Four persons were killed and 13 injured in in the explosion at a cold storage in Sangrur, Punjab.

The blast at Guru Nanak cold storage, owned by Harinder Singh of Kaheru, reportedly occurred due to sudden and excessive outflow of the ammonia gas.

The explosion caused the building to collapse, leading to the death of four persons and leaving another 13 injured. Four of theinjured were undergoing treatment at DMC Ludhiana.

Expressing shock and grief at the incident, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has directed the district administration to step on the rescue and relief operations.

The CM has also announced a compensation of Rs.1 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs.50,000 to the injured.

Amarinder has also ordered the administration to ensure stringent implementation of rules in the operations of all businesses and industries using dangerous materials.

Amid reports of a few people still caught beneath the debris of the building, the CM ordered large-scale rescue operations to save those stuck underneath. He also directed the district officials to investigate the incident and pin the responsibility for the mishap.

Amarinder said all such units deploying such gases and other dangerous materials would need to follow strict rules and regulations to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. He asked the administration to ensure strict implementation of such rules, and not allow any laxity in this regard.

As India's most ambitious indirect tax reform received the green light from the Lok Sabha earlier this week, the 13th Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council approved the drafts of four sets of rules and finalised five others on Friday, bringing the country closer to one unified tax regime.

The council, headed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, approved the draft rule relating to composition, valuation, ITC  (input tax credit) and the transition process. With today’s meeting the council has approved all nine sets of rules required for implementing GST. "Today we discussed four set of rules, GST input tax credit rules, valuation rules, transitional provisions and composition rules," Jaitley said. Five other rules involving registration, payment, refund, invoices and returns, the drafts of which were already approved in the Council’s previous meeting, were finalised today factoring in amendments to make these compatible with the GST Bills that the Lok Sabha passed.

The tentatively approved rules will be put up for public comments and industry can send their suggestions. The rules will be taken up for final approval at the next meeting to be held in Srinagar on 18-19 May where the rates of individual commodities will also be taken up for consideration. 

As the rules are now finalised, the committee of officials will work on the fitment of commodities. The focus will now shift to the “classification” or “fitment” exercise  ~ a comprehensive list specifying the tax rate that each good and service will attract.

With the passage of Bills in Parliament, the ball is now in the states' court, which are expected to ensure timely passage of the State GST Bill in their respective Assemblies. "The exercise should ideally be completed over the next two-three months," a finance ministry official said. 

The Council is also likely to review the preparedness for the introduction of GST, including that of the administration and migration of assessees to the GST Network.

The government plans to implement GST from 1 July  2017.

As India's most ambitious indirect tax reform received the green light from the Lok Sabha earlier this week, the 13th Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council approved the drafts of four sets of rules and finalised five others on Friday, bringing the country closer to one unified tax regime.

The council, headed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, approved the draft rule relating to composition, valuation, ITC  (input tax credit) and the transition process. With today’s meeting the council has approved all nine sets of rules required for implementing GST. "Today we discussed four set of rules, GST input tax credit rules, valuation rules, transitional provisions and composition rules," Jaitley said. Five other rules involving registration, payment, refund, invoices and returns, the drafts of which were already approved in the Council’s previous meeting, were finalised today factoring in amendments to make these compatible with the GST Bills that the Lok Sabha passed.

The tentatively approved rules will be put up for public comments and industry can send their suggestions. The rules will be taken up for final approval at the next meeting to be held in Srinagar on 18-19 May where the rates of individual commodities will also be taken up for consideration. 

As the rules are now finalised, the committee of officials will work on the fitment of commodities. The focus will now shift to the “classification” or “fitment” exercise  ~ a comprehensive list specifying the tax rate that each good and service will attract.

With the passage of Bills in Parliament, the ball is now in the states' court, which are expected to ensure timely passage of the State GST Bill in their respective Assemblies. "The exercise should ideally be completed over the next two-three months," a finance ministry official said. 

