The demonetisation move has resulted in a huge decline in revenues of various states and the worst affected sector is the real estate space. According to recent data compiled by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) from 13 states, the total stamp duty collection is down by Rs.2,015 crore during November and December 2016 compared with the same period a year ago. This indicates a combined average fall of 20 per cent in 2016 against 2015.

The real estate sector had been witnessing a slowdown for the past three years, but the slowdown induced by demonetisation has halted deals. Apart from lower demand of housing due to high prices, most transactions involved in this space are in cash (in the black-white ratio). In the absence of cash, the construction companies' sales came to a grinding halt.

Maharashtra is the largest property market in the country because of the financial hub Mumbai and other metro cities like Pune, Nagpur and Aurangabad. During the two-month period (November and December), stamp duty tax collection income of the state in 2016 has declined by 25 per cent to Rs 3,067 crore. The fall of Rs.1,036 crore in stamp duty collection in Maharashtra contributes roughly to a 51 per cent fall in all states.

With inventories piling up, developers have deferred their plans to launch new projects. Moreover, they have put on hold all construction activities at the site as they are unable to pay daily wages to labour due to cash shortage.

Smaller places like Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Punjab have also suffered a major setback. Stamp duty collection is down by 41 per cent in Punjab followed by 39 per cent in Bihar, 26 per cent in Andhra Pradesh and 24 per cent in Chhattisgarh.

Arvind Subramanian, chief economic adviser, in the Economic Survey 2017-18, defended demonetisation, stating that the aim of the entire move was to bring down real estate prices.

“Real estate you do see a blip in prices, sales and launches and of course some of it may be adverse to the economy but in the long run, some of that could be good because aim of demonetisation is to bring down real estate prices,” Subramanian said.

The demonetisation move has resulted in a huge decline in revenues of various states and the worst affected sector is the real estate space. According to recent data compiled by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) from 13 states, the total stamp duty collection is down by Rs.2,015 crore during November and December 2016 compared with the same period a year ago. This indicates a combined average fall of 20 per cent in 2016 against 2015.

The real estate sector had been witnessing a slowdown for the past three years, but the slowdown induced by demonetisation has halted deals. Apart from lower demand of housing due to high prices, most transactions involved in this space are in cash (in the black-white ratio). In the absence of cash, the construction companies' sales came to a grinding halt.

Maharashtra is the largest property market in the country because of the financial hub Mumbai and other metro cities like Pune, Nagpur and Aurangabad. During the two-month period (November and December), stamp duty tax collection income of the state in 2016 has declined by 25 per cent to Rs 3,067 crore. The fall of Rs.1,036 crore in stamp duty collection in Maharashtra contributes roughly to a 51 per cent fall in all states.

With inventories piling up, developers have deferred their plans to launch new projects. Moreover, they have put on hold all construction activities at the site as they are unable to pay daily wages to labour due to cash shortage.

Smaller places like Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Punjab have also suffered a major setback. Stamp duty collection is down by 41 per cent in Punjab followed by 39 per cent in Bihar, 26 per cent in Andhra Pradesh and 24 per cent in Chhattisgarh.

Arvind Subramanian, chief economic adviser, in the Economic Survey 2017-18, defended demonetisation, stating that the aim of the entire move was to bring down real estate prices.

“Real estate you do see a blip in prices, sales and launches and of course some of it may be adverse to the economy but in the long run, some of that could be good because aim of demonetisation is to bring down real estate prices,” Subramanian said.

The United Nations has called on Pakistan and Afghanistan to work together to counter the threats and challenges that terrorists crossing borders pose to the countries' security.

"We have repeatedly tried to get the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan to work together on dealing with the problems that both countries face. This is a challenge that has crossed borders in terms of the presence of different terrorist entities, and we have tried to make sure that the countries can cooperate in their efforts to deal with their mutual threat," UN Secretary General's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters here on Friday.

