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Misleading claims about the return and replacement policies of E-commerce websites viral - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 20, 2024
A video has been making the rounds on social media platforms, claiming that the return and replacement policy of E-commerce platforms like Flipkart and Amazon has changed. According to the video, electronic devices like mobile phones, laptops, headphones, and earphones cannot be returned or replaced directly from the website. Instead, the claim suggests customers must direct their complaints to the nearest service centre of the electronics brands of which purchased the products. Let’s fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: Return and replacement of electronic devices can no longer be done directly from the websites of E-commerce companies.
Fact: According to the policies of E-commerce platforms like Flipkart and Amazon, electronic items can be returned and replaced directly from the website, except for certain brands. Hence, the claim made in the post is Misleading.
To verify the claim, we checked the return and replacement policies of the e-commerce platforms Flipkart and Amazon.
According to Flipkart’s policy, customers can find out if a particular product can be replaced or returned on the product page.
Most electronic items can be replaced except for a few specific brands, such as Apple, Google, JBL, etc. For these brands, the customer should reach out to the brand-authorised service centre. In some cases, if the seller can’t provide the replacement, a refund will be issued.
However, it’s worth noting that certain electronic items cannot be returned at all.
Similar to Flipkart, Amazon’s return policy states that only products marked returnable on the product page can be returned within the return window.
They have a replacement policy on Electronics such as Mobiles, Computers, and TVs with a window period. But to return a product from Apple (Apple iPhone, AirPods, iPads, etc.), the customer should contact Apple customer service.
It’s also crucial to note that both platforms have an ‘Open Box Inspection/Delivery’ policy (here and here), wherein a refund is provided in case of a damaged or incorrect product.
To sum up, contrary to the claim made in the video, the return and replacement of electronic devices can be done directly from both Flipkart and Amazon’s websites, with a few brand-specific exceptions.

created: February 20, 2024


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Misleading claims are shared as supposed benefits extended to Bharata Ratna awardees - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 7, 2024
A post listing the alleged benefits extended to Bharat Ratna awardees is being shared widely on social media. Let’s verify the claims made in the post.
Claim: Bharata Ratna awardee enjoys lifelong income tax exemption, free lifetime travel on Air India and Indian Railways, participation in parliamentary proceedings, privilege equivalent to cabinet rank, Z-grade security as required, VVIP status, treated as a state guest within the country, and comprehensive facilities provided by the Indian Embassy during international travel
Fact: According to the RTI response given by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the benefits extended to the Bharata Ratna Awardees are:
1. The state governments are advised to declare Bharata Ratna awardees as the ‘State Guests’ during their travel within the state.
2. Indian missions abroad would provide proper facilitation as and when requested by the awardees on their visits abroad
3. they are entitled to diplomatic passports and lifetime free executive class travel on Air India
4. They are figured in column 7A of the table of precedence.
Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
On performing a relevant keyword search regarding the claim, we found an RTI response given by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2014 about Bharata Ratna which also included the benefits extended to the awardees.
The response does not specify the exemption of awardees from paying income tax for their lifetimes. It also doesn’t address the eligibility for awardees to participate in parliamentary sessions, receive privileges equivalent to a cabinet rank, and obtain Z-category security when necessary. Regarding travel benefits, there is no mention of free and premium travel on Indian railways.
According to the response by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the benefits extended to the Bharata Ratna Awardees are:
The Table of Precedence is published by the Ministry of Home Affairs, according to which at state or ceremonial functions, the Bharat Ratna Awardees are at 7A above Chief Ministers & Governors of states, outside their state. This order is used for protocol in official state functions.
Factly had earlier published a detailed article regarding the benefits and facilities extended to Bharata Ratna awardees.
To sum up, misleading claims are shared as supposed benefits of Bharata Ratna awardees.

source: news-factly

created: February 7, 2024

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


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Missing Gender Diversity in the Indian Judiciary
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 7, 2018
Of the Judges in the Supreme Court & various High Courts, only 12% are Women as per statistics released by the Government. Missing gender diversity in the judiciary aggravates the implicit bias that exists in the courts.
In 1989, Justice M Fatima Beevi was the first woman to be appointed as a judge in the Supreme Court of India. She was appointed 39 years after the Supreme Court was instituted. Since then, only 5 more women have been appointed as judges in the Supreme Court.
Women as Supreme Court Judges
Six years after Justice Fatima Beevi, Justice Sujata V Manohar was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1994. Justice Sujata was previously the first woman Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. Justice Sujata was on the three-member bench that was instrumental in passing the landmark judgement in Vishaka & others vs. the State of Rajasthan & others in 1997. Not only did the bench deliver a judgement that sexual harassment in the workplace was a violation of women’s human rights, it formulated comprehensive guidelines for sexual harassment in the workplace, a first for India. These guidelines were to be considered law till appropriate legislation was created. The Vishaka guidelines paved way for the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013.
Today, for 24 male judges in the Supreme Court, there is just  1 female judge, Justice R Banumathi. She was the former chief justice of the Jharkhand high court. Her most notable judgements include being on the judicial bench that confirmed death sentence for the accused in the 2012 “Nirbhaya” gang rape case after the accused men appealed to re-consider their death sentences. Justice Banumathi questioned that if this case was not the rarest of rare to award death penalty, then which case can fall under it. She asserted that convict’s background, age, no criminal record; good behaviour in prison cannot outweigh aggravating circumstances.
Situation in the High Courts is not very different
But very few states in India have a comparable representation of women in the judiciary. Sikkim is the state with the highest percentage of women judges at 33%, followed by Delhi High Court at 27%, Madras High Court at 18%, and Karnataka High Court at 16% and Bombay at 15%.
Uttarakhand, Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh High Courts do not have any female judges.
Missing Gender Diversity in Judiciary
Not only does the judiciary lack diversity in perspectives, inadequate representation of women judges directly aggravates the implicit bias that exists in the courts. Both Justice Sujata and Justice Banumathi’s opinions and judgements indicate that having a woman in the decision making process of the courts allows and paves way to newer and more critical and contextual lens to gender related issues, especially crimes involving violence against women.
This is Part 1 of a special series on ‘Women in Decision Making roles’. Read
Part 2: Representation to Participation: Women in Panchayat Raj Institutions & State Assemblies
Part 3: Women Ministers: Breaking the Glass Ceiling


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(Mis)using the MPLAD funds since 1993 - Analysis on MPLADS fund Utilization
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 1, 2015
“Many of the systematic weaknesses affecting the implementation of the MPLAD had persisting since its inception 17 years ago. The lapses were brought to the notice of the ministry by the CAG in two earlier performance audit (1998 and 2001). Submission of Action Taken Notes on the report on 2001 after a lapse of 8 years (2009) speaks volumes about the monitoring methods” – CAG report in 2010-2011.
The MPLADS or the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme was introduced in 1993 to enable MPs to create durable assets based on local requirements in their constituencies. This scheme is governed by the guidelines issued from time to time. The annual allotment to each MP was Rs 2 crore in 1998-99 and it was increased to Rs 5 crore per annum a few years ago.
In other words, the MPLADS was brought in to enable and empower the MPs to develop their own constituency based on the local need & requirement. However, the reality is different. Previous experience shows that MPLADS are underutilized and when they are utilized, they are often abused and mis-used. The CAG audit reports on the performance of MPLADS in 2001 & 2011 shed light on what is wrong with the scheme.
How is it implemented?
The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation(MoSPI), Government of India is the nodal department responsible for policy formulation and release of funds under the scheme. The state nodal departments are responsible for the supervision and monitoring. The district authorities (DAs) are responsible for work scrutiny, cost estimation, identification of the implementing agency(IA) and transfer of funds. The scheme mandates that Panchayati Raj Institutions be preferred as the IA.
CAG Audit Report of 2001 – Major Findings
The scheme was first reviewed by the CAG in 1998 and then in 2001 & 2011. The major findings of the 2001 report are as follows:
Major Lapses in MPLADS as per the CAG Audit Report of 2010-11
The CAG report of 2010-11 identified major lapses in the scheme. Some of those lapses are explained in detail below.
1. Selection of Prohibited Works
As per the scheme guidelines from November 2005, all works which meet the local community, infrastructure & developmental needs are permissible except those prohibited under the guidelines. However, it is observed by the CAG that in 100 sampled districts in 29 States/UTs, an expenditure of Rs 73.76 crores was incurred in the period 2004-09 on 2340 works which were not permitted under the scheme guidelines.
The chart below shows the statewise expenditure on prohibited works of more than a crore rupees.
2. No Dates & Invalid Dates
The works were not documented as per the guidelines and in most cases either the dates were not entered or were completely invalid. Some of the dates entered were before January 1993 when the scheme did not even exist. The chart below shows the number of works where either dates were not entered or the dates entered were invalid.
3. Handing over of Assets & Assets not put to use
The scheme guidelines mandate that as soon as a work was completed, it should be transferred to the user agency and be put to public use. In the 7 States/UTs studied, out of the 15049 sample works created during 2004-09, handing over or taking over of assets was not on record for 14828 works. In other words, 98.53% of the works created had no record of handing over to the user agency. In six of the seven States/UTs, none of the works had any record of handing over or taking over.
4. Utilization of the Funds
The year wise position of utilization of total funds available during the year (sum of the opening balance, funds released during the year & interest accrued on unspent balance) suggests that the expenditure was even less than the opening balance & interest earned in each year. The CAG also pointed out that the release of funds was not regulated on the basis of fund availability with the DAs.
CAG Recommendations
Based on all the findings, the CAG came up with a set of recommendations that would ensure that the MPLADS would fulfill its intended objective. The important recommendations made are
What about the the current numbers?
As of Mar 2nd 2015, a total sum of Rs 1792.5 crores has been released for the year 2014-15. This includes funds released for both Rajya Sabha & Lok Sabha MPs. If the MP’s have been paying attention to the audit reports and its recommendations, may be these reports will look much better in the future.
Data Sources:
www.saiiindia.gov.in
http://mplads.nic.in/summhtml/s2014-2015_htm.htm


