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Govt ‘unprepared’, common MBBS entrance test in limbo
Development can defeat Left extremism: Sonia
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Food Bill may be tabled on Monday
Lokpal quota: Government trying to bring estranged allies round
M’rashtra minister in soup over corporate donation
PC denies interest in Delhi hotelier’s case
PC was behind crackdown on Ramdev, amicus tells SC
PIL in SC over Gen VK Singh’s date of birth
mid-day meal horror
Bengal hooch toll reaches 171, excise official suspended
Union Cabinet expansion tomorrow
World’s cheapest tablet in market
Sex-determination tests land Pune doc in jail
Graft: Maya issues White Paper on 24 govt depts
2G: HC denies bail to Siddharth Behura
Bihar cops get copter for anti-Naxal ops
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Govt ‘unprepared’, common MBBS entrance test in limbo
The
government last month filed a new application in the apex court seeking
its orders to defer the proposed National Eligibility cum Entrance Test
(NEET) for undergraduate medical courses to 2013. The Medical Council
of India (MCI) also filed a fresh application seeking a similar
deferment for NEET-PG exam. It may be recalled that by a notification in
2010, the MCI had said both tests would be conducted from the academic
year 2012. Accordingly, the SC had earlier this year given its nod to
the move despite objections from certain states. Taking up the
Centre’s and MCI’s new applications for deferment of the proposed
exams, the Supreme Court today said it would not become party to any
decision. “Either we will reject your application or you withdraw
it. Whatever you want to do you can do but we are not going to be party
to your decision,” the Bench comprising Justices HL Dattu and CK
Prasad said, after which the Centre and MCI withdrew their applications.
The Centre sought deferment citing concerns of certain states which
wanted more time for their students to prepare for the test as the same
will be now based on new syllabus which the MCI uploaded on its website
only last month. The MCI wanted NEET-PG advanced because AIIMS, which
was asked to hold the test, expressed inability to do so in 2012. With
the withdrawal of the Centre’s application today, NEET-UG which the
MCI was planning to hold on May 13, 2012, looks unlikely. MCI sources
said, “The Supreme Court today said it would not pass any orders on
the Centre’s application seeking deferment of the exam. The court did
not reject the said application. Had it rejected it, the Centre would
have been bound to hold NEET-UG in 2012. Now, the ministry may amend the
MCI notification. The proposed test on May 13 next looks
unlikely.” Health Ministry sources said they would comment when they
receive the court orders. The SC, meanwhile, didn’t let the Centre go
lightly today and rapped it for delaying the test, “This order for
NEET-UG was passed after hearing you. You said draft rules and
regulations were in place for implementing it in 2012-13. Why are you
bringing this court in this matter? You better start and withdraw this
application,” the Bench said.
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Development can defeat Left extremism: Sonia
New Delhi, December 16 Speaking at the national
convention on “Empowerment to Tribal Women” organised by the
All-India Mahila Congress, Sonia sought earnest implementation of rural
development programmes to defeat left-wing extremism and asked the
Centre and state governments to make efforts in this direction. She
advised party workers to take the “good work of the UPA to people and
educate them about programmes initiated by the government”, saying
that many districts which had a predominant tribal population were
infested with Maoists and insurgents. “We can defeat left-wing
extremism and insurgency if we implement rural development programmes.
The Centre and state governments should do their fundamental and
Constitutional duty in helping tribals,” Sonia said. She added, “If
we do it, we will be able to bring those people, who are in the culture
of violence, to the democratic mainstream”. What really made Mahila
Congress president Anita Verma’s effort an instant hit was the
Congress president’s impromptu dance with tribal women. A cheerful
Sonia surprised everyone by coming down the stage to mingle with some
tribal women from Ahmednagar in Maharashtra. She readily accepted their
invitation to dance to foot-tapping folk tunes. Not just that, she
matched them in zeal and rhythm.
