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Mission to boost quality of life in cities launched
Volcker report: Left defends govt
Doc petitions Kalam after termination
Pranab for dislodging CPM in Bengal
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Akash test-fired
Iranian cinema comes of age
Protest by gas leak survivors
Sanskriti Awards presented
Hazardous waste generating units on rise
Stolen arms recovered
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Mission to boost quality of life in cities launched
New Delhi, December 3 The JNNURM, which is the single largest central government initiative in the urban sector, has provision of Rs 50,000 crore for a period of seven years. To be given as grants-in-aid, the amount will be used to leverage additional resources for financing urban development. The combined investment by the Central Government, state governments and urban local bodies is proposed to be over Rs 1 lakh crore in the next seven years. The Prime Minister said the mission should walk on two legs of improved infrastructure and improved urban services. He said the urban economy was the bridge between the domestic economy and global economy which must be strengthened. He said an increasing share of the country’s population now lives in urban India. “Urbanisation is a relentless process. He said to improve urban infrastructure and provide urban services for the poor, reforms were urgently needed in urban governance. Dr Singh said a major failure of city governance has been the inability to address the needs of the poor and non-availability of basic services like drinking water, housing, sanitation and social services to an increasing share of urban population. Suggesting options like giving the urban poor land rights at affordable rates, he said property rights can also be used as a collateral for financing new investment. The JNNURM will extend to 63 cities including those with population of above a million, all state capitals and other cities considered important from religious, historical and tourist point of view. Pointing out that the Mission envisaged creation of Voluntary Technical corps in each city, Dr Singh hoped that the process of citizen intiative for urban renewal will be strengthened through it. Citing the example of cities like Varanasi, Amritsar, Haridwar and Ujjain, the Prime Minister hoped that the mission will be able to restore these cities to their old historical glory. The JNNURM would be guided by a National Steering Group chaired by the Urban Development Minister and co-chaired by the Minister of State for Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation. It would consist of two sub-missions - one on urban infrastructure and governance and the other on basic services to the urban poor. The state governments and urban local bodies would be required to sign a Memorandum of Agreement with the Central government, giving an undertaking to implement the reform agenda, as per a mutually agreed roadmap. Fund releases would be linked to assessment of the implementation of reform agenda. |
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Volcker report: Left defends govt
New Delhi, December 3 Communists were up in arms in demanding the resignation of the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi after the Swedish Radio broke the alleged commission paid by M/s A B Bofors to middlemen to procure the deal for the supply of 155 mm Bofors gun to the Indian Army. Almost two decades later, Left parties are supporting the Congress-led coalition government from outside and defending it by raising questions on the UN probe itself. And, yesterday when Indian Ambassador to Croatia Anil
Mathrani, a close associate of Natwar Singh, stated that the former External Affairs Minister had received oil allotment from Saddam Hussein’s regime for his “personal services”, the Left parties said “it is for the inquiry committee to take cognizance and decide on its authenticity”. CPM leaders Nilotpal Basu and Rupchand Pal said the statements should be taken cognizance of by the Justice R.S. Pathak Inquiry Authority and the Enforcement Directorate, but the BJP-led Opposition should not be allowed to disrupt parliamentary proceedings on a regular basis. |
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Doc petitions Kalam after termination
Mumbai, December 3 According to the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), Sameer Kalania, anaesthestist at the J J Hospital, was put on duty during the President's visit in September last. Kalania, however, fainted due to exhaustion as he was not allowed to consume food or water for nearly 12 hours. The doctor and his family took the matter before the media, which is believed to have angered the state government, the MARD alleged. Kalania, who underwent testing at a private hospital, said his blood sugar levels dropped dangerously after being denied food. On Thursday last, the Dean of the JJ Hospital sent Kalania a notice terminating his services, after being found guilty of negligence while on duty. He was accused of leaving the President's convoy without permission. Even as JJ Hospital Dean Pravin Shingare passed the buck onto the state government, Kalania has appealed to the President for help. |
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Pranab for dislodging CPM in Bengal
Kolkata, December 3 Mr Mukherjee was addressing a rally here in support of Mr Adhit Chowdhury, the party MP from Behrampore, who had been arrested and jailed on murder charges, allegedly at the instance of the CPM. The party today decided to launch jail “bharo” movement from December 12. The Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, Mr Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, urged Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee to join the stir. |