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Mizoram - the Land of Hills
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 23, 2015
In the Second part of the North East series, we talk about Mizoram, the land of Hills. Though a very small state, it outperformed many other states in various parameters. Mizoram is known for its rich cultural heritage.
The land where there is no class distinction, the land where there is no caste discrimination, the land of hospitable people, the land with wooded hills, rivers, quicksilver streams and still lakes, the land with great natural beauty, the land with rich flora, fauna, tropical trees, the land with marvelous green hills, the land with 96% literacy rate – it’s the land of hills or simply Mizoram.
Mizoram’s timeline
Mizoram had occupied an important place in the history before independence and even after independence. It occupies a strategically very important position with an international boundary of 722 kms with Bangladesh on the west and Myanmar on the east and south.
The following is the earliest recorded history about Mizoram from British military documentaries;
The 23rd State
Mizoram is a mountainous region which became the 23rd State of the Indian Union in February 1987. Although it’s a relatively new state when compared to other states, it has outperformed others in various aspects such as education, healthcare etc
About the People
But what about the people, what do they wear, what do they eat, what do they celebrate?  Thanks to the state portal of Mizoram, we can catch a glimpse of what it’s like to be in Mizoram.
The Festivals
Mizos practice what is known as ‘Jhum Cultivation’. They slash down the jungle, burn the trunks and leaves and cultivate the land. All their other activities revolve around the jhum operations and their festivals are all connected with such agricultural operations.
Chapchar Kut : The Mizo’s festival of joy
Chapchar Kut literally means – a festival held during the period when the bamboos and trees that have been cut down are being awaited to dry to be burnt for jhumming. During this brief layoff period of jhumming, the Mizo ancestors could have all the time for themselves. They spend their leisure hunting games, fishing, et al. The Chapchar Kut festival evolved sometime between 1450 -1600 A.D. when the Mizo forefathers inhabit Lentlang. In the olden days, the festival could last for days and in the run up to the grand finale, there are well laid down steps to be followed. Abundant supply of meat must be there and home brewed liqour must be over-flowing to keep their spirit high. The modern version of Chapchar Kut has done away with liqour, which was once a part and parcel of the festival.
In fact, Mizoram has been a dry state for years. The Young Mizo Association (YMA), the largest NGO in the state, is combating drug and alcohol on a war footing starting this year and they are also a major player in organising Chapchar Kut. But who says one needs a bottle of rum to be merry ! The younger generation of the Mizos have invented for themselves enthralling music and more music to drowned themselves in.
Clothing
The original garment of the Mizos is known as Puan. They were used by men and women more or less in the same fashion. The Mizos have held on to certain patterns and mottos that have come down through the ages. These designs have become deep rooted in their tribal consciousness and have become a part of the Mizo heritage.
These traditional hand woven apparels are of different shades and designs. Some of the common clothing or puan are
Mizo people have a number of dances which are accompanied with musical instruments like the gong and drum. Some of their well known dance forms are
Music & Tourism
The traditional musical instruments of the Mizos are the Drum, Gong & Flute (very rarely used). The gay and cheerful mood of the Mizos expresses itself through their love for music.
Mizoram or the land of hills is also known for its diversity of the landscape. From mountains to the caves to the national parks to the wildlife sanctuaries, it’s the place for the travel adventures.
Sources:
Mizoram State Website
Mizoram Tourism Website
Department of Economic & Statistics, Government of Mizoram


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MNREGA comes to the rescue of the Rural Employment in 2020-21
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 5, 2021
Initial estimates indicate that India’s GDP might contract by about 8% in 2020-21. This contraction is on account of the impact on many sectors of the economy. Data indicates that the MNREGA has come to the rescue of the rural employment in 2020-21 when the number of person-days of employment generated increased by almost 50%. Here is a detailed analysis.
In the ‘Study of State Budgets Report – 2020’, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) observed that lack of employment opportunities during lockdown has resulted in an increase in the work demanded under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) during May-June’2020, compared to the same period in previous years. The RBI focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact in this report.
The increased demand under MNREGA & budgetary allocation indicated the government’s reliance on this scheme to provide rural employment in the face of unemployment as a result of the pandemic induced lockdown. Meanwhile, in the latest Budget 2021-22, the government reduced allocation under MNREGA for 2021-22 to Rs.73 thousand crores, down from the revised estimate of Rs. 1.11 lakh crores in 2020-21.
As per the initial budget estimates (BE), the allocation for MGNREGA was Rs. 61.5 thousand crores when the budget for 2020-21 was presented. The increase in the revised estimates (RE) compared to 2020-21 BE indicates that the government spent nearly twice the initial allocation for MGNREGA.
In this context, we take a look at the numbers relating to MGNREGA during the current financial year 2020-21 and analyse the trends in comparison to the previous years to understand how the MNREGA came to the rescue of the government to provide increased rural employment in the face of the pandemic induced lockdown. For this analysis, we have relied on the data provided on the MGNREGA portal.
Exponential increase in the Person Days generated under MGNREGA during 2020-21
As per the data provided on the MGNREGA portal, a total of 323.19 crore person-days of work was generated during the 10-month period of April-January of 2020-21. During the same period in 2019-20, the person-days generated was only 220.26 crores. In other words, the number of person-days generated in the first 10 months of 2020-21 is 46% more than person-days generated during the same period in 2019-20. In fact, in 2019-20, the number of person-days of work generated during this period was marginally less than that of even 2018-19 bucking the trend of marginal year-on-year (YoY) increase during the 2016-19 period.
The exponential increase in MGNREGA during 2020-21 can be correlated to the COVID-19 situation in the country where there was a large-scale reverse migration to the rural parts of the country from cities & towns.
Meanwhile, the number of Households registered under MGNREGA averaged around 2.25 crores per month during April-January of 2020-21. During the same period, the monthly average of households covered in 2019-20 was around 1.52 crores.  The number of households registered and the person-days generated has varied throughout the year.
Person Days of employment highest in every month of 2020-21 from May to December
The RBI report mentioned earlier highlights that the person-days of employment under MGNREGA during May-June’2020 was higher compared to the same months in the previous years.
Analysis of the data from earlier years indicates that the employment under MGNREGA is usually higher during the period of May & June when agricultural works are not generally available. However, in 2020-21, the employment under MGNREGA has been much higher even in other months compared to the previous four years.
In May 2020, the number of person-days of employment under MGNREGA across India was 56.93 crores compared to 36.94 crores the previous year. Similarly, the total number of person-days of employment during June 2020 was 64.06 crores, nearly double of 32.13 crores the previous year.
In line with the cyclical trends in a year, the employment under MGNREGA dropped down in the ensuing months when compared to May-June, but still, the monthly figures during 2020-21 were higher than the numbers of the respective months in the earlier years. The variance compared to previous years has also been higher, with person-days generated in a few months is more than double that of last year.
This trend was bucked in January 2021, when the number of person-days generated was only 18.23 crores compared to 23.11 crores the previous year. The only other month, where the numbers for 2020-21 were lesser than previous years, was April 2020 i.e., the first full month of lockdown. The reduction in person-days of employment generated in January 2021 could be because of the exhaustion of available funds by most states.
Households gaining employment under MGNREGA reached record highs in 2020-21
The increase in the number of person-days of employment generated during 2020-21 can be attributed to the corresponding increase in the number of households that have sought and gained work under MGNREGA during the year.
We have highlighted earlier that on average, MGNREGA covered 2.25 crore households per month during the 10 months of 2020-21 i.e., April-January. This is higher than the 1.52 crores monthly average in 2019-20.
A Month-on-Month comparison with the previous years also indicates that since May 2020, the number of households covered under MGNREGA is higher in the current financial year compared to the respective months in the previous financial year. The proportional increase in each of the months is on par with what is observed in the number of person-days of employment, indicating a correlation with the person-days generated and the number of households that have gained employment.  This also indicates that there has not been a significant increase in the number of days the work available per household compared to previous years. We would explore this later.
West Bengal, UP, MP, Bihar & Odisha among the states with a great increase in MNREGA employment in 2020-21
During April-January of 2020-21, a total of 39.97 crore person-days of work was provided under MGNREGA in West Bengal. This is the highest in the country during this period. When compared to the same period last year, the number of person-days of employment has more than doubled in the State. It is also the state which registered the greatest increase in person-days of employment.
The trend of increase in person-days of employment during 2020-21 compared to 2019-20 is seen across all the States/UTs, albeit at varying levels.
Among the other states that have registered a significant increase in MGNREGA employment during 2020-21 compared to 2019-20 are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha & Jharkhand.
Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana & Chhattisgarh which are among the states that registered a higher number of person-days of employment in the previous year reported only a marginal increase in 2020-21.
The dependence on MGNREGA during 2020-21 has doubled in the case of Haryana although the number of person-days of employment is lesser. The same can also be said about Uttarakhand.
The higher increase in WB, UP, MP, Bihar, Odisha & Jharkhand points to the case of a large section of the population in these states who lost employment and hence were dependent on MGNREGA for employment. In an earlier story that reviewed RBI’s assessment of COVID-19 impact on States, these states were among the ones where the highest migration for work happens. In other words, the high demand for MNREGA in these states is largely driven by the reverse migration to these states during & after the lockdown.
This data further conforms with the data relating to the number of households that were provided work under MGNREGA. States including WB, UP, MP, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Manipur are among those that registered a relatively higher increase in the number of households receiving employment under MGNREGA during April-January of 2020-21 compared to the same period in 2019-20.
The increased dependence on MGNREGA in 2020-21 may not sustain in 2021-22
As highlighted earlier, the estimated budget allocation for MGNREGA in 2021-22 is Rs. 73 thousand crores, despite the fact that the government had to nearly double the allocation in 2020-21 compared to the budget estimates. This could mean that the government anticipates a return to normalcy in employment levels and that the dependence on MGNREGA would reduce.
The fewer number of person-days in January 2021 compared to last year could be an early indication of an ebb in employment under MGNREGA.  However, it has to be noted that the number of households covered during January 2021 is still higher than last year. The trend for the remaining two months of the year i.e., Feb-March could provide a better understanding of the trend regarding the dependence on MGNREGA for employment.  This would largely depend upon the opening up of the economy and the availability of employment opportunities as in the pre-lockdown days.
The dependence on MGNREGA is also not a viable option. While the 100 days of guaranteed employment in a year in itself is not adequate as a sustainable year-long livelihood, the fact that in most of the states, the actual work available is much lesser than the 100 days makes it all the more difficult. The exponential increase in the number of person-days in 2020-21 is due to an increase in the number of households requiring work and does not necessarily translate to an increase in the number of days available per household.
Nevertheless, in view of the current economic situation, it would be advisable for the Government to continue increased support under MGNREGA and create opportunities for more workdays at the household level till the situation improves.
Featured Image: MNREGA Impact on Rural Employment in 2020-21

