|
|
|
|
|
India News
New Delhi September 3:
If a person suffers permanent disability in an accident caused by a vehicle, the compensation due to him should be computed taking into account not only the victim's present earnings but also future loss of income, Supreme Court has ruled.
The SC distinguished between claim for damages and compensation and said damages were given for an injury whereas compensation stood on a slightly higher footing. While damages were given for atonement of injury caused, the intention behind compensation was to put back the injured party as far as possible in the same position as if the injury has not taken place, by way of grant of pecuniary relief, it said.
The case before a Bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly was of a painter, Yadava Kumar, who in a road accident in Karnataka suffered 30-40% permanent disability preventing him from resuming his profession or even taking up manual labour. The high court had granted him a compensation of Rs 72,000 rejecting his plea to consider the future loss of income as he could no longer do painting jobs. The SC took serious view of this incompassionate approach of the HC.
Justice Ganguly, writing the judgment for the Bench, said, "In this case, the approach of the HC in totally refusing to grant any compensation for loss of future earnings is not a correct one." While ordering National Insurance Company to pay Kumar Rs 2 lakh, which was computed by the SC after taking into account future loss of earnings, Justice Ganguly said, "In the determination of the quantum of compensation, the court must be liberal and not niggardly in as much as in a free country, law must value life and limb on a generous scale."
It added, "It goes without saying that in matters of determination of compensation, both the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal and the courts are statutorily charged with a responsibility of fixing 'just compensation'. It is obviously true that determination of a just compensation cannot be equated to a bonanza. At the same time, the concept of 'just compensation' obviously suggests application of fair and equitable principles and a reasonable approach on the part of the tribunals and courts."
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 3:
Acting on the directive of the Supreme Court, government today decided to release an extra 2.5 million tonnes of foodgrains to states for distribution among the poor but it will not not be free.
"As an interim ad-hoc measure, pending a final decision on the issue, the government is releasing an additional quantity of 2.5 million tonnes of wheat and rice to the states at a BPL price for next six months," Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar told reporters after a meeting of an Empowered Group of Ministers.
The meeting of the EGoM headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee came two days after the Supreme Court slammed Pawar for calling the court's Aug 12 on the issue as a suggestion.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
Amethi September 3:
Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi launched 3G-services in his parliamentary constituency, noting that telecommunication services play an important role in development as they can bridge the rich-poor and the rural-urban divide, party officials said.
Gandhi was accompanied by telecom expert Sam Pitroda. "Rahulji, who this (Thursday) evening launched 3G services in Gauriganj said if telecommunication services are made available to the poor than they would get a link to get connected with other sections of the society, which in turn will provide them with several opportunities in different fields," Congress spokesperson Akhilesh Pratap Singh told reporters.
"While launching the BSNL's 3G services, Rahulji called upon the telecom officials to focus more on expanding the telecom network in rural parts of the country so that villagers are equally benefited like their urban counterparts," he added. Pitroda called upon the BSNL officials to gear up in order to face the challenges from the private mobile phone and telecom operators.
"Pitroda said that a lot has to be done for improving the services of BSNL... According to him, the quality of the services being offered by BSNL at present cannot be rated as satisfactory," said Singh. Gandhi reached Amethi, his parliamentary constituency, Wednesday for a three-day visit. He left for New Delhi for a few hours Thursday to meet his mother and party president Sonia Gandhi. According to party officials, Gandhi participated in a Roza-Iftar party and met youth activists of the Congress party. Amethi is about 120 km from Lucknow
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 2:
Union Home Secretary G K Pillai on Thursday said the Bihar Government is trying its best to secure the release of the four policemen kidnapped by Maoists from Lakhisarai District.
Talking to reporters here, Pillai said: "The state government has been making all efforts to secure the release of the police personnel who have been taken hostage and we are hopeful that there would be an outcome to the negotiations." "The state government is now negotiating with the Maoists and, therefore, we are extending full cooperation. We hope that there would be a successful outcome," he added.
According to sources, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was also monitoring the progress of the operation with the CRPF. Meanwhile, several political parties and organisations, besides the relatives have appealed to the ultras to ensure the unconditional release of the policemen. The deadline set by Maoists for the release of their jailed comrades in exchange for kidnapped cops ends today.
The Naxals have threatened to kill the cops if their demands are not met. They want their jailed colleagues to be released and security forces withdrawn from Naxal areas. The four policemen - Mohammad Ehsaan, Rupesh Kumar Sinha, Abhay Prasad Yadav, Lokus Tete- were taken hostage on Sunday, during an encounter in the forests of Lakhisarai. Seven other policemen were killed and eleven others were injured.
The encounter began on Sunday evening when over 150 armed Maoists attacked search teams of the Bihar police that were combing the area after intelligence reports of Maoists'''' presence in the forest.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 2:
A Bill passed by Parliament giving equal right to women with regard to guardianship and adoption of children has got assent of President Pratibha Devisingh Patil.
''The President has assented to the Personal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2010 on August 31, 2010 and it is published in the Gazette of India as Act 30 of 2010 on September 1, 2010,'' said an official statement. The Act, cleared during the recently-concluded monsoon session of Parliament, has amended the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 and the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956 to free both laws from gender bias.
Under the new law, a mother can now also become a legal guardian of a child like the father and courts of law need not appoint any other person as a guardian of minor if either of the parents is fit for the purpose. Previously only the father was considered to be natural guardian of a child in a Hindu family for adoption and guardianship and only unmarried, divorced women and widows were allowed to adopt a child.
Now a mother with the consent of father and vice versa will also have equal rights to give in adoption of their children. Earlier, a married woman could not adopt a son or daughter merely on the basis of her marital status.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 2:
Chief Justice of India S H Kapadia, in bid to improve the image of judiciary and also to send signals loud and clear that nobody is above law, have permitted the CBI to interrogate the sitting High Court Judge of Uttarakhand, Justice Nirmal Yadav, for her alleged links in cash at judges door scam of Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Justice Yadav, was shifted to Uttarakhand High Court, when the former Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, reportedly expressed the view that no further investigation was needed in the case. In 2008, Sanjay Bansal a former additional advocate general, whose clerk by mistake took Rs 15 lakh in cash, which was to be given Justice Yadav, to the residence of another High Court Judge, Justice Nirmaljit Kaur, who called the police and lodged the complaint.
The FIR was registered by Chandigarh Police next day on August 14, 2008. The investigation was handed over to the CBI, who found evidences against Justice Yadav. Later, three Judge panel also held her guilty of misconduct on December 12, 2008. In January 2009, the CBI asked for sanction to prosecute her but the Union Government denied the same and on December 23, last year the CBI filed a closure report in a Chandigarh Court and Justice Yadav was shifted to Uttarakhand High Court in February this year.
The CBI is also investigating another case involving justice Yadav in a land deal in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh and her alleged links with four other accused in the case. With the decision of Justice Kapadia, CBI now can investigate both the cases.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 2:
The Supreme Court has ruled that a tenant of a Waqf property can be evicted only by a Civil Court and not by the Wakf Tribunal.
A bench comprising Justice Markandey Katju and Tirath Singh Thakur disagreed with the views of High Courts of Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Punjab and Haryana and also with the Waqf Tribunal, who have held that only Wakf Tribunal can order the eviction of a tenant as the jurisdiction of the Civil Courts is barred as per sections 6 and 7 of the Wakf Act.
Justice Thakur speaking for the bench ruled that the jurisdiction of the tribunal was limited to deciding whether or not a property was Wakf property and whether a Wakf was a Shia Wakf or Sunni Wakf and sections 6 and 7 of the Wakf Act barred jurisdiction of Civil Courts in the specifically enumerated circumstances. The apex court further ruled, ''The bar is not complete so as to extend to other questions that may arise in relation to Wakf property.
The contrary view expressed by the tribunal and the Andhra Pradesh High Court is not legally sound. Also, the view taken by the High Courts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Punjab and Haryana do not declare the law correctly and are over ruled.'' The ruling was handed down by the apex court yesterday on an appeal by three tenants of Wakf property whose eviction was ordered by the Andhra Pradesh Wakf Tribunal and their appeal was dismissed by the state High Court holding that the tribunal has the jurisdiction to decide all disputes pertaining to the Wakf property.
Allowing the appeals of the tenants, the apex court further said, ''The right, title and interest of a stranger (a non-Muslim), to the Wakf in a property cannot be put in jeopardy because that property is included in the list of Wakf. The Wakf Act permitted only the Wakf Board or the Mutawalli (caretaker) of the Wakf or a person interested in the Wakf to move a plea before the tribunal.''
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
Shimla September 2:
The central government has no roadmap to revive the three state-run vaccine producing plants in the country, shut in January 2008, a parliamentary panel has concluded.
In its report tabled in the Lok Sabha during its monsoon session last month, the panel said the sequence of events since the licences of the three units were revoked in January 2008 "clearly shows that their revival is not envisaged by the government in future".
The licences of the Central Research Institute (CRI) at Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh, Pasteur Institute of India in Coonoor in Kerala, and the BCG Vaccine Laboratory in Guindy, Tamil Nadu, were suspended by the union health and family welfare ministry on the ground that these were not adhering to the World Health Organisation (WHO) norms for manufacturing.
However, the government allowed the CRI Kasauli to restart production in April this year. The committee, that included Rajya Sabha member from Himachal Pradesh Viplove Thakur, said: "Every attempt was made to create hurdles so that the process of making them goods manufacturing practices compliant continues for long and their vaccine production remains suspended."
The prices of vaccines in the country have shot up with the closure of these units, it noted. "Within two years of closure of the units, the competitive prices of vaccines have shot up more than double. With rising prices of vaccines, expenditure incurred in the implementation of universal immunisation programme in the country would surely add to the burden of the public exchequer," said the report, a copy of which is with reporters.
The report also held that the decision to discontinue vaccine production was not guided by sound reasoning. "There is nothing substantial on record analysing the grounds on which the decision was taken," it observed. According to the committee, the production at the Pasteur Institute of India in Coonoor is likely to begin in December, but the ministry is silent on allowing the BCG Vaccine Laboratory in Guindy to restart production.
An official at the CRI Kasauli said the institute has restarted production of DPT, yellow fever and anti-sera vaccines. "The central government has allowed the institute to restart production but it's still not serious on overcoming the shortcomings in goods manufacturing practice," said an official on the condition of anonymity. Before the suspension, the 103-year-old CRI was manufacturing more than 15 vaccines including for diphtheria, measles, typhoid and tetanus.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 2:
The longest serving Congress party chief, Sonia Gandhi, is all set to be re-elected to the post as the last date of filing nominations for the top post of India's ruling party elapsed with Gandhi being the only contender.
Her name for the party chief's position was proposed by, among others, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and her son Rahul Gandhi, who is also a party general secretary and Member of Parliament. Other leaders of the party, including chief ministers Sheila Dikshit of Delhi, Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan and Bhupinder Singh Hooda of Haryana, also proposed Gandhi's name for the president's post.
The Prime Minister and Union Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had met Gandhi, along with Rahul, to seek her consent for continuing in the president's post. The nominations were submitted to chairman of the party's Central Election Authority, Oscar Fernandes, who is the returning officer for the poll. Scrutiny of nominations will be held on September 3, last date of withdrawal is September 10, and date of polls, if necessary, is September 17.
