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Saturday,
February 1, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Panel
recommends restructuring of ICAR Security
breach: bail plea of accused rejected
BJP opts
out of TN byelection Uma
unhappy over ouster from Cabinet |
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Digvijay
unfazed by Uma Bharti Independent
charge for Ravi Prasad UP Cong
heading for another split Infiltration
from Pak low: Coast Guard Huge
gas, oil reserves found in Rajasthan MTV apologises for series on
Gandhi
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Panel recommends
restructuring of ICAR New Delhi, January 31 Among other things, it had been recommended that the number of Deputy Director Generals (DDGs) at the headquarters in the capital be reduced to four from the existing number of eight. Further, five of the DDGs currently at the headquarters should be moved to five geographical regions of the country with ‘‘substantial delegation of powers to handle both research and administrative issues concerning ICAR institutes located within the region’’. The recommendations were made by a six-member committee under the chairmanship of a former Special Secretary in the Department of Agriculture, Mr Hemendra Kumar. The committee was constituted by Union Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh to review the administrative structure of the ICAR. The report was submitted on December 31, 2002. Mr Ajit Singh, who made the report public here today, said that the recommendations of the committee should not be seen as an attempt to downgrade the position of farm scientists. The minister said that recommendations should be seen in the light of decentralising the functioning of the ICAR. The Hemendra committee report suggested that the ICAR should increase its financial support to state agricultural universities (SAUs) to 20 per cent over a period of five years. Further, the state governments should be urged to levy 1 per cent cess on agricultural produce marketed. The additional resources so generated should passed on to SAUs, it suggested. ‘‘Opening of the new SAUs and creation of new facilities, bifurcation of an existing SAU etc should be strongly discouraged. There should be a moratorium on construction of new buildings in SAUs. Any new facility should be created only if the state government provides funds to meet expenses for first five years’’, the report said. At the same time, the report said that the necessity of increasing internal resource generation should be impressed upon the
SAUs. |
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Security
breach: bail plea of accused rejected New Delhi, January 31 Metropolitan Magistrate Chandra Shekhar denied bail to the two accused Ashok Kumar and Dharen Singh saying that “investigation was not complete and it was not possible to grant them bail at this stage”. Meanwhile, the court directed the police to release the vehicle Maruti Esteem (HR-26 Q-0427), driven by the duo, to its registered owner Umesh Kumar Gulia, on February 3. “For the purpose of investigation only a report of the mechanical inspection of vehicle is to be obtained. SHO, Delhi Cantonment, is directed that as soon as the mechanical inspection is completed, the vehicle be released to the registered owner on furnishing superdari (bond) of Rs 4 lakh,” the court said. Gulia had moved an application for the release of vehicle which was opposed by the prosecution on the ground that it was needed to be examined by the expert. Both accused were yesterday remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.
PTI |
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BJP opts out of TN byelection Chennai, January 31 The question that is being asked in political circles here is whether the BJP, whose relations with the DMK have become strained in recent months, will extend support to the AIADMK. Similarly, is the way open for the DMK to back the Congress to ensure the defeat of Ms Jayalalithaa’s party? The recent meetings between the Union Minister of State, Mr Vijay Goel, and the DMK leader, Mr M. Karunanidhi, and between the BJP General Secretary, Mr L.
