NEW DELHI: Army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag on Tuesday denied any incursion by China into Indian territory.

Asked if Chinese troops came to the Indian boundary, the army chief said there is "nothing like that".

Reports on Tuesday said the Chinese troops entered 25 to 30 km into Indian territory in the Burtse area of north Ladakh, pitched tents and held up flags that read "this is Chinese territory, go back".

Reports said the Chinese troops were there for a day before returning. The area is at an altitude of 17,000 feet. –IANS

Congress demand for LoP rejected 

New Delhi: The Congress demand for being accorded the status of Leader of Opposition to its group chief in Lok Sabha was today rejected by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

"I have gone by rules and tradition," she told PTI on her decision not to recongnise the Congress leader in Lok Sabha as the Leader of the Opposition.

The Speaker's decision rejecting the Congress demand has been conveyed in a letter to the Congress party. Congress President Sonia Gandhi had written to Mahajan seeking the status of the Leader of Opposition to Mallikarjun Kharge who is the party's group leader in the House.

The Speaker had also taken the opinion of Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi who had said that Congress does not have the numbers so that its floor leader can be granted the status of Leader of Opposition.

Congress is the second largest group in the Lok Sabha with 44 seats after BJP's 282 and has been insisting that it should be given the status of Leader of Opposition.

However, citing rules, the Speaker has conveyed to the Congress that she was not in a position to give the party Leader of Opposition status because it fell short of the minimum 55 seats required for staking claim to the post.

Mahajan is also believed to have cited the precedents in 1980 and 1984 when there was no recognised Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha.

The Leader of the Opposition in both the Houses of Parliament enjoys the status of a Cabinet Minister.

Reacting to the decision, Kharge said he would consult Congress high command and the AICC legal cell before giving his opinion.

"Being recognised as Leader of the Opposition is one thing and functioning as floor leader is another," he said.

The status of Leader of Opposition gains significance in the context of requirements of law relating to appointments of statutory bodies like Central Information Commission (CIC).

The appointments of CIC and Central Vigilance Commissioner are done by the President on the basis of recommendation of a three-member committee consisting Prime Minister, Home Minister and the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha.

The chairperson and members of Lokpal are selected by a committee headed by Prime Minister and four members-- Lok Sabha Speaker, Leader of Opposition in the Lower House, the Chief Justice of India or a judge of the apex court nominated by him, and an eminent jurist who could be nominated by the President or any other member.

The Speaker had said yesterday that she does not have any personal discretion and that the House can change rules if it felt it was necessary.

"A Speaker is supposed to follow rules. I have to go by rules. There are 'Directions of the Speaker' which mandate ten per cent strength for a party in Lok Sabha to be recognised as Leader of the Opposition.

"If anybody wants a change in them, then a committee can be formed to look into them. But I need to follow the rules. I cannot do any thing on this," Mahajan had told PTI.

She had said that her decision on granting the status of LoP to any party was on the basis of the directions, which guide the functioning of the Lok Sabha chief, and precedents followed by others.

"The directions of the Speaker are very clear to decide on the LoP. I also took legal opinion before deciding on the matter," the Lok Sabha Speaker said. -PTI 

Bangalore: Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge today said he was not disappointed at Speaker Sumitra Mahajan's decision not to accord the status of Leader of Opposition to him as the party group's chief in the House and he would consult the High Command on the next course of action.

"...I will see the letter and consult the High Command...

what further action is needed.," Kharge told PTI over phone from his home town Gulbarga, reacting to the decision of the Speaker who said she went by rules and tradition on the issue.

Kharge said since he has not seen the contents of the letter, he did not know the grounds on which Mahajan had rejected the demand of the Congress whose President Sonia Gandhi had written to the Speaker staking their claim for the status of the Leader of Opposition to him.