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Food Bill may be tabled
on Monday New Delhi, December 16 It also seems that not much change is to be expected in the draft Bill, to be presented to the Cabinet on Monday, vis-a-vis the legislation brought in for discussions earlier this week. While NCP expressed reservations on cost and procurement issues, Trinamool wanted more time to study the Bill since eventually, it would be states’ responsibility to implement the legislation. Food Minister KV Thomas, who, for the past couple of days, has been working hard to build consensus on the contentious legislation among allies and within the Congress, today said discussions on the food Bill in the last meeting were postponed due to paucity of time and not because of any other issue. The winter session is expected to conclude on December 22. the legislation
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Lokpal quota: Government trying to bring estranged allies round
New Delhi, December 16 Several parties, including Lalu Prasad's RLD, Mayawati's BSP, Mulayam Singh Yadav's SP and Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP, have made a strong pitch for quotas within the Lokpal both in the Parliamentary Standing Committee and at the all-party meeting convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last Wednesday. As many as 165 SC/ST MPs cutting across party lines had submitted a signed memorandum to the Prime Minister recently seeking quotas in the ombudsman body. UPA sources said the draft Bill under preparation is likely to provide for a 50 per cent quota in the nine-member Lokpal and a similar reservation in the search committee which will shortlist names for the ombudsman body. Pushed into a corner on the Lokpal issue by Team Anna and a united Opposition, the government is trying to draft a Bill which, in its contention, should satisfy the widest section of political parties. UPA ministers said the demand for quotas could not be ignored as there was overwhelming support for it. By agreeing to this proposal, the ruling coalition is also hoping to win over the RJD, LJP, BSP and SP which lend outside support to the government but have, lately, become estranged from the Congress. The government has agreed to the Opposition suggestion for the conditional inclusion of the PM in the ambit of the Lokpal. It is also working on a mechanism to bring the 57 lakh Group C government employees under the purview of the ombudsman. The status of the CBI remains a sticking point as Team Anna wants the Lokpal to have total administrative control over the investigative agency. The Left wants the Lokpal to be armed with an investigative wing while the BJP wants the CBI to function as an independent body which should report on the progress of cases referred to it by the Lokpal. The government does not appear averse to this proposal but wants to retain administrative control over the agency.
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M’rashtra minister in soup over corporate donation
Mumbai, December 16 Details of the donation were brought to light during the ongoing state Assembly session in Nagpur over the last two days. Opposition parties in the state are demanding a probe in the matter as a number of contracts have been awarded to Indiabulls by the PWD. "This is similar to the cement scandal under former Chief Minister Abdul Rehman Antulay," Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Bala Nandgaonkar told reporters a day after the party’s legislators created a ruckus in the state legislature. The MNS is demanding that Bhujbal be removed from the Cabinet. The Opposition had walked out of the state legislature over the issue. According to the Shiv Sena and the MNS, they have proof of other ministers in the Maharashtra government also receiving donations from different private companies. However, so far, they have refused to reveal the names. On the other hand, Bhujbal has denied that he benefited from the donations. Admitting that the Bhujbal Foundation controlled by his family had received Rs 2.5 crore by way of donations from Indiabulls, the minister said it was for organising the Nashik Festival which is held every year. "We receive donations from many corporate houses for the festival every year. Not one paisa goes to me personally," Bhujbal said. The Opposition is demanding that a number of projects awarded by the Public Works Department to Indiabulls be scrutinised. commotion over donation
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Honorary doctorate for Vohra, Swaraj, Chatterjee
Chandigarh, December 16 Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was conferred the degree in 2009. Both Vohra and Swaraj are alumni of the varsity. Born in 1936, NN Vohra had topped in MA (English) at Panjab University and also served as a lecturer at Panjab University from 1957 to 1959. He was Visiting Fellow at Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford, UK during 1969-70. In his distinguished career, Vohra has served as the Secretary, Defence Production, the Defence Secretary and the Union Home Secretary. Post-retirement, he served as the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister (1997-98), as Director of the India International Centre, New Delhi, for
over eight years and was a Member of the First National Security Advisory Board. He has also been the chairman of the National Task Force on Internal Security; member, CSCAP National Committee; founder Co-Chairman, Indo-European Union Roundtable; chairman, Public Services Committee; National Board of Quality Promotion under Quality Council of India; chairman, Review of Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis; chairman, Committee to Review Military Histories, Chairman, Sarvodaya International Trust, Delhi Chapter and various other bodies. He is Life-Trustee of India International Centre, New Delhi, and of The Tribune Trust, Chandigarh. Sushma Swaraj has been member, Haryana Legislative Assembly (two terms) 1977-79; Cabinet Minister, Labour and Employment; Cabinet Minister, Information and Broadcasting 1996-98; Chief Minister, Delhi; Union Minister, Information and Broadcasting and Union Minister, Health and Family Welfare and Parliamentary Affairs. Earlier, addressing students at the 61st convocation, Ansari, who is also the Chancellor of the varsity, asked them to be the agents of change and utilise their education to make a difference in the society. Congratulating the distinguished personalities and graduating students, the Vice -President said: "Their achivements are a source and pride to the university and the nation." A total of 578 students, including 409 girls, received their degrees at the convocation. Prominent among others present on the occasion were Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Punjab Minister Hira Singh Gabaria.
