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Cabinet allows pension to 4,000 freedom
fighters
TN police summons to seer
questioned
SC allows ‘sensitive’ postings for Punjab |
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Newly designated Army Chief
J.J. Singh has a word with Olympic silver medalist shooter Major Rajyavardhan S. Rathore during the
GOC-in-C Western Command parade in New Delhi on Thursday. —PTI photo
Notice to Bihar on MLAs’
dues
Bihar, Jharkhand told to pay 75 cr to PSU staff
BJP men raise slogans against
leaders
Leaders greet citizens
on Sankranti, Pongal
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Cabinet allows pension to 4,000 freedom
fighters
New Delhi, January 13 Speaking to newspersons after the Cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister S. Jaipal Reddy said the beneficiaries would be entitled to a pension of Rs 4,000 per month and a free rail pass. The net outgo from the exchequer is estimated at Rs 20.74 crore. Mr Reddy said the decision was based on the recommendations made by the Indrajit Gupta Committee. This would also benefit about 2,400 applicants whose cases had been rejected on account of their not belonging to the earlier approved list of 98 camps and those whose verification reports are yet to be received from the state governments. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today approved a proposal to enhance the limit capital subsidy for the powerloom sector from the existing Rs 60 lakh to Rs 1 crore under the Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme(TUFS). The capital subsidy for small-scale textile and jute units has been increased from 12 per cent to 15 per cent to enable the sector to face the post-quota global trade regime. Briefing newspersons after the meeting, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said the scheme was aimed at providing funds to textile units for technology upgradation. The scheme was launched on April 1, 1999, and would be operational till March 31, 2007, with the IDBI, IFCI, and SIDBI being the nodal agencies for providing finance. As on October 31, 2004, a total of 3,599 applications had been received under the scheme with a project cost of Rs 25,115 crore and 3,361 applications with a project cost of Rs 20,367 crore had been sanctioned. The CCEA also approved an outlay of Rs 283.18 crore for the 10th Five Year Plan for the establishment of a central agriculture university at Imphal and three agricultural colleges, besides strengthening four such colleges in the North-East. The plan would include the establishment of a college of home science at Tura in Meghalaya, college of agricultural engineering and post-harvest technology in Sikkim and college of postgraduate studies at Barapani in Meghalaya. The CCEA also approved a proposal to hike the minimum support prices of milling and ball copra by Rs 70 per quintal each for the 2005 season. The MSP for milling copra has been raised to Rs 3,570 per quintal against Rs 3,500 for the 2004 season and that for ball copra it has been raised to Rs 3,820 per quintal. The new rates had been approved on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, Mr Chidambaram said. The CCEA also approved a revised proposal for setting up a Rs 2,118-crore international container transhipment terminal at the Cochin Port. The project, to be implemented on a build, operate and transfer basis, would be awarded to Dubai Ports International(UAE), he said. On the completion of the project, the terminal would have facilities to handle three million TEUs(20 feet equivalent units). Vessels up to the size of 8,000 TEUs would be handled at the terminal. It also approved the continuation of the restructured Central Sector Scheme for Cooperative Education and Training with an outlay of Rs 231 crore. The CCEA also approved the creation of Rs 200 crore for cooperative training where Rs 100 crore would be provided by the government and the rest would be raised by the National Cooperative Union of India. |
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TN police summons to seer
questioned
Chennai, January 13 The seer’s lawyer, Mr. Shanmugam, told reporters: “The police could have questioned him by obtaining orders from the court while he was in judicial custody but they did not. Now I find an ulterior motive behind these summons.” Mr. Shanmugham also sought to know as to why the seer was needed for further questioning and on what grounds. The lawyer pointed out the fact that Kalavai, 100 km from here, was situated beyond the purview of Kancheepuram and on those grounds, the SIT could call the seer only with a judicial order. “As per law, a person out on bail cannot be summoned by the police according to its whims and fancies. Despite apprehensions of ill-treatment by the police, the seer had agreed to meet them at 3-30 pm after completing his worship,” he said after meeting the SIT officials. Investigating officer Shaktivel thereupon indicated that the summons were “withdrawn”. Mr. Shanmugam also said legal action would be initiated against the Tamil Nadu police for selective leakage of audio- visuals to private television channels showing the interrogation of the Shankaracharya in police custody. Meanwhile, the seer himself questioned the genuineness of the “manipulated recording” which had twisted several utterances out of context in its versions leaked to the television channels. A letter to this effect was sent from the Mutt today to the SIT on the senior pontiff’s behalf. The letter claims that the video recordings were manipulated and that the pontiff denied them. The footage shown on several private satellite channels had depicted the seer expressing serious misgivings about his successor and indirectly agreeing to suggestions that he (Sri Jayendra Saraswati) had some role in the Sankararaman murder. Unable to keep the Hindu pontiff in jail, the Tamil Nadu police today froze 183 bank accounts of the mutt and has brought the 2500 -year-old institution’s activities to a standstill. Several cheques issued by the mutt have bounced. Mutt sources alleged that moves were afoot to get a complaint registered for dishonouring of the cheques, which amounted to a criminal offence, and secure an arrest warrant against the senior pontiff. However, the police will not be able to pursue such a game plan as the seer never signs any cheques. |