He was responding to questions about complaints from Pakistani officials that Afghanistan was not doing enough to prevent militants from taking sanctuary there and launching attacks in Pakistan.

Haq said the UN mission in Afghanistan tries to support the government in its efforts to face threats posed by groups like the Taliban, al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS), which took responsibility for a suicide bombing at a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province that killed 88 people.

The United Nations has condemned the bombing and called for swiftly bringing the perpetrators to justice.

The United Nations has called on Pakistan and Afghanistan to work together to counter the threats and challenges that terrorists crossing borders pose to the countries' security.

"We have repeatedly tried to get the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan to work together on dealing with the problems that both countries face. This is a challenge that has crossed borders in terms of the presence of different terrorist entities, and we have tried to make sure that the countries can cooperate in their efforts to deal with their mutual threat," UN Secretary General's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters here on Friday.

He was responding to questions about complaints from Pakistani officials that Afghanistan was not doing enough to prevent militants from taking sanctuary there and launching attacks in Pakistan.

Haq said the UN mission in Afghanistan tries to support the government in its efforts to face threats posed by groups like the Taliban, al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS), which took responsibility for a suicide bombing at a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province that killed 88 people.

The United Nations has condemned the bombing and called for swiftly bringing the perpetrators to justice.

Indias Achanta Sharath Kamal pulled off a nerve-wracking 11-4, 10-12, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 9-11, 13-11 victory over sixth seed Paul Drinkhall of England to surge into the semi-finals of the 2017 ITTF World Tour India Open at the Thyagaraj Stadium here on Saturday.

The seven-time national champion and World No. 62 had to pull out his prime defensive game to outwit and outlast Drinkall, a multiple medal winner in the last two Commonwealth Games.

It proved to be a battle of nerves and patience as Drinkall slowed down the pace of the contest, keeping the ball short while also loading it with devastating spin. He wasn't allowed to play his natural, attacking game and had to rely on each other's errors to win every point.

Sharath began on a strong note, racing away to a 11-4 win in the opening game. But Drinkhall quickly got his game together and frustrated and stunned Sharath with his well thought out tactics. He won the next two games 12-10, 11-9 to put the pressure entirely on the Indian, who had the full backing of a heavily invested crowd.

The 34-year-old Sharath began to look for openings to attack from that stage, and came back strongly to win the next two 12-10, 11-9. 

He jumped to a 3-0 lead in the next game but allowed Drinkhall to catch up with him. He again went up 6-4 but then conceded four points to lose the psychological advantage. Drinkhall rode on the momentum to take the sixth game and place the match on the edge.

By now, the crowds were on the edge even though he made a strong start in the decider, going up 2-0 and 3-1. But Drinkhall fought back and took a commanding 8-5 lead. Sharath continued to attack and it helped him get stay in the contest. He saved two match points and a couple of forehand drives saw him emerge triumphant. 

He will take on Japan's 14-year-old sensation Tomokazu Harimoto, who beat the eighth seeded Robert Gardos of Austria 4-11, 11-7, 11-8, 8-11, 12-10, 11-6 earlier in the day. 

Earlier in the day, top seed Ovtcharov Dimitrij of Germany survived a scare to advance into the semi-finals after a gruelling 7-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8, 4-11, 6-11, 12-10 victory over Yuya Oshima of Japan.

The World No. 5 German who came into the match without dropping a game in this tournament, could not get the desired start and lost the opening game 7-11. He regained his composure to win the next three games 11-8, 11-6, 11-8 to move into a strong position.

Down 1-3 and staring at the bottom of the barrel, the 39th ranked Japanese upped the ante to take the next two games 11-4, 11-6 to restore parity. 

With the scores tied, both the players displayed great tenacity and got involved in a neck-to-neck battle. However, it was the German who prevailed 12-10 to move into the last four stage.