Asked if he was disappointed with the Speaker's response, he said, "No disappointment. There is no disappointment in my political life (of several decades). I have seen the posts of state minister, cabinet minister and others. Such a thing is not new." Kharge, however, said he did not know why the criterion of 10 per cent seats to be secured by opposition party to be eligible for the Leader of Opposition status was being insisted upon.

"There are different acts like Lokpal which require consultation with the Leader of the Opposition," Kharge said.

Asked if exercising legal option would be considered, he said, "without seeing the contents of the letter, how can I say?." To a query, he said the letter had not been received at his Delhi residence and he was not aware whether the party had received it or not. PTI

29 storage dams operating at below normal capacity: CEA 

New Delhi:  Water level at storage dams across the country has gone down due to scanty monsoon adversely impacting irrigation and hydel generation.

According to data by the Central Electricity Authority (dated August 13), 29 of the 31 hydro reservoirs in India are witnessing water scarcity. They are operating at less than full capacity of the reservoir.

CEA provides assistance to the Ministry of Power in all technical and economic matters.

The water level at the Bhakra Nangal Dam in Punjab was 507.53 metres as compared to its full capacity of 513.59 metres. The reservoir level at another such dam Ranjit Sagar in the state was 518.91 metres compared to its capacity of 527.91 metres.

Similar is the plight of Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat with its current water level hovering around 120.65 metres as against its full capacity of 138.68 metres.

"Although average rainfall deficit has come down in the country, there are pockets such as north western India, Telangana, Rayalaseema, parts of Maharashtra that have severe shortfall in rainfall. This has resulted in dams having much less water than long term averages in these areas," Debasish Mishra, Senior Director (Consulting) Deloitte said.

The water level at these dams was not only lesser than its full reservoir capacity but also lower than the level last year.

At present, the water level of Gandhi Sagar and Indira Sagar dams in Madhya Pradesh is 396.08 metres 257.93 metres, respectively. This capacity was 399.03 metres and 259.58 metres on the same day last year.

The water level at the Nagarjuna Sagar dam in Andhra Pradesh was way below its full capacity of 179.83 metres. It stood at 160.63 metres, the data said.

Water storage level at the Hirakund dam (Odisha) and Periyar dam (Tamil Nadu) was 188.77 metres and 37.82 metres, respectively. However, their full capacity stand at 192.02 metres and 46.33 metres, respectively.

The below normal reservoir level at these water reservoirs has an adverse impact on hydro power generation.

"Since many of these reservoirs are multi-purpose dams and drinking water supply and irrigation get preference over power generation – in case of deficit monsoon year, electricity generation gets severely affected," Mishra added.

NEW DELHI: India has appointed former captain Ravi Shastri as director of cricket for the one-day international series against England as part of a coaching shake-up following the recent 3-1 test series defeat to the same opponents.

Duncan Fletcher remains as head coach, but Shastri, who played 80 tests and 150 one-dayers matches between 1981 and 1992, has been placed "overall in-charge of cricket affairs of the Indian team".

"In their continuing efforts to re-energise the support to the team, the BCCI has given a break to the bowling coach Joe Dawes and the fielding coach, Trevor Penney for the one day series and appointed Sanjay Bangar, former Indian all rounder and former India fast bowler Bharat Arun as the assistant coaches of the team," Board of Control for Cricket in India honorary secretary Sanjay Patel said in a statement.

" R. Sridhar will join the support team as the fielding coach for the one day series." India won the second test at Lord's to go 1-0 up in the five-match series before losing the next three matches heavily, including a humiliating innings and 244 runs defeat within three days at The Oval in the final outing.

The five-match ODI series begins at Bristol on Monday, with one Twenty20 international to follow. – Reuters

Tough measures to be taken to rid the country of corruption: PM 

Kaithal (Haryana): Vowing to rid the country of the "disease" of corruption, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said his government will take tough measures to eliminate the menace which is "more dangerous than cancer".

"Corruption is dangerous and spreading more dangerously than cancer. It is destroying the country. Strong steps are needed to eradicate it," he said at a public meeting while inaugurating a highway project in the poll-bound state.

