Prayagraj is all set to host the third ''shaahi snaan'' of the ongoing Kumbh on Basant Panchami during which more than two crore devotees are expected to take a holy dip.

All the roads from the neighbouring districts led to Sangam city as devotees from different parts of the state and country arrived here to participate in the bath.

Kumbh Mela Adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand told PTI Saturday that more than two crore people from different walks of life are likely to arrive here to take a dip on the occasion of Basant Panchami on Sunday.

Security personnel, including Uttar Pradesh Police and central paramilitary forces, were deployed at different crossings and parts of the city.

Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) president Narendra Giri said, "There are three shahi snaans (royal baths) and three ''parv snaans'' during the Kumbh Mela."

The Mela commenced on January 15 on Makar Sankranti, the first bathing day, and the Mahashivratri on March 4 will mark its last bathing day.

''Shahi snan'' is the central highlight of the Kumbh Mela and the most important part of the celebration. It is only after the completion of ''shahi snaan'' that people are allowed to take the holy dip, he said.

India on Sunday received the first four of 15 Boeing Co.’s Chinook helicopters that are expected to bolster the heavy-lift capabilities of its air force and further strengthen the fast-expanding defence ties with the US.

The acquisition, which was in the works for several years, is also expected to give a significant boost to infrastructure development along India’s borders given the Chinook has the capability to ferry heavy cargo like road construction equipment over difficult terrain.

The four helicopters arrived by sea and were handed over to Indian authorities at the Mundra port in Gujarat, Boeing India said in a statement.

India had in 2018 signed a $3 billion contract for the purchase of 15 Chinook and 22 Apache attack helicopters, three years after first deciding to buy the equipment.

The Boeing platforms would replace the Russia-made Mi-17 medium-lift helicopters, the Mi-26 helicopters and Mi-35 attack helicopters.

India has rapidly scaled up purchases of defence equipment from the US as it sought to diversify from its biggest supplier, Russia, and to keep pace with the military modernization plans of China and Pakistan. In the past, India has ordered military hardware worth billions of dollars from the US including anti-submarine warfare planes, aircraft and missiles.

In Women's Football, India will look to seal a place in the Final of the Gold Cup International tournament when they face Nepal in their second round-robin match at Bhubaneswar today. 

India began their campaign with a 1-0 win over Iran on Saturday. The win was India's fifth on the trot after back-to-back victories against both Indonesia and Hong Kong in matches prior to the tournament.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally inaugurate the 13th International Oil and Gas Conference - PETROTECH-2019 in Greater Noida today. Three-day biennial event began at India Expo Mart yesterday. 

Welcoming the delegates, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, India is the third largest consumer of crude oil and petroleum products and government has taken several measures to provide energy for all. 

World champion Indian weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu Thursday notched up a gold medal at the EGAT Cup in Thailand, making a strong comeback from the lower back injury that kept her out of action for more than half of 2018.

According to information received, Chanu won the 48kg category gold with a effort of 192 kg in the silver level Olympic qualifying event, the points from which will come in handy when the final rankings for Tokyo 2020 cut are done.

The 24-year-old Manipuri lifted 82kg in snatch and 110kg in clean and jerk to finish on top of the podium after recovering from the injury, which required extensive physiotherapy.

Chanu had missed the world championships last year, a gold level Olympic qualifier, owing to the injury which had also forced her out of the Asian Games in Jakarta. Chanu last took part at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast where she won gold with an effort of 196kg.

Youth Olympics gold medallist Jeremy Lalrinnunga today clinched silver in men's 67-kilogram category, fetching India's second medal in the EGAT's Cup International Weightlifting Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
  
The 16-year-old Lalrinnunga lifted 131 kilograms in the snatch and 157 kilograms in clean and jerk for a total of 288 kilograms. The promising Mizoram weightlifter is, however, far behind the gold winner, Deni of Indonesia who lifted 303 kilograms.
 
Ruben Katoatau of Kiribati took the bronze with a total lift of 285 kilograms. Yesterday, world champion Saikhom Mirabai Chanu had won a gold in the women's 48-kilogram category with a total lift of 192 kilograms.

A Thai princess will run for the post of prime minister in March elections in an unprecedented entry by a royal into frontline politics, pitting her against the chief of the ruling junta and redrawing the nation's political landscape.

Princess Ubolratana, 67, the older sister of Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn, was announced as a candidate for the Thai Raksa Chart party steered by the divisive Shinawatra political clan.

The Thai monarchy, a revered institution shielded from criticism by a tough defamation law, has traditionally been seen as above the political fray, although royals have intervened in moments of political crisis.

Ubolratana's nomination has electrified the buildup to a March 24 election which had seemed poised to return the junta and its proxies to power in some form.

Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar today said around one crore 50 lakh employees have been benefited from Pradhanmantri Rozgar Protsahan Yojna. 

Inaugurating the International Labour Organization centenary celebrations in Noida today he said, government is sincerely working for the welfare and social security of workers. 

He said, in the present Budget, the government has brought a Mega Pension Scheme for the workers of unorganized sector like Rickshaw pullers, small shopkeepers and rural labourers. 

The Minister said, around three crore unorganized sector workers are now being benefitted from Pradhanmantri Jeevan Jyoti Beema Yojna and Pradhanmantri Suraksha Beema Yojna, which is free of cost for the workers.

India has taken a strong note of 26/11 Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed's recent rally in Lahore on the occasion of so-called 'Kashmir Solidarity Day' and sent a note verbale to Pakistan in protest against the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief's gathering, sources said on Friday.

Sources added that India registered a strong protest against the continued use of Pakistani soil by extremist and terrorist elements to freely propagate and promote violence against New Delhi.

They further said that the Indian government once again called upon the Pakistani government to fulfill its international obligations and abide by it bilateral commitment to not allow any territory under its control to be used for terrorism against India, in any manner.

On February 5, Saeed, a UN-designated terrorist, had taken part in the rally in Lahore as part of the so-called 'Kashmir Solidarity Day.'

India, has, time and again, protested against Pakistan for harbouring Saeed, who is widely believed to have plotted the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. New Delhi's stand on Saeed has been supported by the international community.

The Election Commission has launched a Voter Verification and Information Programme (VVIP)  for verifications of voters' names, new registrations, changes or corrections in the Voter Id Cards for the upcoming General Elections.

According to an official release, the Commission has also set up Contact centres in all the districts and the Voter Helpline number is 1950. The VVIP Programme was launched during the two-day intensive Training-cum-Workshop on the use of Information and  Communication Technology for General Elections in New Delhi.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said technology is indeed a major game changer. A ‘PwD App’ to enable Divyangs for new registration, change in address and others details was also launched.