created: February 5, 2021


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Mobile Data Usage in India
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 5, 2016
As per the data available with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the mobile data usage in the country is close to 1.4 million Tera Bytes in 2015-16. It has increased by more than twice in 3 years from 2013-14 to 2015-16.
As more and more people start accessing the internet through their mobile phones, mobile data usage is increasing by the day. As per the latest available information with the government, mobile data usage has increased by 135% from 2013-14 to 2015-16.
New telephone connections see a continuous increase
Except for 2012-13 where the absolute number of telephone connections went down by more than 50 million compared to the previous year, the absolute number of telephone connections is continuously increasing every year. In the last two years, the increase is to the tune of almost 6 million in each  single year. The drop in 2012-13 is primarily due to the removal of inactive mobile telephone connections by various service providers.
The overall tele density (number of telephone connections per 100 population) increased from 75.23% in March 2014 to 82.93% in February 2016 while during the period April 2012 to March 2014,the tele density declined from 78.66% to 75.23% again on account of the decrease in the number of connections in 2012-13.  Rural tele density is 50.63% as in February 2016. It increased by 6.62% during April 2014 to February 2016.
Mobile Data usage at about 1.4 million Tera Bytes (TB)
The mobile data usage has been continuously increasing on account of more and more people accessing the internet. From 5.87 lakh TB in 2013-14, the mobile data usage increased to 13.84 lakh TB in 2015-16 (up to Feb’16). If March 2016 is included, the usage will easily cross 14 lakh TB or 1.4 million TB. The mobile data usage has more than doubled in three years.
Mobile Data Usage by Private providers on the rise
The proportion of mobile data usage by private operators has been increasing with each passing year. From 92.3% in 2013-14, it has now reached 93.8% in 2015-16 (up to Feb’16). At the same time, the proportion of mobile data usage by public sector operators (BSNL & MTNL) is decreasing. From 7.7% in 2013-14, it has come down to 6.2% in 2015-16 (till Feb’16).
Annual Minutes of Usage (MoU) is also on the rise
The annual Minutes of Usage (MoU) is also continuously increasing each year with increasing mobile connections. From 2.87 lakh crore annual minutes in 2010-11, it has reached 4.1 lakh crore annual minutes in 2014-15. MoU increased by over 16% in 2011-12 compared to the previous year while it increased by only 2% in 2012-13. In 2013-14, it again increased by a substantial 14.6% while the increase was a mere 5.1% in 2014-15.
Featured Image Source: WikiHow[CC BY-SA 3.0]


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Mobile Tower Installation Fraud: At least a decade old but still continues - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 23, 2020
A mail has been received by FACTLY  to check the authenticity of a ‘TRAI registration copy for tower installation’, which the sender’s family received from an unknown source. The family were asked to lease their land for the installation of a mobile tower if they are interested. They were sent a NOC (No Objection Certificate) and were asked to pay some amount for TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) registration. Let’s check the authenticity of the document.
TRAI Registration document asking registration charges from the landowner for installation of mobile tower.
Fact: The document is fake. Previously, on multiple occasions, TRAI has clarified that ‘Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is neither directly nor indirectly involved in any manner, in levy of any tax / fees on leasing of premises for installation of mobile towers or for issuing any ‘No Objection Certificates’ for the purpose’. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has also clarified the same. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When searched if TRAI issues any such document for installation of mobile towers, it was found that TRAI has already clarified multiple times that they do not levy any fees or issue any such ‘No Objection Certificate’ for installation of mobile towers. The press release by TRAI in 2019 regarding the fraud can be seen below:
Also, TRAI has uploaded a public awareness video, regarding the mobile tower fraud, on their YouTube channel.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has also clarified the same. The public awareness document issued by DoT on this matter can be found here. Also, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has done a fact-check on the fake NOCs.
Claim: Department of Telecommunications is providing no objection certificates to install mobile towers at various locations.#PIBFactCheck: This is #Fake certificated. @DoT_India does not issue such certificates. pic.twitter.com/AmOUZTRoNo
The mobile tower installation fraud is not a recent one. The fraudsters have been following the same modus operandi at least since 2011. ‘The Hindu’ article published in 2011 on the cellphone tower installation fraud can be read here.
To sum it up, neither TRAI nor DoT issues any such NOCs for installation of mobile towers.

created: September 23, 2020


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Mock drill in Jharkhand shared as Police shooting at the protestors in Assam - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 12, 2019
A video is being shared widely on social media with a claim that it shows the Assam Police shooting at the protestors. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Video of Police shooting at the protestors in Assam.
Fact: The video is related to a mock drill conducted by the Police in the state of Jharkhand. The Police in the video are not the Assam Police. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the same video was previously shared as ‘Police firing on Muslims in Jammu & Kashmir’, FACTLY  debunked the same. During the fact-checking process, it was found that the video shows a mock drill activity conducted by the Jharkhand Police. On comparing the surrounding buildings in the video with the building photos on Google Maps, it was confirmed that the drill was conducted in Jharkhand. The detailed fact-check article by FACTLY can be read here.
To sum it up, in the video, the Police were not shooting at the protestors in Assam. It’s a mock drill in Jharkhand.
Did you watch our new Episode of the DECODE series?

created: December 12, 2019


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Mock drill video shared as real incident of soldiers nabbing terrorists at Dahod Railway Station - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 7, 2021
A video is being shared widely on social media with a claim that it shows soldiers nabbing terrorists at Dahod Railway Station in Gujarat. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of soldiers nabbing terrorists at Dahod Railway Station in Gujarat.
Fact: The video shows a mock drill conducted at Dahod Railway Station in Gujarat. The people being caught in the video are not real terrorists attacking the station. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When we searched with some keywords on Google, many similar videos were found in the search results. A YouTube channel – ‘themobile news’ has posted the same video on 02 April 2021, and mentioned that the video shows a mock drill at Dahod Railway Station. A video from another angle was found to be published with a similar description by several YouTube channels. Those videos can be seen here and here.
Also, several Gujarati news articles regarding the mock drill in the video can be read here, here, and here.
To sum it up, a mock drill video is being shared as a real incident of soldiers nabbing terrorists at Dahod Railway Station.


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Mock drill video shared as visuals of Maharashtra police arresting terrorists in Amaravati - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 29, 2021
A video is being shared on social media claiming it as the visuals of police arresting two terrorists in Amaravati, Maharashtra. This post claims that two terrorists were carrying a bomb in a bus and police conducted a special operation to arrest them. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of police arresting two terrorists in Amaravati, Maharashtra.
Fact: This video shows a mock drill conducted at the Paratwada bus stand in Amaravati, Maharashtra. Maharashtra QRT squad and Bomb disposal squad conducted this mock drill on how to apprehend terrorists if they hijacked a bus. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE
On reverse image search of the screenshots in the video, similar visuals were found in a video published by a YouTube channel on 14 October 2021. This video reported it as the visuals of Maharashtra police administration and bomb disposal squads jointly demonstrating a mock drill at the Paratwada bus stand in Amaravati, Maharashtra. Sharing the same video, several YouTube channels reported it as the mock drill conducted by the Maharashtra QRT team in the Paratwada bus depot. They can be seen here and here.
The ‘Vidarbh Prabhat’ news channel had published an extended version of this video on 14 October 2021. This mock drill was reportedly conducted to understand how to apprehend terrorists if they hijack a passenger bus moving from Paratwada to Amaravati. SHO Sandanand Mankar and the QRT squad conducted this mock drill at the Paratwada bus stand in Amaravati district, Maharashtra. Reporting the same, the Amaravati City News YouTube channel had published the same video on 15 October 2021. In July 2021, the QRT, Anti-terrorist, and Bomb squads have conducted a similar mock drill at the Amaravati bus stand.
When ‘The Quint’ contacted SHO Sadanand Mankar for more details regarding this mock drill, Sadanand Mankar clarified that the video shows a mock drill conducted on 14 October 2021. Sadanand Mankar said, “We told bystanders about it and later we went around the town in our police vehicle announcing the same. We do it every once in a while to spread awareness about how people should behave in such scenarios”.
To sum it up, a mock drill video falsely shared as the visuals of police arresting two terrorists in Amaravati