Counting of votes will be held on September 21. This is also the schedule for the election of the PCC presidents in various states. Electoral college for the Congress President's election comprises 7,946 PCC delegates. Gandhi is the longest serving Congress president after being elected to the post in April 1998, replacing late Sitaram Kesri. She has been able to maintain an unopposed election streak to the top post, barring once about a decade ago when senior leader Jitendra Prasada had contested against her but was defeated.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
Islamabad September 2:
A group of 100 Indian fishermen was released from a jail in the southern port city of Karachi today as part of a move by Pakistani authorities to free 442 fishermen who have completed their prison terms.
The fishermen were released from Malir Jail this morning and set off for Lahore to be repatriated to India, prison officials said. The fishermen are scheduled to cross over to India at the Wagah land border tomorrow. Pakistani authorities freed the first batch of 100 fishermen on August 30.
The third and fourth batches will be released on September 4 and 6. All the fishermen were arrested for violating Pakistan's maritime boundary. A majority of them were held in prison for periods of up to three years even after completing prison terms ranging from six months to a year.
Most of them hail from the coastal state of Gujarat. The government ordered the release of 442 fishermen who had completed their prison terms after the NGOs Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research and Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum filed a case in the Supreme Court. Former law minister Syed Iqbal Haider represented the petitioners in the Supreme Court.
At the last hearing of the case on August 26, the apex court asked the federal Interior Ministry to explain why 456 Indian fishermen were being held in jails in Sindh province even after they had completed their prison terms. Pakistani NGOs and rights activists like Ansar Burney have asked the Indian government to reciprocate the release of the prisoners by freeing over 100 Pakistani fishermen currently being held in Indian jails.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 2:
Despite the Congress distancing itself from his ‘saffron terror' remark, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram stood by it, saying there was no difference between the party and the government.
“I do not claim patent on the phrase ‘saffron'. It has been used by a number of other persons, including my colleagues in the UPA,” he said responding to questions, seeking a clarification on his remark made at the recent annual conference of State police chiefs and top police officials.
Asked about the Congress displeasure over his remark, Mr. Chidambaram, at his monthly press conference held here to give a report card of his Ministry, said: “Party is supreme.” However, sticking to his stand, he said the message behind the remark was that “right-wing fundamentalist groups are suspected to be behind some bomb blasts.” The remark brought the message home and the purpose was served.
Replying to queries on security arrangements for the next month's Commonwealth Games here, Mr. Chidambaram, who undertook a review of security measures, said all security overlays would be completed by September 15. While admitting that there were delays in implementation of several CWG projects by a number of agencies, he said making foolproof security arrangements was the primary responsibility of the Home Ministry.
Yet another security review would be held after September 15. Security agencies were likely to take over stadia and other venues on September 7. On the offer of dialogue with the CPI (Maoist), Mr. Chidambaram reiterated that the government stand of calling upon the outlawed organisation to abjure violence and come for talks. He said there was no “direct and credible response to our offer of talks.”
Asked if the recent killing of senior CPI(Maoist) functionary and spokesman Azad in Andhra Pradesh caused a setback to the prospect of holding talks, Mr. Chidambaram said there was no progress on this front. “It is not that talks will resolve this issue, but we cannot refuse to talk. It is for civil rights groups in Andhra Pradesh and others to take up the death of Azad, in a police encounter, with the State government. The Legislative Assembly has competence to take a view. We have asked for a report from the State government.”
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 2:
The Congress said it would bring a "chargesheet" against Uttar Pradesh's Mayawati government by collecting details of corruption allegations against the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party functionaries in each block of the state.
Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh, who is in charge of Uttar Pradesh, said here Wednesday that the party will undertake a year-long "yatra" (march) from Dec 28 this year in all the blocks of the state to collect information about allegations of corruption against Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MPs and legislators.
He said the "chargesheet" will be released ahead of the assembly polls in the state slated for 2012. The state Congress unit will also undertake the second phase of 'Sandesh Yatra' from Oct 2 to Nov 10. The yatra will highlight the performance of the Congress-led governments at the centre besides the "failures" of the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 2:
India will send its answers in a day or two to Pakistan on its queries about Pakistani American David Coleman Headley's visits to Indian cities prior to the 2008 Mumbai attack, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said.
"They gave a dossier on David Headley. We have furnished answers. The answers are being given to the ministry of external affairs and I am sure they will hand over the answers to Pakistan high commission either today or tomorrow," Chidambaram told reporters here.
He was asked about the 51 questions posed by Pakistan about Mumbai terror attack accused Headley, who is in US custody and was interrogated by Indian investigtors. Pakistan's interior ministry had last month sent a note relating to Headley and Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Haafiz Saeed and their role in planning the Nov 26-29, 2008 Mumbai attack that claimed 166 lives.
The questions also relate to Headley's nine trips to India and details about the people whom he met. The note asks whether the Indian government knew about Headley's visits and whether he was under surveillance at the time. It also seeks basic information like Headley's parentage, which is readily available with Pakistan, an official said.
The Pakistani note is in response to India's 10 dossiers, including three specifically relating to Saeed, about the involvement of Pakistani nationals in the Mumbai attack.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 2:
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal dismissed suggestions that Congress MP K. Keshava Rao had gone against the party by making critical remarks on a bill piloted by Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal in the Rajya Sabha, leading to it being deferred to the next session of parliament.
Bansal told reporters in response to questions that party members have a right to express their views and the question of going against the party comes only at the time of voting on a bill. Bansal said that Rao had Tuesday categorically said in the house that he was not opposing the bill.
However, Congress leaders chose not to react to Rao's speech, saying that such matters were dealt by the parliamentary party which had its own set up. During the Tuesday's debate on the Educational Tribunals Bill, 2010, which was later deferred to next session, Rao lambasted the minister, calling him a "first class file pusher" whose thoughts "run faster than (his) deeds".
He also said that none of the bills brought by the minister including the Right to Education bill had yielded the desired results. Sibal met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday evening. Sources said he raised the issue of "mismanagement" in the house. The sources said the decision to defer the bill was taken by the Congress floor managers after getting a sense that the bill will run into stiff resistance given the tone and tenor of speeches by the members.
The sources said that the government did not want to rush the bill through din and a division could have proved risky as the United Progressive Alliance lacks majority in the upper house. In his reply to the debate on the bill, which had been passed by the Lok Sabha, Sibal rejected the contention that it was brought in a hurry or the suggestions of the standing committee had been disregarded. He also said the bill will not have an impact on jurisdiction of states.
Sibal said that if the members wanted the bill to be deferred, he had no problems. The bill provides for establishment of educational tribunals for effective and expeditious adjudication of disputes involving teachers and other employees of higher educational institutions and other stakeholders (including students, universities, institutions and statutory regulatory authorities) and to adjudicate penalties for indulging in unfair practices in higher education.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 1:
Union Home minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday conceded that the government has not been able to stop the violence in Kashmir Valley.
Expressing concern at the situation, Chidambaram said, "Jammu and Kashmir continued to witness violent protests.......Our efforts to put an end to the cycle of violence are yet to bear fruit." He reiterated the government's appeal to all sections to come for talks to resolve their grievances.
"Government is willing to talk to all section of people from Jammu and Kashmir as well as all political groups to bring normalcy in the valley," he said. Chidambaram expressed hope that the government's initiatives will help restore normalcy in the state at the earliest. He pointed that the prime minister had convened an all-party meet of Jammu and Kashmir parties last month to find a solution to the problem.
Kashmir Valley has been on the boil since mid-June with 64 people killed till date as a result of clashes between stone-pelting mobs and security forces, who regularly have to restore to firing to control the situation.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 1:
Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha-both Houses of the Parliament-have passed 24 bills during this year's Monsoon Session (July 26-Aug 31).
The Session was originally scheduled to conclude Aug 27, but the sittings of both the Houses were extended by two days i.e. up to Aug 31 to transact essential Government Legislative Business. The Session provided 26 sittings of both the Houses of Parliament spread over a period of 37 days.
Addressing media on Wednesday, the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pawan kumar Bansal informed that during the Session, 26 Bills (18 in the Lok Sabha and 08 in the Rajya Sabha) were introduced. The Lok Sabha passed 21 Bills (including the minor amendment in trade marks Bill) and the Rajya Sabha passed 24 Bills during the session. Total number of Bills passed by both Houses of Parliament during the Session is 24.
One Bill, namely, the Representation of People (Amendment) Bill, 2006 was withdrawn in Rajya Sabha. The Statutory Resolution seeking approval of the Proclaimation issued by the President on June 1 under Article 356(1) of the Constitution in relation to State of Jharkhand, was discussed and adopted by both the Houses. Besides a Government Motion on the issues of Population stabilization in the country was also discussed in Lok Sabha.
During the Session, Supplementary Demands for Grants (General and Railways) for 2010-11 and Supplementary Demands for Grants relating to the State of Jharkhand for the year 2010-11 and their Appropriation Bills, were discussed and passed by the Lok Sabha. Thereafter, the Rajya Sabha considered and returned these Appropriation Bills.
In Lok Sabha, motion regarding inflationary pressure on the economy and its adverse impact on the common man moved by Sushma Swaraj, Leader of Opposition was discussed for about 9 hours spread over two days on August 3 and 4, and in Rajya Sabha, similar motion moved by Arun Jaitely, Leader of Opposition was discussed for about 8 hours spread over two days on August 4 and 5.
Thereafter, the Chair placed the Resolution urging upon the Government to take further effective action to contain its adverse impact on the common man, which was agreed to by both the Houses. Two Bills replacing the Ordinances, namely, the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2010 and the Securities and Insurance Laws (Amendment and Validation) Ordinance, 2010 which were promulgated by the President, were considered and passed by both the Houses of Parliament during the Session.
One Bill replacing the Ordinance, namely, the Jharkhand Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Ordinance, 2010, promulgated by the Governor was also considered and passed by both the Houses of parliament. In the Lok Sabha, Six Short Duration Discussion under Rule 193 were held on (i) delay in preparation for Commonwealth Games, 2010; (ii) Bhopal gas tragedy; (iii) illegal mining; (iv) atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes; (v) situation in Jammu and Kashmir; and (vi) flood and drought situation in the country. In the Rajya Sabha, Two Short Duration Discussion under Rule 176 were held on (i) Bhopal gas tragedy; and (ii) illegal mining in the country.
Besides, 7 Calling Attentions each in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were discussed. One Half-an-hour discussion in Lok Sabha and two Half-an-hour discussions in Rajya Sabha were also discussed.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 1:
The Supreme Court today set aside the interim order of the Allahabad High Court staying restoration of a district named after Dalit icon Chatrapati Shahuji Maharaj, carved out of Amethi Lok Sabha Constituency represented by Rahul Gandhi.
The apex court decided the issue in favour of Mayawati government on the ground that a similar petition was dismissed by the High Court on August 11.
A bench comprising Justices R V Raveendran and H L Gokhale said that the High Court bench which passed the interim order on August 18 should have taken into account the order of August 11 of its own bench. "Judicial propriety demanded that the High Court should have considered the final judgement of August 11. It could not have taken a different stand," the bench said.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 1:
The government will respond positively to suggestions from presiding officers of the two houses to prevent loss of time during question hour, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said Wednesday.
Bansal, who addressed mediapersons a day after the monsoon session of parliament concluded, said that the two houses can sit late to make up for time lost on account of disruptions but the loss of question hour cannot be made up. Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari Tuesday said that shifting the question hour to a time later in the day from 11 a.m. was an option that could be considered by the members.
