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PM uninspiring on foreign policy: Left
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PM’s unscheduled meeting with
Kalam sparks speculation
Two LeT terrorists held with RDX
PAC asks IT sleuths to go after rich
Telgi tapes may nail Maharashtra Chief Minister
BJP’s bid to revoke expulsion
of 11 MPs
Amendment to RTI Act bone of contention for UPA
Delhi demolitions: govt promises legal measures
Rain-related death toll 65 in MP
Cell for proper action against pre-natal tests
No Indian firing
across LoC, says Army
Rs 55,000 crore more needed for rural housing
Liquor, not milk, is what these kids drink
‘Blue Lady’ beaches at Gujarat yard
Shah Rukh’s guard kills colleague
3 workers at N-plant held
Three try self-immolation in Orissa
3,000 CCSU answersheets found abandoned
Student gets 3-yr RI in fake marksheet case
Man dies after immolation bid
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PM uninspiring on foreign policy: Left
New Delhi, August 15 The Prime Minister has “failed to inspire confidence that India shall relentlessly pursue an independent foreign policy. This assumes significance in the ongoing debate in the country on the Indo-US nuclear deal and the implications it has for India's foreign policy,” CPM Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said in the forthcoming issue of party organ People's democracy. “Neither has the Prime Minister given any assurance that in our anxiety to shore up our nuclear energy requirements, we shall not, in any way, compromise on our independent foreign policy, he said in the editorial written today and added that this would continue to remain “an issue of contention.” CPI secretary D. Raja said now eminent scientists had also expressed concern over the developments taking place in the US Senate and Congress on this issue, the government could not afford to ignore them and those of the Left parties. “It is not just nuclear cooperation. The US attempt is to coopt India into its imperialist machinations the world over. Parliament will have to discuss this issue,” Mr Raja said. Describing the concerns expressed by the Prime Minister on several economic issues in his speech, Mr Yechury said though his concerns were “laudable”, the address was not backed by assurances of translating them to benefit the needy at the ground level. Referring to Dr Singh’s announcement regarding a “war on poverty”, he said the moot question remained as to how these challenges would be met by the government. The issue of agrarian crisis and steps taken by the government fall “woefully short of the requirements” as well as the recommendations of committees set up by the government itself, he said. The CPM leader said the Prime Minister was also “completely silent” on taxing those who made crore of rupees worth profit from the stock market, while the common people were being “forced to pay more indirect taxes such as service tax in the name of widening the tax net.”
— PTI
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PM’s speech wanting on terror, graft issues: BJP
New Delhi, August 15 "The speech was lacking in respect of addressing corruption and terrorism," senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition said after a flag-hoisting ceremony at his residence here. Mr Advani also flayed the government over the report of the Justice Pathak authority, which has indicted former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh but has exonerated the ruling Congress from charges of being an illegal beneficiary of Iraqi oil contracts. Meanwhile, one of the two prominent Muslim faces of the BJP, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, described Dr Manmohan Singh's speech as "terrorist and separatists-friendly speech". It was unfortunate that Dr Manmohan Singh seemed to offer a bouquet of flowers to Pakistan, which was aiding and abetting terrorist groups through liberal supply of arms, ammunition and grenades to be used against the people of India, the BJP Vice-President said. Mr Naqvi said terrorism and price rise were the twin issues that haunted every household of the country but the PM did not offer citizens any relief apart from promising to tackle them in a firm manner. He also did not reveal any plan to contain the spiralling prices. He alleged that the PM had misled the country on petroleum prices when it was well-known that the UPA government had hiked the prices eight times.
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Kalam hosts reception
on I-Day
New Delhi, August 15 Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, several Cabinet ministers, civil and military officials and diplomats attended the reception on the sprawling Mughal Gardens this evening. Representatives of some 100 NGOs working in different fields were special invitees of the President, who interacted with them separately. Dr Kalam asked them to work for the upliftment of the society and also improve the economic status of women. The President freely mingled with the invitees and also posed for photographs with them.
