JAMUI (Bihar): Armed Maoists on Thursday forcibly stopped the Dhanbad-Patna Intercity Express between Bhalui and Kunder halts in Jamui district and fired indiscriminately at railway police personnel, injuring two of them and the train driver.

The police said 100-odd Maoists surrounded the Patna-bound train in a forest area in Jamui at around 1:20 pm and opened fire.

Two of the five Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel travelling in the train were hurt but the passengers were safe, Railway sources said in Delhi.

The train locopilot also received bullet injuries, the sources said, adding the Maoists snatched two rifles from the RPF personnel.

As soon as the railway officials posted at Jamui and Mananpur stations came to know of the attack, they informed senior railway officials of Lakhisarai and Jamui districts, and sought help from security forces.

CRPF teams from Lakhisarai and Jamui districts have been rushed to the spot and a fierce encounter was on till last reports came in. — PTI

PATNA: The Janata Dal (United) on Thursday kept its alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party on tenterhooks over its continuance in the National Democratic Alliance with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar saying that his party is “concerned” about recent developments in the coalition and would take a call on them after discussing the matter within the party.

Kumar also said that it would be “good” if regional parties like JD(U), Trinamool Congress and Biju Janata Dal formed a common front.

Kumar said, “L. K. Advani discussed some issues and said some things. We will discuss them in our meeting. We will take cognisance of these things...We will discuss all issues,” he told reporters in Patna.

“Before that it is not proper for me to say anything. But we are concerned about the developments which have taken place in the last few days,” Kumar said amidst rumblings in NDA over Narendra Modi’s appointment as BJP’s election campaign committee chief.

Asked about reports that JD(U) favoured the formation of a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front, he said, “ (West Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee had talked to me on the phone and her view is that Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal and Jharkhand have some common problems and we should think about them together. I have also said that these problems are common.”

Kumar, who is also in touch with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, said, “If all of us together understand these problems and form a common front it would be good...This is at an initial stage and one should not speculate that a political front has been formed.”

Meanwhile, former BJP president Nitin Gadkari, who is considered close to RSS, and party vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi drove to the residence of JD(U) President Sharad Yadav on Thursday morning. Advani had made a call to Yadav on Wednesday asking JD(U) to keep the alliance intact.

Sources, however, said there was “no positive indication” from the meeting during which Yadav mainly apprised BJP leaders about JD(U)’s concerns.

BJP President Rajnath Singh called up the Bihar Chief Minister on Thursday morning while senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi talked to Kumar on Wednesday night.

Indicating his resentment over Modi’s elevation, Yadav said, “A number of things had happened recently and a meeting of our party will held to take a view on them.”

On whether there could be a rethink on JD(U)’s reported plans to break ties with BJP, Yadav merely said, “Talks are on between BJP and JD(U). We are also talking to our important workers. A meeting of the party will be held, where we will take a decision.”

To questions on the federal front issue, Kumar said, “It cannot be said that it has taken a firm shape.”

He, however, said that if Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand come together and make a “common cause” on the problems faced by them, they would be a stronger force. — PTI

NEW DELHI: The government plans to convene a special session of Parliament for passage of the Food Security Bill as a divided Cabinet on Thursday shunned the idea of promulgating an ordinance to implement the watershed legislation.

A meeting of the Cabinet could not arrive at a decision on bringing an ordinance to implement the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's pet programme and instead decided to court Opposition parties for passage of the Bill in a special Parliament session.

Home Minister and Leader of the Lok Sabha Sushil Kumar Shinde, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath and Food Minister K. V. Thomas will meet Opposition leaders to elicit their support for passage of the key legislation, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said after the Cabinet meeting.

"The Food Security Bill is ready. We would like to pass it as a Bill but ordinance version of the Bill is also ready. We decided today that we would like to make one more effort to ask the Opposition parties whether they will cooperate in passing the Bill in a special session of Parliament," he said.

Thomas said the ordinance route has not been completely shelved and remains an option available to the government.