Bansal said the government feels that the present system was fine but was open to any suggestions of the two presiding officers. He said the government wished that the Lok Sabha speaker and the Rajya Sabha chairman succeeded in their efforts to make question hour more productive. He rejected the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) accusation of poor floor management on several occasions in the two houses, and said that the main opposition had taken a u-turn in the house from its position outside the house.
"They have taken u-turns. I leave it to them to decide if it was bad floor management," Bansal said. The minister expressed "satisfaction" over the work done during the session. He said 21 bills were passed by the Lok Sabha and 24 by the Rajya Sabha besides discussions were held on several issues.
He rejected suggestions that there were differences within the ruling party on some bills, saying that the party members had never said that they had opposed a bill while articulating their views. "Congress was not a divided house," he said. Answering queries on the mock parliament in which many members took part, Bansal said it was the "most unfortunate event in the annals of parliamentary history".
He said never before had senior members taken it upon themselves to preside over the house and take up different roles. "I wish an incident like that had not happened..to cast a slur on fair name of democracy," he said.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 1:
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the leadership of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) were losing their grip over governance, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said Wednesday.
"Parliament's monsoon session revealed that there is a drift in the functioning of the government," said a joint statement here Wednesday issued by Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, leaders of opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, respectively.
"The prime minister's ability to govern effectively and contain several crises has taken a beating. The home minister (P. Chidambaram) is no longer pursuing his anti-Maoist line. The finance minister (Pranab Mukherjee) appeared to have preferred Mamata Banerjee's (Trinamool Congress leader) soft approach to Maoists," the BJP leaders said.
Addressing a press conference, organised to explain the party's performance during the monsoon session, Sushma Swaraj said: "The government reversed its decision and diluted provisions of the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Ordinance, 2010, within three weeks of its promulgation..." This, she said, "clearly showed that it could act under communal pressures only to help one single beneficiary. It is a classical case of vote bank politics by the UPA."
Jaitley said: "The BJP's performance in the session was a synthesis of opposition, when required, and cooperation, when the situation so warranted." Saying that the "government cut a sorry figure many a time in the session", he told reporters: "The PM decided not to actively participate in the session, except for a brief intervention on the nuclear liability bill."
Stating that there was "absence of floor coordination in the UPA", the BJP leaders said: "Individual ministers were concerned only with their own proposals and legislations". "The government had antagonised various sections of the house, which led to a strong polarisation against several measures the government had proposed." Sushma Swaraj said the BJP had three different responses tailored according to issues in the monsoon session.
On issues like the nuclear liability bill, the BJP cooperated with the government after the bill was altered to the party's satisfaction. It stood with the opposition parties on the inflation issue and forced the government to move a resolution acknowledging the popular concern. On some other issues, like the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the Enemy Property Bill, the BJP stood independent of the government and the other opposition parties and articulated its "own independent line", she said.
Asked whether the government was unable to carry the day and "save itself" because of the BJP stand, Swaraj said the party had functioned as an "effective opposition party". Jaitley added that "parliamentary obstructionism and cooperation" were part of the roles of an opposition party. Deputy leader of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha S.S. Ahluwalia and BJP general secretary Ravi Shankar Prasad also addressed the press conference.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 1:
US President Barack Obama is expected to address a joint sitting of both houses of parliament Nov 9, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said Wednesday.
Bansal told reporters here that the winter session of parliament is "likely to be advanced by a week" to Nov 8 and the US president would "most probably" address the joint session Nov 9.
Answering queries, Bansal said a decision on the dates of the winter session will be taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs and the date for the joint sitting would be fixed by the Speaker. The session, he said, is expected to last more than a month. The US president is scheduled to visit India in the first half of November.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 1:
Amid reports of China's deployment of troops in the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security to review China's recent posturing and India's options of dealing with it.
Senior Cabinet ministers, including Defence Minister AK Antony, Home Minister P. Chidambaram and External Affairs Minister SM Krishna were among those who attended the meeting. India's Ambassador to China S Jaishankar briefed the ministers at the meeting that discussed how best to deal with China's perceived aggressiveness towards issues critical to India's sovereignty.
The meeting came amid reports that China has deployed about 11,000 troops in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Jammu and Kashmir which has been held by Pakistan. The 90-minute meeting discussed the recent denial of a visa to a senior Indian general commanding the northern sector, which includes Jammu and Kashmir which is seen here as an attempt by China to question India's sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir.
India had put on hold defence exchanges after Beijing's refusal to allow the visit. The crucial meeting ended with a consensus among ministers to adopt a firm attitude towards China, specially over issues that question India's sovereignty over its territory, but agreed that the message should be conveyed in such a manner so as not to upset the larger relationship, sources said. The meeting also discussed what Krishna described in parliament as Beijing's "more than normal interests" in the Indian Ocean region. "The government of India has come to realise that China has been showing more than normal interest in the Indian Ocean affairs. So we are closely monitoring the Chinese intentions," Krishna told Lok Sabha.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 1:
Non-resident Indians (NRIs) will now have a right to vote in elections, with Parliament today passing the relevant bill, even as government promised to bring in comprehensive electoral reforms legislation soon.
Replying to a debate on the Representation of People (Amendment) Bill, 2010 to allow NRIs to exercise their franchise in Indian elections, Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said the government would hold a national consultation on comprehensive electoral reforms in two to three months. Rajya Sabha had passed the bill yesterday.
"The Ministry is making all round efforts for comprehensive electoral reforms and we want to hold a national consultation on it in two to three months time," Moily said, responding to the demand for complete electoral reforms from members. He said the Election Commission had in its report on electoral reforms made 22 recommendations of which six had already been implemented.
The rest of the recommendations, he said, were currently being examined by a department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee and it would be taken up for implementation later. Moily said the House had no "dispute" over the need for providing voting rights to NRIs, but members had views on the modalities for allowing that right, which would be addressed separately.
Describing the current amendment to the law as long-awaited, he said the current bill aimed to provide rights to those Indians, who had gone abroad for employment or education but have not obtained citizenship of the country they were residing now, to get registered in the electoral rolls and vote in elections to legislatures and Parliament.
Noting that 25 million Indians living broad were not able to participate in elections to the country's legislative bodies, he said 25 nations globally had accorded such a right to its citizens living away from home country and that this right would not be unique for India.
Responding to members' queries on the bill, Moily said internet voting was one option that the government would consider in the future once technical expertise and infrastructure was in place within the country, adding that such a facility was yet to be introduced in India. "Let us look forward to that day," he said, supporting the suggestion made by members.
He said NRIs would be allowed to register as voters in the constituency from where they had obtained their passports "to avoid multiplicity of registering in voters list." The Minister supported the option of registering in any constituency for NRIs irrespective of their passport address, but that issue would be resolved after finding a way to avoid "multiplicity" of registration.
On the coverage of the entire voting population under the Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC), he said that would have been the "ideal state" and that the government would make all efforts towards that. Earlier, participating in the debate, Uday Singh (BJP) said while the Election Commission had made comprehensive suggestions for electoral reforms, the government had chosen selectively those that suited them for implementation.
He also appealed to the Minister not to link registration in voters list to the passport address and allow their names to be included in electoral rolls in any constituency. Singh wanted the Unique Identity Card to be used voters identity and citizenship card. P T Thomas (Cong) wanted the Minister to clarify if NRIs would be allowed to contest polls. But the Minister had already clarified in the Rajya Sabha that it would not be permitted.
T K S Elangovan (DMK) wanted to know if the election officials would have powers to delete names of NRIs from voters list if they changed their passport address and if punitive action would be taken against them if they did so arbitrarily. B Mahtab (BJD) said it would be impossible for the NRIs to spend lakhs of rupees to visit India only to vote in elections and suggested that some other mode of voting should be allowed for them.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 1:
Expressing concern over the disruption of question hour in parliament, Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari said that there are plans to reschedule the one-hour slot to a later part of the day.
In his valedictory address in the Rajya Sabha, which adjourned sine die Ansari expressed anguish that disruption of question hour was taking place with "disturbing regularity". "The practice tramples on the rights of individual members, detracts from the dignity of parliament and has invited public criticism," he added. He said the current session, which ended had seen eight question hours "lost", while the house could not conduct business for five days.
"It may be noted that while the other time lost is compensated by sitting beyond the normal hours, it is only the question hour which is irretrievably lost in disruptions," said Ansari. He said that he will continue to consult members on the rescheduling of business in order to "strike a balance between expression of perceived concerns and the normal business for the day".
"One option is to start the proceedings with the zero hour at 11 a.m.and take up the question hour later in the day," Ansari suggested. The monsoon session of parliament had started July 26.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 1:
The Supreme Court pulled up union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar for saying that the court had only made a suggestion and not passed an order on distributing foodgrain "free" to the poor.
Referring to media reports attributed to Pawar wherein he said that the court only made a suggestion Aug 12 and the government would consider it, an apex court bench of Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Justice Deepak Verma told Additional Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran: "Tell your minister not to make any such comment."
The court said: "What we have said is an order and not a suggestion. Let him not misunderstand our order." Taking note of the existence of more than 2.5 lakh bogus ration cards in the country, the court said: "We have to develop a culture of zero tolerance towards corruption." The court said that unless immediate and urgent steps were taken, the ultimate effect will be on the poorest citizen who is deprived of legitimate entitlement to foodgrains.
"We must ensure that every poor person is ensured of two square meals per day," the court said. The court said that it was desirable to abolish the Above Poverty Line (APL) category. In case, this was not possible, the government should at least consider limiting it to households whose annual income is less than Rs.2 lakhs per year. The court said that it did not see any "rationale or justification" in providing subsidised food to card holders whose annual income is more than Rs.2 lakhs.
The court asked the central government to carry out fresh survey to get the correct and comprehensive picture of the people below poverty line (BPL), above poverty line (APL) and beneficiaries of the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY). The court said that the survey should be conducted as early as possible. This would give a "clearer picture of the targeted population in the categories of APL, BPL and AAY". The court said: "It would be desirable to make allocation according to 2010 population estimates."
A court commissioner in his report informed the court that 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat has already deteriorated in government warehouses and was not fit for human consumption. He also told the court that several lakh metric tonnes of wheat that had been procured has not been properly stocked. Taking note of the report, the court asked the central government to tell it what steps have been taken to save the remaining wheat procured by it but has not been property stocked.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 1:
Parliament passed a bill substantially hiking the salaries of MPs, with the government saying it would strive to evolve a permanent mechanism in consultation with members to decide on future increases in emoluments.
Replying to a brief debate in the Rajya Sabha on The Salary, Allowances and Pensions of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill 2010, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said there was near unanimity on the need for a mechanism to decide on future increases and the government will consult members on the way forward.
Members of the Left parties staged a walkout, saying that the government had failed to fulfill its past promise to evolve a mechanism to decide hikes in salaries. The bill, which the Lok Sabha passed Friday, raises MPs' salaries from Rs.16,000 to Rs.50,000 and doubles the daily allowance of Rs.1,000 for each day when parliament is in session or when house committees meet.
Besides, the constituency allowance of Rs.20,000 a month and an equal monthly office expenses allowance have been raised to Rs.45,000 each. The MPs' conveyance allowance will now be Rs.4 lakh from Rs.1 lakh earlier. The bill enhances the pension for former members from Rs.8,000 to Rs.20,000. The increase will be given with retrospective effect since the beginning of the current Lok Sabha, the 15th, which means MPs will get arrears from May 2009.