— UNI
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Maiden I-Day celebration in Supreme Court
New Delhi, August 15 Besides the judges of the apex court and high court, the momentous occasion was graced by Lok
Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee. Among the dignitaries were the law officers and several senior advocates who were invited by the Supreme Court Bar Association which organised the maiden Independence Day celebration at the apex court lawn. When asked to comment on the event which was not practiced in the apex court for the past 56 years, the CJI said “It is never late. A beginning has been made. Why do you go in
the past.” — PTI
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Delhi I-Day function passes off peacefully
New Delhi, August 15 Barricades and pickets, PCR vans and Omni motorcycles, were deployed in strength to project the presence of the men in khaki. At the Red Fort, commandos of the Delhi Police, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and National Security Guards
(NSG) were deployed in sizeable number even as the air space in and around the area remained a no-fly zone from early morning to the conclusion of the function at about 9.30 a.m. The Delhi Police and other central security agencies responsible for the security of the function heaved a collective sigh of relief as it passed off without any untoward incident. The Special Cell and the local police teams were keeping a strict watch on the Capital's borders through anti-sabotage and anti-explosive checks. As part of the beefing up of its security, an additional 3,500 personnel had been deployed at various Metro stations along with metal detectors, X-ray machines and security cameras.
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DD Urdu launched
New Delhi, August 15 Called DD Urdu, it would be the 19th satellite channel of Doordarshan, targeted at audiences from Jammu and Kashmir to Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal to Delhi, Mumbai to Hyderabad and beyond. He said the rich historic and cultural traditions expressed by the Urdu language had bound the people together across the country and played a leading role in promoting Indianness and secularism. “From slogans to ghazals, from poetry and writings to Sufi songs, Urdu has been a part and parcel of the rich Indian culture”, he said. Recalling the thrust given to the Indian freedom struggle by the language, Dr Manmohan Singh said ‘Inquilab
Zindabad’ was a popular slogan. He said in a lighter vein that 60 years had passed since Independence, but it had taken long to start Doordarshan’s Urdu channel. According to Prasar Bharati CEO K.S. Sarma, DD Urdu would fulfil cultural, literary and social aspirations of Urdu-speaking people spread out across the country. The programmes of DD Urdu would reflect many dimensions of the rich Indian language in all its hues, he said. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and several Union ministers were present at the function. The programmes would be a mix of news and current affairs, serials, documentaries, films and talk shows. The channel would initially have fresh programmes of about two hours and a half in duration, which would be repeated twice.
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PM’s unscheduled meeting with
Kalam sparks speculation
New Delhi, August 15 Dr Manmohan Singh, who
had gone to Rashtrapati Bhavan to attend the “At Home” hosted by the
President on the 60th independence day, is learnt to have sought a
meeting with Dr Kalam. The President, it is learnt, agreed, and the two
leaders met for over 15 minutes. There was no official word about the
issues they discussed but the Office of Profit Bill, which is awaiting
his assent, and the the Indo-US nuclear deal are learnt to have figured
in their brief interaction. The Indo-US nuclear, which is to be
discussed in the Rajya Sabha on August 17, has come in for severe
criticism from the Left parties, the BJP as well as the scientific
community who have all expressed reservations over the attempts by the
US Senate and House committees to shift the goalposts with regard to the
pact. This is the second time in the recent past that the Prime
Minister has drawn the President’s attention to the Office of Profit
Bill, having reminded him about it last week when he had visited the
Rashtrapati Bhavan for a function. Today, Dr Kalam parried all questions
on the pending bill when newspersons queried him on this issue. “Today
is Independence Day...why don’t you enjoy yourselves,” he said. The
UPA managers are also spending sleepless nights, as the President
appears to be in no hurry to give his assent to the Bill, which he had
returned to Parliament in May on the plea that it had several lacunae
which needed to be addressed. The UPA government, however, tabled the
same Bill in Parliament, which was passed by both Houses two weeks ago.
Nervous UPA sources said that though the Constitution states that the
President “shall” be required to give his assent to a Bill if it is
sent to him for the second time, no time frame has been specified.
Consequently, the President can keep the Bill pending till his last day
in office. While this would be very embarrassing for the government, it
will have dire consequences for those MPs, occupying an office of
profit, against whom petitions have been filed with the Election
Commission. In case the President keeps the Bill on hold, the Election
Commission will be will be well within its rights to proceed on these
petitions.
