Modi lays stone for world-class convention centre in Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 20 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid the foundation stone for the India International Convention and Expo Centre (IICC) proposed to be built on the periphery of the national capital over an area spread over 221 acres.
The facilities at the centre would be among the best in the world suitable for holding international and national events, meetings, conferences, exhibitions and trade shows, Modi said at the event.
"Ten thousand people will have seating at the centre. It will rank among the top 5 convention halls in the world and among the top three in Asia and the biggest indoor exhibition space in India," he said.
"This Centre would reflect India's economic progress, rich cultural heritage and our consciousness towards environment protection."
Noting that an investment of Rs 26,000 crore has been planned for the project, the Prime Minister said the centre would come up as an icon of changing India that is making its presence felt on the global stage.
"It will not only be an expo centre, but also a vibrant centre for trade...a mini-city which will have convention hall, expo, hotel, market, shops, recreation facilities...all in one," he said.
Noting that lack of adequate facilities is becoming an issue, with the capital's only Pragati Maidan exhibition complex also in need of renovation, Modi said a project of the scale of IICC would provide employment to five lakh youth and become an ideal platform for start-ups.
"India has become the second biggest ecosystem in the world for start-ups," he said.
The project will be developed in two stages. The first phase will be completed by December 2019, while the second one is slated for completion in December 2024.
The IICC complex will have a dedicated underground Metro station that is planned as an extension of the airport high-speed Metro corridor and is being constructed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corp.
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Karnataka Governor gives assent to legislation against ‘honour killing’ in inter-caste marriages
Bengaluru: The government has brought into force the Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the name of honour and tradition (Eva Nammava Eva Nammava) Act, 2026, intended to restrict ‘honour killings’ in inter-caste marriages.
According to The Indian Express, the legislation received assent from Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on April 9 and was officially notified in the state gazette on April 10. The law had been passed unanimously by the state legislature last month.
The Bill was proposed by the Congress government in the wake of caste-linked ‘honour killings’ in the state, including the December 21, 2025, murder near Hubli of a 20-year-old Lingayat woman by her father for marrying a man from another caste.
The phrase ‘Eva Nammava Eva Nammava’ in the title is in reference to the message of universal humanity that the Lingayat saint Basavanna espoused. Basavanna, who rebelled against the caste system to lay the foundation of the Lingayat faith system, an amalgamation of all castes, used the words meaning ‘he is a part of me’ to say all people are one.
Under the new law, crimes committed in the name of ‘honour’, including murder, assault, threats, and social boycott, are specifically addressed with stringent punishments. ‘Honour killing’ offences carry a minimum imprisonment of five years, while serious assaults attract at least three years in jail.
The new law defines the social boycott of inter-caste couples as forcible eviction to remote corners of villages, refusal to provide services, refusal to provide work, refusal to conduct business, denial of loans and admissions to schools, and makes it punishable.
In the case of ‘honour killings’ per se, the new law prescribes a minimum imprisonment of five years, and in the case of assaults, a prison term that is not less than three years for serious injury and two years for minor injuries.
The offences under the proposed law are cognisable and non-bailable, which means police can carry out arrests without court permissions after taking up a case.
The legislation follows several reported inter-caste relationship-related killings in Karnataka in 2025, including cases in Raichur and another involving 18-year-old Kavita.
The law to protect the freedom of choice in marriages is among several social bills that the Congress government has brought out in line with its policies for the backward and downtrodden communities in the state.
