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Transport strike near total in
Return hydel projects to J&K: Mufti
HC quashes TN order on CET
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ISRO eyes mission moon
Left in mock fight with UPA, says BJP
Cong grappling with Left, DMK attack
Jaya, others to stand joint trial
Cabinet differs on covering PM under
Lok Pal Bill
TV 18 to launch news channels
by year-end
CM seeks better rail links for HP
1 arrested for killing two pastors
States want fair mix of borrowing schemes
Hooda raises SYL issue at NDC meeting
Central team to visit Himachal
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Transport strike near total in West Bengal
Kolkata, June 27 The strike was called in protest against the price hike of petrol and diesel to which all Left parties responded. Buses, taxis and all other vehicles were off the road. Schools, colleges and other educational institutions were closed. Government, private offices and other industrial establishments were open but the attendance was negligible everywhere, though trains and the city’s metro rails were in operation through out the day. Tomorrow the Left parties will observe a countrywide “Chakka bandh”, but the state will be spared for saving the people from sufferings for the two successive days. CITU president in the state Shyamal Chakraborty said the transport strike had been an all out success and claimed that the people, irrespective of their political ideologies, responded to the strike call. He said on July 7, all trade union organizations would meet in Delhi to discuss about their future course of agitation demanding the withdrawal of the price hike of petrol, diesel and against the BHEl’s disinvestments decision.
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Return hydel projects to J&K: Mufti
New Delhi, June 27 Addressing the NDC meeting, he said the state suffered disadvantages in irrigation and power due to the Indus Water Treaty. He said the Centre should compensate the state by returning the projects commissioned on state’s rivers after operating these and earning a reasonable profit on the investment made on such projects. “To begin with, the Salal hydro-electric project should be transferred to the state government,” he said. Mr Sayeed said Jammu and Kashmir was becoming a bridge of friendship between India and Pakistan instead of being a “bone of contention.” He said peace between the two countries was essential for development of the state which was poised to achieve 6.1 per cent growth in the 10th Five Year Plan. The Chief Minister said there was vast untapped potential for horticulture development in the state and efforts would be required to raise the production during the past years of the current plan. He urged the Centre to give the state assistance for increasing irrigation potential and improving infrastructure. Mr Sayeed said the state had sent a proposal to the Centre to set up an international trade Centre at Pampore in the valley. He said the state was expecting an investment of Rs 5,000 crore from private investors in the industrial sector this year. The Chief Minister said in case of special category states, finance for all Centrally-sponsored schemes should conform to 90:10 pattern in favour of states. |
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HC quashes TN order on CET
Chennai, June 27 A division Bench of Chief Justice Markandey Katju and Justice F.M. Kalifulla today held that it was illegal to abolish entrance tests when there were several examining boards like the ISC, CBSE and state higher secondary board. Hearing a batch of over 400 writ petitions challenging the June 6, 2005, state government order, the bench held that the order violated the selection criteria fixed in the Regulations of the Medical Council of India and All-India Council for Technical Education for admissions to medical and engineering courses. The impugned order had abolished common entrance tests and stated that that marks obtained in the qualifying higher secondary examinations would be the sole criteria for selection to professional courses. It had also discontinued the system of allowing students to appear in improvement examinations to better their plus II results. However, the Bench did not quash the portion of the order pertaining to discontinuation of improvement examinations and held that it was merely a concession given to students and its withdrawal was not arbitrary. As the improvement exams had already been held in the current year its discontinuation could be given effect to only from next year onwards. Ms Jayalalithaa in the government order had abolished the entrance tests on the logic that it deprived rural students and selection based solely on state higher secondary examination results could place them in a better position in comparison to urban students while seeking admission to professional courses. While the judges sympathised with the government’s objective, they said cancellation of the test was not the correct or valid method. They felt that the state government after making a detailed study about rural areas could make recommendations to the Central Government, Medical Council of India, AICTE or Dental Council, suggesting amendment to regulations in this regard. After the bench passed the order, senior counsel for some petitioners informed the court that a fresh prospectus had been issued based on the government order and it would come in the way of students applying to various courses based on their common entrance examination and improvement examination marks. The court directed the government to prescribe the necessary procedure to be followed by the students to enable them to apply as per the earlier procedure followed prior to the cancellation of the entrance tests.
