New Delhi: The civil services examination will be held as per schedule on August 24, the government declared on Thursday  in Parliament, while saying that consultations will be held with various parties and stakeholders on the matter after the current session.

"As for this year, there is no scope for postponement of (UPSC preliminary) examination," Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said as opposition created uproar in Rajya Sabha demanding an all-party meeting immediately.
Civil services aspirants are agitating against more weightage given to English in the exam.

Naidu said the UPSC issue requires "deep" study and discussion with political parties and other stakeholders as there are both sides of the argument about the CSAT in UPSC.

"...after the session, government is ready to discuss it with all" to reach a consensus, he said, adding the government has taken a correct decision in this regard and minds of students should not be disturbed.

As members insisted for all-party meeting before August 24, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Prakash Javadekar said there is already a view among many members that it will not be possible to find a solution to the issue immediately.
"An all-party meeting has to take place to discuss wider reforms. We will inform about the date later on," he said.

Earlier, government had announced marks of English will not be included for gradation or merit in UPSC exam.

As soon as the House met for the day, opposition parties including SP and BSP raised the issue and demanded that government should immediately call an all-party meeting to resolve the matter as it affects lakhs of students.

In the Lok Sabha, AIADMK leader M Thambidurai made a strong plea that the UPSC exam should be conducted in all regional languages to provide level-playing field to students from all over the country. -PTI

Chandigarh: Light to moderate rains lashed some parts of Punjab and Haryana on Thursday plummeting the maximum temperature by upto a few notches and raising the humidity levels in the region.

Some parts of Punjab and Haryana received rainfall last night as well as on Thursday, the MeT office said here.

While Ambala was drenched by 34.7 mm of rainfall, Patiala received 29.9 mm of rainfall.

Among other places, Ludhiana received 17.2 mm of rainfall followed by 9.7 mm at Chandigarh.

However, the humidity levels hovered upto 85 per cent in the region, the MeT office said adding that there was a fall of maximum temperature by an average of two degrees Celsius.

The weatherman has predicted light to moderate rainfall or thundershowers in the region during the next 24 hours. -PTI

AKHNOOR (JAMMU): As part of its "humanistic approach" towards residents of border villages, the Army has launched a drive to clear firing ranges in the Jammu region of unexploded shells.

The drive has been named 'Mission Humsafar'. "As part of its humanistic approach towards people residing in the border villages, Army has launched 'Mission Humsafar', a major clean-up drive for unexploded shells in Kalith Field Firing Ranges in Akhnoor, Kalith and Chinota area of Jammu district," PRO (Defence) Lt Col Manish Mehta said on Thursday. 

The drive follows Operation Falah (welfare) launched by the Army to clear Kashmir's Tosa Maidan area of unexploded shells last week.

"During the mission, the Army is carrying out physical search of the complete area and any unexploded artillery shells and mortar blinds will be collected and destroyed," Lt Col Mehta said.The Army will also educate the locals regarding safety aspects to be borne in mind during firing in the range.

It has employed mine and explosive-detector dogs, remote-controlled explosive detection vehicles (RCVs), metal detectors and engineer personnel, especially trained for such tasks, equipped with gadgetry and other technical devices for this operation, he said.

"In a concerted drive to get rid of any unexploded shells and mortar blinds, Indian Army under Crossed Swords Division will carry out a major combing operation in the ranges over a number of days to make the area totally safe for movement of 
civilians and their livestock, he added.

"As informed, residents of around 20-odd villages surrounding the firing range welcomed this humanitarian initiative of the Army and were appreciative of the fact that the Army, besides ensuring security of borders and maintaining peaceful 
environment in the area, has also been constantly upgrading the standard of living of people by undertaking useful projects under Sadbhavana initiative," he said.

Kalith Field Firing Range (KFFR) which is marked into separate zones for artillery, mortar and small arms firing is located close to the Line of Control where many units of the Northern Command carry out regular field firing.

With the establishment of Kalith Field Firing Range Cell at Station HQ Pallanwala since July 2011, the ranges have been safe and incident-free and no civilian causality has been reported to have occurred inside the range area as a result of 
the blinds, the PRO said.

The locals have been in favour of re-notification of the Kalith Field Firing Ranges and the case is presently with the state government for consideration. –PTI

JAMMU: Efforts are on to bring back an Indian trooper who entered Pakistan after being swept away in the Chenab River in Jammu district, sources said on Thursday.

"Pakistan Rangers have confirmed that the trooper is in their custody. We have sought a flag meeting to get the trooper back," a Border Security Force (BSF) source said.

