully pierce the target.
If, for example, the number of hits is 256, anyone who has bet on 56 wins an amount eight times bigger than their wager.