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SC allows ‘sensitive’ postings for Punjab PPS officers
New Delhi, January 13 As interim measure, the state was “permitted to give sensitive” postings to ex-cadre officers in addition to the cadre posts headed by them, a Bench consisting of Mr Justice N Santosh Hegde and Mr Justice S B Sinha said. The direction came on an appeal by the state government against the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s August 9 order divesting non-IPS cadre officers of such duties as the district police chiefs following a public interest litigation (PIL). “We don’t want to encourage PILs in service matters. Posts meant for ex-cadre officers should not be occupied by the (IPS) cadre officers. We want to hear this matter early,” the Bench said, while issuing notice to a private organisation, Resurgence India (RI), which had filed the PIL in the High Court on the issue. Admitting the Punjab Government’s special leave petition (SLP) challenging the High Court order, the apex court sought a reply from the RI in four weeks and affidavits of the Centre and Punjab within two weeks thereafter. Solicitor General G.E. Vahanvati, appearing for the Centre also supported the Pubjab Government’s petition and said that the dispute over ex-cadre and IPS-cadre posts needed to be settled once for all. “There are certain sensitive postings in border areas in Jammu and Kashmir which are being held by ex-cadre officers. How can they be divested of their duties,” Mr Vahanvati said. Senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam, appearing for Punjab Government along with its Additional Advocate General (AAG)Atul Nanda, who moved the SLP on behalf of the state, questioned the rationale behind the IPS officers’ stand that ex-cadre officers could not handle
sensitive postings. Subramaniam said that following the High Court’s order the ex-cadre officers had to be relieved of their postings such as district chiefs by the Punjab Government as some contempt petitions were also moved in the High Court against the state. As per the table given by the state government in its SLP, there were 168 IPS officers in the state against the sanctioned IPS-cadre strength of 144. |
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Army pilot gets Sena
Medal
New Delhi, January 13 Lt-Col Kumar, who belongs to the Army Aviation Corp, was greeted by a thunderous ovation when he received the medal from the Army Chief designate, Gen J.J. Singh. This is the second time that he has won a gallantry award. He responded to an SOS when a forward Army patrol of a mountain brigade ran into a “very difficult situation with one JCO receiving serious injuries on September 20, 2002,” according to the citation. He rescued the injured officer in winching operations in almost white-out conditions at an altitude of more than 7,000 feet near the the border with China. He was among 30 Army personnel decorated for bravery at a special investiture held at the cantonment parade ground. Eleven of those awarded the medal were decorated posthumously for heroic acts in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East. Later at a separate investiture, General Singh also gave away distinguished service awards to 51 personnel. — PTI |
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Navy to take part in air
show
Bangalore, January 13 Not this time around, for according to top defence sources, the Indian Navy would indeed be having full-fledged participation in Aero India, 2005, in February here. And the display line-up by the Navy? The famed Tupolev supersonic bomber Tu-142, the Kamov airborne early-warning helicopter Ka-32, the maritime reconnaissance and information warfare platform Dornier-228, and “very likely,” the Sea Harrier, the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft which is flown by the Navy off the decks of the aircraft carrier INS Viraat. Aviation enthusiasts will be waiting eagerly for the Sea Harrier and the Navy to join Air Force stars like the Su-30 MKI, the Migs and the Ilyushin air-to-air refueller, at Air Force Station, Yelahanka near here, the venue for the fifth edition of the air show. British raddar offered for copter
Britain -based BAE Systems is teaming up with the Russian Kamov helicopter company to offer an upgraded version for the Ka-28 anti- submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter with the Indian Navy. The upgrade package would include the new Sea Spray radar, the world’s first active electronic scanned array radar from BAE Systems and a new Russian multi-sensor turret with forward- looking infra-red (FLIR), BAE Systems Director of Marketing Communications John Neilson told The Tribune. (The Ka-28 is equipped with homing torpedoes and depth charges for the anti-submarine warfare role.) The package will also include some Indian- supplied electronics. India has had some recent successes in this area - the ‘Project Vetrivel’ mission computer and allied electronics and software for the Sukhoi-30 MKI is a key example. Russian strengths in aerodynamics and airframe and power plant design are not matched by its abilities with avionics, thus creating many collaborative opportunities. Mr Neilson said that BAE was increasingly involved with Russian aircraft manufacturers for upgradation programmes. Joint efforts include avionics and cockpit management upgrades for the Mi-17 helicopter and an IFF (friend or foe identification) for the MiG-29 fighter. A lot of such collaboration is with former Soviet states, which have a lot of Russian platforms. States like Slovakia, which are new NATO entrants, cannot afford to discard their Russian assets. On the NATO side, helicopters like the Mi-24 are valuable assets to have in the overall NATO arsenal if their avionics and other systems are upgraded to ensure inter-operability with other NATO armed forces. Another key driver is that the very nature of engagements are changing, with the focus now on delivering weaponry in a precise fashion, from beyond the visual or ``stand-off” range, necessitating advanced radars, network strengths and sensor-to-shooter links. BAE will feature an Mi-17-2 cockpit with upgraded avionics and tactical command systems at the Aero India, 2005.
