Goa Election Live Updates
Voting for the assembly polls in five states began early on Thursday morning. The voting in all the five states that include Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Assam, Goa, and Uttarakhand are currently underway. Track all the live updates from the crucial vote counting.
LIVE UPDATES:
1:45 pm: BJP candidate Babush Monseratte wins Panajim constituency.
1:40 pm: Congress candidate Michael Lobo wins Calangute constituency.
1:40 pm: BJP will form the government in Goa; we will take MGP and independent candidates with us, says Goa CM and BJP leader Pramod Sawant
12:05 pm: AAP gains lead on 3 seats, BJP leads 18. Cong, TMC 11, 4 respectively.
11:30 am: The BJP is leading in 18 seats while the Congress is leading in 13 in Goa elections, show live trends.
11:05 am: After trailing in the initial hours of counting, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in now leading his constituency, Sanquelim.
10:15 am: Goa CM Pramod Sawant loses lead, now trailing in Sanquelim constituency.
10:00 am: BJP breaches halfway mark in leads. Gains lead on 20 seats, Congress leading 12, TMC on 4.
9:45 am: BJP gains lead on 20 seats, Congress on 9. TMC, AAP leading on two seats each.
8:50 am: Congress gained the lead on the first seat in Goa.
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India will ensure zero casualty during heat waves: Shah
Ghaziabad (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said his ministry has prepared a plan to ensure zero human casualty during heat waves in the country in the next few years with the underlying principle of being "proactive" rather than "reactive" towards disasters.
The minister spoke after he presented the President's Colour to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) at the campus of its 8th battalion here.
The President's Colour flag is awarded to a military or police unit for rendering exceptional service.
The honour came to the force in the 20th year of its establishment after it was raised in 2006 as a federal contingency force to undertake relief and rescue operations during natural and man-made disasters.
The President's Colour is not just a "recognition" for the excellent services of the NDRF but also of all the state disaster response forces, the state machinery, the NCC (National Cadet Corps), NSS (National Service Scheme), 'Apda Seva Mitras' (volunteers) among others, Shah said.
He added that the NDRF has earned the "admiration and trust" of the people of the country and even abroad through its operations.
The minister said the aim of the Modi government was to ensure "zero casualty and minimum property damage" during tragedies and calamities, including cyclones, earthquakes and floods.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has prepared a plan to better combat the "serious challenge" of heat waves in the country and we will be able to ensure "zero casualty" in this context over the next few years, Shah said.
Our approach and policy has been "proactive" against disasters rather than being just "reactive", he said.
Shah said India has made its name as a "global leader" in disaster management and being the "first responder" during calamities as he asked the NDRF to prepare itself in the face of global warming and climate change.
The NDRF has 16 operational battalions deployed across the country with an overall strength of about 18,000 personnel.
Speaking during the event, NDRF Director General (DG) Piyush Anand said the force has undertaken more than 12,000 operations since its creation.