created: October 29, 2021


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What is ‘Model Code of Conduct’?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 24, 2017
The Election Commission of India (ECI) enforces the Model of Conduct (MCC) during elections. While multiple cases of MCC violations come to the notice of the ECI, the guilty are let off with a warning in most cases.
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) kicks in as soon as elections to either state assemblies or the Lok Sabha are announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI).  The MCC is a set of instructions to be followed by both political parties and candidates contesting elections. The MCC is a set of guidelines and instructions on general conduct, campaigning, meetings etc. during elections. The MCC is in place till the entire process of elections is complete.
Guidelines for General Conduct
The following are the important guidelines for general conduct when the MCC is in place.
Any violation of the above guidelines will invite a notice from the ECI as to why action should not be taken and why a case should not be registered against the guilty. Notices have been issued to candidates from various political parties for violation of model code of conduct. Individuals from across party lines like the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar were served notices by the ECI for violating the MCC. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also served notices in the past for violation of the MCC. Congress President Rahul Gandhi was also served a notice by the ECI for MCC violations.
Guidelines relating to Meetings & Processions
The MCC also contains guidelines with respect to conduct of meetings & holding processions. Some of the important guidelines are the following
Guidelines for the Polling Day and at the Polling Booth
On the day the polling, all the political parties and candidates should abide by the following instructions.
Other Guidelines
Apart from these, there are other guidelines for election observers and the party in power. The MCC also stipulates guidelines for election manifestos.  The following are the some of the important guidelines for the party in power.
Is the enforcement effective?
While the ECI does issue notices to politicians from various parties for the violation of the MCC, it generally does not go to the extent of taking any action. The issue ends with a warning to the candidate not to repeat the same mistake. Though there are multiple electoral offences as defined under various laws, rarely is action taken in any of these cases.
Featured Image: Model Code of Conduct

created: November 24, 2017


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Modi did not announce ban on Alcohol. It is Fake News - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 30, 2019
A post with a screenshot of PM Modi’s speech is going viral on social media which claims that the Prime Minister announced a ban on Alcohol.  Let’s  check the authenticity of these claims.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a country wide ban on Alcohol.
Fact: The Prime Minister did not announce a ban on alcohol. The image is from the Prime Minister’s new year address in December 2016. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the image in the post is searched using reverse image search, we get the Prime Minister’s address on the eve of new year on 31st December, 2016. He is seen in the same attire and the same background as is shown in the post. So it can be concluded that the image is an old one.
Further, the taxes & duties on alcohol is part of the state list in the 7th schedule of the constitution. In other words, the decision on alcohol ban or any such change in tax structure of alcohol has to be taken by the relevant state government and not the central government. Recently, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, the new Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh promised a ban on alcohol in his manifesto for the assembly elections.
To sum it up, the Prime Minister did not announce a ban on alcohol. It is a photoshopped image.
Did you watch our Facebook live on Fake News (Misinformation)


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Modi did not endorse the AIMIM during his campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Telangana - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 15, 2024
A video featuring Narendra Modi is circulating on social media (here, here, and here) claiming that PM Modi is endorsing the AIMIM party in Telangana while campaigning for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: PM Modi endorsed the AIMIM party in Telangana while campaigning for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Fact: PM Modi, during a public meeting in Telangana on 10 May 2024 in Telangana stated, “This scene, this atmosphere clearly shows what is the mood of Telangana. Telangana is saying… not Congress, not BRS. Not MIM. We will only vote for BJP and ensure that the party wins.” The original footage was edited and shared to favour AIMIM. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On performing a reverse image search, we found the original full-length video on Narendra Modi’s official YouTube channel. This video was uploaded on 10 May 2024 with the title, “Public meeting in Hyderabad, Telangana | Lok Sabha Election 2024.”
Upon reviewing the original video, it became evident that the original footage was edited and shared in favour of AIMIM. At 12:47, Modi states, “This scene, this atmosphere clearly shows what is the mood of Telangana. Telangana is saying… not Congress, not BRS. Not MIM. We will only vote for BJP and ensure that the party wins” (translated).
The media also published Modi’s speech, highlighting these lines spoken by Modi in the Dakhni dialect (here, here, and here).
To sum up, Modi did not endorse the AIMIM party during his campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Telangana.


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Modi did not write a letter to Chief Justice Chandrachud criticizing him for selective criticism - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 20, 2023
A video circulating on YouTube alleges that Prime Minister Modi has penned a strongly worded letter to Chief Justice of India Chandrachud. In this letter, the PM purportedly criticizes the CJI for focusing selectively on Manipur and Article 370 issues while neglecting other matters, such as instances of women’s atrocities in Rajasthan, West Bengal, and others. The video also claims that in this alleged letter, Modi accuses the Chief Justice of displaying bias in his views on various issues and goes as far as stating that he has formally requested President Murmu to terminate the Chief Justice from his position. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the video.
Claim: Modi has penned a strongly worded letter to Chief Justice Chandrachud, criticizing his  perceived bias on various issues.
Fact: There are no records of Modi writing a letter to the CJI, wherein he condemns the CJI for displaying bias and selective criticism. Likewise, there are no accounts of Modi requesting the President for the dismissal of the CJI. It is improbable that the Prime Minister would correspond with the President without abiding by the established due process, given that an impeachment motion must secure a special majority in both houses of Parliament. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The viral video claims that Prime Minister Modi vehemently criticized the Chief Justice of India in a letter, accusing him of partiality on several matters. Nevertheless, our investigation could not uncover any news articles or reports confirming the existence of such a letter sent by the Prime Minister. If, indeed, the country’s Prime Minister had penned such a letter, it is likely that the media would have covered it extensively. However, we have found no such reports to corroborate this claim.
Additionally, the video emphasizes that Modi had made a request to the President to dismiss the Chief Justice from his post. It is important to highlight that while it is the President’s authority to issue an order for the removal of the Chief Justice, such an action can only be taken following the presentation of an address by Parliament. This address must garner substantial support, requiring a special majority in each House of Parliament, meaning a majority of the total membership of that House and a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that House who are present and voting.
The procedure governing the removal of a Supreme Court judge is stipulated by the Judges Inquiry Act of 1968, specifically through the process of impeachment. This procedure is predicated on two grounds: proven misbehavior or incapacity. Consequently, the assertion that Modi sought the President’s intervention for the Chief Justice’s removal implies that it is an unsubstantiated claim, as there has been no recent parliamentary discussion on the impeachment of the Chief Justice, and it is improbable that the Prime Minister would write to the President without adhering to the established due process.
Moreover, there have been no news reports concerning the impeachment of Chief Justice Chandrachud. If any such discussions had occurred within political circles, it is likely that the media would have covered them, yet we have found no such reports. Additionally, there is no indication of strained relations between the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice. During their last public appearance together at the Independence Day event, the Prime Minister commended the Supreme Court on several matters.
To sum it up, Modi did not write a letter to Chief Justice Chandrachud criticizing him for selective criticism

created: September 20, 2023


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Modi's Government hasn’t passed any new law (IPC 233) that allows a Woman to kill rapists - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 4, 2019
A message is being widely shared on social media and it is as follows- ‘Finally a new law was passed by Modi govt today. As per IPC 233, if a girl is suspected to be raped or getting raped, then she has a supreme right to kill that person or harm that person as dangerously as she can and girl won’t be blamed for murder’. Let’s check to what extent the information in the message is true.
Modi’s government has passed a new law ‘IPC Section 233’, that allows a girl to kill rapists.
Fact: Modi’s government hasn’t passed any new law which allows a girl to kill rapists. ‘IPC Section 233’ mentioned in the message has nothing to do with self defence provisions available to a girl in case of rape. That section deals with ‘Making or selling instrument for counterfeiting coin’. So, the claim is FALSE.
When searched if the Modi’s government has passed any law that allows a girl to kill rapists, no such law was found to be enacted by the Central government. In that message, it is mentioned about IPC (Indian Penal Code)  233, but in the Indian Penal Code that section deals with ‘Making or selling instrument for counterfeiting coin’. So, ‘IPC Section 233’ has nothing to do with self-defence provisions available to a girl in case of rape.
A similar message was found to have been shared in 2012, in the context of the Delhi gangrape incident and it is again now being shared in the aftermath of Hyderabad veterinary doctor Disha’s rape incident.
To conclude, Modi’s government hasn’t passed any new law that allows a girl to kill rapists. IPC 233 is regarding ‘offences related to coins and government stamps’.
Did you watch our new Episode of the DECODE series?