The Council is also likely to review the preparedness for the introduction of GST, including that of the administration and migration of assessees to the GST Network.

The government plans to implement GST from 1 July  2017.

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan says he is excited to attend the San Francisco International Film Festival (SFILM), which is honouring him with a tribute in its 60th year.

"Honoured to be at the 60th San Francisco International Film Festival and looking forward to meeting my friend Brett Ratner. Also memories in San Francisco," Shah Rukh tweeted on Friday.

Shah Rukh, who has spent a quarter of a century in Indian showbiz, will be in an in-depth conversation with American filmmaker Brett Ratner. The discussion will precede a screening of My Name Is Khan on April 14.

Officials at the fest find it an honour to welcome Shah Rukh — whom they have addressed as "one of the world's most recognized film personalities" — at the gala.

SFILM's Executive Director Noah Cowan said in a statement of the fest's official website: "Above Shah Rukh Khan's fame as an actor is a man known for his pervasive curiosity about the world around him, about technology, about our collective future."

As an actor, Shah Rukh has excelled in films of various genres — mostly romantic. He owns Red Chillies Entertainment, a production banner through which he engages world-class technology to back his films.

On the film front, he is known for movies like Darr, Baazigar, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Devdas, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Chak De! India and Chennai Express. His latest film was Raees.

At SFILM, Shah Rukh will get a tribute along with John Ridley, Gordon Gund, Ethan Hawke and James Ivory.

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan says he is excited to attend the San Francisco International Film Festival (SFILM), which is honouring him with a tribute in its 60th year.

"Honoured to be at the 60th San Francisco International Film Festival and looking forward to meeting my friend Brett Ratner. Also memories in San Francisco," Shah Rukh tweeted on Friday.

Shah Rukh, who has spent a quarter of a century in Indian showbiz, will be in an in-depth conversation with American filmmaker Brett Ratner. The discussion will precede a screening of My Name Is Khan on April 14.

Officials at the fest find it an honour to welcome Shah Rukh — whom they have addressed as "one of the world's most recognized film personalities" — at the gala.

SFILM's Executive Director Noah Cowan said in a statement of the fest's official website: "Above Shah Rukh Khan's fame as an actor is a man known for his pervasive curiosity about the world around him, about technology, about our collective future."

As an actor, Shah Rukh has excelled in films of various genres — mostly romantic. He owns Red Chillies Entertainment, a production banner through which he engages world-class technology to back his films.

On the film front, he is known for movies like Darr, Baazigar, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Devdas, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Chak De! India and Chennai Express. His latest film was Raees.

At SFILM, Shah Rukh will get a tribute along with John Ridley, Gordon Gund, Ethan Hawke and James Ivory.

The Justice M B Shah Commission has found no substance in allegations of corruption, including in land allocation to Tata Nano project, levelled by the Congress against Narendra Modi when he was the chief minister of Gujarat.

The Commission, whose report was tabled in the Legislative Assembly today, looked into the allegations which mostly pertained to allotment of land for major industrial and infrastructure projects including nine cases related to Tata Nano plant, Adani Group's Mundra Port and SEZ, and Larsen and Toubro.

"Public interest, particularly for the state of Gujarat, was a paramount consideration for inviting Tata to establish Nano project and automotive hub in the state of Gujarat. The said policy decision was taken in conformity with the central government policy of establishing automotive industry," the two-part report stated.

The report ran into more than 5,500 pages and has 22 volumes.

Congress leaders, including Shaktisinh Gohil and Arjun Modhvaida, had submitted a memorandum to the then President in July 2011, listing 17 allegations of corruption against Modi who was at the helm in Gujarat.

Modi had set up the panel under retired Supreme Court judge M B Shah in August 2011 to enquire into 15 out of 17 allegations, as remaining two were sub-judice.

The report was tabled in the House in the wake of repeated demands made by the Congress during the ongoing Budget session.

