 |
| Thursday, April 20, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
|
TDP
assails subsidy cut ‘No
Sikh migration’ from J&K Samata
leader shot dead Jamia
issue: Oppn stages walkout |
|
| Govt employee can’t draw
double DA: SC NEW DELHI, April 19 — In a significant judgement, the Supreme Court has held that a government employee cannot draw two dearness reliefs — one on his salary and the other on the family pension paid to him. 10-cr Central aid for
drought-hit SC
stays panchayat poll in UP Lok
Sabha passes Railway Budget Troop
movement on LoC noticed: George Cho
visualises betting on Bills |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PM’s reply to
President’s address postponed NEW DELHI, April 19 — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee’s scheduled reply to the debate in the Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks on the President’s address was postponed today as Mr Vajpayee was suffering from a throat infection. Wage board proposals
challenged in HC
|
TDP assails subsidy cut NEW DELHI, April 19 (PTI) — The Telugu Desam Party, a key supporter of the ruling coalition at the Centre, embarrassed the government in the Rajya Sabha today by sharply attacking the decision to cut subsidies, saying it would be difficult for the poor to absorb the shock. “The government is hypocritical in saying it is providing subsidies..... I suggest have a rationalistic approach to subsidies as you cannot force the poor to absorb the shock so easily unless you improve the living conditions of the common man,” TDP member C. Ramachandraiah said. He was participating in a discussion on the recent increase in the prices of rice, wheat, kerosene, LPG and other items of daily consumption, causing serious problems for the common man. “Everybody is aware of the financial precariousness of the country and the Finance Minister has been saying that fiscal deficit is the enemy of economy. But the government should have explored other ways to meet the deficit instead of hitting the poor by raising the prices of foodgrain, LPG and fertilisers,” he said. Mr Ramachandraiah, however, at one stage said wrong policies of successive governments had caused the mess. Raising the discussion on the issue, Mr Kapil Sibal of the Congress accused the government of representing the interests of the creamy layer and said the increase in the prices of foodgrain, the LPG, kerosene and other items in the Budget had dealt a blow to the poor and the underprivileged. The government should strive for a consensus among the political parties on the issue. He also questioned the government claim that inflation was the lowest-ever and said the list of essential goods had been enlarged with the inclusion of luxury items like aerated water, electronic items and other consumer durables. He said the inflation on account of food articles alone worked out to be 2.7 per cent last month. This would work out to be 35 per cent annually. Meanwhile, according to
UNI the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Parliamentary Party today
decided to go along with other allies of the National
Democratic Alliance regarding the demand for a rollback
in the hike of the prices of essential commodities and
fertilisers. |
‘No Sikh migration’
from J&K NEW DELHI, April 19 — Even as the Lok Sabha today paid homage to the 35 Sikhs massacred by Pakistani militants in Chatti Singhpora village of Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, the Home Minister Mr L.K. Advani informed the Rajya Sabha that there had been no migration of the Sikhs from the state after the massacre. Arrangements for maximum security have been made in the Sikh-populated areas of the state. The situation was being constantly monitored, Mr Advani said. As many as 93 of the estimated 140 Sikh-populated villages had been provided with security pickets. However, it might not be possible to provide security pickets to all villages, he added. Mr Advani informed Mr Suresh Kalmadi that there were reports of possible militant action during the visit of US President Bill Clinton, but there was no confirmation that a Sikh village was a target. The minister said it was clear that the militants wanted to achieve another ethnic cleaning of the valley after the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits. It was a matter of satisfaction that in spite of grave provocations, there had been no migration of Sikhs, he said. Mr Advani denied that there was no coordination among the different security agencies operating in the Jammu and Kashmir. He admitted that tourism industry had been hit hard by decade-long militancy. The minister said an inquiry by a Chief Judicial Magistrate was already on into the massacre and the subsequent killing of terrorists by security forces. Leader of the opposition Manmohan Singh said during his visit to the affected areas, he found there was no credible state mechanism to win back the confidence of the people. Dr Karan Singh said people of all