Bansal said there was some criticism every time a decision to hike the salaries was taken and the government will strive to evolve a better system. On demand of members for research hands, he said that the suggestion would be considered while taking a decision on the mechanism to decide future salary hikes. The minister said that the office allowance had been hiked so that members could benefit form having research support.
He said that the committee that had recommended the salary hike had gone into the entire gamut of issues. The minister said that demand of some members for making provisions for the travel of a companion will be looked into by the government. Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said a permanent mechanism should be set up to decide future salary hikes.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 1:
Amid growing concerns about Beijing's attempts to entrench its influence in India's neighbourhood, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said China has been showing "more than the normal interest" in Indian Ocean affairs and its "intentions" are being closely monitored.
"The government of India has come to realise that China has been showing more than the normal interest in the Indian Ocean. So we are closely monitoring the Chinese intentions," Krishna said in the Lok Sabha. "We are closely monitoring the developments in the Indian Ocean," he said, adding that "appropriate action and measures" would be taken to safeguard India's territorial integrity and the welfare of its fishermen.
Krishna's statement about Chinese intentions comes amid reports of Beijing's plan to build additional infrastructure in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and the deployment of its troops in Gilgit-Baltistan region of PoK, an area India regards as an integral part of Jammu and Kashmir. There have also been concerns here over what is seen as an attempt by China to enhance influence in India's neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Krishna was responding to a Calling Attention Motion on recent attacks on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, moved by T.R. Baalu of DMK. Airing concerns over the plight of Indian fishermen, Baalu said that when an Indo-Sri Lanka agreement was inked in 1974 on the Katchatheevu Islands, which falls in the Palk Strait and falls in Sri Lankan territory, the then external affairs minister Swaran Singh had said the rights of fishing and navigation have been safeguarded.
Under the agreement, Indian fishermen can rest and dry their nets during fishing in international waters. Baalu claimed that in 1976 the Indian fishermen's rights were affected when secretaries of India and Sri Lanka exchanged two sets of letters. "The letters became part and parcel of the agreement without taking parliament and the state government into confidence... it is a blow to the fishermen," he said. The Katchatheevu island, which originally belonged to India, fell within Sri Lankan territorial waters when the maritime boundary was redrawn in 1974 following an agreement between the then prime ministers of the two countries.
The DMK leader asked the government to revisit the agreement on Katchatheevu and step up patrolling in the waters to protect Indian fishermen from attacks by the Sri Lankan Navy. Krishna ruled out revisiting of the pact, saying "we cannot go back on the solemn agreement between two governments". Krishna said Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao is currently in Colombo and the issues relating to fishermen will be discussed.
"Sri Lanka is a friendly country, an aspect that is needed to be kept in mind," he said, adding he was planning to travel to the island nation in October when issues related to fishermen would be discussed.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 1:
The Rajya Sabha decided to defer the educational tribunal bill to the next session. The decision was taken with the consent of the house after Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal agreed to the demand made by several opposition members that the bill be deferred.
In his reply, Sibal rejected the contention of opposition members that the Educational Tribunals Bill, 2010 had been brought in a hurry or the suggestions of the standing committee had been disregarded. He also said the bill will not have an impact on jurisdiction of states. Sibal said that if the members wanted the bill to be deferred, he had no problems.
The bill provides for the establishment of educational tribunals for effective and expeditious adjudication of disputes involving teachers and other employees of higher educational institutions and other stakeholders (including students, universities, institutions and statutory regulatory authorities) and to adjudicate penalties for indulging in unfair practices in higher education.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 1:
The last two days of the monsoon session have turned out to be nightmarish for the ruling party. Not only did Opposition ensure that bills like enemy property amendments and prevention of torture were deferred, the prestigious education tribunals law did not make the cut either.
Somewhat unexpectedly for ruling party managers, the extended session did not yield the sort of gains they had been looking for. Instead of some serious legislative business, the government had to backtrack on several bills even as some important discussions like the one on Jammu and Kashmir in Lok Sabha were not replied to at all.
Apart from the enemy property amendments, the home ministry was put on the back foot over the NDMC and the prevention of torture bills. On the prevention of torture bill, meant to put India in sync with a 1975 UN convention, the government ran into opposition from both Left and the right. While the Left felt the bill was soft on the police, the other opinion felt it might demoralise the security forces.
While P Chidambaram had done his homework with BJP on the enemy property bill, he perhaps did not calculate on SP and RJD chiefs Mulayam Singh and Lalu Prasad upsetting his plans by denouncing the proposed law as "anti-Muslim". The ineffectual efforts by parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Bansal did little to mollify Mulayam and Co.
The education tribunals bill was dealt a lethal blow by Congress MP Keshava Rao who attacked the law in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The bill had faced some questioning in the Cabinet as well as some ministers felt it needed to address lower level of the education system. The bill also raised the ire of parties which felt it intruded onto the turf of states as education was on the concurrent list.
The decision of the HRD ministry to completely ignore all recommendations of the standing committee headed by Oscar Fernandess, a Congress leader, also did not go down well. The committee had particularly noted the lack of consultation with private institutions. Education interests are quite widely dispersed among the political class and this may have had a role to play in the debacle as well. Apart from the bills that did not make it, the government had to fend off charges that it had not prepared itself for the issues that rose on the floor of the House.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi September 1:
Defence cooperation between India and South Korea is poised to receive a major boost when Defence Minister A.K. Antony goes on a two-day visit to Seoul.
This is the first visit of an Indian defence minister to South Korea and is at the invitation of his counterpart, Kim Tae-young. "The visit is part of India's Look East Policy and a wide range of issues including defence cooperation for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and bilateral cooperation in research and development for manufacture of military equipment will figure prominently during the discussions between Antony and the top leadership of South Korea," a defence ministry statement said.
Antony will be accompanied by a high-level delegation including Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar, Vice Admiral R.K. Dhowan, Lt. Gen. K.T. Parnaik, Prahlada and Sundaram Krishna. The Indian delegation will also visit some of South Korea's defence establishments. Antony's visit has been planned as a follow-up of the joint declaration issued during the state visit of South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak to New Delhi in January when it was decided to elevate the bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership.
The foundation for the India-South Korea defence relations was laid in 2005 when the two countries signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in defence, industry and logistics. Yet another MoU on cooperation between the Coast Guards of the two countries was signed in March 2006. India had played a major role at the conclusion of the Korean war in 1953 when it deployed a brigade of troops to the UN peacekeeping mission that supervised the armistice that brought the conflict to an end.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
September
|
|
New Delhi August 31:
The Rajya Sabha today passed an amendment in the Representation of the People Act, 1950 by a voice vote providing for registration of Non-Resident Indians' names in the electoral rolls, giving them the right to vote.
The amendment is aimed at giving an opportunity of participation to the NRIs, who reside outside the country for employment, education and other reasons. The Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2010 moved by Law and Justice Minister M Veerappa Moily empowers the Electoral Registration Officer to include the names of NRIs in the electoral rolls in the constituency mentioned in their passports after proper verification.
The Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in February 2006 and was referred to the Standing Committee for its views. The Minister said the Bill does not confer on the NRIs the right to contest elections. While introducing the Bill, he said this was the demand of 25 million people residing outside India but holding Indian passports, adding that they should not be confused with People of Indian Origin and Overseas Citizens of India.
Many countries including developed and developing democracies like Canada, Germany, Italy, Australia, Argentina and Belgium have given such voting rights to their citizens, he stated. Initiating the debate on the Bill, BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said his party objected to the 'casual approach' with which the government had addressed the issue. The Bill was silent on whether these NRIs would be allowed to contest polls also.
The government, he said could not ensure a transparent voting system for soldiers who have the right to cast their votes but still only one per cent of them were able to do so. He further said the government had not given thought to anomalies like allowing convicts sentenced for less than two years of imprisonment to contest, but not to vote. The BJP member wanted to know whether the NRIs would be allowed to vote through internet.
Mr Shantharam Laxman Naik, Congress, said Kerala and Goa were the worst-affected states as far as denial of voting rights to the citizens was concerned. Mr Avtar Singh Karimpuri, BSP, welcomed the Bill but said the country should introspect why so many youths were looking for opportunities abroad. Mr Raghunandan Sharma, BJP, and Mr Bharat Kumar Raut opposed the Bill saying that they had reservations about it because obtaining passport on the basis of ration cards and telephone bill and getting listed as voter was very easy in India.
A good number of Bangladeshis were able to tilt the results the way they wanted in numerous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in bordering states, he alleged. ''One has to tread vary cautiously on this,'' he said. N Balaganga, AIADMK, P Achyutan, CPI, and Ram Kripal Yadav of RJD also took part in the debate.
Regarding various suggestions made by the members during the discussion, Mr Moily promised to bring in a comprehensive Bill on electoral reform soon and announced that he would constitute a committee for that purpose, and would be starting a national consultation on the proposed legislation in October.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 31,
|
|
New Delhi August 31:
Over 100 MPs of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha did not speak during proceedings in the House in the Monsoon Session.
According to PRS Legislative Research, 68 MPs from Lok Sabha and 35 from Rajya Sabha -- a total of 103 out of 707 excluding Ministers and the Speaker -- did not participate in either debates, private member's bills or pose any question. These are the figures for Monsoon session till last Thursday.
In the Lower House, 181 or 38 per cent of the lawmakers did not participate in any of the debates, which included those on price rise and civil nuclear liability bill. However, 22 MPs participated in more than ten debates and Samajwadi Party's Shailendra Kumar came out in flying colours with his participation in as many as 35. RJD's Raghuvansh Prasad is also in the top-five list in this regard.
Forty-two Lok Sabha MPs voiced their concerns in six to ten debates while 102 participated in three to five and 132 in one or two debates. In Rajya Sabha, 69 members did not participate in any of the debates while ten members marked their presence in more than ten debates. On questions, 117 Lok Sabha MPs did not ask any question while the figure in Rajya Sabha was 79. Forty-four Lok Sabha MPs asked more than 50 questions during this session while the number for Rajya Sabha was 24.
Forty-one MPs in Lok Sabha have an attendance of less than 50 per cent while 24 in Rajya Sabha have the same attendance. In Lok Sabha, 195 lawmakers have more than 90 per cent attendance while 98 in Rajya Sabha have crossed this mark this session. The PRS also said out of the 138 planned hours in Lok Sabha this year, productive hours were 116 hours which is 84 per cent of the total time.
However, Question Hour saw the maximum disruption in the Lower House as only 11 hours or 47 per cent out of 23 planned hours were productive. In Rajya Sabha, out of the 115 planned hours, 104 hours were productive. Thirteen out of planned 23 hours for Question Hour was productive in Rajya Sabha. The PRS also noted that the government planned to introduce 35 bills in this session but could bring only 17. It planned to pass 33 bills this session, but could clear only 14.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 31,
|
|
Washington August 31:
More than 60 countries have committed over $700 million in aid for Pakistan in contrary to belief that international community is not coming forward for the help of flood-affected people.
These countries would again be meeting on the margins of the UN General Assembly session in New York next month to take stock of the situation. “So far, over 60 nations have committed more than $ 700 million, including the $200 million (from the U.S.),” Dan Feldman, Deputy Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan said.
India has contributed $ 5 million, which is being routed through the United Nations aid relief effort. The UN, which had called for $ 460 million aid, has received about two-third of it from the international community. But as the crisis response moves from this relief phase to early recovery and then recovery and reconstruction phases, the US has calculated that the needs were going to be absolutely vast.