The Commission submitted to the government its first report in September 2012 on nine allegations related to the land allotments to various companies including Tata Nano in Sanand, Adani SEZ in Mundra and Larsan and Toubro in Hazira.

The second report related to another six allegations was submitted to the government in November 2013.

The panel has probed thirteen out of fifteen allegations, stating that "the subject matter of rest two is either in high court or supreme court".

As per the Assembly Secretariat, the state government provided only one copy of the report, which was kept in its library for everybody to view. MLAs were not provided with the copy of reports.

The commission has given separate reports on all the allegations, which form part of the overall report.

Broadly, in all nine cases of land allotment, the allegations of corruption cannot be substantiated as land was alloted as per the industrial development policies of the central and state governments, the report stated.

The Congress leaders had alleged that a concession of Rs 33,000 crore was given to Tata Nano plant for bringing it to Sanand from West Bengal where it was stuck.

As per the panel, Tata Nano project was not the only one to be provided with concession on allotment of land and other benefits in Gujarat and in other states.

"There is no substance in the allegations that Tata Motors Limited was favoured in anyway as contended," it said.

The panel also found no substance in allegations against the Modi government's decision to allocate lands to Adani Group for Mundra Port and SEZ.

The Justice M B Shah Commission has found no substance in allegations of corruption, including in land allocation to Tata Nano project, levelled by the Congress against Narendra Modi when he was the chief minister of Gujarat.

The Commission, whose report was tabled in the Legislative Assembly today, looked into the allegations which mostly pertained to allotment of land for major industrial and infrastructure projects including nine cases related to Tata Nano plant, Adani Group's Mundra Port and SEZ, and Larsen and Toubro.

"Public interest, particularly for the state of Gujarat, was a paramount consideration for inviting Tata to establish Nano project and automotive hub in the state of Gujarat. The said policy decision was taken in conformity with the central government policy of establishing automotive industry," the two-part report stated.

The report ran into more than 5,500 pages and has 22 volumes.

Congress leaders, including Shaktisinh Gohil and Arjun Modhvaida, had submitted a memorandum to the then President in July 2011, listing 17 allegations of corruption against Modi who was at the helm in Gujarat.

Modi had set up the panel under retired Supreme Court judge M B Shah in August 2011 to enquire into 15 out of 17 allegations, as remaining two were sub-judice.

The report was tabled in the House in the wake of repeated demands made by the Congress during the ongoing Budget session.

The Commission submitted to the government its first report in September 2012 on nine allegations related to the land allotments to various companies including Tata Nano in Sanand, Adani SEZ in Mundra and Larsan and Toubro in Hazira.

The second report related to another six allegations was submitted to the government in November 2013.

The panel has probed thirteen out of fifteen allegations, stating that "the subject matter of rest two is either in high court or supreme court".

As per the Assembly Secretariat, the state government provided only one copy of the report, which was kept in its library for everybody to view. MLAs were not provided with the copy of reports.

The commission has given separate reports on all the allegations, which form part of the overall report.

Broadly, in all nine cases of land allotment, the allegations of corruption cannot be substantiated as land was alloted as per the industrial development policies of the central and state governments, the report stated.

The Congress leaders had alleged that a concession of Rs 33,000 crore was given to Tata Nano plant for bringing it to Sanand from West Bengal where it was stuck.

As per the panel, Tata Nano project was not the only one to be provided with concession on allotment of land and other benefits in Gujarat and in other states.

"There is no substance in the allegations that Tata Motors Limited was favoured in anyway as contended," it said.

The panel also found no substance in allegations against the Modi government's decision to allocate lands to Adani Group for Mundra Port and SEZ.

The 2016 Rio Olympics silver-medalist PV Sindhu stunned Saina Nehwal by 21-16, 22-20 to enter the semi-finals of the India Open 2017 Superseries badminton event in New Delhi on Friday.

The two leading shuttlers from India last faced each other back in the 2014 edition of the India Open, where Saina outclassed Sindhu in straight sets.