He will now take on the third seeded Koki Niwa of Japan who sealed his berth in the semis by registering an easy victory over qualifier Tianyi Jiang of Hong Kong.

In the women's singles competition, eighth seeded Wing Nam NG of Hong Kong beat Goergina Pota of Hungary 11-9, 11-6, 12-10, 8-11, 11-3 to set up a semi-final clash against sixth seeded Sakura Mori of Japan who beat Tze Wing Mak of Hong Kong 11-6, 13-11, 10-12, 11-6, 11-7.

Indias Achanta Sharath Kamal pulled off a nerve-wracking 11-4, 10-12, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 9-11, 13-11 victory over sixth seed Paul Drinkhall of England to surge into the semi-finals of the 2017 ITTF World Tour India Open at the Thyagaraj Stadium here on Saturday.

The seven-time national champion and World No. 62 had to pull out his prime defensive game to outwit and outlast Drinkall, a multiple medal winner in the last two Commonwealth Games.

It proved to be a battle of nerves and patience as Drinkall slowed down the pace of the contest, keeping the ball short while also loading it with devastating spin. He wasn't allowed to play his natural, attacking game and had to rely on each other's errors to win every point.

Sharath began on a strong note, racing away to a 11-4 win in the opening game. But Drinkhall quickly got his game together and frustrated and stunned Sharath with his well thought out tactics. He won the next two games 12-10, 11-9 to put the pressure entirely on the Indian, who had the full backing of a heavily invested crowd.

The 34-year-old Sharath began to look for openings to attack from that stage, and came back strongly to win the next two 12-10, 11-9. 

He jumped to a 3-0 lead in the next game but allowed Drinkhall to catch up with him. He again went up 6-4 but then conceded four points to lose the psychological advantage. Drinkhall rode on the momentum to take the sixth game and place the match on the edge.

By now, the crowds were on the edge even though he made a strong start in the decider, going up 2-0 and 3-1. But Drinkhall fought back and took a commanding 8-5 lead. Sharath continued to attack and it helped him get stay in the contest. He saved two match points and a couple of forehand drives saw him emerge triumphant. 

He will take on Japan's 14-year-old sensation Tomokazu Harimoto, who beat the eighth seeded Robert Gardos of Austria 4-11, 11-7, 11-8, 8-11, 12-10, 11-6 earlier in the day. 

Earlier in the day, top seed Ovtcharov Dimitrij of Germany survived a scare to advance into the semi-finals after a gruelling 7-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8, 4-11, 6-11, 12-10 victory over Yuya Oshima of Japan.

The World No. 5 German who came into the match without dropping a game in this tournament, could not get the desired start and lost the opening game 7-11. He regained his composure to win the next three games 11-8, 11-6, 11-8 to move into a strong position.

Down 1-3 and staring at the bottom of the barrel, the 39th ranked Japanese upped the ante to take the next two games 11-4, 11-6 to restore parity. 

With the scores tied, both the players displayed great tenacity and got involved in a neck-to-neck battle. However, it was the German who prevailed 12-10 to move into the last four stage.

He will now take on the third seeded Koki Niwa of Japan who sealed his berth in the semis by registering an easy victory over qualifier Tianyi Jiang of Hong Kong.

In the women's singles competition, eighth seeded Wing Nam NG of Hong Kong beat Goergina Pota of Hungary 11-9, 11-6, 12-10, 8-11, 11-3 to set up a semi-final clash against sixth seeded Sakura Mori of Japan who beat Tze Wing Mak of Hong Kong 11-6, 13-11, 10-12, 11-6, 11-7.

The US and Singapore on Thursday discussed various issues, including ways to resolve the South China Sea dispute as per the international law during a meeting between the defence ministers of two countries.

During a meeting between US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and Singapore Minister of Defence Ng Eng Hen, on the margins of the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, the two leaders also discussed the challenges posed by terror group ISIS.