“We are going to continue to do our own assessments. There’s also going to be ongoing assessments by the ADB, World Bank: damage and needs assessment. As we get more and more of that data, we will continue to work very actively with the international community to ensure that we try to meet those needs as best as possible,” he said. Several countries of the world, he said, have come forward to provide helicopters.
“Afghanistan has provided four helicopters. Japan now has three helicopters on the ground, three more en route. The UAE has dispatched three helicopters as well as a C-130. Turkey has contributed a C-130,” he said. NATO has started flying missions to deliver food, relief supplies, using NATO-owned trainer cargo aircraft. NATO delivered 8 million metric tons of relief supplies donated by Slovakia last week.
“NATO’s now delivered -- and this has been facilitated through German government contributions and others. We continue to work closely with them to make sure that these relief supplies get there as quickly as possible,” he said. “Notable contributions just over the last week, not only came from EU, Australia, Canada, Germany, but from other OIC members, Algeria, Jordan, Uzbekistan, all announced new contributions -- China, Russia,” he said.
Carol Chan, Deputy Director, at US Office of Foreign Assistance, said International relief organizations were beginning to expand, gradually moving to Sindh and Punjab from bases in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Sindh is now becoming one of the major areas of greatest need, he said.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 31,
|
|
New Delhi August 31:
A Delhi court today granted bail to self-styled godman Shiv Murat Dwivedi accused of running a sex racket in the national capital.
"Accused Dwivedi is enlarged on bail on furnishing of a personal and surety bond of Rs 25,000 each," Metropolitan Magistrate Ravinder Singh said. However, the grant of bail in the case lodged under Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act will not enable Dwivedi, who is in jail since February 26, this year, to come out of jail as his another bail plea in a matter lodged under stringent MCOCA is still pending.
The court allowed the plea of M S Khan, counsel for Dwivedi, alias Ichchadhari Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj Chitrakootwale, that he deserved to be released on the ground of "parity" as other seven co-accused, including six alleged call girls, are already out on bail. "Charges against the accused have already been framed. The investigation in the case is over. Co-accused are already on bail," defence lawyer said.
Now, the court would record statements of witnesses on September 14 in the case lodged following the arrest six alleged call girls in February this year from a locality in South Delhi. Dwivedi and Praveen were nabbed subsequently. Besides the present case, Dwivedi and his aide Praveen have been booked under stringent MCOCA for running a sex racket here.
Police, however, are yet to complete the probe in the case lodged under MCOCA. Dwivedi allegedly amassed wealth by running the sex racket and during custodial interrogation of the self-styled godman, the police, at the instance of the accused, have recovered documents relating to properties, investments and bank details.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 31,
|
|
New Delhi August 31:
The issue of a two journalists in Gujarat allegedly egging a person to commit suicide in full public view to increase their channel's TRP, found an echo in the Lok Sabha.
Raising the matter during Zero Hour, Manish Tiwari of the Congress asked the government to come out with urgent and stringent steps to bring media out of the stranglehold of TRPs, that was affecting news quality. He said the media, the fourth pillar of democracy, was being badly influenced by 'TRPs' and 'paid news' which was detrimental to public life.
Mr Tiwari also sought the government's help ''to save the media'' as companies place their advertisements in channels only on the basis of TRPs, which is the primary source of revenue of the media world. ''Much as we discuss the issue of standards the news channels should maintain, vis a vis the news they are putting out, it is a bitter truth that they receive advertisements solely on the basis of their TRPs.''
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 31,
|
|
Jammu August 30:
Pakistan's spy agency ISI has floated a new terror outfit called Jammu Kashmir Mujahideen (JKM) in an apparent bid to camouflage the activities of the banned terror groups like the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba, says a militant who surrendered after returning from Pakistan administered Kashmir.
Liyakat Hussain surrendered before the Indian Army at the Line of Control (LoC) at Gotrian in Poonch sector Saturday. He had come along with his wife and three children. Liyakat, who was handed over to the state police Saturday evening, not only disclosed that Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officers regularly visited militants' training camps in Pakistan administered Kashmir, but also said that it had set up a new "tanzeem" or militant outfit, police sources said Monday.
The outfit has been given a name that gels with Jammu and Kashmir, unlike the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), which have pan-Islamic nomenclature. The two terror outfits are held responsible for many terror attacks in India and are said to be actively involved in terror plots in western countries. The two have been listed as banned groups by the US and Britain and their funds have been frozen in foreign countries.
Liyakat, who was one among 100 picked up for the new group Jammu Kashmir Mujahadeen, told the police that the group had highly trained militants who had worked with LeT and JeM and Hizbul Mujahideen, police sources said. The police are still interrogating Liyakat, seeking more information on the new outfit, the sources added. Liyakat had first gone to the other side in 1999, returned in 2000, and after staying on in Jammu and Kashmir for two years, went back along with wife Khalida in 2001, police said.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 30,
|
|
New Delhi August 30:
There was uproar in the Lok Sabha on Monday over a Bill to amend a law governing properties left behind by those who went to Pakistan during partition.
Members of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) protested and forced adjournment of the House for an hour. Raising the matter during Zero Hour, SP chief Mulayam Singh said the bill would snatch the rights of the Muslims who stayed back in India and went against a Supreme Court verdict, which had granted them the right over properties, which were left behind by their forefathers.
However, Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal said the government was bringing appropriate amendments to take care of the concerns raised by Mulayam Singh. AIADMK''s Munisamy Thambidurai, who was presiding the session, adjourned the house till 2 p.m. amid the din. The Bill makes it clear that courts would have no jurisdiction over occupation of properties, which have been left behind by those who went to Pakistan at the time of Partition. There are about 2,000 such properties in the country.
Earlier, in the day, both Houses were adjourned following pandemonium over the alleged misuse of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). As soon as the Lok Sabha met, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj accused the government of misusing the CBI. Swaraj demanded that the current session be extended by another day to enable discussion on the functioning of the CBI.
"This session should not end without a discussion on the functioning of CBI. The misuse of CBI to meet narrow political ends should stop," she said. Sushma Swaraj said the discussion assumes significance in the wake of allegations made by senior Gujarat IPS officer Geeta Johri that the CBI was "pressurising" her to name some top political leaders in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 30,
|
|
Kolkata August 30:
Union New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah Monday said Kashmir will remain an integral part of India and blamed Pakistan, without naming it, for fuelling unrest in the valley.
"Kashmir is an integral part of India and it will remain an integral part of India. People who are shouting azadi (independence) hardly know what azadi is all about. We have Armed Forces Special Powers Act (in force) at some places, not everywhere," said the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister.
"Some of the things have gone wrong, many young people have died. The number is 64. It is extremely tragic. This really upstages the whole thing," said Abdullah, while addressing a seminar in Kolkata. A total of 64 civilians have been killed in the valley in the wake of repeated clashes between security forces and civilians.
Abdullah is the senior-most leader of the ruling National Conference in Kashmir and his son Omar Abdullah is currently the chief minister of the trouble-torn state. Attacking Pakistan, Abdullah said it has always been "fishing in troubled waters". "First it started with guns, bombs and blasts killing people of my party, Congress and of all other political parties that believe in India.
This is a second path they have taken. None of these paths will succeed. I say these things from the depth of my heart. Do have faith in the people. As Bengal is an integral part of India so is Kashmir," said Abdullah. The valley, including Srinagar, has been on the boil since June 11 with protesters pelting stones at security forces and the clashes leaving 64 civilians dead.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 30,
|
|
New Delhi August 30:
The Supreme Court has allowed UP Chief Minister Mayawati's plea seeking postponement of hearing in the disproportionate assets case relating to her declared wealth going up from Rs one crore in 2003 to Rs 50 crore in 2007.
A bench comprising justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar adjourned the hearing in the case for four weeks after it was submitted on the BSP supremo's behalf that her lawyer was indisposed. In a fresh affidavit filed before the apex court, the CBI has said it has found cogent, credible and admissible evidence for prosecuting Mayawati in the case.
CBI's response had come after Mayawati's allegation that she was being discriminated against and that the probe agency should drop the proceedings against her in the wake of the Commissioner Income Tax (CIT appeal) order of April 5 and 19, 2010 giving her a clean chit in the case.
However, the CBI had countered her contention saying that the CIT (appeal) order has been challenged before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT). "It is submitted that the order of CIT (appeal) passed on April 5 and 19, 2010 with respect to the assessment year 2001-02 and 2002-03 have been challenged by the Income Tax Department in the ITAT and the matter is sub-judice.
"Since the I-T department has appealed against the order, therefore, the DA case cannot be closed just on the basis of these orders specially in the light of independent investigation carried on by CBI in which cogent, credible and admissible evidence has been collected," the CBI had said. CBI had contested Mayawati's plea that the probe agency was harassing her despite Commissioner Income Tax (CIT appeal) giving her a clean chit in the case, saying there were reliable and cogent oral and documentary evidences to prove the case.
"It is strongly denied that the case is based on surmises, conjectures or preconceived notions, rather the case is based on reliable and admissible evidence. "During the investigations conducted by the CBI, reliable and cogent oral, documentary and circumstantial evidences have been collected in support of the bogus nature of the gifts in the form of cash and other immovable assets claimed to have been received by the petitioner (Mayawati)," the affidavit said.
The CBI had said that the complexion of the matter has not changed in any manner following the CIT order and it has registered and carried out investigation of the DA case in pursuance of the apex court's order and has never overstepped its authority.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 30,
|
|
New Delhi August 30:
In his first interview since being incarcerated in a US jail nearly 10 days ago, Mumbai-based documentary film maker Vijay Kumar has claimed that he is a victim of racial profiling and is being harassed by US officials.
Speaking over phone from a detention centre where he was shifted from Houston county jail, Kumar, a strict vegetarian, claimed he skipped food in jail for two days as he was deliberately served non-vegetarian fare. Kumar's visa was revoked and he was declared an illegal visitor after he got bail from Houston county court.
Kumar was detained at Houston international airport while on his way to Vancouver, Canada after "behavioural detection officers" at the airport felt something was amiss with him. They pulled him in for questioning and were further alarmed when his baggage revealed publications dealing with Jihad and Islam. According to US authorities, his checked-in baggage from New Delhi revealed a pair of brass knuckles, prohibited by Texas state law, though not banned under US federal law.
However, Kumar was at pains to clarify that he posed no terror threat to the US. "While at Houston airport there was a last-minute change in my flight's departure terminal due to which I had to run a long way inside the airport. That's why I was sweating and furiously searching for my travel documents. The Transportation Security Administration officials then took me aside for interrogation.
Later, the FBI and sniffing dogs descended at the airport. I was handcuffed there itself and kept like that for 50 minutes in a car," the filmmaker revealed, reliving his nightmare. Kumar said he decided to carry brass knuckles after scanning the banned items list of TSA, and finding it didn't figure there. "My checked baggage passed through extensive screening both at Delhi airport and later at Frankfurt but I was unaware it is prohibited in Texas and so got into this problem," he added in a downcast voice.
When asked why he was carrying such an exhaustive collection of publications/books dealing with jihad, Kumar said he was researching jihadi terrorism and was headed to Vancouver to work out options for making a documentary. "I have been involved in making short films, documentaries on Muslim issues especially on how to bring misguided youths back into the mainstream, victimisation of Muslim women in India, their personal laws.