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ISRO eyes mission moon
Bangalore, June 27 The organisation is also set to launch a satellite, Astrosat, in 2007 which is expected to enable coverage of visible, ultra violet, soft x-ray and hard x-ray regions, equipping the space agency to engage in new generation experiments. Disclosing this here today at an international conference on Planetary Exploration and Space Law, ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair said Chandryan-1 would place a spacecraft weighing 525 kg around a 100 km orbit of the moon. He said the spacecraft would enable high resolution chemical, mineralogical and photo geological mapping of the lunar surface. This, Mr Nair said, would enable defining the process leading to the formation and chemical evolution of the moon besides systematic topographic mapping of the Moon’s surface for preparing a three dimensional atlas and to improve upon the gravity model of the Moon. He said besides planning to instal a host of sophisticated instruments, including a Terrain Mapping Camera, a Hyper Spectral Imager and a X-ray Spectrometer in Chandryan-1, ISRO had also selected a number of international experiments of instruments of reputed laboratories worldwide. Mr Nair said this had been done following a decision to involve other international instruments and providing opportunities for cooperative pursuit of the study of the moon. The John Hopkins and Jet Propulsion Laboratories of the United States, the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory of the United Kingdom, Swedish Institute of Space Physics and Max Plank Institute of Aeronimie, Germany are among the international participants in the programme. ISRO chairman also signed a memorandum of understanding with European Space Agency (ESA) Director-General Dr Jean- Jacques Dordain today for carrying another three European instruments aboard Chandryan-1. As regards the Astrosat programme, Mr Nair said this would be an Indian multi-wavelength satellite which would have a wide spectral coverage. He said it would provide an opportunity to Indian astronomers to carry out cutting edge research in frontier areas of x-ray astronomy and ultraviolet astronomy. "This satellite will also allow Indian astronomers to address some of the outstanding problems in high-energy astrophysics", he added. |
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Left in mock fight with UPA, says BJP
New Delhi, June 27 If it was real, the Left must display it in the coming Monsoon session of Parliament, BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley said here. Mr Jaitley said the decision was a strategy to “save” their political base. “The Left parties opposition to the UPA government policies is guided by its strategy rather than by any conviction,” he said. The BJP leader said it was laughable that the Left parties decided to stay away from the formal meetings of the committee but would not mind “informal meetings” with the government. Communists had supported the Manmohan Singh government on the issue of “tainted” ministers and on “undemocratic decisions” in Jharkhand and Goa to keep the BJP out of power. Similarly, the Left parties had opposed the celebrations of the one-year of the UPA government but had promptly sent a congratulatory letter to the UPA on the occasion, promising all support in future also, Mr Jaitley said. “Their (Left parties) effort to oppose the government’s economic policies has made them a suspect as long as they continued in the UPA government,” he said, adding that the Left parties were saying so much only to garner media coverage. The BJP, he said, was of the view that the UPA was a “fragile coalition” and its common minimum programme was just a show business. The real purpose behind the Left joining hands with the Congress was opposition to the BJP, Mr Jaitley added.