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Two LeT terrorists held with RDX
Kolkata, August 15 Some firearms, huge stock of RDX, several documents and a map with the identification of Kolkata’s important destinations, including Fort Williams, Raj Bhavan, Writers Buildings and
Lalbazar, had been seized from their possession. They were detained by the BSF while entering into the Indian territory after crossing the Kalindi river and later handed over to the district police. Giving this information to the media, the state Home Secretary, Mr
P.Roy, said the arrested persons were Pakistanis and hailing from Karachi. Mr Roy further said they admitted that they belonged to the LeT and had undergone special terrorists training in Pakistani occupied Kashmir during past one year. Mr Roy said the terrorists had a plan to disturb the Independence Day celebration by striking at some important places. A special investigating team of the state’s anti-terrorist squad was still interrogating them, he added. Though the Independence Day passed off peacefully in Bengal, over 200 suspected persons had detained from several districts during a joint operation by the BSF and the state police. Some explosives were found from a compartment of a train soon after leaving Howrah station early this morning. The explosives were kept in a gunny bag kept below the seat of a sleeper coach. Another person, Pradip
Sarker, was also arrested today at the lounge of Netaji Subhash International Airport here while moving in suspicious manner. But after interrogation, it was detected that he was suffering from mental disease. Later, he was released. Tight security arrangements were made by the state administration and the police both in city and all districts for ensuring a peaceful Independence Day celebration. The Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, took the salute of the state armed forces at a march past organised on the occasion of the country’s 60th Independence Day. He hoisted the national flag in front the state secretariat. He also garlanded the Netaji statue in the maidan The Governor, Mr Gopal Krishna Gandhi, went to Raj Ghat at Barrackpore and participated in the all-faiths prayer meeting.
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PAC asks IT sleuths to go after rich
New Delhi, August 15 “Strengthen the investigation wing of the department to bring a considerable number of people in business, industry and professions to the tax net, who in spite of earning income which may be liable to be taxed, are not paying the requisite income tax”, said Mr Vijay Kumar Malhotra, who headed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The committee expressed surprise that details of final revenue collections from search and seizure cases were not maintained and consolidated statistics of detection of concealment of income and their recovery through search and seizure operations had not been maintained. The report asked the Finance Ministry to set up a coherent mechanism to monitor these operations, particularly with a view to ascertaining the sustenance of assessments made in respect of search and seizure cases. The number of search and seizure cases had declined over the years and the number of convictions were a meagre 10.43 per cent, the report noted. The committee observed that the rate of growth of post-assessment tax collection has declined from 20.54 per cent to 14.67 per cent after restructuring. The report said it had found that the department had not maintained any date or conducted any study to correlate tax collection to the specific competencies or efficiency achieved in assessment and collection functions consequent to the implementation of the scheme of restructuring. The committee asked the Department of Revenue to critically analyse this decline so as to arrive at a more transparent, precise and objective benchmark to assess the revenue outcomes of restructuring. Mr Malhotra, in the report, also asked the government to bring a larger number of cases for scrutiny assessment. As per the Mishra committee report, six lakh scrutiny assessments should have been completed in an year, but the number of scrutiny assessments was below two lakh. The report said the percentage of scrutiny assessments completed in an year as a percentage of total assessments due declined to 0.72 per cent after restructuring in 2003-04 from 3.81 per cent in 1991-92, though the number of assessing officers and supervising officers had increased from 6,172 during the pre-restructuring period to 8,111 during the post-restructuring period. The committee asked how the CBDT had justified the selection of a smaller number of cases for scrutiny assessment when the Mishra committee report, on the basis of which the proposal of restructuring had been formulated, had fixed a target of six lakh scrutiny assessments during the year.
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Telgi tapes may nail Maharashtra Chief Minister
Mumbai, August 15 The transcripts of the phone tap show Telgi boasting of his links with Deshmukh who as Maharashtra’s Revenue Minister in the 1990s was instrumental in the former obtaining a licence to deal in stamp papers. Other politicians who figure in Telgi’s conversations include former Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and senior police officials. One politician, former MLA Anil Gote, who had long conversations with Telgi is now in jail. With the transcripts of the Telgi tapes likely to occupy the centrestage in the coming weeks, Deshmukh’s rivals in the state like Revenue Minister Narayan Rane, Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Officer on Special Duty in the PMO Prithviraj Chauhan are among those gunning for the top job in the state. Sources say Rane is a front-runner having made an impression on party president Sonia Gandhi days before the serial bomb blasts in the city. Rane had warned Mrs Gandhi of the deteriorating law and order situation in Mumbai. Sources say Rane had even told her that the frequent reshuffle of police personnel here had demoralised the force. Hours after the blasts, Mrs Gandhi who visited Mumbai warned Deshmukh and senior police officials against communal riots breaking out in the city. It is no secret in Maharashtra that Deshmukh does not enjoy a good relationship with AICC General Secretary Margaret Alva. Worse still, Prabha Rau, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president, has openly hit out at the CM’s functioning in the past weeks. Rau, who hails from Wardha in Vidarbha, has accused Deshmukh of turning a nelson’s eye to the plight of the farmers. Even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is known to have pulled up Deshmukh for the state’s failure to implement remedial measures. Observers say the Telgi tapes may then be used as a catalyst against Deshmukh. Sections of the Nationalist Congress Party from the powerful Maratha community who are unhappy with Bhujbal may also use the opportunity to fix the OBC leader. Bhujbal is now seeking a national role by floating a front to fight for reservation in jobs for the Backward Castes.
