New Delhi, July 6: India's national academy of letters, the Sahitya Akademi, is inviting books for its prestigious Yuva Puraskar award for 2019, from publishers and "young Indian authors of the age of 35 and below" in its recognized 24 languages.

The applicant authors should be 35 or below on January 1, 2019 and the books should be submitted along with the attested copy of date of birth certificate, the Akademi said in a statement.

The last date of applying is August 20.

More information about the submission is available online at www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in.

The Akademi had announced the names of 21 winners of its Bal Sahitya Puraskar and 21 recipients of the Yuva Puraskar 2018 in late June.

Sahitya Akademi introduced Yuva Puraskar in 2011 to encourage young writers, below 35 years of age, writing in Indian languages.

These awards are presented at an annual ceremony and comprise an amount of Rs 50,000, a copper plaque and a citation.

Established in 1954 by the Indian government, Sahitya Akademi is India's premier literary institution, promoting and preserving literature in 24 languages.



Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.

Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.

"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.

"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country

"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.

"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.

Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.

"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.

"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.