With the victory on Friday, Sindhu has avenged her past defeat.

The 21-year-old Indian will now face Seoul’s Sung Ji Hyun, who is seeded second in the tournament, in the semi-final.

Top-seeded Carolina Marin will lock horns against Japanese shuttler Akane Yamaguchi in the second semi-final.

Sindhu begun the sparkling quarter-final aggressively and clinched the first game by 21-16. Saina appeared struggling to make a proper contact with the shuttle.

Although the London Olympics bronze-medalist started the second game positively and had the game point in the end, Sindhu made a dramatic comeback to level the game at 20-20.

Following that, Saina lost her momentum and made a mistake, smashing the shuttle out of the court to help Sindhu seal the match.

President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday said Assam, which is emerging as economic hub of India, is perfectly positioned to become the corridor of the country to the ASEAN nations as the 'Act East' policy takes forefront.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 'Namami Brahmaputra' festival here, Mukherjee said India would soon celebrate 25 years of its link with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

He said the country's traditions, including the teachings of Assam's great scholar and social reformer Shankaradev, never allowed the practice of intolerance.

The President said South East Asia is an important destination for India's investment and trade.

Stating that Assam has "immense development potential", Mukherjee added the inland water transport system in the National Waterways can change its economic scenario.

"The development of this national waterway can give Assam access to international ports like Chittagong in Bangladesh.

This will give Assam an exposure to international trade and commerce. With the Act East Policy taking forefront, Assam is perfectly positioned to become the corridor of the country to the ASEAN nations," he said.

Mukherjee hailed Assam's richness in natural resources and its hardworking people to underline that all it needed was "strong drive, right policies and effective implementation." 

"We have to join hands to make the dream of Bharat Ratna Gopinath Bordoloi – first Chief Minister of Assam becoming a front runner in the field of socio-economic progress– a reality," he said.

The President said Assam has overcome a prolonged spell of insurgency and the central government is supportive in rebuilding the state.

However, he added that it was now time for Assam to emerge as a business hub and take centre stage in the socio-economic scenario of the country.

"It is time for this state to establish its enduring mark in the international economic domain as the link between the North Eastern part of the country and the ASEAN nations," he remarked.

The President said the Brahmaputra river, which is the lifeline of Assam and the region, is intertwined into the economy, culture and day-to-day life of the people of the areas through which it flows.

He also complimented the state government for having started 'Namami Brahmaputra' as an annual festival to showcase Assam's culture as well as potential.

"Starting of 'Namami Brahmaputra' as an annual festival will popularise the natural beauty and holy character of this river," he said

The apex organisation of teachers in the country, All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO) on Friday announced that it would launch a countrywide agitation in April as its demand of making the Report Seventh UGC Pay Review Committee public has been overlooked by UGC and Ministry of HRD.

According to AIFUCTO, the Seventh UGC Pay Review Committee which had an HRD ministry official on its panel submitted its report to the Ministry on 22 February and excerpts of the report have appeared in media.

A memorandum regarding this will be submitted to the UGC secretary and the HRD Minister by all the state and university affiliates of AIFUCTO in the first week of April and on 19 April “All India Demand Day” will be observed.

"The unprecedented secrecy on the report by the government of India is creating great confusion among the teachers fraternity of university and colleges," AIFUCTO general secretary Arun Kumar said.

"It is a matter of deep regret that neither the UGC nor the MHRD had any dialogue with the largest teachers' body of the country," he said.

He added that despite its repeated efforts, the federation has failed to get the report made public.

"In spite of repeated requests for discussion with the MHRD, no response has been received as yet. This is in gross violation of established and transparent democratic practices by previous governments," said Kumar.

A delegation of Indian parliamentarians led by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan left for Dhaka on Friday to attend the 136th assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union to be held April 1-5.

