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Insurance bills survive CPM’s stiff opposition
Bill proposes hike in judges’ salary
Security Woes
Probe sought into Guru Ram Singh’s death
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Crude bomb injures 3 in Rohtak Rohtak, December 22 A couple and their minor daughter were injured in a crude bomb explosion in the housing board colony of Sector 1 here late this evening. The injured were shifted to PGIMS where they have been stated to be out of danger. The injuries suffered by the victims, identified as Prashant alias Raju, his wife Chanchal and 11-year-old daughter Munny, have reportedly been described as minor with some burns on limbs.
NSG hubs in four cities
Parents panic as kid dies after taking polio drops
TN bans pro-Eelam meeting
PM gets report on defence pay disparities
AWWA Status
Portfolio Allocation
Jain shrine reopens after two decades of repair job
Set up district family courts soon: Panel
NCM likely to get more teeth
Bill to make SC/ST quota in civil services a ‘statutory right’
Bihar Muslims see their own shoe-man
AP Speaker disqualifies three rebel MLAs
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Insurance bills survive CPM’s stiff opposition
New Delhi, December 22 In the Rajya Sabha, however, the going was equally tough for Bansal, who faced stiff opposition from former ally CPM as it set out to introduce the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2008. The bill seeks to raise the foreign equity cap in the insurance sector from 26 per cent to 49 per cent. “The idea is to power the insurance sector and get foreign firms to invest in the insurance markets in India. We want to encourage people to insure. It has nothing to do with privatisation,” Bansal told The Tribune. His logic was, however, of little appeal to the CPM, which ensured high drama in the RS, as the bill was moved to ensure it does not lapse. The legislation mainly seeks to allow nationalised general insurance firms to raise money from the market. The CPM’s primary objection to the bill was privatisation of insurance sector - a fear Bansal sought to allay, indicating that the UPA had kept insurance reforms in cold storage for four years due to objections from its ex-ally. Today, however, the UPA was unperturbed by CPM’s opposition, with Bansal introducing the bill in the Upper House amidst din fuelled by the reform issue and the Antulay controversy. Just when Bansal rose to introduce the bill, CPM’s T.K. Rangarajan rushed towards him to snatch the copy of the bill. It took external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee’s intervention to stop Rangarajan, while social justice minister Meira Kumar shielded Bansal. The CPM, interestingly, was supported in its opposition by the TDP and new friend AIADMK. Strangely, the CPI was convinced of the goodness of the bills after Bansal held closed-door meetings with its leader Gurudas Dasgupta. But the CPM was unrelenting and did all it could to stall the introduction of the bill. In the RS, CPK members trooped into the well of the house when it met post two adjournments after the question hour. Amidst the din, deputy chairman K Rahman Khan adjourned the house till 2 pm. In the Lok Sabha, the LIC bill was introduced amidst noisy scenes, with the NDA capturing the well on Antulay issue and the CPM opposing the insurance legislation, saying the UPA wanted to raise the equity capital in LIC to make its disinvestment viable. Bansal dismissed the fears, saying: “We need to power the insurance sector which is growing phenomenally. Any insurance firm takes seven years to break even.”
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Bill proposes hike in judges’ salary
New Delhi, December 22 The salary of the Chief Justice of India was expected to go up to Rs 1 lakh a month from the present Rs 33,000 while the judges of the Supreme Court would get Rs 90,000, against the Rs 30,000 as of now. The Chief Justices of High Courts would get Rs 90,000, against Rs 30,000, and judges of HCs would be paid Rs 80,000, up from the Rs 26,000 currently. The increase has been necessitated in view of the pay hike for central government employees following the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission, according to the statement of objects and reasons of the High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2008. The proposal would entail an additional expenditure of Rs 46 crore. Of this, Rs 4 crore would be recurring every year for payment of salary and Rs 42 crore would be a one-time outgo towards arrears of salaries, pension and family pension from the Consolidated Fund of India. The Bill seeks to revise the rates of sumptuary allowance and scale of free furnishing admissible to the judges of the SC and HCs by doubling the existing rates. The hike is coming after nearly 13 years, as the last increase was made in January 1996 by amending the HC and SC Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act, 1958.