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BJP’s bid to revoke expulsion
of 11 MPs
New Delhi, August 15 UPA sources say since six of the expelled MPs belong to the BJP, the main Opposition party is particularly keen that their expulsion be revoked. BJP leaders, it is learnt, have raised this matter several times over the past two sessions in the various meetings called by Mr Chatterjee to discuss the functioning of the Lok Sabha. Mr Chatterjee had favoured stringent action against the erring MPs, a view which was endorsed by the government. The UPA sources maintained that this was one of the main reasons for the BJP’s sustained campaign against the Speaker. The MPs, who were expelled following a resolution in the House, have been meeting leaders of political parties in groups and individually to plead their case. It is learnt that several MPs and leaders, including RJD chief and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, are pleading their case on the ground that they are poor and illiterate, belonging to the Scheduled Castes and tribes. The seats vacated by these MPs are lying vacant as the Election Commission has not announced the election schedule as the matter is pending before the Supreme Court. With Lok Sabha leader Pranab Mukherjee having moved the motion for their expulsion, the government is constrained as it cannot go back on its earlier decision. It has been suggested that the issue could be re-opened if Leader of Opposition and BJP leader L.K. Advani were to move a motion seeking a discussion on this issue. Mr Advani, it is learnt, has not taken this initiative, fearing a rebuff from the ruling combine. In fact, the Opposition is so stung with the expulsion of its MPs that Mr Advani today suggested there a law be enacted to govern sting operations.
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Amendment to RTI Act bone of contention for UPA
New Delhi, August 15 The Left which is supporting the government from outside yesterday gave the UPA an indication of its floor strategy on the issue by joining the campaign to save the RTI. It is learnt that the UPA Chairperson and Congress President Sonia Gandhi is also not happy with the proposed changes. Meanwhile,
non-government organisations that have joined the national campaign for the People’s Right to Information, have initiated a nationwide referendum to know the public mind on the amendments to the RTI Act. Magsaysay award-winner and former bureaucrat Aruna Roy said while the dharna would continue till August 25, the last day of the ongoing session of Parliament, the results of the first round of the referendum would be released on Thursday. Leaders belonging to the Left constituents, the CPI, the CPM, the Revolutionary Socialist Party and the All-India Foward Bloc, turned up at the dharna venue in Jantar Mantar to express solidarity with the activists. Former Prime Minister V.P. Singh also met the activists. CPI national secretary D. Raja said any attempt to weaken the RTI Act would be resisted inside and outside Parliament. Rajya Sabha member (CPM), Brinda Karat said her party had told the government very clearly that there was no way that they would support such proposed amendments. “We will block them at every stage. We have already told the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Suresh Pachouri, that we are utterly opposed to proposed amendments in the RTI Act. If there is a specific problem pertaining to file notings, these can be discussed. The proposed amendment is nothing short of redrafting the Act. This can in no way be considered for passage.” Magsaysay award-winner Anna Hazare is on an indefinite fast for the past six days. A fortnight back, Hazare expressed his displeasure over the Cabinet decision to remove disclosure of file notings and Cabinet papers from the RTI Act, in a letter to the Prime Minister. The letter reads, “Access to file notings was a major empowerment for the people in countering corrupt practices.....People’s access to Cabinet papers is also equally important if the government is honest about the principle of transperancy in governance.”