Satyasheel Yadav was part of a water patrol party in Akhnoor area of the international border in Jammu and Kashmir.

He was swept away in the river after their motor boat developed a mechanical fault on Wednesday, BSF sources told IANS here.

"While three of his colleagues swam to safety, Yadav was carried to the Pakistani side by the powerful currents of the river," the source added.

The incident took the trooper to Bajwaat village in Sialkot area in Pakistan.

Yadav hails from Ferozabad in Uttar Pradesh.

CHANDIGARH: Congress national general secretary Shakeel Ahmed has said differences between Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and state's power minister Ajay Singh Yadav have been resolved.

Ahmed, in-charge of Congress affairs in Haryana, said: "Differences between Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Power, Environment and Forests Minister Ajay Singh Yadav over certain issues have been resolved."

The minister July 29 submitted his resignation from the Hooda government, alleging discrimination against his area and over his being sidelined in the government.

However, he withdrew his resignation Aug 2 after meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi the same day.

Haryana's 90 assembly seats go to polls in October this year.

Speaking to reporters in Rewari, 350 km from here, Ahmed Wednesday said the Congress will form the government in the state for the third consecutive term.

CHANDIGARH: In a major police reshuffle at the middle level rank police officers, the Punjab government today transferred 91 Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSPs) in the state.
The transferred DSPs have been asked to join their new places of postings with immediate effect, an official spokesman said.
Majority of transferred DSPs are of the Punjab Police Service (PPS) cadre, the spokesman said.
Bal Krishan Singla, DSP Ludhiana will take over as Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP-South) Amritsar.
Amandeep Singh Brar, DSP seventh battalion Punjab Armed Police (PAP) at Jalandhar has been posted as ACP-West Amritsar.
Harkamal Kaur, DSP third Indian Reserve Battalion(IRB), Ludhiana will be the ACP-Headquarters at Amritsar. PTI

SRINAGAR: Veteran Congress leader Karan Singh's elder son Vikramaditya Singh is set to join Jammu and Kashmir's main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
"Singh will join the party tomorrow at a function to be held in Jammu," a senior PDP leader said.

Vikramaditya is the grandson of the Maharaja Hari Singh, the last dynastic ruler of Jammu and Kashmir.

While Karan Singh, the last Sadr-e-Riyasat (president of the state) before the post was changed to Governor in 1960s, is a senior Congress leader, his younger son Ajatshatru Singh is a senior leader of the ruling National Conference.

Born in 1964, Vikramaditya completed his higher studies from the University of Southern California, USA. In 1987, he married Rajkumari Chitrangada Raje Scindia, daughter of sister of Jyotiraditya Scindia of Gwalior, who is a Congress leader.

50-year-old Vikramaditya is presently looking after his hotel business in Himachal Pradesh. He is also a trustee of JK Dharmarth Trust that was formed by his ancestor and the founder ruler of the Jammu and Kashmir State, Maharaja Gulab Singh. PTI

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court, which had issued summons against Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others, on Thursday deferred till August 28 hearing in the case filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy in the matter pertaining to acquisition of National Herald daily.

Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha postponed the matter after the counsel appearing for Sonia Gandhi and others informed the court that Delhi High Court had on Wednesday stayed the criminal proceedings pending before the trial court till August 13.

Senior advocate Ramesh Gupta, who appeared for Sonia, Rahul and others, told the court that summons have not been served on accused Sam Pitroda as he stays in the USA now.

Swamy requested the court to hand over the summons issued against Pitroda to him so that he could serve it on him.

The court permitted Swamy's contention and fixed the matter for hearing on August 28.

In a reprieve for Sonia, Rahul and others, the high court had yesterday stayed till August 13 the criminal proceedings before the trial court against them.

"Renotify the matters on August 13. Till that time, the impugned order dated June 26, 2014 of the trial court against the accused shall remain stayed," Justice V P Vaish had said.

The stay had come as a relief to Sonia, Rahul and others including Congress treasurer Moti Lal Vora, General Secretary Oscar Fernandes, Sam Pitroda and Suman Dubey who were asked to appear before the trial court today. The Congress leaders have challenged the lower court's summoning orders against them on a complaint of Swamy alleging cheating and misappropriation of funds in the acquisition of the daily by Young Indian(YI).

Pitroda is the only accused who, so far, has not moved the high court as the summons has not been served on him.

The high court has now fixed the matter for further hearing on August 13 when the counsel for Suman Dubey and Swamy will argue their case.

