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56th national development council meeting
Dhumal seeks Himalayan regiment in Army
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Need to revise power tariffs, says Pranab
Advani decision to skip Bangalore sparks row
Deadline over, Maoists refuse to lay down arms
cash at door
Train mows down 12 commuters at crossing
Need to revise power tariffs: Pranab
Yeddyurappa arrest is no setback: BJP
BSP MLA is first casualty of ‘paid news’
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56th national development council meeting
New Delhi, October 22 While Modi accused the UPA regime of attempting to tinker with the federal structure of the country, Jayalalithaa came down heavily on it for “reducing states to glorified municipal corporations’’ by turning a deaf ear to their reasonable demands. “During the 11th plan, we have seen enough instances of major schemes yielding sub-optimal outcomes because the schemes gave little or no flexibility to the state," Modi said in his speech, copies of which were distributed to the media at the Vigyan Bhavan here. Modi said there was a "credibility crisis" in the country and the confidence of people in governance had been shaken to the core. "Large-scale corruption has undermined the fate of the common citizen in our system of governance... Transparency and fairness have to be clearly demonstrated to change public perception." He said it was with a "sense of great anguish and deep regret" that he was drawing attention of the NDC to "attempts being made by the Central government to tinker with federal structure mandated by the Constitution". "The Central government should exercise extreme vigilance and caution to ensure that all constitutional authorities are allowed to carry out their mandated functions and at all times observe the federal dharma," added Modi. The BJP Chief Minister also attacked the Central government over rising prices and said inflation poses a great threat to the country's development. AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa described Central proposals like the Communal Violence bill as "fascist". "I’m not sure the Centre recognises the states as partners, leave alone equal partners, and respects their viewpoints. There are attempts by the Centre to weaken states with too much interference,” she said.
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Dhumal seeks Himalayan regiment in Army
New Delhi, October 22 He sought the government’s support in building the long-pending rail networks, adding that since Independence only 44 km railway line had been constructed in the state. “Today we face a major military threat from China and the Indian Army should be made fully capable to fight in the tough terrain hilly regions. A separate army regiment drawn from youths of hilly areas should be set up in the Army so that its soldiers are well conversant with tough geography and topography of the region and prepared mentally and physically to encounter the enemy. The Government must make provisions to set up Himalayan regiment in the 12th Plan,” the CM said.
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Need to revise power tariffs, says Pranab
New Delhi, October 22 The Finance Minister said the operational efficiency of the distribution utilities has to be improved. “The states will have to review and revise the tariffs regularly to ensure the financial health of these utilities. Urgent action is needed on both fronts to ensure that the cumulative losses of utilities do not ultimately devolve on State Governments,” Mukherjee said. Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, Montek Singh Ahluwalia too warned that source of funding to the power sector will soon dry up.
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Engage actively with Pak on Kashmir: Omar
New Delhi, October 22 He argued that the world’s developments were ripe for such an engagement and that economic development of the state hinged on peace which only interaction with Pakistan would beget. These measures, the CM said, should be complemented with immediate implementation of the report of the government’s interlocutors on Kashmir and a complete overhaul of the outdated education system so as to give a competitive edge to students of the state. “A long-term and permanent solution to the Kashmir issue is unlikely to emerge without an active engagement with Pakistan. The cross-LoC trade and the bus service between the two sides will not yield any further fruit unless we also push the external dialogue process,” Omar said at the NDC meeting today.
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Karunanidhi calls on Sonia, Manmohan; meets Kani
New Delhi, October 22 While the details of the discussions could not be ascertained immediately, the sources said Karunanidhi exchanged views with the Prime Minister on the prevailing political situation, particularly in Tamil Nadu. Both the Congress and the DMK have already clarified that they would continue their alliance, notwithstanding the defeat in the Assembly election and the arrest of DMK leaders in the 2G spectrum scam. During the day, Karunanidhi also met his daughter Kanimozhi, a Rajya Sabha MP, in Tihar jail, where she is lodged following her arrest in the spectrum case. Immediately after his arrival here from Chennai last night, the former chief minister called on Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid. The support of the DMK’s 18 MPs in the Lok Sabha is crucial for the survival of the UPA government at the Centre which has completed only half of its five-year tenure.
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Advani decision to skip Bangalore sparks row
Bangalore, October 22 The senior BJP leader was supposed to arrive at Mangalore in Karnataka from Kochi in Kerala on October 30 and reach Goa on November 1 after addressing public meetings in Mangalore, Udupi and Honnavar in Karnataka on October 31. However, Dakshina Kannada MP and yatra coordinator for coastal districts Nalin Kumar Kateel recently announced here that Advani would fly to Bangalore from Kochi in a special flight on the evening of October 30. Following a press conference at 4 pm, he would address a public meeting at 5 pm at National College Grounds, Basavanagudi. On October 31, he would fly to Mangalore and resume his yatra, Kateel had said. It has been now learnt that Advani will not be coming to Bangalore. “An attempt was made to bring Advaniji to Bangalore on October 30. But this has now been cancelled due to time constraints,” Dhananjay Kumar, a BJP spokesperson, said. BJP’s political rivals, however, see the abrupt change in Advani’s plan in a different light. “How can Advani come to Bangalore? He should have altogether cancelled his yatra in view of the corruption charges being faced by the ministers in Karnataka,” Siddaramaiah of the Congress, Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly said. Following former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa’s arrest and judicial remand here on corruption charges, an embarrassed Advani had reportedly cancelled two press conferences in Madhya Pradesh. He was supposed to address a press conference in Bangalore too. Besides Yeddyurappa, BJP legislators and former Karnataka ministers Katta Subramanya Naidu and Krishnaiah Shetty are also in prison in land scam charges. The Lokayukta police has also registered cases against home minister R Ashok and industry minister Murugesh Nirani for being involved in land scams. There was a blessing in disguise today for the Karnataka BJP when the Lokayukta court here extended Yeddyurappa’s judicial remand till November 3. This will put a stop to the speculations about whether Yeddyurappa will be meeting Advani when the latter’s yatra enters Karnataka on October 30.