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Security Woes
Kolkata, December 22 These decisions were taken following the recommendation of the deputy election commissioner, R Gopalakrishnan, who had visited both Nandigram and Sujapur along with the state chief electoral officer Debasish Sen in the last two days to make on-the-sport assessment of the law and order situations vis-à-vis the poll preparations in these two important Assembly segments. It was stated officially that since there would be the non-availability of adequate number of CRPF and other paramilitary forces at this stage for their deployment in these two “sensitive and vulnerable” constituencies, the election commission decided that the polls should be deferred till January 4. and the new election date was also fixed at January 5. The two seats got vacated following the sudden death of Rubi Noor (the late Ghani Khan Chowdhury’s sister) at Sujapur in Malda and resignation of the sitting CPI MLA Md Ilias on the charges of corruption at Nandigram. Both the ruling left front and the opposition, especially Mamata Banerjee, are taking these polls as a prestige issue. Yesterday, an 18-member MPs delegation of the left front visited Nandigram and held a door-to-door campaign in support of their candidate. The CPM state secretary Biman Bose and the veteran central committee leader Benoy Konar alleged they could not put up their agents in as many as 59 booths following the resistances from the Trinamool Congress and the extremists. Mamata, however, rubbished the charge, adding that ruralites now want end of ‘Cadre Raj’ in Nandigram.
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Probe sought into Guru Ram Singh’s death
New Delhi, December 22 The request came today after the PM unveiled seven portraits in the central hall of Parliament, three of them of Punjab leaders - Satguru Ram Singh, who led the Kuka movement; Sardar Swaran Singh, one of the longest-serving cabinet ministers of India and Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir, a front-rank freedom fighter and parliamentarian involved in building Punjab as a model of growth. The other portraits were of Prof Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, an outstanding litterateur; Biplabi Roy, a fiery social activist from Assam who worked for women’s education; Shaheed Jayee Rajguru from Orissa and Veer Kunwar Singh, a hero of the First War of Independence. For Punjab, it was a rare moment, with the PM welcoming into the central hall the supreme religious leader of Namdharis, Jagat Singh, who, along with 200 supporters, watched the unveiling of their Satguru’s portrait. The moment unfolded in the midst of “Bole So Nihal” cheers. The sect was in fact keen that the Satguru’s portrait be installed in the parliament to mark the 150th year of Kuka movement. Earlier, the PM and the gathering comprising Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, leader of the opposition L.K. Advani among others waited for the arrival of Jagat Singh, who entered the hall on his wheel chair. It was after the ceremony that the leaders of the sect sought the PM to constitute a commission for inquiring into the death of Satguru. The Namdharis don’t believe that the Satguru is dead. The then British government had exiled him to Yangoon (Myanmar) from 1872 to 1880. But the Satguru continued to send messages through his disciples - something which forced the British to isolate him further. “Satguru was declared dead in 1885. But documents in national archives prove that even beyond 1885, he was in a jail in Myanmar. Now research is needed to locate the place where he was last lodged. This is important to establish the veracity of the declaration of Satguru’s death,” Surinder Singh, vice-president of Namdhari Durbar today told The Tribune. The sect also sought the PM’s intervention to declare the place in Myanmar where Satguru Ram Singh was kept as Indian national monument. Further, they said the archival material comprising Satguru’s ‘hukamnamas’ and currently lying in Pakistan should be immediately restored.
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Crude bomb injures 3 in Rohtak Rohtak, December 22 A team of forensic experts has reached the spot. The incident took place at around 8.40 pm. The bomb was placed in a small transistor which was kept on the roadside near a house. It is being suspected that the girl, who was having a stroll with her parents, picked up the bright red-coloured transistor, which immediately exploded, causing injury to the trio.
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NSG hubs in four cities
New Delhi, December 22 The director general of NSG J.K. Dutt met the union home secretary Madhukar Gupta here today in this regard. The strength of the force will also be enhanced but the specific increase in numbers and the time frame was not disclosed. The special operations group of the NSG constitutes of Army men on deputation. The Indian Army has raised doubts if could spare so many men in one go. Following the Mumbai terror attack, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced that the government would set up four NSG hubs in different parts of the country and several states were keen on having a base of the elite force.
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Parents panic as kid dies after taking polio drops
Bangalore, December 22 After listening to the news on a TV channel, about the death of a child who was administered polio drops during the nationwide ‘Pulse Polio’ campaign, parents thronged hospitals in Bangalore, Mysore, Anekal, Chamarajanagar and various parts of the state for their children to undergo medical check up as a measure of prevention. Though the government, in a release, had clarified the child died due to complications after a brain surgery, the parents insisted doctors checking the children. Some anti-social elements, taking advantage of the situation, indulged in pelting stones, breaking window glasses in Bowring and Victoria Hospitals in Bangalore and KR Hospital in Mysore, forcing the police to chase them with lathis. A place of worship also announced through public address system about preventive measures to be taken by children administered with polio drops adding to the anxiety of the parents, who were already panic-stricken. They rushed children to the nearest hospitals and begged for treatment. They were not convinced even after doctors asked them not to worry. The police had tough time in handling the situation. Reproductive and Child Health Project director Mohan Raj dismissed the rumours and said polio drops could not cause any adverse reaction in children. — UNI
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TN bans pro-Eelam meeting
Chennai, December 22 However, the government did not declare the conference, organised by one of its allies, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, as illegal, for fear of allegations that it was acting against Tamil sentiments. The police said the conference, which was planned to be held on December 26, could not be allowed as it would lead to traffic congestion at a busy road in Central Chennai, when the people were preparing for New Year celebrations. VCK general secretary Thol Thirumavalavan termed the police action as illegal and against the freedom of expression.