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Delhi demolitions: govt promises legal measures
New Delhi, August 15 Responding to a calling attention notice by BJP deputy leader V.K. Malhotra and three others in the Lok Sabha, Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy said the government was determined to “liberate” huge sections of the Capital from the “irritating process of sealing, de-sealing and re-sealing”. He said: “We will not hesitate to go in for legal and, if necessary, constitutional measures to save the people of Delhi from any crisis.” He made it clear that the government in its affidavit before the Supreme Court submitted that it was not permitting banquet halls in residential areas. The minister held out the assurance that the government would attempt to resolve “almost all problems” by September 16, when re-sealing operations under the Supreme Court’s fresh order against violators would commence. Mr Reddy admitted that the problem of demolition and sealing of establishments was ‘’gigantic, multi-dimensional and complex’’ and the task of creating Delhi was indeed formidable. He told the House that the Supreme Court had not stayed the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006. Mr Reddy clarified that the apex court had only stayed two directions of the government — one relates to those shopkeepers whose premises were sealed and the other relates to those shopkeepers who gave undertakings. He said the government was making all efforts to complete the statutory process for finalising the amendments to the Master Plan 2021, to provide relief to a very large number of shopkeepers and others.
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Rain-related death toll 65 in MP
Bhopal, August 15 Three persons, including a woman and a 14-month-old girl, were killed and seven injured when a wall of their house collapsed in Itarsi last night. The bodies of three of the nine persons reported missing after being washed away by strong currents in parts of the state capital yesterday were fished out this morning. As rains held off, water receded in most low-lying colonies and people were moving out of relief camps. Water in the Narmada, that had crossed the danger mark of 967 feet at Sethani Ghat in Hoshangabad, receded and reached 958 feet. The water level at the Tawa dam was 1163 feet and 52 cusecs of water was being released from it. A youth was reportedly washed away in Talen river at Iklehara village in Rajgarh district. A report from Balaghat said the road link to Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh remained cut off due to rain. Traffic movement was restored in Sehore, Sagar, Vidisha, Chhindwara and Seoni districts.
— PTI
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Cell for proper action against pre-natal tests
New Delhi, August 15 The three-member UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) funded cell headed by Maxwell Pereira, former Joint Commissioner, Delhi Police, wants to make District Appropriate Authorities more accountable to enforcement of the Act. The cell comprising social scientist Ifat Hameed and Veena Singh, a Chandigarh-based lawyer, have already started visiting districts in Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. Ena Singh, Assistant Representative, United Nations Population Fund told TNS that the purpose of the cell is to help the Health Ministry monitor the implementation of the PCPNDT Act and build the capacity of District and State Appropriate Authorities. Dissatisfied with limited prosecutions and negligible convictions for foetal sex determination and sex selective abortions in the country, Pereira thinks it is important to approach District Collectors as they head the district administration and are responsible for the enforcement of every penal law on the Statute book. “There are 579 districts in the country. We are trying to motivate the Chief District Medical Officer who is the Appropriate Authority for launching prosecution under the Act.” Pereira said that the PCPNDT Act gives no powers to the police. “The ones empowered to launch prosecution, the CDMOs are either conniving or mixed up or reluctant to act. As a result of total inaction and apathy on the part of those who need to act, there have been negligent prosecutions in the country over the last 12 years of the existence of the Act. In fact, the very first conviction came only this year in March in Haryana.” He explained that the Appropriate
Authorities under the Act are required to launch prosecution in cases where Form F, has not been submitted by those offering ultrasound facilities. A mandatory requirement under the PCPNDT Act, the form must record crucial information as the identity of the patient, age and sex, address, previous pregnancies or abortions, reason for the ultrasound and name of the referring doctor. “But clinics seldom fill this form. If they do, they deliberately don’t fill indispensable details as sex of the foetus and name of the doctor. When monitoring agencies ask for forms, they say that they have lost them,” he said. Pereira has also drawn the attention of retired and serving policemen to the grave problem of sex selective abortions by initiating a discussion on the website (indiatopcop).
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No Indian firing
across LoC, says Army
New Delhi, August 15 “We
deny it. No such incident (of firing) occurred,” a senior Army
official told UNI. A Reuters report from Muzaffarabad claimed Indian troops fired into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) today, wounding two youth. It
quoted a Pakistani military officer as saying Indian forces fired from a
machine gun at Rangur Nullah in Poonch district, injuring the two.