created: December 4, 2019


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Modi government is not shutting down WhatsApp from 11:30 pm to 6:00 am daily. It’s an old hoax - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 4, 2019
A post with a video and a long description is being shared on Facebook with a claim that WhatsApp will be off from 11:30 pm to 6:00 am daily. Let’s try to analyze the claims made in the post.
Central government (Modi) declared that WhatsApp will be off from 11:30 pm to 6:00 am daily. If the message is not forwarded, then the account will get deleted. To reactivate the account, Rs. 499 need to be paid. Also, WhatsApp is going to charge money for its services.  If the message is forwarded to 10 people, then the message will get blue ticks and the account will remain free.
Fact: The message being circulated is an old hoax circulated again as Facebook and their related apps were down on Wednesday. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The complete text of the viral message being circulated on social media – “What’s app will b off From 11.30pm to 6:00 am daily. Declared by central govt. Message from narendra modi (PM) we have had an over usage of user names on whatsapp Messenger. We are requesting all users to forward this message to their entire contact list. If you do not forward this message, we will take it as your account is invalid and it will be deleted within the next 48 hours. DO NOT ignore my words or whatsapp will no longer recognise your activation. If you wish to re-activate your account after it has been deleted, a charge of 499.00 will be added to your monthly bill. We are also aware of the issue involving the pictures updates not showing. We are working diligently at fixing this problem and it will be up and running as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation from the modi team. WhatsApp is going to cost you money soon. The only way that it will stay free is if you are a frequent user i.e. you have at least 50 people you are chatting with. To become a frequent user send this message to 10 people who receive it (2 ticks) and your WhatsApp logo will change color. send this to 8 people to activate the new whatsapp.. Saturday morning whatsapp will become chargeable. If you have at least 10 contacts send them this message. In this way we will see that you are an avid user and your logo will become blue (🔵) and will remain free. (As discussed in the paper today. Whatsapp will cost 0.01€ per message. Send this message to 10 people. When you do the light will turn blue otherwise whatsapp will activate billing. ITS TRUE …… U get blue TICKS.”
When searched on Google with the keywords ‘WhatsApp will be off from 11:30 pm to 6:00 am daily’, it was found that a similar message went viral in 2013. In the old message, there was a different name and fine amount.
In the search results, there were also some news articles published back in 2014 terming the message as a hoax. According to a Times of India article, the blue ticks update which came back then was used in the viral message to make people share the false message.
In the post, the video does not talk anything related to the description. In the video, the news was about the outage of Facebook and their related apps on Wednesday. Even Facebook has officially tweeted a couple of times on Wednesday’s outage issue. It first tweeted that it is aware of the issue and later, tweeted that it resolved the issue.
Earlier today, some people and businesses experienced trouble uploading or sending images, videos and other files on our apps and platforms. The issue has since been resolved and we should be back at 100% for everyone. We’re sorry for any inconvenience.
To sum it up, in light of the recent outage of Facebook and its related apps, an old hoax has been circulated again.
Did you watch our new Episode of DECODE series on Parliament?


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Modi government reconstructed Sharda Devi temple located on the Indian side of Loc, not Sharda Peeth - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 12, 2023
Comparing an image of dilapidated structure with that of a newly built temple, a social media post claims that the Modi government has reconstructed the Sharda Peeth temple located in PoK, and that the two images show the condition of the temple before/after the reconstruction. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Modi government reconstructed the Sharda Peeth temple situated in PoK.
Fact: Union government reconstructed the Sharda Devi temple located in Kupwara, on the Indian side of LoC, whereas the Sharda Peeth is in PoK and has been inaccessible for Indian pilgrims since 1947. The post wrongly compares images of Sharda Peeth with that of the newly constructed Sharda Devi temple. There could at least be 40-50 km distance between these  two temples. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on 22 March 2023, through a video conference inaugurated the newly constructed temple of Maa Sharda Devi, located in Teetwal village of Jammu Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
This Sharda Devi temple is located along the Indian side of the LoC and the foundation for rebuilding the temple was laid back in December 2021.
Sharing the news through a Facebook post, Union Minister Amit Shah shared the same image of the new temple as in the viral post.
Sharda Peeth is in PoK:
However, the Sharda Peeth mentioned in the viral post is in Neelam valley, PoK. The temple has not been accessible to the Indian pilgrims since 1947. It has been in dilapidated condition ever since.
The same viral image has been reported in multiple news articles over the years, few of these can be viewed here, here, and here.
However, speaking at the inauguration of the temple, Amit Shah said that central government would move forward to open the Sharda Peeth on the lines of Kartarpur Corridor.
Thus, this establishes that the viral post misconstrued Sharda Peeth in PoK for Sharda temple located on the Indian side of the LoC, and makes a false comparison of two different temples, which are at least 40-50 kms apart.
To sum it up, the Modi government reconstructed Sharda Devi temple located on the Indian side of LoC, not Sharda Peeth in PoK.


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“I am the son of a Pathan”, is what Imran Khan told Modi - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 26, 2019
A 15-seconds video is being shared on Facebook by many users claiming that Modi in his speech said that he is the son of a Pathan. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Modi: “I am the son of a Pathan. I speak and do truthful things.”
Fact: The video posted on Facebook is clipped. In the full video, Modi claims that Imran Khan has said, “I am the son of a Pathan. I speak and do truthful things.” Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When the video posted on Facebook is divided into frames using Invid tool and the frames are searched on Google Reverse Image Search, it can be found the video was taken from the Modi’s speech at a public meeting in Tonk, Rajasthan on 23 February, 2019. When searched for ‘Modi’s speech at Tonk, Rajasthan”, the full version of the video can be found on the BJP’s Official YouTube channel. At 1:01:02 seconds in the video, it can be observed that Modi says the exact sentences posted on Facebook. But before that, he says that Imran Khan told him so. Hence, the original video has been clipped selectively to mislead the people.
To sum it up, Modi in his Rajasthan speech said that Imran Khan said to him. “I am the son of a Pathan”.


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PM Modi’s letter appealing citizens to buy made in India products this Diwali is not authentic - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 27, 2021
A post accompanying a letter attributed to Prime Minister Modi, wherein he appeals to the citizens to buy only made-in-India products during this Diwali is being widely shared across the social media platforms. Let’s fact-check the authenticity of the letter shared in the post.
Claim: Prime Minister Modi’s letter to citizens appealing them to buy only made-in-India products during this Diwali.
Fact: In recent times, Prime Minister Modi did not make any such appeal, specifically in the backdrop of Diwali. Further, the same letter is being shared on the internet at least since 2016. Back in 2016, PM Modi through a tweet alerted that few unauthentic documents with PM’s signature were being shared. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Of late, Prime Minister Modi did not make any such appeal, specifically requesting people to buy only Indian-made goods. If at all the Prime Minister had made such an appeal, the media would have reported it widely, however, we could not find any such media reports.
At the same time, this letter is not a recent one. Reverse image search of the photo led us to a 2016 Facebook post which shared the same letter. With this, we can conclude that this letter is doing rounds on the internet at least since 2016. Further, back in 2016, PM Modi through a tweet alerted that few unauthentic documents with PM’s signature, similar to the one in the post are being shared on social media.
Few appeals with PM’s ‘signature’ are circulated on social media. Such documents are not authentic. pic.twitter.com/9AOcvHStFu
On comparing Modi’s letter to singers Aditya Narayan and Shweta Agarwal, wishing them on the occasion of their marriage back in 2020 with the viral letter, we find many differences such as indentation, line spacing, text alignment, etc.  The viral letter is in no way close to the one written by Modi. Also, the availability of Modi’s signature on the internet makes it easy for miscreants to create such documents in the name of Modi using digital tools.
To sum it up, PM Modi’s letter appealing to citizens to buy made-in-India products this Diwali is not authentic.

created: September 27, 2021


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Modi's Travelogue in India 1
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 30, 2018


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Modi's Travelogue in India 2
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 30, 2018


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Modi's Travelogue in India 3
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 30, 2018


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Modi's Video from Gujarat is being falsely shared as the one from Tamil Nadu - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 14, 2019
A video of Modi seen walking on a road with a huge crowd on both sides is being shared with the claim that it shows Modi’s popularity in Tamilnadu. Let’s analyze the authenticity of that claim.
Video of Modi walking with a huge crowd on both sides of the road is from Tamilnadu.
Fact: Video is from Gujarat and it shows Modi greeting a gathering after he had cast his vote in Gujarat elections-2017. So, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
In the comments section of the post, a user mentioned that the video is from Ahmedabad. After the video is fragmented, the keyframes so obtained were subjected to reverse image search with a suitable filter. Then the same video clip was found among the search results and had the title ‘Gujarat Elections 2017: PM Narendra Modi Votes in Sabarmati’. With that information, when searched on Youtube with relevant keywords, many search results were obtained. The search result of ‘NDTV’ had the same visuals as that of the video clip but taken from a different angle. The news video was aired on December 13, 2017, and in it, the visuals of the video clip can be seen after 2:56 duration. In both the videos, Modi can be seen in the same dress showing his inked finger at the crowd and also, the same persons can be seen walking along with Modi. The news video had the following description with it- ‘Prime Minister Narendra Modi waited in queue to vote at booth 115 at the Nishan High School in Ahmedabad’s Ranip locality, and then walked down the road holding up his inked finger as a big crowd gathered to greet him roared’.
To conclude, a video from Gujarat is being falsely shared as the one from Tamil Nadu that  shows Modi’s popularity in Tamilnadu.
Did you watch our new Episode of the DECODE series?