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PM gets report on defence pay disparities
New Delhi, December 22 The group is headed by Pranab Mukherjee. The armed forces have raised four core issues which were being examined. Sources said the compromise formula has been worked out and three out of the four demands have been accepted in totality.
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AWWA Status
Chandigarh, December 22 “The commission has directed you to appear in person and present your case,” the notice of hearing issued by the CIC today stated. The next date of hearing has been fixed for January 15, which incidentally happens to be the Army Day. The wife of the Chief of the Army Staff, as per the Army convention, is the president of the association. Besides the AWWA president, Kirti Kapoor, the CIC has summoned two other officers. Taking up an appeal filed by Guneet Chaudhary, a single Bench of the CIC comprising Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra, had on Friday ordered that the information sought by the appellant be provided by January 10. During earlier hearings, the Army had claimed that it had no link with the AWWA as it was an NGO. However, the association was represented by Col GS Bhandari, a serving Army officer working as staff officer to the AWWA president, of which the Commission took a serious note. In order to determine whether the AWWA was a non-governmental organisation substantially financed directly or indirectly by the central government, the Commission had directed that its audited balance sheets for the years 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 and the source and quantum of funds received by the AWWA from various sources, including government agencies, Army Canteen Stores Department or any semi-governmental agency, be placed before it. The CIC also sought whether any serving Army officers or troops were working, even voluntarily, for the association, the number of such personnel and the terms and conditions of rendering such service along with a copy of the Defence Ministry’s/Army Headquarters circular authorising such activity. The commission also called for the list of government premises occupied by the AWWA and its various units and the rent, if any, being paid cumulatively for using such premises.
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Portfolio
Allocation
Jaipur, December 22 While A.A. Ahmed Khan has been allocated Medical and Health, Family Welfare, Ayurveda and Medical Education Ministry, Bharat Singh has been given Rural Development and Panchayati Raj in a ceremony held last night. Tourism, Art, Culture and Archives, Women and Child Development, Printing and Stationary Department has been given to Bina Kak, according to an official release. Brij Kirshore Sharma has been alloted Transport while Harji Ram Burdak has been given the charge of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries department. Hema Ram Choudhary will be responsible for Revenue, Colonisation and Sainik Kalyan, the release said. Mahendra Jeet Singh Malviya will look after Tribal Area Development, Public Grievances, Redressals, Technical and Engineering Education (additional charge).
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Jain shrine reopens after two decades of repair job
Hyderabad, December 22 It took over 20 years of painstaking work by experts from across the country to complete the restoration work at Sri Shwethambar Jain Tirth temple near Kolanpak village, about 100 kms from here. The temple, which is one of the top ten Jain pilgrim centres in the world, was reopened for public recently after conducting a day-long special puja “pran pratishta” of a four-faced idol of Jain deities “Chaumukha”. Hundreds of devotees from various parts of the country and abroad, besides state home minister K Jana Reddy and local public representatives, participated in the event. About 150 Jains from the United States also took part in the puja at the temple. Over 1,000 workers, artisans and stone-cutters worked for two decades to complete the renovation work at a cost of Rs 11 crore. Jain philanthropists and members of the community in AP, Rajasthan and Gujarat donated the money for the renovation project. “The renovation work was taken up in two parts. The renovation of the main temple took 16 years to complete while the other smaller temples in the complex took about four years,” the temple president Surendra Lunia said. Out of the total 20 acres of land, the main temple stands on one acre. The remaining land houses a ‘dharamshala’, guest houses with about 160 rooms, a museum and a library for visitors. The Jain followers believe that 15 visits to Kolanpak temple on full moon days and doing Seva, Tapa and Japa will end all the troubles in life.