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Iranian cinema comes of age
Panjim (Goa), December 3 Iran had dominated the last film festival here also. In the past decade Iranian films have won nearly 300 awards at international film festivals. It is the focus country this time as well, whereas Faramarz Gharibian, who won a special jury prize in the IFFI last year for his performance in the film “Shahr-e-Ziba”, is member of the competition jury this time. Most of Iranian films are about real-life people and their harsh struggle for existence. “Iron Island” by Mohd Rasoulof is in the competition section, while eight Iranian films are also being shown in a retrospective. * * *
Essaying the role of a deaf and mute earned kudos for Shreyas Talpade in “Iqbal”, which is in the competition section here, but that did not being him many roles. So, the young man is trying to cultivate a more glamorous image in his future films. Director Nagesh Kukunoor reveals that he had decided to use cricket as the unifying factor as the backdrop for “Iqbal” because it was a story of hope and the power of one’s courage of conviction. Nagesh, a chemical engineer, who was an environmental consultant in Atlanta before plunging into cinema, says making a film for Mukta Arts of Subhash Ghai was a pleasant experience for him. Subhash did not interfere with him in any way despite the fact that he belonged to a different school of film-making. He scoffs at the allegations that his film is a copy of “Wondrous Oblivion” and says that the only similarity is that both the protagonists want to play cricket. * * *
One facility which journalists covering film festivals anywhere in the world are provided are pigeonhole-sized lockers in which various press notes and invitations are dropped which they can use anytime during the day. These were installed here also last year but are in disuse this year. So the press notes are kept in the open. These run out in no time and it is quite a struggle to keep up with what is on. One positive development this year is that the prices of eatables have been cut down considerably. Tea can now be had for Rs 3 and coffee for Rs 5. A veg sandwich is available for Rs 8. Quite a sea change considering that last year a samosa cost Rs 40. But mind you, the change is only at Kala Academy. In Inox, the prices are still at the five-star levels. * * *
The notice board at the Kala Academy at times has many offbeat messages. A remarkable one noticed today said: “A published Australian writer is looking for producer/director for a film on J. Krishnamurthy.” I am trying to check on the e-mail that this writer has given whether his quest has been successful. Visiting stars scribble down their thoughts on a graffiti wall. These are erased after a few days but those which are supportive of the organisers or Goa soon find themselves being used as publicity slogans. * * *
Gulshan Grover, lead actor of “The Hangman” directed by Vishal Bhandari, is sad that such films are shown only to limited audiences at a particular place. There must be multiplexes all over the country for screening such spectacular films, he says. Om Puri, the other lead cast, feels that though the practice of hanging criminals is dying down, the film still has relevance. Bhandari says he made the film in English because first he is comfortable in that language and two because he wanted to show it to the world audience. |
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Protest by gas leak survivors
Bhopal, December 3 The evidence produced in courts in India and in the USA had pointed out that the tragedy, which had occurred this day 21 years ago, was the result of wilful negligence by the Union Carbide management. The number of persons dead officially stood at 15,274 and that of the affected at 5,73,000. The average amount of compensation paid to them by the claims courts in two phases, from 1992 to 2005, came to a mere Rs 50,000. |
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Sanskriti Awards presented
New Delhi, December 3 The awards, carrying a cash prize of Rs 25,000 were given away by Delhi Lt Governor BL Joshi at a function here last evening. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Joshi said Sanskriti Awards would go a long way in inspiring and encouraging young and talented artistes. He exhorted the artistes to work hard to further excel in their fields. Shajahana, a student of Telgu literature has won a gold medal in her M.Phil programme. Radhika Bordia has got the honour for her creative and sensitive TV reporting. She works as features editor with NDTV, Mumbai. |
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Hazardous waste generating units on rise
New Delhi, December 3 The government’s objective was to bring all possible hazardous waste generating processes under the purview of the Rules, 1989 Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Amendment Rules 2003, he added. |
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Stolen arms recovered
Patna, December 3 The incident was the biggest-ever incident of arms burglary in the recent past and the police took less than 72 hours to recover the same. The recovered arms included 42 DBL guns and 3 pistols. The police has arrested four persons in this connection. |
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New Delhi, December 3
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