"During the assembly, a general debate on the overall theme of 'Redressing Inequalities: Delivering on dignity and well-being for all' will be held. Speaker Mahajan will address the assembly during the general debate," an official statement said.

The agenda of the assembly also includes an "emergency item" relating to a major event of international concern on which it appears necessary for the IPU to express its opinion.

The requests for inclusion of the emergency item were made by member countries Mexico and Britain.

"One of our delegates will participate in the discussion on emergency item," the statement added.

The assembly will also witness a meeting of women parliamentarians in which Sushmita Dev and Dola Sen will represent India. Sushmita Dev, along with Deepak Adhikari, will also participate at the meeting of the forum of young parliamentarians where the members will share their views from youth perspective.

Mahajan and other delegates will attend a meeting of IPU's governing council which will also be held during the assembly as well as a meeting of the Regional Asia-Pacific Group.

The Indian delegation also comprises parliamentarians NK Premachandran, Kirit Premjibhai Solanki, Viplove Thakur, Anil Desai, Nagendra Singh, Raj Kumar Singh and Lok Sabha Secretary General Anoop Mishra.

Hundreds thronged the RBI here with old demonetised notes to grab new ones on the last day of official exchange on Friday but most people returned home disappointed.

Bank officials and security personnel turned away many because the facility was only for those who were abroad during the demonetisation as well as Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).

Even many eligible claimants failed to reach the bank counters as they could not produce the required documents.

A senior citizen, AS Sahani, fumed that he was not aware of the documents the Reserve Bank of India was demanding.

"I came back from the Middle East a few days ago. I have come to exchange some old notes. But I have been told by the security personnel that I can't go inside as I do not have a certificate from the Customs which I was supposed to get when I landed. However, I was not told about it when I landed," Sahani said.

Ngahhoikim, a working professional from Manipur, was in Europe for about a year. When she came back to India, she too was not told about the Customs certificate.

"I showed them my passport, visa, tickets. However, the bank officials want the Customs' certificate. How can I get it now? Should not passengers be informed about it on their arrival?"

As there were hardly any officials to communicate with the crowd, the situation outside the RBI turned chaotic. People openly expressed their anger and desperation with one another and with media persons.

Despite persuasions and warnings by security personnel, people were not ready to vacate the place — in the faint hope that they may secure entry into the bank.

Kapil Gupta and Navin Garg angrily asked RBI officials if they should burn the old notes since the bank was not accepting them.

"After my grandmother died, we found a few old notes in her cupboard. The bank is not ready to accept them. What am I supposed to do?" one of them asked.

Following the commotion, RBI officials announced that the facility to exchange the demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 was available only for those who were outside India during the note ban as well as NRIs.

But many kept pleading with the security and bank officials to get their old notes exchanged.

A senior citizen, Nasreena, had come from Faridabad in Haryana to exchange old notes totalling Rs 14,000.

"I could not exchange the notes earlier as my husband and I were not keeping well for long. If the bank does not allow me to exchange, I will lose all my savings," Nasreena complained.

At one point, a senior RBI bank official pleaded with the people to go home.

"The bank cannot exchange their notes any more," the official said.

At 3 p.m., the entry of NRIs was halted as their deadline to exchange old notes expires only on June 30. From then, only those who were outside India during the note ban and had valid documents were let in.

English football will revisit one of it’s most heated rivalries when Liverpool host Everton in the English Premier League on Saturday in the latest instalment of the Merseyside Derby and with the sides struggling with injuries, there are plenty of selection dilemmas for both managers.

The Reds are six points ahead of their arch rivals and a win at Anfield will, in all probability, finish off the Toffees’ chances of qualifying for the Champions League.

However, this is the 50th Meryseyside Derby of the English Premier League era and the sides will be fired up on the momentous occasion as they seek to get one over the other.

Liverpool
No Adam Lallana, and if recent reports are true, then captain Jordan Henderson will miss out as well. So Jurgen Klopp has a bit of a reshuffle to do in midfield and who he brings in Lallana’s stead will prove key. Will he change his 4-3-3 formation to accommodate the talented but injury prone Daniel Sturridge up top or will he bring in the industrious Divock Origi?