"You tell me if we should take tough measures against it (corruption). I need your blessings. With your blessings, I will rid the country of this disease," said Modi, who was on his maiden visit to the state after becoming Prime Minister.

He noted that many people said he did not speak against corruption in his Independence Day speech which, he added, was not true as he had this issue on mind when he spoke about "mera kya (What about me), mujhe kya (It does not concern me)" syndrome in society. This was about corruption, he said.

"This (corruption) has ruined the country... It is more dangerous than cancer. We have to make national mood against it. I sense that people are no longer ready to live with it," he said.

Turning his focus on development, he said the infrastructure of the 20th century would not do in the 21st century as times have changed and "we will have to think ahead".

"Rains come and roads disappear. Nobody knows where money goes.... Only road or rail network will not fulfil the infrastructure need of the 21st century. We have to lay optical fibre cable and connect our villages with gas and water grids," he said.

His government, he said, is striving to meet the aspirations of the new generation.

Stressing that development is the only solution to the problems facing the people, he said, "A nation which gives impetus to infrastructure be it roads, rail or airport, that is where chances of development increase". 

The Prime Minister stressed upon taking stringent measures to rid the country of corruption.

"I feel that people of the country are no longer ready to tolerate it (corruption)," he said Pointing towards the gathering, Modi said "the sea of people gathered here has given a message that they have a lot of faith in development." Holding that NDA's "priority" was development, he said, "If there is all round development, the country will surge ahead." Employment will only come with development, he said.

He said that for the speedy progress of the country, "besides rail, road and air connectivity, there is need to lay emphasis on optical fibre network, setting up of gas, power and water grids and ensure that modern technology reaches every household." He said that his government was keen to take the benefits of modern technology to the villages.

Seeking to woo the people of Haryana where assembly election are due later this year, Modi said he has special affection for the state and he will return their "love with interest" by carrying out developmental works.

BJP had bagged seven out of 10 seats in the state in the recent Lok Sabha elections and has mounted a strong challenge to dislodge Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government in coming polls.

Modi said his government will resume the central developmental projects in the state, which have been delayed for years, and expedite them.

Reaching out to farmers, he announced a new irrigation scheme, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sichai Yojna, saying farmers fill up granaries and his government will ensure that their pockets are also filled, which is presently not the case.

He said that agriculture had to be made profit oriented so that farmers are benefited by selling their produce. He said that the irrigation scheme will ensure each farmer's land gets sufficient water to irrigate his fields.

The new scheme will be on the lines of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yonja, conceptualised during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure as Prime Minister.

Highlighting the importance of national highways in the development of a state, he said areas around them in Haryana have developed but as one goes farther from them, the lack of progress is visible.

To accomplish this, there is need to have modernisation in agriculture sector and emphasis should be laid on livestock management, he said, adding that youth in villages must be benefited by long distance education through modern technology.

"I assure people of Haryana the kind of love and faith they have reposed in him he will revert it with interest by way of development of the state," he said.

He said that he knew about Haryana as much he was aware of Gujarat and had learnt a lot by staying in this state in the past.

Earlier Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda also spoke on the occasion.

He put forward eight demands relating to roads and rail before the Prime Minister.

Also present on the occasion were Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, Union minister Nitin Gidkari, Minister of State Krishanpal Gujjar, Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh and Haryana cabinet minister Randeep Singh Surjewala. -PTI

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday invited suggestions on the new institution that would replace Planning Commission through a special "Open Forum" that has been created by the government.

"Inviting you to share your ideas on what shape the new institution to replace the Planning Commission can take. A special Open Forum has been created on my government for suggestions on the new Institution. Let the ideas flow," Modi said in a tweet and also posted the link through which people can put forward their suggestion.

Modi in his Independence Day speech announced that the 64-year-old Planning Commission would be replaced by a new institution.

"We envision the proposed institution as one that caters to the aspirations of 21st century India and strengthens participation of the states," he added. -IANS