communities had been hit by the current spate of terrorism in the state. There was need for a comprehensive plan for the rehabilitation of the uprooted people. In Lok Sabha, as soon as the House assembled for the day, Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi referred to the incident and said that the House would like to record its deep sense of sorrow. The members then stood in silence for a while as a mark of respect to the victims. PTI adds: Mr Advani said the government had decided to fence the international border in the Jammu sector using a multi-modal approach. However, he added that fencing in other areas of the state was not possible because of the geographical conditions. The government was constantly upgrading the arms provided to the Village Defence Committees (VDCs), he said, adding that in some areas the committees had been given communication systems also. There were 2,484 VDCs in the state each of which have two or three special police officers. The Home Minister also said directions had been given to paramilitary forces to recruit personnel from Chatti Singhpura. Mr Advani said the government was considering the proposal to bring out a White Paper on ISI activities in the country and asserted that there was no specific intelligence report about militants targeting Sikhs in Kashmir. Asked about
rehabilitating Kashmiri Pandits outside Kashmir, Mr
Advani said the government’s effort was to create
the situation for them to return to the state. |
Samata leader shot dead PURNIA, April 19 (PTI) — Controversial Samata Party Leader Madhusudan Singh, alias Butan Singh, who faced 20 cases of murder and kidnapping and other offences, was today gunned down by three unidentified assailants on the district court premises here. Director-General of Police, K.A. Jacob, said Mr Madhusudan Singh, party’s Purnia district president and husband of sitting MLA Lesi Devi, was shot dead near the court entrance when he was riding a motor cycle. He said the slain leader was to go to the court under police escort but was allowed to go alone by the jail staff. The lapse was being probed by senior officers, Mr Jacob said. The police said supporters of Mr Madhusudan Singh, on hearing of his killing, went on the rampage setting ablaze vehicles of three judicial officers and damaging furniture at the collectorate, the Sub-Divisional Officer’s chamber, the civil court and the bar library. All shops and business
establishments closed as the news of the killing spread. |
Jamia issue: Oppn stages
walkout NEW DELHI, April 19 — The entire Opposition in the Lok Sabha today staged a walkout over the government’s unsatisfactory response on the issue of alleged police excesses on students of Jamia Milia University. The government’s assurance that orders were being issued for immediate release of “innocent” students and steps initiated to hold a judicial probe had the entire Opposition agitated as they claimed that this was no categorical assurance. Members said the government had failed to come out with a categorical assurance and condemn the “unwarranted” atrocities on the students. Responding to the members’ queries on the campus incident on April 9, in which several students were injured after the police lathicharged them, the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K.Advani, said all those students arrested by the police except those charged with indulging in violence or found in possession of unlicensed arms were being released. As for the demand for a judicial inquiry into the alleged excesses, Mr Advani said the Lt Governor of Delhi had already ordered a magisterial probe. Several delegations of the Jamia Milia, including those headed by Delhi’s Chief Minister and Vice-Chancellor, met him and he told them that the government would not oppose bail applications of the arrested “innocent” students, Mr Advani said. Even as the Opposition walked out of the Lok Sabha today demanding withdrawal of cases against students of the Jamia Milia Islamia, Lt Governor Vijay Kapoor and Police Commissioner Ajai Raj Sharma assured University Vice-Chancellor Syed Shahid Mahdi today that the cases would be withdrawn and the academic year saved. In view of these
assurances, Mr Mahdi today renewed his appeal to the
students to call off their over week-long agitation and
prepare for examinations.According to a release from the
Vice-Chancellor’s office, Mr Mahdi had detailed
discussions with the Lt Governor and the police chief
about the situation on the campus, simmering since the
police used heavy force, including baton-charge and tear
gas on April 9 against students allegedly blocking the
arrest of two students from the campus. |
