New Delhi, February 19
Infrastructure development in collaboration with private players is likely to be the focus area for Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee as she presents the Rail Budget on February 24.

With West Bengal all set to go to polls next year, Didi, who would be an aspirant for the chief minister’s job, may also make use of the Railway Budget to send home a political message. As has been the precedent, the Railway Minister may announce a flurry of new trains for her home state West Bengal as she goes onto the floor of the Lok Sabha with the Rail Budget. Banerjee is likely to announce a mega public-private partnership (PPP) push in the track-laying sector on the highway development model and is charting out a policy for that.

At a meeting with industry representatives earlier this month, Banerjee said there was a huge opportunity for the private sector in track-laying works.

Reports said the initiative had perhaps been triggered by the observation made by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on slow pace of rail infrastructure development. The rail ministry has charted out an ambitious track-laying target over the next 10 years with as much as 25,000 km of new lines to be added.

Of this, at least 10,000 km will be socially desirable lines regardless of their viability in the short run. The plans specifically aim at connecting far-flung areas of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, J&K and all the states in the northeast.

With the new lines in place, maximum speed of the trains will go up from 110 kmph to 130 kmph. Similarly, in case of the freight trains, maximum speed will go up from 60-70 kmph to 100 kmph. Reports also said that as had been the case with Didi’s predecessors of appeasing their vote on the back of the railways, she is likely to follow the same route.

Officials at the Rail Bhawan said that the new trains may be added on the West Bengal sector and may include a service between Howrah and Ajmer, Digha and Puri and a couple of trains from the port town of Haldia to south, besides a train linking Jhargram -- a Maoist affected region -- and Howrah among several others.

Among the other proposals that may come up in the Rail Budget would be that the Railways Ministry may seek air time from Doordarshan to disseminate railway related information to public. Raising a special Mahila Brigade for enhanced security on the trains would also one of the new initiatives. In its forthcoming Budget, the Railways also proposes to launch more passenger services and speed up existing trains. Extension of Kolkata Metro network and a proposal for railways’ own in-house magazine are likely to figure in the Railway Budget. Moreover, about 15 new Duronto trains and as many tourist trains specially catering to Buddhist circuits will be other highlights.

The Budget may also see a hike in the corporate safety fund keeping in mind the alarming rise in train accidents. Reports said that the Railways was earlier contemplating to have its own channel on the lines of the Lok Sabha TV. But with the high investment required for the project, it decided to book slots in the national channel.

Reports also said that Mamata may announce a new project for construction of the 20-km-long Yelahenka-Penugonda rail line. Law Minister M Veerappa Moily has been stressing for the construction of this new line. 

Indore, February 19
The BJP has decided to gherao Parliament over price rise on April 21. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj and party president Nitin Gadkari, made this announcement at the second and concluding day of the National Council Meet here today after former Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha moved the party resolution on price rise.

The party is making elaborate arrangements to make a big success of the proposed event, with Sushma calling upon the council members to send the message to the booth-level committees of the BJP, and Gadkari appealing to them to ensure that this should surpass all previous similar events of the party.

“Hum sarkar ko andar gherenge aur aap Parliament ko bahar se (We will hold the Government accountable inside Parliament and you will gherao Parliament from outside),” said the Leader of Opposition. The BJP had initially decided upon March 10 as the date for gheraoing Parliament on this issue. Apparently it was not confident of the response from its supporters and even party cadres. So it deferred this to announce the new date only at the national council meet.

Sushma gave a preview of what was coming by raising the slogan from the podium, “Jo sarkar nikammi hai wo sarkar badalni hai (We have to change this useless government)” and as Advani said later, this along with the threat to India’s security from Pakistan and Muslim terrorists will be the BJP’s theme song as the days pass by.

New Delhi, Fenruary 19
With the BJP hinting at raising the price rise, foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan and internal security issues in the forthcoming Parliament session, the Congress today advised the main Oppostion party to “discuss”, “not disrupt”, the House.

Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told the BJP that the Parliament was “heart and soul of democracy” and that the party was ready to discuss any issue provided it was done without dissrupting the House. “This is the time and place to discuss issues rigorously, but not disruptively. We are ready to discuss Naxal violence, Pune blast, India-Pakistan talks, even the humble Bt brinjal… each and every issue, however relevant or irrelevant, can be discussed,” he assured.

With the BJP raising questions on issues like price rise, talks with Pakistan, Naxal violence, fertlizer pricing, the session is expected to be a stormy one. A meeting of leaders of political parties has been convened by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar tomorrow to ensure smooth running of the Parliament.

In the meeting, the Speaker would like to know from the leaders, mainly of the opposition, on the issues they would like to raise and prepare for the possible storm during the session by allowing debates. Meanwhile, downplaying differences in the Cabinet on hike in urea prices, Singhvi said "the Cabinet decision is one, the Cabinet speaks in one voice… Within the Cabinet there is free and fair discussion and a vigorous dissent but when a decision is taken, it is of the government".

Party sources, however, said Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's reaction to the issue has to do with her electoral compulsions in West Bengal, where Assembly polls are due next year.

Asked about the party's expectations from the coming Union Budget, Singhvi said "it will be a stable budget and most beneficial for the common man”.

Panaji, February 19
In a quantum leap for its combat capabilities in the air, the India Navy Friday inducted its first batch of four Russian-built MiG-29K fighters that will be deployed on the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, renamed INS Vikramaditya, when it joins the fleet in 2012.

“The induction of the MiG-29 fighters into the naval inventory fulfils its long-standing requirement. I am sure that it will prove to be a milestone in building the navy's capabilities,” Defence Minister A.K. Antony said at the induction ceremony of the fourth generation jets that will soon be joined by another 12.

“Despite delays, I must compliment (manufacturer) RAC MiG for completing the project. The navy will commence flying operations with these machines to their prescribed limits, train the crew, establish doctrines and be fully ready for operations as soon as she (Vikramaditya) is commissioned,” he added.

Indian Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma said the MiG-29s would augment the force's combat capability.

Captain Surendra Ahuja, the commanding officer of the shore-based INS Hansa from where the MiG-29s would initially operate, said the jets would enable a quantum leap in the navy's aerial combat capabilities. — IANS

Mumbai, February 19
Investigators from different agencies probing last Saturday’s bombing of the German Bakery in Pune have reconstructed the images of at least three persons who may have been involved in carrying out the attack, sources said.

While two persons were responsible for planting a rucksack containing the explosive device under a table at the bakery, the third man may have helped them carry out a recce of the premises, police said. Initial images of the suspected bombers were obtained from the footage of a close circuit television installed at a hotel neighboring the bakery, police said. The hazy images showed the two talking on their mobile phones.

According to sources, the police found some corroborating visuals from images recorded by another close circuit television installed at the cash counter of the German Bakery itself. This despite the CCTV not covering the entire service area of the establishment. Investigators also obtained valuable clues from footage at more close circuit televisions installed in the neighbourhood. CCTVs installed at a petrol pump at the entrance of the lane where the German Bakery was located also indicated that the suspected bombers may have been staking out the area for quite some time, sources said.

With help from eyewitnesses, including waiter Paras Rimal who interacted with the suspected bombers minutes before the blast, investigators have prepared their sketches. Rimal, who sustained minor injuries in the incident, has been taken to an unknown location as a precautionary measure. Pune police commissioner Satyapal Singh confirmed that Rimal was in the care of the security agencies.

According to sources, the shopkeeper who supplied the rucksack in which the bomb was planted has also come forward with descriptions of the buyers. The bag was brought from a shop close to where the bomb went off, according to police.

Investigators suspect that the bombers may have rented a flat in Pune itself where the explosive device was assembled. People who rent out their homes to students and other visitors are being grilled intensively, police said. 