created: October 14, 2019


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Mohammad Nabi is not sponsoring the Afghan cricket team for the T20 World Cup - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 4, 2021
Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, there have been speculations over the future of sports in the country. It is in this context, a social media post claiming that since the Taliban refused to sponsor Afghanistan for the ongoing T20 world cup, it is captain Mohammad Nabi who is bearing all the expenses of the team out of his pocket, is doing rounds on the internet. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Afghan captain Mohammad Nabi is sponsoring the team for the ongoing T20 world cup.
Fact: Sediki group is sponsoring the Afghanistan cricket team for the T20 world cup. Afghanistan cricket board officially announced the same. Further, we did not find any reports stating either Taliban refusing to sponsor the team or Nabi himself sponsoring the team for the world cup. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Google search led us to a tweet by the Afghanistan cricket board on 14 October 2021, which announced that Sediki Group has officially secured the Afghan national team’s sponsorship rights for the T20 world cup.
#SedikiGrup officially secures the Afghan National team’s Sponsorship rights for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. Having won as the highest bidder with $450,000.00 Sidiki Grup is the official sponsor of the Afghanistan National Team.
More about SG: https://t.co/XlxtLF2TzJ pic.twitter.com/8Z4kJ6IDjd
Afghanistan cricket board earlier invited tenders for the sponsorship rights for the T20 world cup back in June 2021. On the official website of the Afghanistan cricket board, Sediki Group is listed as an ACB sponsor among the sponsors and partner brands of the ACB.
Further, in the ongoing T20 world cup, Afghan players can be seen sporting team jersey with the Sediki Group logo on them.
Also, we did not find any reports stating that the Taliban refused to sponsor the Afghan team for the T20 world cup or that Mohammad Nabi himself sponsoring the team. Moreover, Suhail Shaheen, Taliban spokesperson and representative to the UN, tweeted congratulating the team on their victory over Namibia on 31 October 2021.
Congratulation to all Afghan cricket team and the entire Afghan nation for the historical win against Scotland. Well done boys! May Allah favour you with future victories.
Keep it up!
T20-world cup-2021
However, the Taliban expressed reservations against the women’s participation in sports. Afghanistan Cricket Board’s recently appointed Chairman Azizullah Fazli told Al Jazeera that as of now there is no ban imposed on Afghan women’s cricket. ‘We’ve not been asked to stop women from playing cricket. We’ve had a women’s team for 18 years. But what we need to keep in mind is our religion and culture. If women adhere to that [attire]there is no problem in them taking part in sporting activities’ he added.
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia said it would call off the 27 November Test with Afghanistan if the Taliban regime bans women from playing cricket.
To sum it up, Mohammad Nabi is not sponsoring the Afghan cricket team for the T20 world cup.

created: November 4, 2021


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Mohammed Rafi sang two songs in English and there is no historical record of him performing at the United Nations - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 26, 2023
A video featuring Mohammed Rafi singing in the background is being shared with the claim ‘The only English song sung by Mohammed Rafi at the United Nations Organization in the year 1970.’ Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: This is the only English song sung by Mohammed Rafi at the United Nations Organization in 1970
Fact: Mohammed Rafi sang two songs in English and there is no historical record of him performing at the United Nations. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
A relevant keyword search revealed articles and blog posts about Mohammed Rafi (here, here, and here). They highlight that Rafi sang not only in Hindi but also in English and other languages such as Dutch, Creole, and Persian. However, he sang two English songs when persuaded by Haridranath Chattopadhyay who wrote the lyrics for these songs. The two songs in English were “Although We Hail from Different Lands,” which shared the same musical composition as “Baharon Phool Barsao” from the Hindi film “Suraj” and “The She I Love,” which was based on the composition of “Hum Kaale Hain Toh Kya Hua” from the Hindi movie “Gumnaam.”
Mohammed Rafi gained his primary recognition as a playback singer in the Indian film industry, and he made significant contributions to Indian music. However, there is no historical record of him performing at the United Nations. The United Nations mainly hosts events related to global affairs, diplomacy, and international relations, rather than musical performances.
To sum up, Mohammed Rafi sang two songs in English and there is no historical record of him performing at the United Nations

created: October 26, 2023


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Mohammed Siraj and Rashid Khan did not dedicate their victories to Israel in Solidarity - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 17, 2023
Amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, multiple posts (here, here) are being shared on social media claiming that cricketers from different nations have dedicated their victories to Israel in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. A post shared a purported tweet of Mohammed Siraj stating- “This was for our brothers and sisters in Israel,” and claims that Mohammed Siraj had dedicated India’s victory against Pakistan to Israel. Another post claims that cricketer Rashid Khan had dedicated Afghanistan’s victory against England to Israel, condemning the Hamas militants’ attack on Israel. Let’s verify the claims made in the post.
Claim: Mohammed Siraj and Rashid Khan have dedicated their victories to Israel by expressing their solidarity in light of the ongoing war with Palestine.
Fact: The purported tweet that dedicated India’s victory against Pakistan to Israel was made by a parody account of Mohammed Siraj. Rashid Khan too did not make any such statement in support of Israel. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
Claim 1: Mohammed Siraj’s tweet dedicating India’s victory to Israel
When we searched to check whether Mohammed Siraj had made any such tweet dedicating India’s victory against Pakistan in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 to Israel, we could not find any on Mohammed Siraj’s official ‘X’ or on any of his other social media handles. On searching for the details of the tweet using the ‘X’ user ID seen in the screenshot, we found that the tweet was made by a parody account of Mohammed Siraj on 14 October 2023.
Allahmdulliah ! This was for our brothers and sisters in Israel . 🤲🏼🇮🇳#INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/A1gud4HiI1
The ‘X’ user id (@iamMohdSiirajj) and the surname mentioned on this parody page are different from that of the official ‘X’ handle of Mohammed Siraj (@mdsirajofficial). Post India’s victory against Pakistan, Mohammed Siraj on his official ‘X’ handle tweeted– “3 W We continue the work.” Mohammed Siraj did not make any tweet or statement in support of Israel in its ongoing war with Palestine.
Claim 2: Rashid Khan dedicated Afghanistan’s victory to Israel
When we searched to check whether Afghanistan Cricketer Rashid Khan had made any such statement dedicating Afghanistan’s victory to Israel, we could not find any news report confirming such a statement from Rashid Khan. The image displays Rashid Khan’s name with the caption, ‘Afghanistan-3/37 v ENG Tonight’. After Afghanistan’s victory over England in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, Rashid Khan dedicated their victory to Afghans saying– “Cricket is something that brings joy to the people back home. Winning the game against England is big for us. Recently, we had an earthquake back home. Over 3,000 people lost their lives, many houses were destroyed, so this win will put a little bit of smile on their faces and maybe, they can little bit forget those days.”
Rashid Khan did not make any statement expressing his support for Israel in its ongoing war with Palestine. ‘Dainik Bhaskar’ and many other organizations debunked these fake rumours about Rashid Khan making a statement in support of Israel in the ongoing war with Palestine.
To sum it up, parody tweets and fake statements are shared alleging that Mohammed Siraj and Rashid Khan have dedicated their victories to Israel.

created: October 17, 2023


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Mohan Bhagwat has not said that Corona has broken his faith in religion - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 21, 2020
A news clip with the title – ‘Corona broke my faith in religion- Mohan Bhagwat’ is being shared on social media. The clip quotes Mohan Bhagwat saying that Gods in the temples did not save the country from coronavirus and he has lost faith in religion. The clip further claims that Mohan Bhagwat has said that all the temples should be closed and in their place schools and hospitals must be constructed. But FACTLY has found that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Mohan Bhagwat has not made any such statements. No news agency has reported Mohan Bhagwat making the above statements. Also, Akhil Bharatiya Sah Prachar Pramukh Narender Kumar has tweeted that Mohan Bhagwat has not made any of those statements and the news clip is fake. In his tweet, he also wrote that some anti-social elements have created the news clip to disrupt the society in order to achieve their goals and disintegrate society.
Sources:
Claim – Tweet (archived)
Fact –
1. Akhil Bharatiya Sah Prachar Pramukh Narender Kumar’s tweet – https://twitter.com/NARENDER1970/status/1262691857294860288
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Molenbeek municipality (Belgium) does not have a 100 percent Muslim population - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 18, 2021
A post is being shared on social media with a claim that Molenbeek town in Belgium is the first European town with a 100 percent Muslim population. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Molenbik town (Belgium) is the first European town with a 100 percent Muslim population.
Fact: No official information regarding the religious composition of the Molenbeek population was found in the Belgium official census. Various estimates in the last 4-5 years have put the Muslim population in Molenbeek to be around 25-45 percent.  Also, no credible information regarding the other comments in the post was found. However, Molenbeek has been identified to be in connection with Islamic extremism on various occasions. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When we searched on the internet for the information given in the post, no credible reports were found about Molenbeek having 100 percent Muslim population. Molenbeek (or ‘Molenbeek-Saint-Jean’) is one of the municipalities in Brussels (the capital of Belgium). On the website of Belgium – Official Census 2011, it is mentioned that the population of Molenbeek is 92,661, but no official information regarding the religious composition of the population was found. According to a report published by the Brussels Institute for Statistics and Analysis (BISA) in 2021, the population of Molenbeek municipality is around 98,000.
In various articles published by multiple news agencies in the last 4-5 years, it can be seen that the Muslim population in the Molenbeek has been estimated to be around 25-45 per cent. While ‘Reuters’ article in 2017 mentions – ‘Belgium does not keep statistics on religion or race, but an estimated seven percent of the population is Muslim – rising to 45 percent in Molenbeek, independent researchers say’, ‘The New York Times’ article in 2016 says – ‘41 percent of the population of Molenbeek is Muslim’. Also, in an article published by the ‘Goethe-Institut Brüssel’ in 2016, it can be read – ‘In 2013, 36,450 out of 94,650 Molenbeek residents, or nearly 40 percent of the population, were Muslim.’ The ‘Bloomberg CityLab’ article mentions – ‘Local Muslims, who form 25 to 30 percent of the area’s population……’.  Other articles mentioning the Muslim population in Molenbeek can be read here and here. None of the articles mentions that Molenbeek has a 100 percent Muslim population.
Also, no credible information regarding the other comments in the post was found. However, Molenbeek has been identified to be in connection with Islamic extremism on various occasions. On the ‘BBC News’ website, it can be read – ‘Paris and Brussels terror attacks: The Molenbeek connection. The focus in Brussels is on the north-western suburb of Molenbeek, where several extreme Islamist cells are known to have been operating’. More news articles on the issue can be read here and here.
To sum it up, Molenbeek municipality in Brussels (Belgium) does not have a 100 percent Muslim population.