Ganesan, and Mr Karunanidhi, had led to speculation about a patch-up between the DMK and the state unit of the BJP. But such a possibility is unlikely in the event of the BJP deciding to support the AIADMK in the byelection. If only for the reason that the DMK will like to see a defeat for the AIADMK, support for the Congress is on the cards. The newly appointed BJP General Secretary, Mr Pramod Mahajan, has defended the decision of his party not to contest the Tamil Nadu Assembly byelection as being “in broader interest and unity of the BJP-DMK alliance”. Such a reasoning has to be taken with a pinch of salt as the rift between the DMK and the state unit of the BJP has reached a point of no return. The BJP decision should make the AIADMK happy and facilitate the two parties getting closer even while the DMK and the BJP drift apart. Meanwhile, the chronic enmity between the AIADMK and the DMK was played out in full measure on Thursday with pandemonium marking the proceedings of the state Assembly and the Chennai city Corporation. In the Assembly, DMK and AIADMK members nearly came to blows after angry exchanges over the DMK boycott of the byelection. A DMK member, Mr Parithi
Ilamvazhuth, was suspended by the Speaker, Mr K. Kalimuthu, for disorderly behaviour. He also announced that he was referring to the privileges committee the question of initiating criminal proceedings against Mr
Ilamvazhuthi. The House had earlier adopted a resolution recommending such action. Mr Karunanidhi has said he would consult other Opposition leaders, and if necessary, a no-confidence motion will be brought against the Speaker in the forthcoming Budget session of the Assembly. |
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Uma unhappy over ouster from Cabinet Bhopal, January 31 Her brother Swami Prasad Lodhi had been a great help to her in her public life till differences cropped up between the two about five years ago. As Ms Bharti visited her sprawling Khajuraho constituency only occasionally, Mr Lodhi used to keep her flag high in the area. Her estrangement from her brother was the main reason behind Ms Bharti’s decision to shift her constituency from Khajuraho to Bhopal in 1999 because she could not hope to win there without Mr Lodhi’s support. Mr Lodhi, a BJP MLA from Tikamgarh district, has since drifted further to eventually fall under the spell of Chief Minister Digvijay Singh. The BJP has issued him a show cause notice which is a prelude to his expulsion from the party. Mr Lodhi is so bitter that he has not only ruled out the possibility of reconciliation between the two but has started a campaign of calumny against her. He says that Ms Bharti, though a sadhvi, has committed “sins” which, if known to the people, will expose her to be what she really is. Nominated by the BJP leadership as the star campaigner for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, Ms Bharti had just started building up the tempo when Mr Lodhi’s interviews started appearing in the Press. To add to her woes, the BJP’s central leadership has made her resign from the Union Cabinet without giving her anything of substance. Being chairperson of the election campaign committee is not the same thing as being the state party president or the minister. In Himachal Pradesh, where elections are due on February 26, similar responsibilities have been entrusted to Mr Shanta Kumar but he continues to be the Union Minister. |
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Digvijay
unfazed by Uma Bharti New Delhi, January 31 Playing cool to the BJP’s decision to pit former Coal Minister and firebrand sanyasin Uma Bharti against him in the state in the election year, the Chief Minister said, “I don’t see any problem in that. She is there, it is all right....It is the BJP’s problem, not mine”. Talking to newspersons here about the so-called “soft Hindutva”, Mr Digvijay Singh said, “What is Hindutva I am yet to understand. Soft Hindutva is nothing but media coinage”. Asked to comment on whether his demand for enforcing a ban on cow slaughter could be viewed as toeing a “soft Hindutva” line, the Chief Minister quipped, “Can you describe Mahatma Gandhi’s prayer meetings as “soft Hindutva”? Going to temples can’t be called “soft Hindutva....it’s all media creation”. Ban on cow slaughter already existed in Madhya Pradesh, he said, when asked if the timing of his demand had anything to do with the Assembly elections in the state due next year. Mr Digvijay Singh said he had just forwarded to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee a memorandum submitted to him by Krishak Mandal expressing concern over rise in beef exports and demanding a ban on cow slaughter. Asked about his party’s policy vis-a-vis cow slaughter, the senior Congress leader said the matter had been left to the states as it came under the state list. Asked if Ms Bharti’s return to state politics and her projection as a chief ministerial candidate would help the BJP, Mr Digvijay Singh retorted “rather it will be contrary. Internal problems within the BJP will be much more acute as there are others in the race for the post”. To a question as to how the Congress would counter the poll campaign of Ms Bharti, he said. It was not for the first time that Ms Bharti was being made the party’s poll manager in Madhya Pradesh. Even last time she was there, said Mr Digvijay Singh, who retained power for the second time during the last Assembly elections, proving wrong all prophets of doom. |