Shillong, February 19
Pictures of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette in one hand and a beer can in another in a book for primary classes has triggered a row in Meghalaya and the state government is now contemplating legal action against the New Delhi-based publisher.

The objectionable pictures of Jesus Christ found in the cursive writing exercise copies at a private school in capital Shillong was brought to the notice of the influential church by some guardians.

"We are shocked and hurt by this act where Jesus Christ has been portrayed in a highly objectionable manner...we condemn the total lack of respect for religions by the publisher," Dominc Jala, archbishop of Shillong, said. New Delhi-based Skyline Publication produced the copies meant for students of Class 1.

“Just imagine students at such an impressionable age being dished out objectionable images which are nothing but blasphemous,” said T Jrwa, another church leader. The Meghalaya government acted swiftly by confiscating all copies from the school and also from book shops.

“Although private schools are not bound by the prescribed text books of the Meghalaya Board of Secondary Education, still we took immediate action by seizing all copies and if deemed fit we might even take legal steps,” said Meghalaya Education Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh.

An estimated 72 per cent of the 2.32 million persons in Meghalaya are Christians. — IANS

Mumbai, February 19
Bollywood stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Riteish Deshmukh and Jackie Shroff have expressed their grief at the sudden demise of actor Nirmal Pandey following a cardiac arrest.

"Will miss Nirmal Pandey. Great talent. May his soul rest in peace. Simple and a nice guy. Wonderfully quirky actor. Wish had worked with him more," Khan wrote on Twitter.

SRK had worked with Pandey in the 2001 film 'One Two Ka Four' along with actor Jackie Shroff.

Shroff also mourned the death of his co-star.

"I am shocked by the sudden news! It is very sad. He was a charming person and an excellent actor. We had worked together many years ago and I lost touch with him after that, but I am with his family if they need me," Shroff told PTI.

Pandey was 46 and is survived by his wife and two children. Family sources said the actor was not keeping well for sometime and breathed his last at a private hospital on Thursday.

Riteish Deshmukh offered his condolences, tweeting, "RIP Nirmal Pandey- we lost a good actor." A graduate from the National School of Drama (NSD), Pandey is best known for films like 'Bandit Queen', 'Iss Raat Ki Subah Nahin and 'Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya'.

Actor Anupam Kher expressed his grief on Twitter, writing, "I am so shocked and sad at the sudden death of Nirmal Pandey. He was a wzonderful actor. I liked his casual stance towards life. Sad. RIP."

Actress Lara Dutt joined the other Bollywood personalities in mourning Pandey.

"Shocked to hear of actor Nirmal Pandey's death. Condolences and prayers to his family. RIP," she wrote on the micro-blogging site.

The actor had established a niche playing negative characters on the big screen as well as on television and won the 'Best Actress' Valenti award in France in 1996 for his turn as a transvestite in Amol Palekar's 'Daayraa'.

Noted director Madhur Bhandarkar also paid his tribute to the talented actor, writing, "RIP Nirmal Pandey, who was a great actor and gave some memorable performances. He will always be there in our hearts. May his soul rest in peace." Actor Irrfan Khan, who was Pandey's senior at NSD, said that he was "deeply saddened" by the sudden death.

"I remember him as a handsome guy. He was not just a good actor but also an excellent singer. I had not been in touch with him for some time, but the news is saddening," Irrfan said.

Filmmaker, Tigmanshu Dhulia, who was Pandey's NSD batchmate and helped him in getting his big break in Shekhar Kapoor's Bandit Queen said, "He was a huge bundle of talent and clean hearted. He was my batchmate at NSD and everybody remembers him as a lively person. The news is sad and shocking." — PTI 

Bangalore, February 19
The huge number of accidents on the national highways has prompted the Centre to propose a bill in Parliament to tackle the menace. Kamal Nath, Union Minister for Road Transport and National Highways, said the bill would be introduced in the coming session of Parliament. The objective of the bill would be to constitute a national road safety management board.