They discussed shared interest in regional stability, the rule of law and the importance of regional architecture and the US-ASEAN relationship, said Secretary of Defence Spokesperson Commander Sarah Higgins.

"With regard to the South China Sea, the two reaffirmed the importance of the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law," Higgins said.

They discussed a range of mutual security interests, including cooperation on maritime security and countering violent extremism from terrorist organisations such as ISIS.

"The secretary expressed appreciation for Singapore hosting US forces and emphasized the importance of its contributions to the counter-ISIS coalition," Higgins said.

Mattis also met Kurdistan Regional Government President Masoud Barzani, during which they discussed the latest developments in the Mosul operation and the key role Peshmerga forces have played in the counter-ISIS fight.

The US and Singapore on Thursday discussed various issues, including ways to resolve the South China Sea dispute as per the international law during a meeting between the defence ministers of two countries.

During a meeting between US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and Singapore Minister of Defence Ng Eng Hen, on the margins of the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, the two leaders also discussed the challenges posed by terror group ISIS.

They discussed shared interest in regional stability, the rule of law and the importance of regional architecture and the US-ASEAN relationship, said Secretary of Defence Spokesperson Commander Sarah Higgins.

"With regard to the South China Sea, the two reaffirmed the importance of the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law," Higgins said.

They discussed a range of mutual security interests, including cooperation on maritime security and countering violent extremism from terrorist organisations such as ISIS.

"The secretary expressed appreciation for Singapore hosting US forces and emphasized the importance of its contributions to the counter-ISIS coalition," Higgins said.

Mattis also met Kurdistan Regional Government President Masoud Barzani, during which they discussed the latest developments in the Mosul operation and the key role Peshmerga forces have played in the counter-ISIS fight.

Describing the importance of innovation across agriculture and industries, Union Minister of State for Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSME) Giriraj Singh on Saturday said the iconic Ambassador brand of Hindustan Motors has left the country due to lack of innovation.

CK Birla-controlled Hindustan Motors, recently executed an agreement with Peugeot SA on Friday to sell the Ambassador brand including trademarks to the French auto maker for a consideration of Rs 80 crore.

"Hindustan Motors' iconic Brand Ambassador went to other people because there was lack of innovation," he said at an awards ceremony for MSMEs organised by Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Ambassador brand was born in 1957 when the auto maker launched the Morris Oxford series II (Landmaster) in a new one and it was being produced at Uttarpara unit.

Singh described innovation in agriculture and MSME sector as a must for economic progress and urged all to come forward to draw up a policy framework on the same.

He said in order to make MSME companies more viable and also to encourage firms to migrate to company format, the central government proposed to reduce the income tax for smaller companies with annual turnover upto Rs.50 crore to 25 per cent.

As per data of assessment year 2015-16, there are 6.94 lakh companies filing returns of which 6.67 lakh companies fall in this category and therefore, 96 per cent of companies will get this benefit of lower taxation, the latest budget presentation said.

This will make our MSME sector more competitive as compared to large companies, Singh said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has confirmed his participation in the UN Vesak Day celebrations in Sri Lanka in May, a Sri Lankan minister was quoted as saying.

"Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has confirmed his participation in UN Vesak Day celebrations which will be conducted in Sri Lanka this year," Minister of Justice and Buddha Sasana Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said, the Colombo Page reported. 

"We are going to celebrate the thrice blessed day on a grand scale," Rajapakshe added. 

The UN Vesak Day will be observed in Sri Lanka to mark the birth, enlightenment and passing away of the Buddha who founded Buddhism.

This is the first time Sri Lanka has been given the opportunity to host this festival.

Many world leaders have been invited to the first ever United Nations' Vesak Day celebrations to be held in Sri Lanka on May 12 this year.

Over thousand representatives from India, China, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Tibet, Bhutan, Mongolia and other countries where Buddhism is practiced are expected to participate in the event.