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Independent
charge for Ravi Prasad New Delhi, January 31 Addressing mediapersons here on Friday, Mr Prasad promised to carry on with the efforts initiated by Ms Swaraj, including opening up of the print sector, Conditional Access System (CAS) and the community radio programmes. Replying, to a question on the Expenditure Reforms Commission’s recommendation to wind up several units under the Ministry, Mr Prasad said, “Downsizing is important, rightsizing is equally important and a blend is needed.” |
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UP Cong heading for another split Lucknow, January 31 Sources close to the Akhil Bharatiya Congress Dal (ABCD) told The Tribune here today that there are at least three more Congress MLAs who are ready to join the new formation and the new dispensation may be formalised within next few days. On the other hand, leader of the ABCD Akhilesh Singh, legislator from Rae Bareli, claimed that 10 more Congress MLAs would join the party. “Those who are fed up with the policies of the Congress leadership are in touch with us and they would be produced before the Speaker of the Assembly in an opportune time,” he said. The ABCD is yet to constitute its executive committee as one senior leader points out: “They are waiting for their new friends to join them”. The committee would be constituted soon and only after that the party would decide whether or not to support the Mayawati government. However, in charge of the Uttar Pradesh and senior party leader Motilal Vora, denied any split in the party. |
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Infiltration
from Pak low: Coast Guard New Delhi, January 31 The Coast Guard Director-General, Vice-Admiral Sureesh Mehta, said intrusions from Sri Lanka had been on the decline following the initiation of the peace process on the troubled island. Similarly, he said infiltration by Pakistani vessels off the Gujarat coast, which were earlier bringing in contraband, including explosives, had also gone down. Addressing the annual conference of the Coast Guard, Vice-Admiral Mehta said in a major development the force would soon be entrusted with the task of counter-infiltration operations (Operation Swan) off the Maharashtra and Gujarat coasts. It is presently conducting the operations jointly with the Navy. He said six Pakistani vessels had been impounded last year and these were all fishing boats. “No contraband has been coming in the recent past. Explosives like RDX, which were coming from sea, are now being routed through the land,” he said. “The maritime border with Sri Lanka is almost sealed and there is very little infiltration. Over the past two years, there is definitely much less activity,” he said, adding that the Sri Lankan peace process could have contributed to this. He said intensive patrolling, besides intelligence reports that poured in from all over the world about who was buying which vessel, had enabled the Coast Guard to keep infiltration under check. |
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Huge gas, oil reserves found in Rajasthan Jaipur, January 31 Essar, along with a Polish oil and gas company, is sinking wells in the Nanuwala area of Sriganganagar district while Oil India Ltd has entered into an agreement with a Venezuelan company to exploit the 14.60- million-tonne oil and 33.2-million-tonne bitumen reserves it discovered near Bagewala in Jaisalmer district. Phoenic Overseas has been allotted a block in the Shahgarh area of Jaisalmer district, an official note stated. The ONGC and Indian Oil have also discovered huge reserves of gas in 57 wells in the Jaisalmer basin. Lignite reserves of about 10 billion tonnes, discovered at depths of 200-500 metres in Barmer and Bikaner districts, could be used in energy production, it stated.
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MTV apologises for series on Gandhi New Delhi, January 31 |
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Delhi girl is Femina Miss India Mumbai, January 31 The three crown-winners will
represent India at international beauty pageants of Miss Universe,
Miss World and Miss Asia Pacific later in the year. UNI |
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Bid to smuggle in Bangladesh migrants Cooch Behar, January 31 |
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Tenant
can’t change use of premises: SC New Delhi, January 31 Setting aside an Allahabad High Court order, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice of India
V. N. Khare and Mr Justice Ashok Bhan said, “...where the premises were put to a use for a purpose other than for which it was let out, then written consent of the landlord was a must”.
PTI |
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2 Lufthansa pilots barred New Delhi, January 31 |
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