The Food Security Bill was tabled in the Budget session of Parliament but could not be taken up for discussion due to pandemonium in the Lok Sabha over various scams.

The Bill aims to give legal rights to 67 per cent of the population over a uniform quantity of 5 kg foodgrains at a fixed price of Rs 1-3 per kg through ration shops. — PTI

NEW DELHI: Seeking to accelerate reforms to spur investments, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday said the government will announce host of decisions, including relaxation of FDI caps and resolution of gas and coal prices, in the next few days. He said there was no need for panic over declining value of rupee and the domestic currency would regain the losses suffered in last few days and stabilise.

"I am looking forward to more reforms... I expect a number of decision in the next few days and weeks... In June, you can expect number of decisions taken and implemented that will accelerate reforms and spur investments in critical sectors," Chidambaram said.

He said the decision will be taken on coal and gas pricing, coal allocation to power plants, FDI limit in various sectors, including defence, and skill development.

Chidambaram said the SEBI board will take a decision on K. M. Chandrasekhar committee report on rationalisation of foreign investment norms on June 25.

The minister was addressing media in the backdrop of steep decline in rupee which on Tuesday touched life-time low of 58.96 intra-day against the US dollar.

Rupee, which touched 58.22 to a dollar in early trade, lost ground during the day, and is currently trading at 58.48 on Thursday.

"There is no reason for panic... Countries with large current account deficit have taken a hit on currencies. Rupee will find its level. We are concerned about volatility. Rupee will regain losses suffered in the last few days," he said.

Expressing satisfaction over declining gold imports, Chidambaram appealed to the people to "resist the temptation to buy gold" saying it will dramatically change the CAD position.

Chidambaram, however, ruled out any immediate hike in gold import duty saying he doesnt want to be "too unpopular".

Chidambaram said Prime minister Manmohan Singh has called a meeting of the Finance minister and other key advisers to discuss steps to revive investment and stalled projects.

The government should keep in mind the long-term interest while taking important decision relating to pricing of natural resources, he said.

Chidambaram said the steps taken by the government since August last year have yielded results and the fiscal deficit has come down to 4.9 per cent in 2012-13 and inflation has moderated.

The economic condition is stronger on Thursday than what it was in the same period last year, he said, adding that lot of people continue to keep faith in India growth.

The government, he said, will leave no stone unturned to achieve the revenue targets in the current financial year and hoped that fiscal deficit of 4.8 per cent is achievable. "If it is better, so be it," he added.

The stocks markets on Thursday tanked sharply and the BSE benchmark Sensex was trading down by 217 points to 18,824.86 in the afternoon trade.

Ruling out any expenditure compression in the current fiscal, the minister said the Ministries have been asked to move ahead with their investment plans, which is necessary for improving investment sentiment and reviving growth.

"Revenue collections are satisfactory. I will achieve my revenue target. I will leave no stone unturned to achieve the revenue target," he said.

Replying to a question on whether government was contemplating a VDIS (Voluntary Disclosure of Investment Scheme) type amnesty scheme to bring out gold, the minister said: "I have one wish if people of India can fulfil is that don't buy gold."

Chidambaram further said the real concern is the performance of the crude, natural gas and fertilisers sector as they have recorded negative growth in last three years.

"We need to get our act together. I am sure we can share some decisions in July," he said.

On the possibility of issuing NRI bonds to raise overseas funds, the minister said: "Can't answer question on which decision have not been taken. We are watching the situation. When we take a decision, we will share it with you".

Asked about disinvestment of Coal India, the minister said the coal major was on the list of PSUs which have to be divested and the ministry will try to impress upon the Trade Unions that funds raised would be used for capital expenditure of other state-owned companies.

"I have to put in Rs 15,000-20,000 crore annually for five years into PSU banks," he said.

On the impact of rupee depreciation on subsidies, Chidambaram said it will have a bearing on goods which are imported.

However, as far as the domestic prices of petroleum products are concerned, he said, the impact of rupee decline could be neutralised by a decline in value of crude oil in international markets. — PTI