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Cong grappling with Left, DMK attack
New Delhi, June 27 While the Left parties have suspended their participation in the UPA-Left coordination committee meetings to protest the UPA government’s decision to disinvest its stake in BHEL, DMK chief M.Karunanidhi shot off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying the issues raised by the Left should not be overlooked as these are “people’s concerns” Although concerned over the Left’s belligerent stand, the Congress went out of its way to play down the latest developments, saying their partners’ concerns will be addressed and resolved once UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi returns from her holiday in Himachal Pradesh later this week. Mrs. Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel spoke to CPM chief Prakash Karat and CPI leader D.Raja to convey this message to them. Mrs. Gandhi also spoke to the Prime Minister in this connection. The Congress is worried that the Left will step up its public opposition in the coming days with an eye on the coming assembly elections in West Bengal and Kerala, further strengthening the public perception that the UPA government is unstable. In addition, the Congress, as the largest party of the ruling combine, will find itself constantly on the defensive even as it is saddled with the responsibility of keeping the UPA intact. There is also a view in the Congress that the Left Front’s anger is partially directed at Finance Minister P.Chidambaram whose “style of functioning” has apparently upset the supporting parties. Besides, he is also seen as the architect of the UPA government’s economic policy on disinvestment. Not just the Left but the Finance Minister has also been at the receiving end from his own partymen. Only recently, Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyer had written to Mr. Chidambaram expressing concern over the policy to offload government stock in profit-making PSUs. The timing of the attack launched by the Left parties is being seen in the light of the impending Cabinet reshuffle. Mrs. Ambika Soni, AICC media department chairperson, however brushed aside all these suggestions and insisted that, as in the past, this issue will also be sorted out through discussions and dialogue. “There are no problems which are so big which cannot be resolved,” she said, adding that the coalition’s Common Minimum Programme (CMP) was its guiding document and there was no question of breaching it. The Congress is obviously treating its partners with kid gloves as Mrs. Soni emphasised that it viewed their concerns extremely seriously and had no intention of either overlooking them or taking their allies for granted. At the same time, the Congress spokesperson was quick to remind the Left of their commitment to secularism and keeping out communal forces. Mrs. Soni also hinted that the Left and the DMK were probably driven by political compulsions in taking this stand. She was obviously referring to the upcoming assembly elections in the Left bastions of Kerala and West Bengal where the Marxists are locked in a direct fight with the Congress. The DMK, too, is preparing for elections in Tamil Nadu. She also attributed the developments to possible “differing perceptions” of the CMP which, she said, would be addressed during the coming discussions. The government, on its part, will explain that it was not privatising the navratna PSUs but only disinvesting its equity in it to mobilise resources to meet the CMP’s other others commitments like rural housing, health, education and the employment guarantee scheme.
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Jaya, others to stand joint trial
Bangalore, June 27 Pronouncing the order in the open court, Judge A.S. Pachhapure dismissed a petition filed by T.T.V. Dinakaran, one of the accused in the ‘London hotel case’ along with Ms Jayalalithaa, for the return of documents and for the quashing of the FIR filed against him and ordered that he would be arrayed as accused No. 5 in the main assets case. The Judge posted the case for further
proceedings on June 29. The Judge in his order ruled that “there has to be one trial as the amassing of wealth is for the same period and the offences framed related to a same check period.” In the first case, 259 witnesses had been examined and 2341 documents exhibited, he observed. In the second case (London hotel), it was still at the hearing stage before the charge. So if the question of joint trial was to be considered, this would be the stage where such an order could be passed, the judge said in his order.
— PTI
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Cabinet differs on covering PM under
Lok Pal Bill
New Delhi, June 27 Though the Prime Minister wants that he should be covered under the Lok Pal Bill, opinion was divided in the Cabinet. “In the national interest, we do not want the Prime Minister to come under the proposed Lok Pal Bill,” Mr Bhardwaj observed. Simultaneously, the Law Ministry had sought the opinion of the Bar Council of India on the proposal of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to allow foreign direct investment in legal services. “We have received papers from the Commerce and Industry Ministry on allowing FDI in legal services. We have asked the Bar Council to discuss the proposal and give their opinion,” Mr Bhardwaj told mediapersons here. The Bar Council had been asked to discuss the matter with the bar councils of other countries as well so that the sector could be opened up on the basis of reciprocity. At the same time, Mr Bhardwaj made it clear that his ministry was against the proposal to open up the legal services for FDI. He disclosed that the Group of Ministers reworking the Lok Pal Bill had finished half the task. The remaining work would be completed at the next meeting of the GoM. He explained that the new draft of the Lok Pal Bill would have the provision of public grievance redressal system. |
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TV 18 to launch news channels
by year-end
Mumbai, June 27 “This project has already made significant progress and the company expects its first channel to launch before the end of the year. The group believes that it is now uniquely positioned to benefit from this opportunity.” Television Eighteen India Ltd on Monday said it would launch Hindi and English language general news channels and would raise Rs 55 crore for the purpose through the conversion of warrants. |
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CM seeks better rail links for HP
New Delhi, June 27 Addressing the National Development Council meeting here, he said the state should be treated at par with Jammu and Kashmir and north eastern states for industrial incentives on the basis of similarity of topographical conditions. He suggested that service in the rural areas should be made mandatory for doctors for a minimum period of five years to ensure success of national rural health mission. Mr Virbhadra Singh said service in the rural areas should be a necessary condition for admission to postgraduate and specialised courses. He suggested the setting up of a civil services board in each state to ensure security of tenure to civil servants. The Chief Minister said the proposed board could also make appropriate recommendations to the state governments for posting civil servants. The Chief Minister urged the Centre to fund Rs 1200 crore Bhanupalli-Blaspur-Beri railway line and ensure the completion of Nangal-Talwara line by 2008. He sought a rail link between Chandigarh and Baddi-Barotiwala. According to an official spokesman, the Chief Minister said Himachal Pradesh was among the first states in the country to have made primary education compulsory seven years ago. He said the state had ensured that teacher pupil ratio was maintained at an optimum level.