Ahead of Prime Minister Modi's visit, Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar is paying a visit to Sri Lanka from February 18 to 20, during which a wide range of bilateral issues will be discussed.

"The visit will continue the tradition of close exchanges with Sri Lanka that has gained momentum in the last two years," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a briefing in New Delhi earlier. 

"He will interact with the Sri Lankan leadership for discussions on possibilities of collaboration and cooperation in a number of sectors, including power, highways, airport, hydrocarbon sector, etc," he said. 

"The visit would help in taking stock on various decisions taken during the meetings between the two leaderships," he said.

The Indian Foreign Secretary's visit comes as a team from the Export-Import Bank of India was in Sri Lanka to monitor the progress of projects under India's Lines of Credit (LoC) scheme, particularly in the railway sector.

The team visited sites of the Northern Railway Rehabilitation Project, including Kankesanthurai Railway Line, Omanthai-Pallai railway line, etc., apart from evaluating the signalling and telecommunication systems installed under the LoC, the Indian High Commission said in a statement.

The Line of Credit (LOC) is a financing mechanism through which India's Exim (Export-Import) Bank extends support for export of goods and services from India. Between 2008-15 Exim Bank has disbursed $11,678 million as LOCs for various development related and capacity building projects across continents. 

India has provided concessionary credit facilities amounting to about $800 million to Sri Lanka to undertake the Northern Railway Rehabilitation Project. Engineering and construction company IRCON International implemented the project, including track upgradation and setting up of signalling and communication infrastructure.

The Exim Bank team also called on Sri Lanka Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva and senior officials in several Sri Lankan ministries of such as Railways, Department of External Resources, Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs, etc.

The Indian High Commission said it remains committed to strengthening its bilateral relationship with Sri Lanka through closer economic ties, enhancing connectivity and continued development partnership. 

Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny launched a presidential campaign in Siberia on Saturday despite a conviction that prevents him from facing President Vladimir Putin in the 2018 presidential elections.

Navalny was handed a five-year suspended sentence by a Russian court on February 8 for embezzlement at a local timber company, an offence for which he had already been sentenced in 2013, Efe news reported.

"There is no doubt that the sentence will remain firm, but I also have no doubt that we will revoke it in the European Court of Human Rights," Navalny said when he opened his election office in Novosibirsk, a key Siberian city.

The opposition leader, who on Friday appealed his conviction, said that he will also appeal to the Constitutional Court to repeal the law that prevents candidates with criminal record from running for election, Efe news reported.

He also said that he wants to become the presidential candidate of all opposition to the Kremlin, not only for the most critical extra-parliamentary parties.

"I think the right thing would be to present a single candidacy," he said adding that if he participates in those primaries and lost, he will support the winner.

However, Communists, Ultra-nationalists and the Social Democrats, the only three opposition parties with parliamentary representation, have already rejected his proposal to introduce a single candidate.

Navalny, who announced his candidacy for the presidency in December 2016 before his conviction, will soon open another office for his campaign in Yekaterinburg, capital of the Urals, but he will not do so in either Crimea or Chechnya due to police pressure.

Security checks at the Jaipur airport were raised for a delicate consignment rushed from SMS Hospital in a cordoned route. The consignment containing heart of a cadaver donor was received with the same urgency on arrival and Delhi and taken to AIIMS where it was transplanted in a young recipient. As the civic and medical teams came together, a dying young man was able to save four others across two cities. 

The understanding and sacrifice also made it possible the first liver transplantation operation in the state. "The liver has been successfully transplanted in a recipient while kidneys from the donor have been transplanted in two other patients" informed the SMS Hospital on completion of the operations. 

Health minister also congratulated the medical authorities for making the operations possible. "We are optimistic that such coordination and persuasion will make more such transplants possible." Said health minister Kalicharan Saraf. 

Cadaver transplant has become a possibility recently due to development in medical services and rise in awareness towards organ donation. In the recent incident the donor a 26 year old was bread winner for his family. Yet in their loss his relatives agreed to donate his organs after they were convinced of him being brain dead. 