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Set up district family courts soon: Panel
New Delhi, December 22 Pointing out that at this speed it would take a long time to complete the process, the Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice urged the department to “vigorously pursue” the issue with all state and union territory governments. The 31-member committee made these comments in its 32nd report tabled in Parliament last week in response to the government’s Action Taken Report (ATR) on its earlier recommendations. While the Chandigarh Administrator had informed the Centre that he was awaiting framing of rules by Punjab, which was “expected shortly,” the Rajasthan government had intimated that 14 such courts were to be set up. Several Chief Ministers had merely stated they were “having the matter looked into.” Karnataka said the matter was under the consideration of the High Court. West Bengal said steps were being taken to establish family courts in five districts in consultation with the Calcutta High Court. Delhi said the matter was under active consideration, with premises in two locations likely to be ready shortly. Maharashtra accepted the proposal in principle and the Bombay HC had identified 11 places for the purpose. Arunachal Pradesh said family disputes were being settled under the customary and personal laws of the indigenous population of the state and as such there was no need for setting up family courts. The committee asked the ministry to take up the matter with state governments and fix a target for establishing at least one family court in each district for expeditious resolution of family disputes and related matters.
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NCM likely to get more teeth
New Delhi, December 22 It is also considering empowering the Commission with powers to monitor all matters relating to interests of minorities, Minority Affairs Minister AR Antulay informed the House in a written reply to a question. “The NCM has reported that they face problems in handling some complaints in the absence of powers of investigation,” the minister stated in the reply. The minister was asked whether the NCM was facing problems in safeguarding the rights of minorities as provided under the Constitution. “The matter is under consideration,” Antulay stated.
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Bill to make SC/ST quota in civil services
New Delhi, December 22 Minister of State in the PMO Prithviraj Chavan moved the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Reservation in Posts and Services) Bill, 2008, in the Rajya Sabha to enact a legislation which aims to “instill greater confidence” among members of the SC and ST communities. “At present, administrative instructions issued by the Central government from time to time provide reservation of appointments or posts for the SCs and STs in civil services,” the statement of objects and reasons of the bill said. The bill seeks to make this a “statutory right” backing the instructions, it said adding, the bill aims to meet the “constitutional goal of securing justice, liberty and equality for all citizens and in promoting fraternity among them.”
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Bihar Muslims see their own shoe-man
Patna, December 22 A prominent leader of backward Muslims in Bihar and a Member of Rajya Sabha from the JD(U), Dr. Ejaz Ali echoed similar sentiments and demanded that Karkare’s death be investigated either by the CBI or a serving Judge of Supreme Court. The President of All India Talimi Milli Foundation, Maulana Asrarul Haque feels that the Mumbai ATS Chief"s death had raised doubts in many minds and people want the Government at the Centre to answer the questions in their mind. Hammid Qasim, a social activist went a step further by saying that if the Congress takes action against Antulay, it would lose its base amongst the minority community.
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AP Speaker disqualifies three rebel MLAs
Hyderabad, December 22 The decision came nearly 21 months after TRS filed a petition seeking disqualification of all the nine dissident MLAs for defying the party whip and voting for an independent candidate in the state Legislative Council elections last year. Delivering a mixed judgment, the Speaker said it was an unprecedented case involving the actions of members outside the Assembly and warranted a comprehensive hearing. While pointing out that all the nine legislators attracted the provisions of the Anti-Defection Act, Reddy, however, disqualified only three legislators on the ground that the remaining six had already submitted their resignations, which had been accepted. Amid allegations of manipulation by the ruling party, the six legislators had put in their papers during the last two days and announced their decision to join the Congress ahead of elections. The Speaker’s order triggered a political row with the opposition parties, including TRS, questioning its constitutionality and accusing the ruling party of “influencing” the decision. “All the nine legislators should have been disqualified under the Anti-Defection Act. By letting the six MLAs off the hook and accepting their resignations, the Speaker has made a mockery of the democratic values,” TRS leader Harish Rao said. He said his party would move the High Court challenging the Speaker’s verdict. The other opposition parties - TDP, CPI, CPI (M) and BJP - have thrown their weight behind the TRS and attacked the government for resorting to “unethical tactics”. The opposition parties pointed out that rebel MLAs submitted their resignations a couple of days before the Speaker was to deliver his judgment only to escape from disqualification. “We suspect the motives of the Speaker as he did not act on our petition for several months. And now with the elections drawing closer, he takes a decision that is against the spirit of the Anti-Defection Act,” the TRS floor leader in the Assembly, E Rajender said. Justifying his decision to accept the resignations, even while the petition seeking their disqualification was pending, the Speaker said: “There is no question of their resignations becoming infructuous because of the disqualification petition pending against them. They ceased to be members of the house and this is what the TRS also wanted.” Explaining the delay in delivering the verdict, he said the matter was heard in 22 sittings and widespread consultations were needed as it was an unprecedented case. However, the opposition refused to buy the argument. “It is clear that Speaker has acted at the instance of the Chief Minister and has thus brought disrepute to the high post he is holding,” TDP chief and leader of opposition N Chandrababu Naidu said.
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Security beefed up at Raj Bhawan Panic after gas cylinders
explode
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