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Molten rock because of high voltage cable issue is being shared as Lava coming out when a Bore well was dug - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 16, 2019
A Facebook post with a video showing a black boiling liquid coming out from the ground has gone viral. The users allege that in Shirsal village of Beed district, lava was seen coming out of the ground when the bore well was drilled was 1200 feet. Another video in the same post shows a borwell machine catching fire. Let’s try to analyze the claims made in the post.
In Shirsal village of Beed district, lava was seen coming out of the ground when bore well was drilled for 1200 feet
Fact:  In Beed district, when a high tension power cable had fallen to the ground, rocks lying there melted due to the high voltage and oozed out of the earth as a black boiling liquid. Hence, the claim that the liquid seen coming out of the ground is lava stands FALSE . The other video in the post has nothing to do with Beed and is from a bore well fire somewhere in Africa.
When googled about the incident with keywords “shirsal village beed lava”, an article published by INDIA TV was found. According to this story, in Shirsal village of Beed district in Maharashtra, when the State Electricity Distribution Company’s overhead high voltage cable fell to the ground and came into contact with the soil, rocks lying there melted due to the power current which ultimately created black liquid substance. The local residents mistook this substance to be volcanic lava and panicked. The District Collector also clarified that it is molten rock and has nothing to do with any volcanic activity. It is also untrue that the black liquid was coming out when a borewell was dug.
In the same post, there is another video of a bore well rig catching fire. This video has nothing to do with Beed and the molten rock. This is from an incident somewhere in Africa. Few people have posted the same video on You Tube as if this incident happened in Telangana,  few others posted it as an incident from Beed.
After extensive reverse image search from the key frames and search on bore well fire, one of the earliest videos uploaded about this incident was found on You Tube with the date of 11th May.  Even in this video, the uploader says the video is from India. But many users commented saying that the video is from Africa and the contractor is Indian. In the video, someone speaking in Telugu can be clearly heard followed by others speaking in an African language. In fact, one of the users commented saying that this incident is from Mali and it is his machine. Hence, it can be concluded that the incident is from somewhere in Africa where as the contractor or the workers could be Indian. We found another video which says this incident is from Mali.
To summarize, the dark boiling liquid coming out of the ground isn’t volcanic lava but a black liquid formed due to the melting of rocks when they came in contact with a high tension cable.  It is also untrue that the the black liquid came out when a bore well was dug. The other video of the bore well fire is not related to Beed, but from somewhere in Africa.


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Monaco and Slovakia are a few other nations that have no Mosques in their countries like Bhutan - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 30, 2023
A post is being shared on social media claiming that Bhutan has become the first Mosque-free country in the world. The post claims that there is not even a single Mosque in Bhutan for Muslims to offer their religious prayers. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Bhutan has become the first country in the world without Mosques .
Fact: There is only a prayer hall provided for Muslims to offer prayers at Bumthang, Ura Highway, in Semtokha, Bhutan. Apart from this prayer hall, no other prayer hall or Mosque was constructed for Muslims in Bhutan. But there are a few other nations like Monaco and Slovakia where there are no establishments of Mosques for Muslims to offer prayers like Bhutan. Hence, the claim made in the post is Misleading.
When we searched to check whether Bhutan does not have a single Mosque for Muslims to offer their religious prayers, we found that there is only a prayer hall provided for Muslims to offer prayers at Bumthang, Ura Highway, in Semtokha, Bhutan. The Dantak temple building consists of four sections and each section caters to Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians to offer their respective religious prayers. Apart from this prayer hall, no other prayer hall or Mosque was constructed For Muslims in Bhutan.
Upon further research, we found that there are a few countries like Monaco and Slovakia where there are no Mosques for Muslims until now.  From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that Bhutan is not the only nation without Mosques in the world.
To sum it up, Monaco and Slovakia are a few other nations that have no Mosques in their countries like Bhutan.


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Monitoring TV Channels: Guidelines exist, implementation fails miserably
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 1, 2016
In July this year, a string of complaints have been received against the telecast of Peace TV of Zakir Naik by cable operators. Peace TV does not have the valid permission from the government for transmission through cable networks.  A look at the data reveals that while guidelines for monitoring TV channels exist, the implementation has failed miserably.
After the recent terror attacks by ISIS in Bangladesh, the controversial preacher Zakir Naik and his Peace TV have come under immense scrutiny and there is a renewed debate on monitoring the content on TV Channels. Information shared by the government in the Lok Sabha indicates that as many as five different complaints were received against the telecast of Peace TV in various local cable networks. While guidelines for monitoring & regulation exist, available data & information shows that the implementation has failed to a great extent.
Regulation of TV Channels
The Cable TV Network (Regulation) Act, 1995, regulates the transmission and re-transmission of TV channels over the Cable Networks. The Authorized Officers (the District Magistrates, the Additional District Magistrates, the Sub-Divisional Magistrates and the Commissioners of Police within their territorial jurisdiction) under the Act are empowered to take action whenever violations of the Cable Act, 1995 are brought to notice. Under the Cable TV Networks Rules, 1994, no cable operator is supposed to carry or include in his cable service any TV broadcast or channel, which has not been registered by the Central Government for being viewed within the territory of India.
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting grants permission to TV channels under two categories i.e. ‘Non-News & Current Affairs TV Channels’ and ‘News & Current Affairs TV channels’ in accordance with the Policy Guidelines for Uplinking/ Downlinking of Satellite TV channels. All these companies are bound by the terms of permission, which also include security related conditions.
In addition, the cable operators can also transmit local (ground based) channels as per the Cable Act. But, the registration procedure for these channels is not defined in the Act.
892 Private Satellite TV Channels currently have permission to operate in India
As of 30 June 2016, a total of 892 private satellite TV channels have valid permission to operate from India (either uplink or downlink). Though 1031 channels have been granted permission till date, permissions to 139 channels have been cancelled. A total of 131 new TV channels have been given permission to operate in India from 2012 to 2015 (till November). 99 of the 131 channels are in the Non-News category.
Out of the 892 channels, 776 channels are permitted to both uplink from India and also downlink into India. 20 channels are only permitted to uplink from India while 96 other channels are only permitted to downlink into India. Majority of the downlink only channels are in the Non-News category. Many foreign channels are in the downlink only category while Indian channels catering to a global audience are uplink only like Raj TV Asia, Star Plus South East, Star Plus Middle East, Star Cricket Asia, Zee TV Russia etc.
Five complaints on Peace TV of Zakir Naik in July alone
As per the information shared in the parliament, the government made an appeal on Social Media platforms to report cases of transmission of unpermitted satellite TV channels by cable operators. Five such complaints were received on Peace TV in July alone. These complaints were forwarded to the respective district collectors for necessary action. The following five complaints were received
The government has said that it had issued advisories to the Chief Secretaries of all States/UTs Governments, the District Collectors and the MSOs/LCOs that no un-permitted satellite channel should be carried by the cable operators in the country and to take action against the defaulters as per the provisions in the Cable Act.
Guidelines exist, but implementation & monitoring fails
While it seems that there is some action on the complaints against Peace TV, it could only be because of the intense scrutiny from all quarters.  The action on complaints and violations by other TV channels is miserable to say the least.
The Cable TV Network rules lays down restrictions on the kind of content that can be broadcast on these TV channels. Though the guidelines list down the restricted content in great detail, the monitoring has left much to be desired. For instance,
Failure to take action on violations by TV Channels: As Factly reported earlier, the government has taken action only in a handful of cases though the EMMC has reported thousands of violations. Further, the EMMC currently monitors only 600 odd channels out of the 892 that have valid permission. The government has recently sent a notice to 182 channels to provide technical details for the purpose of monitoring.
Only 296 districts have monitoring committees: Though the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has issued advisories to the State Governments and Union Territories to constitute State and District Level Monitoring Committees for recommending action against violation of the Program Code and the Advertisement Code. Only 19 states have these committees in place as of October 2015. Worse still, only 296 of the more than 600 odd districts have setup monitoring committees.
Featured Image: Peace TV

created: August 1, 2016


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More people are Hospitalized today than 20 years ago - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 15, 2016
The 71st survey report of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) on Health in India reveals that more people are hospitalized today than 20 years ago. The survey also reveals that more women reported ailments than men. Private health care providers were the preferred choice for both the rural and urban population.
The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) recently released the 71 round report on ‘Health in India’. The report is based on surveys done between January and June of 2014. According to this latest report, about 4.4% of urban population was hospitalized (excluding childbirth) any time during a reference period of 365 days while only 2% urban population was hospitalized according to the 52 NSSO survey conducted in 1995-96. In the rural areas, 3.5% was hospitalized while this was only 1.3% in 1995-96.
The survey also reports about the Proportion of Ailing Persons (PAP). This is based on self reported illness than any medical examination. The survey notes that this could be an under-estimate of the illness-status of the patients, particularly latent diseases that have not presented with clear symptoms. 8.9% of the rural population reported any ailment in a reference period of 15 days while 11.8% urban population reported an ailment. While there was not much of a difference in the PAP who reported short duration ailment between rural and urban, the difference was evident in the chronic ailments. 6.7% of the urban population reported a chronic ailment as compared to only 4% of the rural population.
There was considerable difference in the percentage of men and women who reported an ailment during the survey. In the rural areas, 8% of the male population reported an ailment while 9.9% of the female population reported an ailment. This difference was even starker in the urban areas where 10.1 of the male population and 13.5% of the female population reported an ailment.
Of the various states covered in this survey, Kerala reported the highest PAP with 31% rural and 30.6% urban population reporting ailments. It has to be noted that the PAP observed in the survey do not reveal the difference in the actual health status but, they confirm the widely held view that self-perceived illness reporting is highly influenced by the literacy rate, cultural context, general health awareness, and access to health care in those states. This could be the reason why Kerala reported the highest PAP while states like Assam, Bihar & Chhattisgarh reported very low PAP.
Financial constraint was the most cited reason in this round of the survey for treatment without medical advice. 57.4% of the rural population and 68.3% of the urban population cited this reason. The next most important reason cited was ‘no medical facility available in neighbourhood’ in the rural areas and ‘others’ in the urban areas. Both lack of proper medical facilities in the rural areas and financial constraints remain important reasons for not taking medical advice.
In both rural and urban areas, private health care providers were the preferred choice for a majority of the population. 28.3% of the rural population depended on the public health care providers were the remaining on private providers. In the urban areas, only 21.2% depended on the public health care provider. In both rural and urban areas, Private Doctors/Clinics was the preferred choice for half of the population.