— UNI
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Rs 55,000 crore more needed for rural housing
New Delhi, August 15 The Standing Committee on Rural Development, in its latest report presented to the Parliament, said that the target of rural housing will spill over to the 11th Five-Year Plan and at least Rs 55,000 crore would be required to achieve the objective. The committee said that so far 146 lakh houses were constructed under the ‘Indira Awaas Yojana’ under the Department of Rural Development’s flagship with an expenditure of Rs 26,669.64 crore. In addition, some houses have been constructed under other small schemes by the department and state governments. “In spite of the massive investments made so far, the government’s data indicates that housing shortage in rural areas was 148.25 lakh according to the 2001 census. If the estimated annual incremental shortage is added, the data of the shelterlessness would be to the tune of 161 lakh during the 11th Plan,” it said. Noting that the targets to end the problem of housing shortage in rural areas in the country were fixed during the Ninth Plan in pursuance of the objectives of the National Housing and Habitat Policy of 1998, the Committee said housing was one of the component of the government’s ambitious Bharat Nirman programme and 60 lakh houses were planned during the four years from 2005-06. “Even if the government succeeds to construct 60 lakh houses by 2008-09, 101 lakh houses would still be left to be constructed as per the government’s own data. To achieve the objective of eradicating shelterlessness, the government needs to construct the balance 101 lakh houses during the remaining three years of the 11th Plan. The annual backlog which needs to be cleared is to the tune of more than 30 lakh houses,” it said. Pointing out that the instrument chosen by the government to end shelterlessness was the ‘Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY)’ which targets BPL people, the committee said it was difficult to achieve objectives by depending on only one flagship programme. It said around one-third of the total number of houses constructed under IAY were upgraded houses and only 32.99 per cent of the houses had been provided to non SC/ST category families. Deploring the way planning was being done to provide houses in rural areas, the committee said there was no methodology to coordinate the data at the ground level about the number of houses constructed for the poor with the assistance provided by various sources including state governments, financial institutions and NGOs. It suggested bottom-to-top approach to tackle the problem. The Committee said that allocation for 2006-07 was only Rs 2920 crore against the minimum requirement of Rs 11,000 crore per year. “With the meagre allocation of resources, it is not possible to end shelterlessness in the country,” it said, adding that the percentage allocation of GDP in rural housing was stagnant at 0.17 per cent for the past several years. “To meet the targets, there is an urgent need to accord priority to substantially step up the allocation for rural housing,” it said. Emphasising a multi-pronged strategy involving different institutions involved in the task, the committee said the government should pay more attention to rural housing since it can be a major instrument of employment generation.
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Liquor, not milk, is what these kids drink
Patna, August 15 Barely able to organise two square meals a day to offer to their hungry kids, milk is a far cry. Liquor reportedly helps parents to suppress the hunger of their children after they come back home in the evening from playing in the fields. Innocent children turning into addicts is unbelievable but unfortunately true. Officials in the district administration, who refused to be identified, admitted that the much-hyped employment guarantee scheme or other development measures were yet to reach here. Most of the parents here were landless labourers for whom survival was a hand-to-mouth exercise. With homemade country liquor easily available, as every household of the village prepares the same, parents force their children to drink it. The plight of these parents is such that they are not in a position to arrange even one meal properly after sweating the whole day in the paddy fields on almost empty stomach. Some consider themselves fortunate to get a chance to get their children employed in tea shops or as domestic help in nearby towns. But even that has become uncertain with the Centre banning child labour.
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‘Blue Lady’ beaches at Gujarat yard
Ahmedabad, August 15 The beaching was permitted after the cruise liner, also known as the S.S. Norway, underwent a thorough inspection by a team of experts appointed by the apex court last week after environmentalists said it contained tonnes of harmful asbestos. Confirming that the ship had beached at Alang, port officer Anil Rathore said: “The ‘Blue Lady’ beached today in plot No. V1 after completing all formalities required. It should be ready for dismantling in a month’s time.” “Blue Lady”, that is 315 metres long and is almost 11 storeys tall, got a green signal to beach on July 15 after the Supreme Court-appointed committee inspected it for five days and submitted its report. The team comprised 15 members of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), the National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) and the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB). The ship made its way into Alang after it was turned away from the Bangladesh shipbreaking yard following protest by environmentalists.
— PTI
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“KANK” title is mine, claims Chandigarh man
New Delhi, August 15 PEC-graduate Biswaroop Roy Chowdhury, who incidentally also holds a record in the Limca Book of Records as the strongest memory man of the country, claims that the title “KANK” has been registered in his name with the Registrar of Trade Marks since May 17, 2005.