Both players have their unique skill sets, but while Klopp has a midfield/forward line selection headache, his defence aren't faring quite well either. All of them are fit, but none seem to be up to the mark from a defensive standpoint. So with the Premier League’s top-scorer (Romelu Lukaku) visiting Anfield, Klopp may have to shift James Milner back in midfield in a bid to protect his defence.

The home team aren't short on firepower themselves as their front three of Sadio Mane, Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino should have a field day against Everton’s injury-wrecked defence come Saturday.

Everton
If Klopp has injury issues, his opposite Ronald Koeman would argue he is worse off as during the dreaded international break, he lost two defenders: Seamus Coleman and Ramiro Funes Mori.

Coleman’s loss, in particular, is a big blow as the marauding full-back’s presence gave the Toffes an extra dimension in attack and as a result, Liverpool might wreak havoc on the that flank.

Koeman will take heart from the fact that the Reds midfield will have a makeshift feel to it and if Morgan Schneiderlin and Idrissa Gueye can choke the home side’s supply, Everton just might nick this.

In great form at the moment, Lukaku will be a marked man on Saturday as the visitors hopes will be riding on him as he remains a focal point of all Everton attacks. The burly Belgian, however, can’t do everything on his own. And a coming-of-age game is required from the supremely talented but inconsistent Ross Barkley if Everton are to clinch three points

Schneiderlin is a slight doubt but should recover in time for the short trip. Yannnick Bolasie, James McCarthy and Mo Besic remain unavailable.

Super Stat: This is the 196th league game between the clubs, with the Reds having won 75 to the Blues' 57.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday appointed party spokesperson Anil Baluni as the national head of its media department.

Baluni would replace Shrikant Sharma, who is now Uttar Pradesh Power Minister.

The BJP has also appointed Bihar MLC Sanjay Mayukh as co-head of the media department.

"BJP President Amit Shah has appointed Anil Baluni as BJP national media head and Sanjay Mayukh as sub-head," party General Secretary Arun Singh said in a statement.

A new political party, the People's Democratic Front (PDF), has been floated in Meghalaya and it will contest the 2018 assembly elections, the PDF announced on Friday.

However, the PDF is yet to decide whether to have a pre-poll or post-poll alliance with the ruling Congress or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"We are yet to decide whether to have an alliance with any of the political parties as our objective is to win assembly elections and form a government of our own," PDF Working President Emlang Lyttan said.

Saying the PDF was launched on March 1, Lyttan told the media that its formation followed a series of deliberations on various issues concerning the state.

"The state government has failed on several issues, be it tackling corruption, unemployment, land management, labour, agriculture and so on. Therefore, a group of responsible citizens felt there is a need for a vibrant system of governance," Lyttan said.

At least two Maoist guerrillas were arrested and two IED bombs were recovered in Jharkhand on Friday, police said.

According to police, the two Maoist guerrillas hailed from Tamar village of Khuti district. The arrested Maoists include Ram Mohan Munda. 

Police recovered one revolver and incriminating documents from the arrested Maoists.

In Bokaro, state police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in a joint operation recovered two improvised explosive devices each weighing 20 kg. Police also recovered 105 electronic detonators.

Legendary sarod player Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his sons Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash will be the headlining the Singapore Peace And Harmony Concert on May 14.

They will perform at the Shrine Auditorium in Singapore.

In a joint statement issued on Friday, the brothers said: "People of India and the world need to join hands to create a peaceful and harmonious environment for the younger generation. As artistes, we belong to no religion but stress on the importance of promoting unity through our music.

"In our country, every classical musician is worshipped like goddess Saraswati. If we can't help others through our music then what good is our gift? We need to think seriously about a better tomorrow for today's generation."

The concert is organised by S&R Dance and Events.