“The board will lay down some guidelines to cut down the number of accidents on highways”, said Nath, adding that India has the dubious distinction of having the worst vehicular accident rate in the world.

The minister was attending an interactive session organised by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) here today. Nath said the total length of the road network in India was 34 lakh kms. “It’s the second largest road network in the world after the Unites States. However, despite the length of the national highways being only two per cent of the total road network in the country, approximately 65 per cent of the vehicles in the country use national highways,” said Nath. The minister said since the gigantic task of building new roads all across the country could not be accomplished by the government alone, private parties were being invited to build roads on BOT (build-operate-transfer) basis.

While there was no dearth of bids by private operators for building roads in prosperous areas, not many come forward to build roads in a backward area, Nath added.

He said while the government was trying to adapt itself to working of private companies to ensure smooth functioning of PPP (public private partnership) projects, the private firms should also change themselves to suit the requirements of the government. Nath also disclosed that a board would be set up under Nandan Nilekani, former Infosys CEO and now chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India, to develop a technology for introducing a uniform tolling (for road users) system across the country.

Guwahati, February 19
Designated TADA court here today granted bail to the self-styled vice-chairman of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) Pradip Gogoi in three of the total six cases pending against him. The hearing for the rest three cases will be held on February 23.

The TADA court granted bail to the senior ULFA leader who was arrested way back in 1998 in Kolkata, in cases 42/01, 43/01 and 1/1998 and directed him to deposit his passport, if any, with the court and not to move out of the state without prior permission from the court. He was asked to pay Rs 1 lakh with two sureties. Advocates Bijon Mahajan and Raju Pradhan represented the ULFA leader in the court.

Advocate Pradhan said the ULFA vice-chairman is likely to get bail in rest three cases too on February 23. The bail petition of another senior ULFA leader Mithinga Daimary, the central publicity secretary of the outfit, will also come up for hearing in the same court on February 23.

Meanwhile, the Assam government has announced that it was not going to contest bail petitions of jailed ULFA leaders apparently as part of the strategy to bring them to negotiation table. The jail ULFA leaders have been maintaining that talks with the government handcuffed hands is nothing but a far-fetched idea.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said his government was unlikely to contest bail petitions of senior ULFA leaders when those come up the court with hope that they could come forward for talks with dignity. 

New Delhi, February 19
The Supreme Court today ordered satellite mapping of a 15,000-sq km area falling in the Aravalli hills region of Rajasthan to assess the environmental impact of mining activities.

The Forest Bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan passed the order on the recommendation of a court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) that clears development projects proposed to be set up in forest areas.

The satellite imaging would be done by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) in cooperation with the CEC and the Rajasthan government. The process would be completed within four months, the Bench that included Justices SH Kapadia and Aftab Alam said.

After a similar survey revealed widespread environmental devastation in the Aravalli region covered by Haryana, the Forest Bench clamped a ban on mining activities in the state last year and proposed limited mining in 600 hectares in Faridabad and 1,500 hectares in Gurgaon and Mewat regions subject to the mines meeting all ecological norms.

Today, the apex court also ordered closure of all mines in the Aravalli region and other forest areas of Rajasthan that have sought renewal of leases. Under the present rules, the mines which have sought renewal could continue to operate and if renewal is not granted within one year the leases would be deemed to have been renewed. The Bench, however, ignored a plea by Amicus Curiae Ranjit Kumar for a total ban on mining activities in the Aravalli ranges in Rajasthan until the completion of the satellite mapping in four months.

Senior counsel KK Venugopal, appearing for Rajasthan, opposed the plea stating that it would affect over seven lakh people employed by these mines, besides a large number of sectors such as construction and gems and jewellery. Rajasthan was a major supplier of granite, marble and semi-precious stones used in jewellery across the country. The state was largely dependent on the revenue earned from the mining sector, he argued.