Biswaroop, also a film producer, says his film is 40 per cent complete and that he has also released the audio of his Rs 1-crore “Kabhi Alvida Naa
Kehna”. It was with this plea that he approached the Delhi High Court in the first week of March, this year, for an injunction against Karan Johar’s
“KANK”. There already have been five hearings in the case, which is now coming up for a final hearing on August 21, when this dispute over who is the rightful owner of the title is likely to be settled. In another related case, Biswaroop has also claimed a penalty of proceeds of Rs 10-crore drawn on the basis of his investments, mental agony and other factors. Karan Johar’s Rs 45-crore extravaganza, which released in India and overseas this Friday with nearly 1,000 prints, witnessed a phenomenal advance booking. Though the movie has been receiving somewhat mixed responses from film critics and movie buffs, it is expected to equal “Krrish” as far as earnings in the first couple of weeks go.
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Shah Rukh’s guard kills colleague
Mumbai, August 15 Hitendra Singh Chauhan, an ex-serviceman, shot his colleague Chandrapratap Singh with his rifle. Both men were employees of Tops Security Group. Local Deputy Commissioner of Police K.V. Chaube said Chauhan fled the spot after the incident and was later arrested. Singh was rushed to Bhabha Hospital where he was declared brought dead.
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Lucknow, August 15 The men, who were recently employed by the contractor running the canteen, had given a local address as their permanent address. The police, while conducting a verification, found they were residents of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, Home Secretary R.M. Srivastav said. A case for giving false addresses has been filed against the trio — Jaan Mohammed, Shakir and Wasim Ahmed — at the Narora police station and investigations are on, Srivastav said. Security at nuclear facilities across the country was stepped up last week in the run-up to the Independence Day celebrations following reports that terrorists might target these institutions. The armed forces were given the responsibility of securing these facilities and NSG commandos were deployed at many nuclear plants.
— PTI
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Three try self-immolation in Orissa
Bhubaneswar, August 15 The couple, identified as Shyam Sundar Nayak (60) and Basanti Nayak (53), were prevented by the police before they could set themselves on fire in front of Raj Bhavan. Sources said Shyam Sundar Nayak, who had written several times about his intention to immolate himself to officials, alleged that he was not given promotion during his service period. Nayak alleged that because of the “discrimination” meted out to him he was drawing less pension, the sources said. Another person, identified as Dutikrushna Sahu of Dudurkote village in Dhenkanal district, who was standing among spectators near the venue of the Independence Day function here, poured kerosene on his body. As people raised the alarm, the police took him into custody before he could set himself afire. Sahu said he was peeved at not being paid an amount of Rs 53,000, which he claimed was due to him from the government.
— PTI
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3,000 CCSU answersheets found abandoned
Agra, August 15 The answersheets packed in three bags were later taken in possession by the police. The police had earlier seized 9,931 answersheets of professional courses of the CCSU during raids on two houses in Agra and six persons had been arrested on Monday and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. The racket has rocked Meerut as angry students had resorted to protest and torched some vehicles and tried to set ablaze the house of the University Proctor in Meerut. The university and all schools and colleges in the district were ordered closed by the Meerut district authorities on Monday night as a precautionary measure after the police seized 9,931 answersheets in Agra.
— PTI
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Student gets 3-yr RI in fake marksheet case
Nagpur, August 15 Special Judge A.S. Gattani, hearing a bunch of cases relating to the scandal, yesterday sentenced Dinanath Bhikulal Nagpure under various Sections of the IPC for forging his marksheet. Taking the offence seriously, the court refused Nagpure’s plea to suspend the sentence while he went into appeal. He was sent to Central Jail here from the court. The accused was sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment on one count of cheating, three years of imprisonment on one count of forgery and one year of imprisonment on one count of passing off forged documents as genuine. The sentences will run concurrently. The court also imposed a total fine of Rs 20,000 for cheating and forgery. Nagpure had submitted a fake marksheet as well as a fake certificate claiming himself to be a project-affected person to seek admission to a BEd course in a local college. The admission committee got suspicious about the document when it discovered discrepancies in Nagpure’s marks list. The revenue authorities also clarified that they had never issued a certificate to Nagpure. The fake marksheet and degree certificate scandal in Nagpur University had led to the arrest of 219 persons. This is the first conviction in this scam.
— UNI
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Man dies after immolation bid
Gaya, August 15 Mr Mishra, who was treated at Magadh Medical College in Gaya, did not respond to the treatment and succumbed to injuries. The body had been sent for autopsy.
— UNI
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