Hanging fire for four years after the Congress government in Himachal cancelled the 28 acres land leased to Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust, Yoga Guru Ramdev’s ambitious project in Solan district may finally see the light of the day.

After the state cabinet decided to consider restoration of land leased to the Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust on Friday provided the Trust withdrew the case against the government’s earlier decision of cancellation, a spokesperson of the Trust showed willingness to do the same.

“The Himachal government has taken a positive step for the benefit of people of state, who will get employment and other benefits,” Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust’s spokesperson, SK Tijarawala said.

“The state government had earlier taken a decision motivated by politics. If it is correcting the things now, we have no problems in withdrawing the court case. We were correct earlier also and are so, now. We stand vindicated,” he told The Statesman.

A couple of days before the state cabinet took up the matter, Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh had indicated in media that no irregularity had been found in allotment of land granted on lease to Baba Ramdev’s Trust.

Singh had said the government had looked at the issue afresh and had reached on the conclusion that there was no violation.

The government’s ‘U’ turn on the issue has much more to it than meets the eye, as the lease of land to Ramdev’s Trust in Solan district by the previous BJP government was at the centre of state politics during the assembly polls in 2012.

The Congress, while in opposition previously, had listed it as a major point in its chargesheet against the then BJP government.

In 2010, the then BJP government had allotted land on lease to Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust, Haridwar (Uttarakhand) for establishing a branch of Yog and Ayurved related Medical Science Research and Health, Tourism and production of herbal medicinal plants at Sadhu Pul in Solan. The project was likely to generate employment for 5000 persons initially and the number could further go high later.

The lease agreement for 99 years involved a payment of Rs 17 lakh by the Ramdev Trust, along with a token payment of Rupee one per annum during the lease period.

However, immediately after coming into power, the Congress government had cancelled the Trust’s lease agreement in February 2013, claiming that the land rules were violated in the grant of lease.

Following this, the Trust, which had by then invested Rs 11 Crore on the land allotted to it, had filed petition in the High Court, alleging serious discrepancies in the state government’s move to cancel the lease.

The High Court had stayed the government action at the facility created on the land allotted to the Trust and had stopped the Police to take possession of the land.

Five months after he quit Jammu and Kashmir's ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP), Tariq Hameed Karra on Saturday joined the Congress. He attacked the central government for "mishandling" the situation in the state and vowed to fight "fascist forces" and the "RSS menace".

Karra slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders for "politicising" the army.

Karra said: "When we floated PDP in 1999, our basic declaration was against fascist forces and how we should take the state out of slumber."

"But after the 2014 assembly elections, the PDP, which had sought votes against (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi's polarization politics, joined hands with him," he said. 

"That decision forced me to distance myself from the party," Karra said.

He also said that he tried to distance himself from the PDP even when the late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was Chief Minister. "I had started giving them warnings and suggestions," he said.

"I had told them it is not in the interest of the state and Indian polity that we give space to such people and such parties who have been engaged, since pre-Independence, in putting the social fabric of the country into jeopardy," he said.

While accusing the central government of mishandling the situation in the valley last year, Karra said: "When the 2016 unrest started BJP-PDP in connivance mishandled the situation and people of the state."

"They jailed people, they killed people and even blinded the children," he alleged.

"Thus my conscious did not allow me to remain in the PDP and I resigned," he said.

Karra resigned from the party on September 16, 2016.

He said he was "quite happy and elated" after learning of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi's ideas of bringing out Jammu and Kashmir from "slumber". 

He vowed to fight "fascist forces" and the "RSS menace" from the state and elsewhere in the country, which he said has "created divisions" in society. 

He also said that Army chief General Bipin Rawat's remarks were "politically motivated". "The force is to save the sovereignty of the country, and politicising the army is very unfortunate."

Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Karra said: "With full respect to the highest chair of Prime Minister and Prime Minister's Office, a small man is sitting on a big chair."

In another development, Congress leader Ambika Soni attacked Minister of State Jitendra Singh for "politicisng" the remarks of the Army chief and said, "He politicised the issue." 

"If they were so much concerned about the army, then they should tell why the retired army personnel are sitting on hunger strike for the last two years over the One Rank One Pension issue?" she asked.

Questioning the logic behind the recent demonetisation by the Centre, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday demanded the Narendra Modi government to make public the complete data of black money received by government since the implementation of the initiative.

AAP’s state convener, Gurpreet Singh Waraich said that Prime Minister (PM) Modi is directly responsible for the problems being faced by common people due to demonetisation.

He said that the farmers, traders, and small retailers are constrained to stand in long queues outside the banks due to demonetization which has immensely damaged their business.

The party on Saturday held demonstrations at the various places in Punjab against Modi government's decision of demonetisation.

Questioning Pm Modi over his utterances that demonetisation will give sleepless nights to the hoarders of black money, while the common man will lead a peaceful life, Waraich said that the move of the Union government has completely derailed the life of the common man.

 “Does the PM think that these farmers, retailers, daily wagers and common people standing outside banks are corrupt?” he asked.

Waraich said that in order to eliminate corruption, the corrupts should be targeted. PM Modi is busy in waiving off the loans of billionaires which includes Vijay Malaya whose loan of Rs.1200 Crores has been waived off.

The  AAP leader said that more than 150 people have died throughout country because of the demonetisation but Modi has not said even a word about the loss of these lives. 

He said that has Modi realized his mistake and rolled back the decision, the people were saved from facing misery.

Waraich said that apart from traders and businessmen, the farmers faced a lot of difficulties as they had no cash to buy seeds and fertilizers.

The PM has destroyed the trade, agriculture and business with his decision, he said.

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard is to conduct military drills next week, a senior commander announced on Saturday, despite warnings from the United States and fresh sanctions over a ballistic missile test.

"The manoeuvres called 'Grand Prophet 11' will start Monday and last three days," General Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the force's ground units, told a news conference.

He said rockets would be used without specifying which kind.

In early February, Iran conducted drills involving short-range missiles at a time of heightened tensions with the United States.

The Islamic republic said the exercises were aimed at demonstrating Iran's "complete preparedness to deal with the threats" and "humiliating sanctions" from Washington.

US President Donald Trump slapped fresh sanctions against Tehran's weapons procurement network following a ballistic missile test on January 29.

"Iran would do well to look at the calendar and realise there's a new president in the Oval Office. And Iran would do well not to test the resolve of this new president," Vice President Mike Pence said earlier this month.

New Pentagon chief James Mattis, for his part, has branded

Iran "the single biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world".

Iranian officials have rejected the threats emphasising that the missile programme is purely defensive.

More snowfall may occur in the high hills of Himachal Pradesh, the Met office said on Saturday.

Hills of Shimla, Kullu, Sirmaur, Chamba, Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts are likely to experience heavy snowfall till Sunday, an official from the meteorological office here said.

The official said the western disturbances – storm systems originating from the Caspian Sea and moving across the Afghanistan-Pakistan region – are likely to remain active in the region.

Most of the prominent tourist towns like Shimla, Narkanda, Kufri, Kalpa, Dalhousie and Manali are likely to have rainfall, he said.

However, hills near picturesque tourist resort of Manali like Solang ski slopes may experience more snow.

Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district was the coldest place in the state with a low of minus 0.8 degree Celsius. It was five cm of snow.

Shimla saw a low of 11.4 degrees Celsius, whereas the maximum temperature settled at 20.4 degrees Celsius.

It was three degrees Celsius in Kalpa in Kinnaur district, six in Manali and 10.8 degrees Celsius in Dharamsala, where Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama lives.