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Tearful adieu to Amrish
Puri
Mumbai, January 13 The last rites were performed by the actor’s son, Rajeev. Prominent personalities of the film fraternity paid their respects to the actor who died yesterday after a brain haemorrhage. Shah Rukh Khan, Shammi Kapoor, Shakti Kapoor, Kajol, Hema Malini, Feroz Khan, A.K. Hangal, Raj Babbar, Danny, Prem Chopra and Rakesh Roshan were among those who paid tributes to “Mogambo” as he came to be fondly called after his performance in the 1987 hit “Mr India”. The body was brought earlier this morning
from Hinduja Hospital
to his Juhu residence where it was kept for members of the industry and his fans to pay their last respects. Maharashtra PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and former Maharashtra minister Kripashankar Singh were among those who offered floral tributes to the late actor, who was the younger brother of yesteryears actor Madan Puri. —
UNI |
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Notice to Bihar on MLAs’
dues
New Delhi, January 13 A Bench comprising Chief Justice R C Lahoti and Mr Justice G P Mathur issued notices to the Bihar Government, State Electricity Board and the Election Commission on a petition filed by the Bihar State Semi-Government Corporations Officers Union President Lallan Prasad Sinha. The petition had contended that the board was not authorised to pass the January 1 order waiving off the surcharge. It had been pointed out that the board had already suffered an accumulative loss of more than Rs 8,100 crore and in such a situation such concessions should not have been given, especially when Assembly elections were round the corner. |
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Bihar, Jharkhand told to pay 75 cr to PSU staff
New Delhi, January 13 Taking note of the pathetic condition in which the 25,000 employees of 26 PSUs in the two states were living and five of them dying due to hunger, a Bench of Mr Justice N. Santosh Hegde and Mr Justice S. B. Sinha directed that Bihar should deposit Rs 50 crore and Jharkhand Rs 25 crore within eight weeks with the Justice Udai Sinha Committee, appointed by the apex court to examine the issue. |
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BJP men raise slogans against
leaders
New Delhi, January 13 Top leaders, including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee and party President L K Advani, were then discussing inside the second list of candidates for the coming Assembly elections. It resulted in delaying of the announcements of the second list, a party leader said. The outbursts of the party activists, who shouted slogans and abuses, were targeted particularly against party’s national Vice-President Sushil Kumar Modi and its National Secretary Syed Shahnawaz Hussein, who they alleged were “influenced by considerations other than merit”. Midway through the BJP Central Election Committee meeting, Mr Naqvi came out to pacify the workers who pushed each other to come near him and protest. He had to beat a hasty retreat. General Secretary (Organisation) of Bihar Unit Harendra Singh, state unit president Gopal Narain Singh and state legislature party leader Ashwani Chaubey too tried to make peace with the activists who dared Modi and Hussein to face them. Some also targeted party General Secretary and in charge, Assembly polls, Arun Jaitley. |
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Leaders greet citizens
on Sankranti, Pongal
New Delhi, January 13 “We should all work to help in any form, those of our brothers and sisters affected by this natural calamity, so as to see a smile on their face again,” Dr Kalam said in his message. Chennai: Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala, Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and leaders of various political parties, including DMK President M Karunanidhi, today greeted the people on the eve of ‘Pongal,’ the harvest festival celebrated in South India. —
UNI |
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Notice to EC on right of Mizo refugees
New Delhi, January 13 The petitioner also sought to provide the tribesmen with minimum basic
facilities in their camps. |
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