While summoning the six as accused in the case, the trial court had held that Swamy has established a prima facie case of cheating, misappropriation of funds and criminal breach of trust against them.

Swamy had accused Sonia and Rahul Gandhi and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by just paying Rs 50 lakh by which YI obtained the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore which the Associated Journals Limited had owed to the Congress party.

The accused persons were summoned under sections 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property, 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) read with section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. –PTI

UNITED NATIONS: India has said the current crisis in Gaza can be resolved through a negotiated political settlement and dialogue remains the "only viable option" to effectively address issues confronting the region and its people.

"We endorse completely Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's statement this morning that a crisis such as the one we see in Gaza can only be resolved through a negotiated political settlement with the required political will and leadership of the negotiating parties," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Asoke Mukerji told the UN General Assembly.

A 72-hour ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Tuesday and has brought relief to millions on both sides after one month of fighting killed nearly 1,900 Palestinians and 67 people in Israel, mostly soldiers.

Mukerji said India followed the current situation in Gaza with a "great deal of concern" and supports all efforts to sustain the ceasefire.

He said India believes that a sustainable ceasefire will be linked to the resumption of the peace process for a comprehensive resolution of the Palestinian issue.

"India remains firmly convinced that dialogue remains the only viable option that can effectively address the issues confronting the region and its people," he said.

The special session was convened yesterday amidst the 72-hour ceasefire, which has been in effect since August 5.

Addressing the 193-nation General Assembly, Ban Ki-moon said the United Nations is ready to help rebuild Gaza for the last time as the "senseless cycle of suffering in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as in Israel must end." He said both the Israelis and the Palestinians are putting all of the international community's citizens "always at unease and concerned, looking helplessly at many people being killed." "Do we have to continue like this: build, destroy, and build and destroy? We will build again - but this must be the last time to rebuild. This must stop now. They must go back to the negotiating table. We must not repeat this periodically," he said.

India, as a founder member of the UN, strongly deplores any act of violence or threat of violence directed towards the world body, Mukerji said.

"We support strongly call for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to justice the perpetrators of such acts. This is the only way to uphold the credibility of the United Nations, based on the rule of law," he said.

He said India had consistently held that the blockade of Gaza that adversely affects essential services, economic activities and infrastructure development must be lifted. "We reiterate that this blockade and the issue of increasing settlement activities need to be addressed to take forward the peace process to reach a mutually acceptable political solution," Mukerji said.

He reiterated India's support for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian issue based on the relevant UN resolutions, the Arab Peace Plan and the Quartet Roadmap resulting in a sovereign, independent, viable and united state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.

India's deep association and continuing commitment to Palestine is rooted in the country's modern history, Mukerji added.

The General Assembly session was also briefed by Ban's special envoy in the region Robert Serry, deputy chief of UN humanitarian efforts Kyung-wha Kang, world body's top human rights official Navi Pillay and head of the UN agency charged with assisting Palestinian refugees across the Middle East Pierre Krahenbuhl.

Serry is currently in Cairo where Egyptian mediators are shuttling between the Israeli and Palestinian representatives to negotiate a longer pause to the fighting that is currently on hold for at least 72-hours.

Terming current crisis "a symptom of our collective failure", he said to address the underlying causes of the conflict, blockade on Gaza should end and Israel's legitimate security needs be addressed.

"The escalation just behind us, coupled with the tense situation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, is a warning of the bleak reality before us if we do not counter the slide towards a one-state reality on the ground and restore hope and prospect for a two-state solution," Serry said.

Speaking from Gaza, Krahenbuhl said 90 of the agency's premises were hit during the conflict.

He said that UN Relief and Works Agency had asked for investigations to be carried out regarding the attacks on agency-run schools that had been sheltering displaced Gazans.

Pillay stressed the need to investigate wrongdoings and hold those responsible to account for crimes committed during the current crisis and the military operations in 2008-2009 and 2012. Speaking from Geneva, she said that the Commission of Inquiry established by the Human Rights Council last month would present its findings next March and its conclusions on what occurred in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and subsequent recommendations, should be carefully considered.

"There can be no true security without justice and respect for human rights," she said.

"Adherence to international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and ensuring accountability for violations, are essential pre-requisites for any lasting peace," she said.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) the conflict exasperated an already desperate situation after seven years of blockade, with unemployment at 43 per cent, food insecurity at 57 per cent and where approximately 80 per cent of the population, over half of whom are children, are dependent on external assistance.

The UN and partners have appealed for USD 367 million dollars to address immediate needs which range from medicines, ambulances to water and power plants repairs, besides food and shelter.–PTI