Amit Shah to release BJP manifesto for Jharkhand polls, address three rallies
Ranchi (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah will release the Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto and address three rallies in poll-bound Jharkhand on Sunday.
Shah arrived in state capital Ranchi on Saturday night.
"Union Home Minister Amit Shah will release the 'Sankalp Patra' for Jharkhand assembly elections in Ranchi on Sunday. He will also address three rallies at Ghatshila, Barkatha and Simaria assembly constituencies during the day," the BJP said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Jharkhand on November 4 and address two rallies.
Modi's visit will be followed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh who is scheduled to hold a public meeting in Jamshedpur on November 5.
Shah is likely to release 25 key points of the saffron party's manifesto to underline 25 years of Jharkhand's formation and a 150-point document, marking the 150th birth anniversary of tribal icon Birsa Munda, BJP leaders said.
Jharkhand was created on November 15, 2000, which also happens to be the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda.
Earlier on October 5, the BJP had released five key points of its manifesto for the assembly polls, promising financial assistance of Rs 2,100 to women every month, five lakh jobs to youths and housing for all if voted to power.
Jharkhand BJP president Babulal Marandi had released the 'Panch Pran' (five vows) in the presence of Union ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Annapurna Devi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
According to the 'Panch Pran', households in the state will be able to purchase LPG gas cylinders at Rs 500. Besides, two cylinders would be provided free of cost in a year.
Apart from this, 2.87 lakh vacant posts in government departments will be filled. The appointment process will start after the very first cabinet meeting, and by November 2025, 1.5 lakh posts will be filled, according to the 'five vows'.
The party, if it comes to power, would also provide financial assistance of Rs 2,000 to graduate and postgraduate students for up to two years, so that they could prepare for competitive examinations.
The BJP would launch the 'Gogo-Didi' scheme as part of its mission to empower women, and under the programme, women will get assistance of Rs 2,100 per month.
Housing for all also features among the commitments in the party manifesto.
Elections to the 81-member assembly in the state will take place in two phases on November 13 and 20, and votes will be counted on November 23.
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Trump says EU has until July 4 to approve last year's trade deal or it will face higher tariffs
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump has said in a social media post that goods from the European Union would face higher tariff rates if the 27-member bloc fails to approve last year's trade framework by July 4.
The announcement on Thursday appeared to be a deadline extension after the president said last Friday that EU autos would face a higher 25 per cent tariff starting this week. Trump made the updated announcement after what he described as a "great call" with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Still, the US president was displeased that the European Parliament had yet to finalize the trade arrangement reached last year, which was further complicated in February by the US Supreme Court ruling that Trump lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency to impose the initial tariffs used to pressure the EU into talks.
"A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!" Trump posted. "I agreed to give her until our Country's 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels."
It was unclear from the post whether Trump was implying that the tariff rates would jump on all EU goods or the increase would only apply to autos.
His latest statement indicates he might be backing away from his earlier threat on EU autos by giving the European Parliament several more weeks to approve the agreement.
Under the original terms of the framework, the US would charge a 15 per cent tax on most goods imported from the EU.
But since the Supreme Court ruling, the administration has levied a 10 per cent tariff while investigating trade imbalances and national security issues, aiming to put in new tariffs to make up for lost revenues.
