The Morning Filter: 11 CMs in Ayodhya

1. President Kovind to visit Bangladesh for 50th Victory Day celebrations In his first trip abroad since the COVID-19 outbreak, President Ram Nath Kovind will embark on a three-day visit to Bangladesh starting on Wednesday for the celebrations of its 50th Victory Day and liberation in Dhaka and to represent India as the guest of honour. 2. Finance Minister expected to reply to the debate on Supplementary Demands for Grants (Second Batch) 2021-22 Opposition members in Lok Sabha accused the Modi government of doing little for people-centric schemes and to reduce fuel prices, and charged it with selling the family silver. Initiating a discussion on Supplementary Demands for Grants (Second Batch) 2021-22, Shashi Tharoor said the COVID-19 pandemic combined with the government's "short-sighted" policy decisions ushered in a period of "uncertainty" for the economic revival of India. The finance minister is expected to reply to the debate on Wednesday. 3. Group Capt Varun Singh's condition continues to be 'critical but stable' The condition of Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor of the IAF helicopter crash near Coonoor, continues to be "critical but stable", officials said. Group Captain Singh is undergoing treatment at a military hospital in Bengaluru. 4. 11 CMs of BJP-ruled states to offer prayers at Ram Janmabhoomi Eleven chief ministers of BJP-ruled states will offer prayers at the makeshift temple at Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya on Wednesday. Protocol officials of the 11 Chief Ministers and three Deputy Chief Ministers reached Ayodhya on Tuesday. The Chief Ministers were expected to arrive in Lucknow from Varanasi on Tuesday evening and after a night stay in the state capital, reach Ayodhya by 11 am on Wednesday, a senior district official said. 5. EC team to visit Punjab to assess poll preparedness Kickstarting its tour to assess preparedness of poll-bound states, a team of the Election Commission would visit Punjab from Wednesday. This would be the Commission's first visit to a state going for assembly elections early next year. After visiting Punjab on Wednesday and Thursday, the Commission could visit Goa sometime next week and Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Manipur later. 6. Schools for classes 1 to 7 to reopen in Mumbai Schools for students of classes 1 to 7 will reopen in Mumbai and Pune this week, over 20 months after they were shut for in-person learning due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent imposition of restrictions, officials said on Tuesday. 7. SC to hear pleas pertaining to local body poll in Maharashtra The Supreme Court Tuesday said it would hear on Wednesday the matter in which it had last week stayed till further orders the local body election in Maharashtra on seats reserved for the Other Backward Classes. 8. Three-day winter session of U.P. Assembly to begin The brief winter session of Uttar Pradesh Legislature will begin here on Wednesday to take the second supplementary grants for the financial year 2021-22 and a vote-on-account for the various ambitious projects. 9. 2nd phase of zila parishad, panchayat samiti polls in 4 districts of Rajasthan Voting for the second phase of the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections in Baran, Kota, Ganganagar and Karauli districts of Rajasthan will be held on Wednesday. 10. FM to hold pre-Budget consultations with stakeholders Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will kick start the customary pre-Budget consultation exercise with stakeholders from Wednesday by holding the first such meeting with experts of agriculture and agro-processing industry. 11. I-League | Deccan FC stand in way of Real Kashmir second successive Shield triumph I-League debutants Sreenidi Deccan FC, with their resolute and compact defence, stand in the way of Real Kashmir's bid for a second successive title when the two teams clash in the IFA Shield final in Kolkata on Wednesday. 12. ISL | Litmus test for Chennaiyin FC defence against leaders Mumbai City FC Chennaiyin FC will have to be at their best to halt the Mumbai City FC juggernaut and remain unbeaten when the two sides clash in a marquee Indian Super League match in Margao on Wednesday. Morning Filter will return tomorrow. Follow up on the day’s biggest stories and get concise analysis by The Hindu with the Evening Wrap newsletter. [logo] The Morning Filter 15 DECEMBER 2021 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Morning Filter newsletter, your guide from The Hindu on the major news stories and events to follow today. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Here are the latest updates and the big news stories to follow today 1. President Kovind to visit Bangladesh for 50th Victory Day celebrations In his first trip abroad since the COVID-19 outbreak, President Ram Nath Kovind will embark on a three-day [visit to Bangladesh]( starting on Wednesday for the celebrations of its 50th Victory Day and liberation in Dhaka and to represent India as the guest of honour. 2. Finance Minister expected to reply to the debate on Supplementary Demands for Grants (Second Batch) 2021-22 Opposition members in Lok Sabha accused the Modi government of doing little for people-centric schemes and to reduce fuel prices, and charged it with selling the family silver. Initiating a discussion on Supplementary Demands for Grants (Second Batch) 2021-22, [Shashi Tharoor said]( the COVID-19 pandemic combined with the government's "short-sighted" policy decisions ushered in a period of "uncertainty" for the economic revival of India. The finance minister is expected to reply to the debate on Wednesday. 3. Group Capt Varun Singh's condition continues to be 'critical but stable'  The condition of Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor of the IAF helicopter crash near Coonoor, continues to be "critical but stable", officials said. Group Captain Singh is undergoing treatment at a military hospital in Bengaluru. 4. 11 CMs of BJP-ruled states to offer prayers at Ram Janmabhoomi Eleven chief ministers of BJP-ruled states will offer prayers at the makeshift temple at Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya on Wednesday. Protocol officials of the 11 Chief Ministers and three Deputy Chief Ministers reached Ayodhya on Tuesday. The Chief Ministers were expected to arrive in Lucknow from Varanasi on Tuesday evening and after a night stay in the state capital, reach Ayodhya by 11 am on Wednesday, a senior district official said. 5. EC team to visit Punjab to assess poll preparedness Kickstarting its tour to assess preparedness of poll-bound states, a team of the Election Commission would visit [Punjab]( from Wednesday. This would be the Commission's first visit to a state going for assembly elections early next year. After visiting Punjab on Wednesday and Thursday, the Commission could visit Goa sometime next week and Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Manipur later. 6. Schools for classes 1 to 7 to reopen in Mumbai Schools for students of classes 1 to 7 [will reopen in Mumbai and Pune]( week, over 20 months after they were shut for in-person learning due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent imposition of restrictions, officials said on Tuesday. 7. SC to hear pleas pertaining to local body poll in Maharashtra The Supreme Court Tuesday said it would hear on Wednesday the matter in which it had last week stayed till further orders the local body election in Maharashtra on seats reserved for the Other Backward Classes. 8. Three-day winter session of U.P. Assembly to begin The brief winter session of Uttar Pradesh Legislature will begin here on Wednesday to take the second supplementary grants for the financial year 2021-22 and a vote-on-account for the various ambitious projects. 9. 2nd phase of zila parishad, panchayat samiti polls in 4 districts of Rajasthan Voting for the second phase of the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections in Baran, Kota, Ganganagar and Karauli districts of Rajasthan will be held on Wednesday. 10. FM to hold pre-Budget consultations with stakeholders Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will kick start the customary pre-Budget consultation exercise with stakeholders from Wednesday by holding the first such meeting with experts of agriculture and agro-processing industry. 11. I-League | Deccan FC stand in way of Real Kashmir second successive Shield triumph I-League debutants Sreenidi Deccan FC, with their resolute and compact defence, stand in the way of Real Kashmir's bid for a second successive title when the two teams clash in the IFA Shield final in Kolkata on Wednesday. 12. ISL | Litmus test for Chennaiyin FC defence against leaders Mumbai City FC Chennaiyin FC will have to be at their best to halt the Mumbai City FC juggernaut and remain unbeaten when the two sides clash in a marquee Indian Super League match in Margao on Wednesday. [underlineimg] Morning Filter will return tomorrow. 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