One of the books I was carrying was 'A Women Among Warlords' by Malalai Joya. It is ample testimony to my academic interest in this topic and doesn't make me a terrorist," he said, making an impassioned plea to the Indian government to intervene on his behalf. His fellow researcher Diksha Jyoti, a documentary maker herself, told media from Mumbai she was shocked how a film maker was being harassed by the US authorities. Jyoti said she had worked with him on a documentary on Muslim women and believes his detention is a result of a "huge misunderstanding".
"When my bail bond was lowered from $50,000 to $5,000 by the county judge, the authorities revoked my visa without charge and now keep me detained for being in the US illegally. On September 2, I have a hearing on this issue while on September 8, the county judge will take up my case," Kumar said when reporters asked when he saw himself walking out of jail.
He told media that though he was visited by India's consulate officials; they have been unable to do much except assure him of their support. "I fear as news spreads of my purpose, of researching Islamist groups and their jihadi agenda, I might be targeted by their agents," he said. Finally, on reports of his being a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Kumar conceded he had been part of the organisation but had "long disassociated" himself with it owing to ideological differences.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 30,
|
|
Sivaganga August 30:
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said the successive governments at the Centre had given significant importance to the growth of education in country for the last 63 years.
Inaugurating an Education Loan Mela for the students of Sivaganga and Pudukkottai Districts at Karaikudi, organised by the Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), he said, ''while basic education was very important, students should pursue higher education as IT alone could improve the standard of life.'' The UPA Government, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, introduced educational loan scheme in 2004 for the economically weaker students to pursue higher education, he added.
A total of 19,41,885 students from all over the country have availed education loans so far, of which, Tamil Nadu alone accounted for 5,63,429. He appealed to the student community make use of the educational schemes being implemented by the government.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 30,
|
|
Islamabad August 30:
Hundred Indian fishermen, including two minors, will be released from the District Jail Malir in Karachi on Monday morning and repatriated at Wagah 24 hours later.
They will be the first batch of 442 Indian fishermen in jails across Sindh province to be repatriated to India over the next week as per a ruling of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. According to a notification issued by the Home Department of the Sindh government on Saturday, the second batch of 100 fishermen will be released on September 2, the third batch of 101 on September 4 and the last batch of 141 on September 6.
Each batch will be repatriated through Wagah a day after their release from prison. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) had informed the court that 456 of the 582 Indian fishermen in Pakistan prisons had completed their sentence, the release orders of only 442 have been issued as yet. The Indian High Commission, according to the MoFA, had confirmed the nationality of all 456.
As for the status of the remaining 14 prisoners, whose release orders are yet to be issued, there was no clarity till Sunday evening. The Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research — who have been spearheading the campaign for the release of Indian fishermen who stray into Pakistan's waters — hope to get the issue sorted out quickly with the Sindh Home Department.
Majority of the Indian fishermen who are being released have spent almost three years in prison though the sentence is only for six months. After completion of their sentence, they languished in prisons due to procedural delays.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 30,
|
|
New Delhi August 30:
Rahul Gandhi is a hit on Facebook. He has a fan page following of 67,921 people, which could be among the largest for any leader in the country on the popular social networking site.
Mr. Gandhi's Facebook account, which the Congress says has not been created by him, has 4,999 friends listed in it. It has photographs and videos as well as regular updates.
Rahul's sister Priyanka Vadra too has a fan page, with 17,469 people listed as followers. Another page, titled “Priyanka Gandhi politician,” has 163 followers. Party president Sonia Gandhi has a page, which lists her as an author, with 1,283 people ‘liking' it.
There is another page that lists her as a ‘politician.' Chairman of the computer department of the Congress Vishwajeet P. Singh said some of the pages gave information taken from Wikipedia and are “definitely” not created by the office of either Mr. Gandhi or Ms. Gandhi.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 30,
|
|
Mumbai August 29:
A sessions court here has issued warrants against Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed asking the Uttar Pradesh police to produce the duo on September 23, as the Bombay High Court has admitted state’s appeal against their acquittal in the 26/11 terror attack case.
The warrants were issued on August 27 by Principal Sessions Judge M L Tahaliyani, who was also the trial judge in the same case. The High Court had on August 12 admitted an appeal filed by Maharashtra Government challenging the acquittal of Faheem and Sabauddin in the 26/11 terror attack case. The Court also ordered that in view of admission of state’s appeal both the accused may be produced before a sessions court here.
Accordingly, warrants have been sent to Uttar Pradesh police as Sabauddin is lodged in Lucknow jail while Faheem is kept in Bareilly jail. Both are entitled to seek bail after they are produced before a sessions court here, Crime Branch officer Ramesh Mahale told reporters here. Meanwhile, the High Court would tomorrow hear the matter pertaining to confirmation of death penalty given to lone surviving Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab in the 26/11 terror attack case.
Kasab’s lawyers Amin Solkar and Farhana Shah have not yet filed appeal challenging the death penalty awarded to the Pakistani terrorist. “We might seek time from the High Court tomorrow as the appeal is not ready,” said Mr. Solkar. Faheem and Sabauddin are lodged in separate prisons in Uttar Pradesh in connection with a case of firing at CRPF camp in Rampur, according to government’s counsel Ujjwal Nikam.
Under CrPC, when an appeal is admitted the High Court issues a warrant directing that the accused be arrested and brought before it or a subordinate court which may send him to prison pending appeal’s disposal or grant bail. When the matter comes up tomorrow, the High Court may fix a date for a day to day hearing of the state’s appeal and confirmation of death penalty imposed on Kasab.
Kasab was convicted for killing 166 persons with nine other accomplices of LeT on November 26, 2008 at various places in Mumbai. He is lodged in the high security Central Prison at Arthur Road here and guarded by Indo—Tibetan Border Security personnel round the clock.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 29,
|
|
Kolkata August 29:
Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Sunday found no fault in Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's statement on the killing of top Maoist leader Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad in an alleged fake gunfight and said there was no reason to suspect links between the Trinamool and the rebels.
Mukherjee said the union home minister would look into Banerjee's allegation that West Bengal's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) was running armed camps in areas where the joint security forces were battling Maoist guerrillas in the state.
Strongly backing the central government's ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) partner, Mukherjee said: "She has made the allegation that CPI-M cadres were running armed camps. Those driven out from the area (earlier) are trying to re-organise themselves and come back and take advantage of the liberated zones.
"She (Banerjee) has brought this allegation before union home minister (P. Chidambaram). The home minister would look into it," Mukherjee said during a media meet at the Calcutta Press Club. On the charge - particularly from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left parties - that the Trinamool was hand-in-glove with the Maoist ultras, the number two man in the union cabinet said Banerjee has refuted every such allegation.
"She feels and a lot of others also feel there is no hard and fast rule that a political party cannot have a different opinion on an issue only because it is part of a coalition government. "In a coalition government everybody abides by a declared policy. But in this issue if somebody thinks the Maoist problem can be solved through a dialogue she is free to express her opinion. But this is no reason for alleging that she has links with the Maoists," Mukherjee said.
He asserted that there was nothing wrong in the railway minister's statement on Azad at a public rally in Maoist-affected Lalgarh of West Midnapore district. "We had detailed discussions on this where prime minister (Manmohan Singh), the home minister and Banerjee were present. She has explained her position. She has said if Azad was killed while he was trying to initiate talks with the centre then that should be explained.
"After that the Andhra Pradesh government has come out with a statement on the killing of Azad and they explained their position. So there is nothing wrong in the statement," he said. Banerjee had hinted that Azad was killed at a fake shootout. The government has maintained that he was gunned down at Adiladad of Andhra Pradesh July 2.
Banerjee's comments, in complete variance with the official line, had led to a storm with opposition parties BJP and the CPI-M coming hammer and tongs at her. Asked about the recurrent political clashes in the state, Mukherjee said: "Such clashes are always unfortunate. And there is no room for violence in the country."
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 29,
|
|
New Delhi August 29:
The Prime Minister has asked them to treat it like a festival and Delhi government has appealed for sprucing up their houses, but are Delhiites enthusiastic about the Commonwealth Games?
A word with the 'aam aadmi' on the street and blog posts and comments on social networking sites indicate that citizens of the national capital are yet to get into the celebration mode for the sporting spectacle as most are peeved at allegations of corruption and mismanagement related to it.
Social networking sites facebook is full of comments on the stories of corruption in the Games' preparations, with many wondering if a country like India can afford the massive spending for the mega event.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 29,
|
|
New Delhi August 29:
A right to information (RTI) activist has urged the Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah to question the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) for not giving details of union ministers' wealth.
RTI activist Subash Chandra Agrawal has asked Habibullah to issue a notice "for non-compliance of its (CIC) earlier order of providing the details of the assets of union ministers". In a letter to the CIC, Agrawal recalled that the CIC directed the PMO in June to provide "complete details of the wealth and assets of the ministers available with the PMO".
The CIC order said the details could be shared after seeking the permission of the presiding officers of the two houses of parliament. "Despite getting a clearance from the two houses, the PMO is not complying with the order of the CIC, which is a de-facto denial of information under the RTI Act," Agrawal said. In such a situation, the CIC should issue a notice to the PMO for non-compliance of its order and denial of information, Agrawal said.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 29,
|
|
New Delhi August 29:
With 35 days left for the Commonwealth Games, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday visited the centrepiece Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the venue of the opening and closing ceremonies, and asked officials to "redouble their efforts to quickly complete" the work as people "expect a spectacular" opening to the mega event.
"The prime minister, this morning, visited the Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex where the opening and closing ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games are scheduled to be held," said a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office. Apart from the opening and the closing ceremonies, the stadium will also host athletics, weightlifting and lawn bowls out of the 17 disciplines for the Oct 3-14 Games.
Accompanied by Sports Minister M.S. Gill and Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Chairperson Suresh Kalmadi, the prime minister was shown the various facilities at the complex, including the field of play, media facilities, the VIP box, stands for spectators, security and other arrangements.
"The prime minister said that it was a beautiful stadium and he urged all concerned authorities to redouble their efforts to quickly complete whatever works remained as the people were expecting a spectacular and flawless opening to the Commonwealth Games," the statement said here. Manmohan Singh reached the renovated bowl-shaped stadium around noon to take stock of the venue.
"He was at the stadium for 25 minutes and spoke to officials about games preparedness," an official told reporters. A 40 tonne stage will be erected in the middle of the ground for the ceremonies and work is expected to begin by mid-September. The prime minister's visit to the stadium also came two days after Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit confirmed that the Aug 31 deadline for completion of all Games-related projects will not be met.
But she also said the city will be ready at least 15 days before the Games start Oct 3, "provided the sun shines and the rains stop". The prime minister stepped in following delays and widespread corruption allegations in the biggest sporting event being organised in India since the 1982 Asian Games. During his meeting two weeks back, he issued clear instructions that the facilities for the Commonwealth Games should be made ready in time and meet international standards as the "eyes of the world" were on the country.
After the meeting, an empowered committee, headed by the cabinet secretary, had been overseeing Games preparedness, along with a group of ministers headed by Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy. Thereafter, 10 senior officials of joint secretary and additional secretary rank were deputed to oversee operations at specific venues. The officials were given the authority to take decisions on the spot.