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Deadline over, Maoists refuse to lay down arms
Kolkata, October 22 Instead, the Maoists gave a 24-hour bandh call in the these areas today as a mark of protest against the Chief Minister’s non-fulfilment of the promise of withdrawal of joint action forces from these areas
and also several other promises she had made to the Maoists during the Assembly poll. The bandh, however, was not much successful. Sujata Bhadra, chairman of peace talk committee, said the dialogue with the Maoists would continue. They had received the green signal from the
Chief Minister to this effect. Bhadra, however, declined to state if any progress had been made in the peace talks. The Chief Minister also refused
to make any comment on the government’s future stand on the Maoists issue. But she was happy that the Prime Minister
had agreed to sanction special development package for uplift of the Maoists-hit backward districts in the state. Subrata Mukherjee, a senior minister in Mamata Banerjee government, who was present during the Chief Minister’s meeting with the peace talk committee on Wednesday, said they would not go for any large-scale offensive against the Maoists if there was no violent activities from the Maoists side. But the presence of police and the para-military forces had been strengthened in these areas. Though no untoward incident occurred during the bandh today in the Jangalmahal and other areas, several shops, markets and other establishments were closed in some places at Sarenga in Bankura and Salbomi
in west Midnapore. There were also no vehicular movements.
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cash at door
Yadav, who has appeared before the judge only once in the trial so far, had filed on September 16 an application seeking permanent exemption from personal appearance on medical grounds saying that she suffered from ‘lumbosacral spondilitis’ and other ailments. The CBI special public prosecutor Anupam Gupta told the court that Yadav couldn’t be granted any privilege or exemption merely because she is a former high court judge. He added that she is moving such an application as if appearance in the court is some kind of a “monstrous thing”. He further told the court that she cannot be placed on a pedestal higher than any other accused and has to be treated like all other accused persons. Besides, Yadav's counsel had moved a separate petition in the court today, seeking exemption for
his client’s appearance in today’s hearing on medical grounds. Though the special CBI Judge Ritu Tagore granted her exemption for Saturday but directed Justice Yadav to remain present
in the court on November 18, when the arguments on her plea for permanent personal exemption will
be heard. The CBI had filed a charge sheet against Yadav and other accused for corruption, conspiracy, destroying evidence and creation of false evidence here in the CBI court on March 4.
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Train mows down 12 commuters at crossing
Bilaspur (C’garh), Oct 22 The gates of the crossing were closed as two trains were approaching the
spot on parallel tracks, he added. A group of over 20 people stepped onto the track to avoid one goods train that was coming on an adjacent track but were run over by the other train,
he said. The IG said rescue teams from Raipur and Bilaspur have been dispatched to the spot. Following the incident,
a mob ransacked the office of the district collector and set ablaze government vehicles at the accident spot. The police had to use force to disperse the mob. The Chhattisgarh Government has announced an
ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 each to the next of the kin of those killed in the incident.
— PTI
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Need to revise power tariffs: Pranab
New Delhi, October 22 The Finance Minister said the operational efficiency of the distribution utilities has to be improved. “The states will have to review and revise the tariffs regularly to ensure the financial health of these utilities. Urgent action is needed on both fronts to ensure that the cumulative losses of utilities do not ultimately devolve on State Governments,” Mukherjee said. Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, Montek Singh Ahluwalia too warned that source of funding to the power sector will soon dry up. Commercial banks have to watch their balance sheets and cannot provide loans indefinitely, Ahluwalia said, adding, some distribution firms have not raised tariffs for 10 years.
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Yeddyurappa arrest is no setback: BJP
New Delhi, October 22 While refraining from commenting on whether the BJP stood behind Yeddyurappa, party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said it was not his party but the ruling Congress that was facing widespread public ire on the issue of graft. "Yeddyurappa's arrest is not a setback to Advani's ongoing yatra against corruption," Rudy said on the sidelines of a discussion here organised by Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation on India-China relations and border issues. "If anybody has suffered a setback, it is the Congress as it is the one facing widespread public anger against corruption," he added. — PTI
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BSP MLA is first casualty of ‘paid news’
Lucknow, October 22 Sitting MLA from Bisauli in Badaun, she is the wife of mafia don-tutoadyrned-politician DP Yadav who represents the Sahaswan Assembly segment from the same district. The husband and wife duo were elected as Rashtriya Parivartan Dal candidates which later merged with the ruling BSP. The historic verdict disqualifying her was delivered by the full EC, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Dr SY Quraishi, on Thursday. According to EC sources, she was disqualified under Section 10A of the Representation of Peoples' Act 1951 for suppressing expenditure which was spent for issuing advertisements. — TNS
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Chandigarh, October 22