Further, the state was allowing mining only by those who strictly complied with all rules and regulations and as such there was no adverse impact on the environment, the government contended. 

Bangalore, February 19
A problem with the indigenous cryogenic engine is delaying Indian Space Research Organisation’s plans to launch the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), scheduled to put communication satellite GSAT 4 into orbit.

Though officially no date was ever announced for the launch, investigators associated with the payloads to be carried by the satellite were told by ISRO that the launch would take place in December 2009. It was subsequently put off to January 2010, but this date, too, was not kept. On January 27, ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan told reporters here that the launch date would be announced following a review meeting of the project the following day. However, no fresh date has been announced till now.

ISRO officials now say that the delay is meant to give engineers enough time to carry out a thorough check of the new indigenous cryogenic third stage fueled by liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. However, they do not say what prompted ISRO to check and re-check the engine. ISRO had finished flight acceptance ground testing of the engine in December 2008. 

New Delhi, February 19
Just a week ahead of the talks between India and Pakistan, the Indian Army chief General Deepak Kapoor today expressed concern over continuing infiltration from Pakistan. Militants are taking advantage of areas that are not covered by snow in the Pir Panjal ranges in Jammu and Kashmir.

Interacting with the media at a function here, General Kapoor said Passes in the valley are closed due to snow in the north Kashmir towards the north of Pir Panjal but infiltrators are entering from south of Pir Panjal where there is no snow.

Responding to a question on the Union Government's initiative to offer amnesty to hundreds of youth from Kashmir who had crossed over to the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and are now willing to surrender and return home, General Kapoor said he hoped all the aspects would be considered before a final decision in the matter is taken.General Kapoor said: "I am sure the Home Minister and the rest of the government will look at all the aspects before a final decision is taken. They are working out that and I am sure inputs will be taken from all the ministries, including the Ministry of Defence and once a decision is taken, it will be for the good of everybody".

Raipur, February 19
An estimated 650 Maoist guerrillas have crossed over from Chhattisgarh's Bastar forests to West Bengal and Bihar to carry out deadly attacks, intelligence sources said Friday.

The rebels belong to the Maoist People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), the military wing of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), the sources said.

The PLGA has sneaked into West Bengal and Bihar in the recent weeks as their headquarters in Bastar has seen a massive deployment of paramilitary troops, a source in the state's intelligence wing told IANS.

"They would open new war zones in West Bengal and Bihar," the source said.Maoists carried out a daring attack on a security force camp in Shilda in West Bengal Monday, killing 24 Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) troopers and a civilian.The guerrillas Wednesday stormed a village in Bihar's Jamui district and killed 11 people.

The source said the rebels' strategy was part of a 20-page policy document unveiled by the CPI-Maoist in June 2009.The document, 'Post-Election Situation, Our Tasks', outlines how and where the Maoists need to step up attacks. The source added that the PLGA cadres had access to rocket launchers and mortars.

"Since their (PLGA) bases are encircled by the paramilitary in Chhattisgarh, Maoists will try to carry out frequent killings in other states in order to force the government to relocate the forces from Bastar to other states," the source said. — IANS

BRIEFLY

Maoists free kidnapped BDO 
Ranchi: Maoists set free Dalbhumgarh BDO Prashant Kumar Layek today, a week after they kidnapped him from East Singhbhum district. “He was set free at 6.35 pm. Now the BDO is with the administration,” Home Secretary JB Tudbid said here. Layek’s release comes two days after Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren accepted a key demand of CPI-Maoist to initiate legal process to free some persons who were allegedly been put in jail at Dalbhumgarh. — PTI

3 get life term in Surat rape case 
Surat: Months after a 17 year-old-girl was gang-raped in a moving car here, a district court on Friday sentenced three youths, including two who are sons of policemen, to life imprisonment in the case that sent shock waves across the country. District Judge RP Dholariya sentenced Sahid Sayyed, Tariq Sayyed, both sons of policemen, and their friend Abu Bakar for the crime. — PTI