Govt employee can’t draw double DA: SC NEW DELHI, April 19 (UNI) — In a significant judgement, the Supreme Court has held that a government employee cannot draw two dearness reliefs — one on his salary and the other on the family pension paid to him. The ruling was handed down by a Division Bench comprising Mr Justice V.N. Khare and Mr Justice Y.K. Sabharwal while allowing an appeal by the Union of India and others. The husband of Rekha Majhi (the respondent), who was a railway employee died in harness. Family pension as well as gratuity, provident fund and all other retirement benefits, which were admissible to the husband of the respondent, were given to her. In addition, the Railways gave her employment on compassionate grounds. The respondent continued to draw salary as a railway employee as well as family pension till January 25, 1994 when it was discovered that the respondent was not entitled to draw two dearness allowances — one on her salary and the other on the family pension. Consequently, the appellants refixed the family pension of the respondent after deducting on the pension dearness relief and issued orders for the recovery of the dearness relief paid to her on the family pension. Aggrieved by the orders,the respondent filed a petition before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Calcutta. The tribunal was of the view that since the respondent was not re-employed as contemplated under Rule 21(II) of the Railways Service (Pension) Rules, 1993, she was entitled to draw the dearness reliefs on both counts. The tribunal allowed the petition. Hence, the appeal before the apex court. The Supreme Court in its judgement said that a perusal of Rule 21(II) showed that the object behind framing of the rule was that a pensioner could not enjoy two dearness reliefs simultaneously if he or she took up re-employment. It is not disputed that
the respondent is getting family pension and, therefore,
she is a pensioner. That being the object of the rule, we
have to give a wider meaning to the expression
’re-employed’ which finds place in Rule 21 (i
i) of the rules. The expression ‘re-employed,’
if construed in the light of the object behind the rule
and facts of this case, would also include first regular
employment in the serious, the judges observed. |
10-cr Central aid for drought-hit GANDHINAGAR, April 19 (PTI) — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has announced central aid of Rs 10 crore to provide nutritious food for labourers, women and children affected by the drought in Gujarat. Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel told newspersons here today that Mr Vajpayee would give the amount from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. The state government would also provide a matching sum for this purpose, Mr Patel said. Meanwhile, the Gujarat Cabinet today reviewed relief measures to meet the drought situation in parts of the state and decided to step up the relief work on a war footing in these affected parts. The Cabinet meeting, chaired by the Chief Minister, also decided to allot every drought-hit district to ministers to personally oversee the relief work for three days from April 25. Giving details of the drought relief work undertaken in the affected areas,Mr Patel and Finance Minister Vajubhai Vala told reporters that a ‘human approach’ would be adopted for the relief works, which would include employment, drinking water, fodder availability and alternate arrangements for drinking water. Mr Vala said the Central
Government had also allocated Rs 161 crore from the
national calamity fund last year and it had been
increased to Rs 241 crore, whereas the state government
has already allocated Rs 287 crore for relief works in
9,421 villages and 79 cities of 153 talukas in 17
districts after declaring scarcity and semi scarcity. |
SC stays panchayat poll in
UP NEW DELHI, April 19 — The Supreme Court today stayed the order of the Allahabad High Court which had directed that the panchayat elections in U.P. be held as per schedule. These elections were to be held from April 13 to May 11. The bench comprising Mr Justice G.B. Patnaik, Mr Justice Duraiswamy Raju and the Mr Justice S.N. Variava passed the order after hearing submissions on a special leave petition filed by the State of U.P., challenging the High Court order passed on April 13. The court directed that the delimitation of panchayat constituencies be completed by the government by May 7 and a draft notification for holding the panchayat elections be filed in the court by May 11. Mr F.S. Nariman, senior advocate, appearing for the U.P. Government submitted that there were difficulties in completing the delimitation process as directed by the court earlier and, thereafter, the government on March 18 had issued an ordinance postponing the elections from May to October this year. The High Court had
quashed this notification, which was challenged in a
public interest petition by Mr Prem Lal Patel, stating
that the ordinance violated the constitutional provisions
fixing a five-year tenure for the elected representatives
of the panchayat. |