The stadium has been refurbished at a cost of a whopping Rs.9.6 billion (approximately USD 200 million) with international consultants from six countries - Germany, Switzerland, Britain, US, Mexico and Australia - putting their heads together to construct the state-of-art facility. The deadline for completion of the venue has been pushed several times since the Central Public Works Department began the construction work two years and eight months ago.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 29,
|
|
Beijing August 29:
China’s Defence Ministry said defence exchanges between China and India had not been suspended in the wake of the visa row, adding that India had not notified China of any decision to stop military exchanges.
On Friday, Indian officials said the Indian government had denied two Chinese Army officials permission to attend a defence course in India in retaliation for China's decision to refuse a visa for the Army’s Northern Command chief Lt. Gen. B.S. Jaswal for a planned high-level visit this month, effectively suspending defence exchanges.
Officials at the Foreign Ministry here have been tight-lipped over the row, refusing to answer questions. The Chinese Ministry of Defence, however, in a statement on Saturday denied that defence exchanges had been suspended, insisting that the military relationship was on track.
“China has not suspended military exchanges with India, and nor has it received any notification from India of any such suspension,” said a statement from the Ministry’s press office, which was sent to the Reuters news agency. “China takes seriously developing military ties with India, and we are confident that both sides will stay focused on the broader picture of bilateral ties between our two countries, acting in a spirit of consultation and unity to promote the healthy development of military ties.”
The Chinese media have, so far, not reported on the defence row. A source at an official government newspaper said the State-run media have been instructed to play down the issue, and to wait for guidelines from the government on how to report on the row. The visa row is the latest of a series of recent differences the two countries have had over China’s policies with regard to Kashmir.
The two countries have had a series of high-level bilateral exchanges this year, starting with the visit of External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna in April, and following with President Pratibha Patil’s State visit in May, and National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon’s visit to Beijing in July as the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy. During the series of talks, Indian officials said they had impressed upon their Chinese interlocutors the need for both countries to be more sensitive to each others’ “core interests”, if the relationship was to move forward.
However, Indian officials say while India has made it a point to be increasingly mindful of Chinese sensitivities on Tibet, a core interest of Beijing’s, recent Chinese policies towards Kashmir have strained relations. China has, in recent months, proceeded with investing in infrastructure projects in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, ignoring Indian protests over its involvement in the disputed region. Last month, shortly after Mr. Menon’s visit concluded, China signed a $ 525 million-deal to build two highways in PoK.
Last year, India also voiced objections to China’s issuing of stapled visas to Indian citizens from Jammu and Kashmir, a move seen by Indian officials as China questioning India’s sovereignty over the state.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 29,
|
|
Jammu August 29:
The Congress will play a critical role in facilitating dialogue between separatists and other groups in Kashmir and the central government in a bid to achieve peace in the restive Valley where life has been paralysed for almost three months now, a senior party leader said.
"It will be our effort to set up the dialogue table and facilitate dialogue between all shades of opinion, including those who are not in the mainstream, to talk and resolve the issues across the table," state Congress chief Saif-ud-Din Soz said at a meeting of party workers at Samba, 40 km south of Jammu.
Soz said that the Congress, which was ruling at the centre as the leading partner of the United Progressive Alliance and in partnership with National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir had a "historical role to play at this juncture". He said the Congress "would facilitate dialogue with one and all in the Valley". "That's our prime responsibility as lasting peace would visit the Valley only through dialogue."
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had declared while speaking to an all-party delegation, barring the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, from the state that the government was "open to dialogue with all those willing to shun the violence". Congress leaders have been trying to promote resolution of Kashmir crisis through dialogue after the Valley erupted with massive protests. The clashes between stone-throwing mobs and security forces have left 64 people, including children, dead and hundreds of others injured.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 29,
|
|
New Delhi August 29:
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to visit the Commonwealth Games sites "very soon", an official at the Prime Minister's Office said here.
"He will visit the site very soon," the official told reporters. He, however, refused to confirm the date. The official said the prime minister had expressed his wish to visit the sites when he chaired the meeting of ministers and senior officials Aug 14 -- just 50 days before the Oct 3-14 mega events.
"He had warned (Suresh) Kalmadi that he would be visiting the sites," the official added. The official added that the visit could be any day now. The prime minister intervened in the preparations following delays and corruption allegations in the biggest sporting event being organised in India since the 1982 Asiad.
During his meeting, he issued clear instructions that the facilities for the Commonwealth Games should be made ready in time and meet international standards as the "eyes of the world" were on the country. The prime minister had observed slippages in the time schedules of some of the construction works and deficiencies and had directed ministries concerned to conduct thorough investigations into all the complaints that have been received of procedural and other irregularities.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 29,
|
|
Kolkata August 29:
Australia and India have completed a joint feasibility study for a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries, Australian High Commissioner Peter N. Varghese said.
The study has identified a boost of USD 30 million for each of the two economies from the pact. "We are looking at the possibilities of launching a free trade agreement with India. We have just concluded the feasibility study. It has identified a boost of USD 30 million for each of our economies," Varghese told a media meet.
The high commissioner was here to inaugurate the office of the Australian Trade Commission in the city. "We are in the process of securing cabinet decision (about the FTA) on each side. A decision in this regard would be taken maybe by the end of this year," Varghese said. The high commissioner met West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and evinced interest in sectors like food processing and packaging.
"We have shown interest in the agriculture sector. We have talked about Australia's possibility of imparting technology in food processing and packaging sectors," Varghese said. Australia is in talks with 20 agricultural companies across India, he said. The bilateral trade between the two countries stood at USD 22 billion in 2009, which is a growth of 20-22 percent.
The major commodities exported from Australia to India are coal, gold and copper. But the country wants to diversify into other sectors now. Varghese also said: "We are poised now for substantial Indian investment in Australia." Talking about the tourism sector, he said: "We would like to see more growth in this sector. There are around one lakh tourists moving in each direction. There is quite a bit of scope to increase that." He said a Delhi-Melbourne Air India flight would be introduced in November.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 29,
|
|
New Delhi August 28:
Reacting to the Chinese refusal to receive Lt. Gen. B.S.Jaswal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the response of the Indian Government should have been more stringent and adequate.
"An abrasive attitude towards Indian sensitivities and helping India's enemies has become a hall mark of China's India policy while carrying on trade and commerce activities which are heavily in its favour," said BJP national spokesperson Tarun Vijay.
"At a time when Kashmir is on a boil, supported and guided by Pakistan, China has shown its Pro-Pakistan attitude by refusing to welcome Lt. Gen Jaswal thus boosting the morale of anti-Indian separatists. The defence exchanges do serve a purpose under an appropriate atmosphere and such exchanges occur between the two institutions, in the present incident, between members of Indian Armed Forces and Peoples' Liberation Army.
"...China has done exactly the opposite of what was expected of such visits. The response of Indian govt. to Chinese arrogance is sheepishly low key and inadequate to say the least," Vijay said. He further said the Congress-led UPA government must ask Beijing what will be its response if the issues of Tibet's freedom and Xinxiang's disputed merger with mainland land China, against which a strong movement is building up amongst the Uyghur people is opened by India.
"It's not Lt. Gen. Jaswal who has been snubbed but the sovereignty of the Tricolour has been hurt. Of late under UPA dispensation the honour of Tricolour has been shrinking. Those who wear tricolor, the Indian citizens, are not only refused visa, if they are residents of Kashmir and Arunachal, but the protectors of the Tricolour, army commanders, too are embarrassed bringing down India's prestige in global quarters," he said.
"India must answer befittingly to the Chinese arrogance and make it feel the economic punch. Merely cancelling two low level delegations to China carry no conviction of the Indian govt to protect the honour of its citizens and the protectors of India's sovereignty- the Forces," Vijay added.
China had reportedly denied visa to Lt General B S Jaswal, General Officer Commanding in Chief, because he is posted in Jammu and Kashmir, which China calls a disputed territory. His visa was denied when as part of a high-level exchange visit to China in August, Jaswal was nominated by the Indian defence ministry.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 28,
|
|
New Delhi August 28:
Pakistan has refused to accept directly the Indian aid of five million dollars for its desperate flood victims and instead suggested that it be routed through the UN.
Pakistan has conveyed this to India which is expected to agree to this procedure, sources said here today. The sources made it clear that India has no problem in routing the relief material through the UN. "It is a humanitarian crisis (being faced by Pakistan) and India has offered the aid as a goodwill gesture. The modalities of providing the assistance do not matter," a source said.
On when the relief material would be sent, the sources said such aspects would be worked out when an idea is received from Pakistan as to what material they want. "The broader objective is to provide humanitarian assistance in the hour of need to Pakistan," the source said.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 28,
|
|
Srinagar August 28:
Curfew was clamped in Srinagar, Sopore and Kunzar towns on Saturday in view of protest marches and shutdown called by the separatists across the Kashmir Valley.
In the city, curfew was clamped in 34 police station areas including Batmaloo, Bemina, Qamarwari, Nowhatta, Khanyar, Safakadal, Maisuma, Shaheedgunj, Soura, Hazratbal, Kothibagh, Chanapora, Banamohalla, Humhama, Karan Nagar, Lal Bazar, Nigeen, Nishat, Nowgam, Parimpora, Raj Bagh, Rainawari, Ram Munshi Bagh, Sheer Gari, TRC, Zakoora, and Zadibal.
Law enforcing agencies have been advised to allow the movement of government employees after showing their identity cards, police said. They said curfew has also been imposed in Sopore and Kunzar towns of Baramulla district as a precautionary measure. The hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, spearheading the ongoing agitation, has called for a complete shutdown, sit-in protests and march to Tourist Reception Centre ground on Saturday.
Mr. Geelani, who was to address the gathering, was placed under house arrest this morning along with the chairman of Moderate Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umer Farooq. “I have been placed under house arrest this morning as we had planned a religious gathering at Ali Masjid”, Mr. Mirwaiz told reporters. Shops, educational institutions, banks and private offices remained closed and all modes of transport was off the roads in response to the separatists’ call for strike.
The Valley was rocked by violence following the death of a teenager on June 11 after he was allegedly hit by a teargas shell near Rajouri Kadal area of old city. After that street protests broke out in the Valley which has claimed 64 lives so far.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 28,
|
|
New Delhi August 28:
Chief Justice of India S H Kapadia today expressed anguish over pathetic working conditions in trial courts in the country, saying even judges enjoy the rights enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution.
"For the last 20 years, I have been seeing the pathetic condition in which most the states' district judges are working. There is no house, no rooms, no proper place to work. I have myself seen those courts," he said.
The Article 21 pertains to having a person or a human society to live with dignity and this includes even the judges, Justice Kapadia said. The CJI said the country was receiving very good foreign investments because the rule of law still prevails and exists in the largest democracy of the world.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 28,
|
|
New Delhi August 28:
The mother of a decorated army captain Saturday demanded an independent probe into his 2006 death in Jammu and Kashmir, saying she has 'no faith in an army inquiry' which had held he committed suicide due to personal reasons.
Veena Kohli, mother of Shaurya Chakra winner Captain Sumit Kohli, Saturday met Defence Minister A.K. Antony here and sought justice in the case. "He was a brilliant son. He was brave. He was not a coward. I don't believe he would have committed suicide. He was definitely not the one (to end his life)," Veena Kohil told reporters after meeting Antony.