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1 arrested for killing two pastors
Hyderabad, June 27 Hyderabad Police Commissioner V. Dinesh Reddy said accused K. Govardhan killed two pastors, Daniel from Asifnagar and Issac Raju from Rayadurg, in neighbouring Ranga Reddy district last month for their alleged attempts at converting local residents. “I killed them because they were converting Hindus by offering inducements, Govardhan, an auto-rickshaw driver, said. He was produced before a local court here today which remanded him in judicial custody till July 7. |
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States want fair mix of borrowing schemes
New Delhi, June 27 Stressing that the 12th Finance Commission had already extended substantial amount as grants to certain select states which had not fared satisfactorily, the Opposition-ruled states attacked the Centre at the National Development Council meeting here today for continuing the same unequal exercise under different heads. “This can engender a feeling of alienation and denial leading to tension and acrimony,” Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha warned. She said if a state was on a high growth path then it should be allowed increased level of debt coupled with corrections in the increasing debt burden. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje cautioned that shifting towards market borrowing would lead to repayment problems. She, therefore, suggested working out a mix of various forms of borrowings, including institutional. Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed sought fiscal incentives to speed up economic growth and greater Central assistance for boosting agriculture, irrigation and small-scale units. Drawing pointed attention to Bihar’s backwardness and poor infrastructure, Governor Buta Singh demanded special category status for the state.
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Hooda raises SYL issue at NDC meeting
New Delhi, June 27 Addressing the National Development Council meeting here, Mr Hooda said, Haryana, which was in the vangaurd of Green Revolution, could have achieved more if had got its “rightful share of waters.” He said denial of SYL water, despite a Supreme Court verdict, was resulting in loss of one lakh tonne of foodgrains which could have been produced annually. “Haryana is neither being given its share of water, nor compensated for the additional consumption of power.
Also, the central government is not giving it additional funds to tackle the depletion of underground water resources,” he said. The Chief Minister sought exemption from excise duty and income tax for new industrial units and those expanding their capacities in backward areas of Haryana, on the pattern of hill states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Jammu and Kashmir. In his address, Punjab Governor General S F Rodrigues (retd), who is also Administrator of the Chandigarh Administration, said effective steps should be taken to deal with corruption. He called for creation of centres of excellence and technology centres in Chandigarh where training could be provided to the youth. |
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Central team to visit Himachal
New Delhi, June 27 “There is no cause for concern and all measures are being taken to ensure supply of essential items and medicines to the affected people,” Mr Duggal said after a two-hour meeting of the Disaster Management Group here in North Block. He said the natural lake formed last year in the Pareechu in Tibet had given way and the water levels in the rivers had receded 55 metres to 12 metres. Stating that the sudden flooding was due to heavy rainfall in the upper region, melting of snow as also the breach of the natural lake, Mr Duggal said efforts were on to make the damaged bridges operational.
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