Lok Sabha passes Railway Budget NEW DELHI, April 19 (UNI) —The Lok Sabha today approved the Railway Budget for 2000-2001 with an assurance by Ms Mamata Banerjee that monitoring committees would be set up in all states to ensure completion of railway projects within the deadline. The minister said that during 1999-2000, revenue through freight was Rs 22,091 crore while passenger revenue was Rs 9,480 crore. Ms Banerjee said she was very hopeful that the Railways would achieve its target of 475 million tonnes in the current fiscal also as the trend in the first month of the financial year was encouraging. On decentralisation, she said it had been decided to strengthen the monitoring committee in every state to ensure that state projects did not suffer. A whopping Rs 15,000 crore was required for completion of pending projects. She said the Railways
would welcome joint venture projects with the states as
well as the private sector. However, there was no
proposal to sell any railway land. A task force was
formulating a policy for proper utilisation of land
resources of the ministry. |
Troop movement on LoC noticed: George NEW DELHI, April 19 (UNI) — Defence Minister George Fernandes today said some low level military activities and troop movements had been observed across the Indo-Pak border near the Kutch area and there were reports of concentration of armed militants in pockets on the other side of the Line of Control (LoC). In written replies in the Rajya Sabha, the minister said a constant vigil was being maintained and necessary steps were being taken to maintain appropriate preparedness to thwart any misadventure by Pakistan in the summer. In the Kutch area,
certain radar deployments and induction of additional
army units had been noticed. Presence of some militants
in the area of Keti Bandar, Shah Bandar, Musafirkhana,
Nagar Parkar and Mithi had been reported. He said the
government was aware that hundreds of heavily armed
mercenaries backed by enhanced troop strength had been
amassed by Pakistan along the LoC in northern Jammu and
Kashmir. |
Cho visualises betting on Bills NEW DELHI, April 19 (PTI) — True to his celebrated sarcasm and wit, nominated member Cho. Ramaswamay said in the Rajya Sabha that after cricket, Parliament could also be infected by the betting bug. One would not be surprised if in future there would be betting on the number of members voting for or against a Bill in the House, Cho said amidst peals of laughter. The well-known journalist member was speaking on the issue of match-fixing and betting in cricket which came up in a special mention by Congress member Suresh Kalmadi. In such an eventuality, Arjun Singh would have another occasion to complain about money power, Cho said, in an allusion to the senior Congress member raising the issue of money power in the recent Rajya Sabha elections earlier in the House. Continuing his lighter vein, Cho said the bookies in future may have better hold on the MPs than the party leadership which was increasingly becoming helpless in the face of “money power”, he said. Enjoying Cho’s
sallies, Vice Chairman Adik Shirodkar said “I am
happy to savour your flash of humour after a long
time”. |
PM’s reply to
President’s address postponed NEW DELHI, April 19 — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee’s scheduled reply to the debate in the Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks on the President’s address was postponed today as Mr Vajpayee was suffering from a throat infection. Mr Vajpayee was scheduled to speak immediately after the intervention of the Leader of the Opposition, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, in the Lok Sabha after the question hour. The Speaker, Mr
G.M.C.Balayogi, ruled that the Prime Minister would now
reply to the discussion on April 25. |
Wage board proposals challenged in HC NEW DELHI, April 19 (UNI) — The Delhi High Court today issued notices to the Labour Ministry and Justice R.K. Manisana, chairman of both wage boards for journalists and non-journalists, on a petition filed by the Indian Newspapers Society (INS) challenging the tentative recommendations made by the board. Mr Justice Manmohan Sarin asked the respondents to reply by May 9. The INS said in its petition that fixation and revision of wage rates in respect of working journalists and non-journalists in newspapers and news agencies are violative of Articles 14 and 19 of the Indian Constitution. The board had notified tentative recommendations on December 30 last year, giving details of pay scales and other benefits to the employees. It is yet to make a final recommendation to the government. “The proposals are
erroneous on the face of record and not reflective of the
wage board’s mind, being contrary to the Working
Journalists and Other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of
Service) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1955,”
said the petition filed by ORR, Dignam and company on
behalf of the INS. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | In Spotlight | 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 119 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