Veena Kohli said she believes her son was "murdered" at an army residential complex in Jammu and Kashmir's Lolab Valley, near the Line of Control (LoC) where the captain was posted in 2006. Captain Kohli was decorated with the Shaurya Chakra - the third highest peace time gallantry medal - on Republic Day 2006. He was found dead with a bullet wound April 30 the same year. He was serving with the 18 Rashtriya Rifles in the militancy-infested Lolab valley.
The mother alleged the army had tarnished the image of her son by claiming he committed suicide. "I want the honour of my son to be restored. I want an independent inquiry. I have no faith in an army inquiry," she said. She said she met Antony for about 20 minutes and the minister "assured us of an independent probe". The mother had filed a Right to Information application but was denied a reply because the RTI act doesn't apply in Jammu and Kashmir. She later moved the Delhi High Court that instructed the army to fetch the post-mortem report and related documents of her son.
"The autopsy raised my suspicion. There are two medical reports contradicting each other. One says the wound was on the left side and other says it was on the right side of the chin. There has been no forensic examination," she said. The inquiry report, she said, lacks even the basic details of circumstantial evidence. The Kohli family suffered another tragedy a day after Sumit's death when his shocked father suffered a stroke and died after the captain's cremation.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 28,
|
|
New Delhi August 28:
In a ruling having wide ramifications for criminal justice system in the country, the Supreme Court has ruled that free and fair investigation and trial are integral parts of the Fundamental Right to Life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
A bench comprising Justices P Sathasivam and B S Chauhan, holding that two FIRs cannot be registered for the same incident involving the same accused, noted ''Not only the fair trial but fair investigation is also part of Constitutional rights guaranteed under Article 20 and 21 of the Constitution of India.
''Therefore, investigation must be fair, transparent and judicious as it is the minimum requirement of rule of law. An investigating agency cannot be permitted to conduct an investigation in tainted and biased manner where non-interference of the court would ultimately result in failure of justice, the court must interfere.'' Justice Chauhan, writing a 37-page judgment for the bench, also ruled that if during fresh investigation any incriminating material against any person was discovered, the investigating authority may proceed in accordance with the law.
He referred to the case related to the clashes which took place between two communities in Gujarat namely Bharwad and the Koli Patel in Dhedhal village, district Ahmedabad over plying of rickshaws and taxis. During the clashes which took place on July 7, 2008 three members of Patel community were killed and 26 others were injured. The local police, however, favoured Bharwad community and members of Koli Patel community, who were the victims of aggression, were the main accused.
The apex court quashed the charge sheet as it was a result of tainted and vitiated investigation. The Court in its judgment pronounced on August 26, 2010 also took the view that such investigation would ultimately prove to be a precursor to miscarriage of criminal justice. The apex court concluded by holding ''If the investigation has not been conducted fairly, we are of the view that such vitiated investigation can not give rise to a valid charge sheet''. According to the apex court, under such circumstances the court can order fresh investigation in the trial.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 28,
|
|
New Delhi August 28:
The Supreme Court will hear on August 31 the curative petition filed by CBI against the September 1996 apex court judgment diluting criminal charges against Union Carbide officials including erstwhile chairman Warren Anderson in Bhopal Gas Tragedy case.
A three-Judge Bench comprising Chief Justice S H Kapadia and Justices Altamas Kabir and R V Raveendran will consider the petition in the chamber of the CJI. Hearing of the petition may also take place in the open court if the judges allow the CBI application for oral hearing of the case.
Normally curative petitions are decided by the judges in their chamber without hearing the parties. In the present case neither of the two judges who delivered the judgment in 1996 namely the then Chief Justice of India A M Ahmadi and S C Sen (retd), will be the part of the bench since both retired long back.
Normally the judges who have delivered the main judgement are part of the bench considering curative petition filed under Article 142 of the Constitution. The bench headed by Justice Ahmadi had dropped the charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder which carry the maximum sentence of ten years with or without fine.
The Group of Ministers (GoM) appointed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had decided to file a curative petition in the case for restoration of the charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against Anderson, head of Bhopal unit of Union Carbide Keshub Mahindra and six others. On the fateful night of December 3, 1984, over 15,000 people died when poisonous MIC gas leaked from the Bhopal unit of American company Union Carbide.
Thousands of others were injured and many among them became permanently disabled and have not been able to recover from the after effect of the tragedy which struck the capital city of Madhya Pradesh 26 years ago. The Prime Minister constituted a nine-member GoM headed by Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, Union Indutries Minister Kamal Nath and others following huge public outcry when Bhopal CJM court awarded maximum punishment of two years imprisonment to 8 accused after holding hem guilty of the offence of criminal negligence. All the accused except one who has died were granted bail within minutes of their conviction and sentence.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 28,
|
|
New Delhi August 28:
Water level in the Yamuna river continued to increase today as the river is flowing 1.11 mts above the danger mark.
''The water level in the river was at 205.94 mts at 0900 hrs,'' V P S Tomar, Chief Engineer, Flood Control Department told reporters. The water level in the river has been increasing continuously due to heavy rains and water released from Haryana. However, no water was discharged from the neighbouring state this morning.
The safety measures are on and the government has also positioned 69 boats at the riverside. A total 68 divers/boatmen and a team of National Disaster Relief Force have been deployed near the banks of the river, he said.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 28,
|
|
New Delhi August 28:
India is engaging its neighbours without looking at reciprocity, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said.
Speaking at the third Heads of Missions conference here, Dr. Singh emphasised the need for a peaceful and tranquil international environment in the neighbourhood and felt India's foreign policy should be oriented towards East and Southeast Asia which were poised for a sustained growth in this century.
Touching upon the same theme, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna felt that India's interests were best served by a peaceful and prosperous neighbourhood. “We believe that dialogue can address all outstanding issues and have seen from 2004-07 the potential of such a process with Pakistan. Given the complexities of our relationship with Pakistan, we have advocated a step-by-step … approach.
We have conveyed to Pakistan that credible and effective action by Pakistan on our terrorism-related concerns, including the investigations and trial in the Mumbai terror attack [case], would be the most important confidence-building measure.”
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 28,
|
|
Kolkata August 28:
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajnath Singh demanded that union Home Minister P. Chidambaram withdraw his remarks on "saffron terrorism" and termed it as a "conspiracy" by the Congress-led UPA government to "demoralise nationalistic forces".
"We condemn Chidambaram's comment on saffron terror. Saffron is the colour of dedication and devotion. It's a well thought out conspiracy of the Congress government to demoralise the nationalistic forces," Singh said.
"A news is also afloat that efforts are being made to drag the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) into the matter," the veteran leader alleged. Averring that the home minister has committed a blunder, Singh said: "Terror has no caste, creed or religion. Moreover, those believing in Hindutva or Indian culture can never be terrorists."
Asked whether he would seek an apology from Chidambaram, Singh said: "If he has said it unintentionally he should withdraw. Otherwise, this (apology) can be the second option". Denying that the BJP was a communal force, he said on the contrary the Congress was communal. "BJP never tries to polarise society on caste, creed and religion," he said.
In his speech Wednesday at the meeting of state police chiefs, Chidambaram cautioned security and intelligence officials against the continuing attempts of militants to infiltrate into India as well as the recently uncovered phenomenon of "saffron terrorism".
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 28,
|
|
New Delhi August 28:
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asked India's top diplomats to aim to create a conducive external environment that would fuel the country's progress.
Addressing the heads of Indian missions worldwide gathered here for an annual conference, the prime minister said that Indian foreign policy was mainly aimed at pursuing Indian national interests. "Indian diplomats are facilitating the creation of an international environment that was conducive to India's progress, development and attainment of its external goals," he said.
He noted that India was living in an inter-dependent world, and required an open trading system. Manmohan Singh called upon the diplomats to pay more attention to the G-20 group, pointing out that it had become a key forum for discussing and shaping international economic and financial policies. He also said that India's foreign policy should also be oriented towards East and South East Asia, which were poised for sustained growth rate in the 21st century.
On the neighbourhood, he said that India had "by and large had good relations with neighbours". "We were engaging them without looking at reciprocity, in our own enlightened interest," he said. A total of 119 Indian ambassadors and high commissioners are here to take part in the three-day annual conference which began.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 28,
|
|
New Delhi August 28:
No fresh attacks on Indian students have been reported from Australia recently, parliament was informed.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said: "The number of attacks on Indian students on record in Melbourne has reduced and no case of attack on Indian students has been registered in the last three months in Melbourne."
He said that an Indian delegation had visited Australia in April this year and had held extensive discussions with Australian officials in Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria regarding the safety and well-being of Indian students. Sibal said the Indian authorities have urged the Australian authorities to take stringent measures to stop such attacks and also to apprehend the culprits involved in attacks.
He also said that the Australian government has undertaken various measures for protection and safety of Indian students, including introduction of an international students care service, deployment of additional forces, amendments in sentencing laws and empowering police forces to combat violence and antisocial behaviour. The high commissioner of India has also had several meetings in 2009 and 2010 with the concerned ministers of Australia, he added.
Indian students have been at the receiving end of a spate of racially motivated attacks in the country. Various students have been injured in such attacks and some have even lost their lives. Around 100,000 Indians are studying in Australia.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 28,
|
|
Kolkata August 28:
Terming the arrest of Hari Prasad, a Hyderabad-based activist who claimed that EVMS could be tampered with, as "a danger to the sanctity of voting", Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajnath Singh slammed the government's silence on the issue.
"The government should not forget that those with the right to rule have come to power through voting. The government of the day will lose the moral right to rule if people have a bad perception about EVMs," he said a media meet here. Demanding that the vulnerability of EVMS be looked into in a transparent manner, Rajnath Singh regretted that no effort is being made to keep a tab on election fraud.
He said political parties across the board have raised the issue of vulnerability of EVMs. "There is a debate going on about whether EVMs are tamperproof or not...In European countries like Netherlands, Italy, Germany and Ireland, voting through EVMs has been banned because they feel EVMs can be tampered with". "But in our country, the government is silent on an issue which is very important and sensitive to our democracy," he said.
On the arrest of Hari Prasad in connection with the alleged theft of an EVM from Mumbai Aug 21, the BJP leader said it was a "flimsy charge". Hari Prasad had sought to demonstrate how EVMs can be tampered with. "The Election Commission also sought a presentation from Hari Prasad and two of his associates from abroad. But instead of correcting the problems of EVMs, he was arrested on flimsy charges.
His arrest has put the sanctity of voting in danger," Rajnath Singh said. Hari Prasad, technical coordinator of VeTA (Citizens for Verifiability, Transparency and Accountability in Elections), was nabbed from Hyderabad.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 28,
|
|
New Delhi August 28:
India and China account for about 45 percent of Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) TB cases globally, the Lok Sabha was informed.
In a written reply, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said as per Multi-Drug Extensively Drug Resistant TB 2010 Global Report on Surveillance and Response of World Health Organisation, it is estimated that India and China together account for about 45 percent of MDR TB cases globally.
He said in terms of numbers, out of 440,000 cases of MDR-TB occurring world over, India and China contribute an estimated 99,000 and 100,000 cases, respectively. Azad said under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme, DOTS plus services for the diagnosis and management of MDR-TB are presently available in 10 states and 2,300 MDR TB patients have been placed on treatment.
He also said that 10 laboratories have been accredited for quality assured culture and drug sensitivity testing. The minister also said they are planning to provide the MDR TB services in all states and accreditation of 25 more laboratories by the end of 2010-11.
|
|
Source :
Punjab Mail Online
|
|
News Date :
August 28,
|
|
|
|
|
|