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More than 10 million people still affected by Fluoride in drinking water, number down 15% in 3.5 years
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 22, 2018
The number of fluoride affected population has come down by 15% in the 3.5-year period between April 2014 & December 2017. More than 10 million people are still affected by fluoride. While southern states have substantially improved, 10 other states have seen an increase in the number of affected people.
Presence of fluoride in drinking water has been a long standing problem in multiple states. Latest  government data  indicates that more than 10 million people are still affected by fluoride in drinking water across the country. While some states have improved, the situation has worsened in some other states where more people are affected today than in 2014.
More than 12500 Habitations still affected
As of  December 2017 , a total of 12577 habitations are affected by fluoride compared to 14133 in  April 2014 , a reduction of 11% in 3.5 years. At least one habitation was fluoride affected in 19 different states in 2014 while that number has come down to 17 in the year 2017. As of December 2017, close to half the total number of affected habitations are in Rajasthan followed by 1336 in West Bengal. More than 100 habitations are affected in 14 states while more than 500 habitations are affected in 6 states as of December 2017.
More than 10 million people still affected
A total of 11.77 million people were fluoride affected as of April 2014. This has come down to 10.06 million in December 2017, a reduction of 15%. As of 2017, more than 40% of the affected people are in Rajasthan. In 2014, more than 1 million people were affected in 4 states while it is down to 3 states in 2017. Even in 2017, more than one lakh people are affected in 13 states.
More people are affected in 2017 compared to 2014 in 10 States
While the affected population has decreased by 15% in the 3.5-year period between April 2014 & December 2017, the situation has deteriorated in 10 states. The number of affected people increased by 6.6 lakh in West Bengal while it increased by 6.08 lakh in Bihar between 2014 & 2017.  The number of affected people increased by more than one lakh in 7 states. Rajasthan, the state where more than 40% of all the affected people live, has seen an increase of 2.6 lakh in the number of affected people. In Punjab, only 568 people were fluoride affected in 2014 whereas the number increased by more than 600 times to reach 3.66 lakh in 2017. In Jharkhand, the number of affected people increased by more than 50 times between 2014 & 2017.  These 10 states haven’t improved despite  funding support.
Southern States show the way
The southern states showed substantial improvement during the 3.5-year period. In Karnataka, the number of affected people has decreased by over 9 lakh while it decreased by over 8 lakh in Andhra Pradesh. In Telangana, the number of affected people decreased by over 5 lakh. The number of affected people has reduced by over 25 lakh in the four southern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana & Kerala.
Featured Image: Fluoride in drinking water

created: February 22, 2018


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Between 2001 & 2015, an average of 7 people died per day in Collapse of Structures
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 17, 2019
Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) indicates that a total of 38363 people lost their lives due to collapse of various structures between 2001 and 2015. Most people lost their lives because of the collapse of residential houses.
About 10 people lost their lives when a building collapsed in Mumbai on 16 July 2019. This is close on the heels of another accident in Pune when a wall collapsed claiming more than 10 lives. But this is not an isolated incident.  Data collated by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) indicates that 38363 people lost their lives due to the collapse of various structures in 37514 incidents between 2001 and 2015. In 2015, the year up to which latest data is available. A total 1885 people lost their lives due to collapse of structures in 2015.
Number of deaths have decreased over the years, but still high
The NCRB collates this data in its annual report ‘Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India’ (ADSI). Various un-natural causes of death are listed in this report and collapse of various structures is one the causes captured by the NCRB. Unfortunately and for reasons unknown, the NCRB hasn’t published this report after 2015. The latest data available is only up to 2015.
The number of incidents of structure collapse has been going up and down in the last 15 years. The highest number of such incidents occurred in 2011 when 3125 structures collapsed. The total number of incidents was more than 3000 each in 2008, 2011 and 2013. In a welcoming sign, the number of incidents was less than 2000 in both 2014 and 2015. These are the only two occasions when the number of incidents was less than 2000. On average, there were 7 such incidents of structure collapsing  per day between 2001 and 2015.
In terms of number of deaths, more than 3000 deaths were reported in both 2001 and 2011, the only two occasions when the death toll was more than 3000. In eleven other years, the death toll was more than 2000. Like in the number of incidents, the death toll was also less than 2000 in both 2014 and 2015.
Male death toll is 2.5 times the Female death toll
The male death toll was more than 27000 in these 15 years while the female death toll was a little over 11000. In five of these 15 years, the male death toll was more than 2.5 times the female death toll. 2001 is the only year when the female death toll was more than half the male death toll.
40% of the deaths because of the Collapse of Residential buildings
The NCRB categorizes the data on collapse of structures into 5 different categories. Between 2001 and 2015, more than 15000 people lost their lives because of the collapse of residential buildings which account for about 40% of all the deaths. A total of 3981 people lost their lives because of the collapse of commercial buildings or 10% of the total death toll. Collapse of dams & bridges together accounted for about 4% of all the deaths. Rest of the 45% of the deaths were due to the collapse of other structures like flyovers etc.
Most deaths in the bigger states
As expected, most such deaths took place in the bigger states. Uttar Pradesh accounted for most number of deaths (5690) followed by Maharashtra (4237), Gujarat (3961), Tamil Nadu (3457) and Madhya Pradesh (3353) in the top five. More than 1000 people lost their lives due to collapse of structures in each of the eleven states. Of the bigger states, Punjab, West Bengal, Odisha & Kerala had less than 1000 deaths in these 15 years.
Between 2001 and 2015, Mumbai reported more than 100 deaths in both 2005 and 2013 because of structure collapses. The death toll was more than 50 in six of the fifteen years and was less than 50 in the rest of the 7 years. Since 2010, the death toll was more than 50 only in 2013.
There are hundreds of dilapidated buildings across the country. Mumbai alone has 700 such structures as per government data. Further, as per the DISE survey of 2016-17, 0.67% of the school buildings in the country are in a dilapidated condition. Unless all such structures are identified and remedial action is initiated on war footing, the loss of lives due to collapse of structures will continue.


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More than 1/3rd of the new Bank branches opened in the last 3 years are in Rural areas
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 23, 2016
Between 2013-14 and 2016-17 (up to June), more than 24000 new bank branches of SCBs were opened in the country. More than 40% of these new branches were opened in 2013-14 and more than 1/3rd of these branches were opened in rural areas.
Ever since the government took the decision on November 8 to withdraw the old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, the focus has been on the last mile implementation. The number of bank branches in various regions of the country became the focus of discussion. As per the data shared by the government in the Lok Sabha, more than 24000 new bank branches of Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) were opened between 2013-14 and 2016-17 (till June). More than 8500 or 1/3 of them were opened in Rural areas.
Norms for opening new Bank Branch
To promote financial inclusion, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) grants general permission to domestic Scheduled Commercial Banks  to open branches at any place in the country, without seeking prior approval of RBI in each case. This permission is subject to at least 25 percent of the total number of branches opened during a financial year should be in unbanked rural centers (population up to 9999). RBI has also specified that the total number of branches opened in Tier 1 centers (population 100000 and above) during the financial year cannot exceed the total number of branches opened in Tier 2 to Tier 6 centers (population up to 99999) and all centers in the North Eastern States and Sikkim.
The RBI in December last year has also issued a roadmap for opening brick & mortar bank branches in villages with a population of more than 5000. RBI observed that coverage of banking services in unbanked villages is skewed towards the Banking Correspondent (BC) model and the ratio of branches to BC is very low.  A total of 6593 villages have been identified and allotted among scheduled commercial banks (including Regional Rural Banks) for opening of branches.
More than 35% of the new branches in Rural areas
A total of 24374 new bank branches were opened by public and private sector banks between 2013-14 and 2016-17 (up to June). More than 35% (8588) of these branches were opened in Rural areas followed by 7035 in Semi-Urban and 4222 in Urban areas. The definition of rural/urban is as defined by the RBI guidelines for identifying census centers. As of 30 June, 2016 there are a total of 84389 bank branches in rural areas out of the total 133668 bank branches of Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) in the country.
Most new branches opened in 2013-14
During this period, most number of branches were opened in 2013-14 (about 42%). The number of branches opened has come down continuously from 10269 in 2013-14 to 5992 in 2015-16. More than a quarter of the new branches in 2013-14 were opened in the Southern region comprising the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Puducherry and the UT of Lakshadweep. Only about 3% of the new branches opened in 2013-14 were in the North East.
South India leads the list of new bank branches
Of all the bank branches opened between 2013-14 and 2016-17 (up to June), 6643 (more than 27%) were opened in the South. More than 4000 new bank branches were opened in both the Central & Northern region apart from the South. As per the government classification, central region comprises both Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh apart from Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Most number of new bank branches were opened in the South in each of the given years. The least number of bank branches were opened in the North East in each of the given years.
Featured Image: New bank branches

created: November 23, 2016