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remembering 1971
New Delhi, December 16 It proved to be a vital
element in the Indian advance into East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Startled Pakistani defences were pulverised as they did not expect tanks to make much headway in riverine and marshy areas. In hindsight, Indian strategic planners played a masterstroke as they split the 63 Cavalry regiment - comprising some 54 tanks, including an independent squadron - into four separate squadrons and asked these to advance from four different corners of East Pakistan, accompanied by the infantry and artillery. The obstacle-ridden terrain gave a false sense of belief to the Pakistani forces that the approaches would not favour tank movement. The impact of the regiment was such that the Pakistanis named it the “ghost regiment”, says a book “Footprints - Indian Army’s Unique Achievements”, released in 2011. The 63 Cavalry was only tank regiment that entered East Pakistan and even reached Dhaka at the time of the surrender.
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PC denies interest in Delhi hotelier’s case
He also clarified that he had suggested that the Home Ministry should not give any directions and let the Law Ministry decide. Today the Opposition, in both Houses of Parliament, demanded the resignation of the Home Minister. Chidambaram’s clarification has given a new twist to the case as the documents depict a picture that shifts the blame elsewhere. Besides Chidabaram, former Home Secretary GK Pillai today said that the reply of the Home Ministry to the Delhi Government on the matter of withdrawing FIRs against SP Gupta was never shown to the Home Secretary or the Home Minister. It does not reflect the true opinion of the deliberations of the Home Ministry, Pillai said. Chidambaram today said that since 2004, hotelier SP Gupta had made more than 40 representations to the Home Ministry requesting the withdrawal the three FIRs filed against him, which were also backed by three MPs. "I feel deeply hurt. I strongly reject completely unfounded allegations of the BJP," the Home Minister said as he sat flanked by Home Secretary RK Singh and his predecessor GK Pillai this afternoon. Yesterday, Tejendra Khanna, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, revoked the earlier decision that said there was no need to press for prosecution. The three FIRs relate to Gupta allegedly misusing the names of the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and defrauding a firm — VLS Finance — to the tune of several crores of rupees. This afternoon, the Home Minister said that he couldn’t have lifelong interest in the over 25,000 cases he had represented as a lawyer in the past four decades. "This is the most ridiculous charge. I don't have any current subsisting interest in any case," he said.
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PC was behind crackdown on Ramdev, amicus tells SC
Chidambaram is already under Opposition pressure to quit on two counts -- for his alleged role in the 2G scam and for reportedly misusing his ministerial post to recommend the withdrawal of a criminal case against a businessman. The businessman was Chidambaram’s client in a legal case when he was a practising lawyer. The decision to evict Ramdev and his followers was a “pre-ordained political conspiracy” to stifle the indefinite hunger strike undertaken by the yoga guru to fight against corruption, Dhavan told a Bench comprising Justices BS Chauhan and Swatanter Kumar. Taking suo motu notice of the Delhi police crackdown, the Bench had sought explanation from the Centre, the Delhi Government and the city police. The Bench also appointed Dhavan to assist it in adjudicating the case. Advancing his arguments, Dhavan said the affidavits filed by the Delhi police and the Union Home Ministry ran counter to each other and it was clear that either of them was not telling the truth. The Delhi Police had been constantly in touch with the Home Ministry, updating the latter on the developments. The Home Ministry had decided to forcefully evict all those at the maidan if the government talks with the Baba failed and this was promptly implemented by the Delhi Police, Dhavan contended. “It is difficult to believe that information was not sent to the Home Secretary. Further, it is impossible to believe it was not communicated to the Home Minister. The Home Ministry and the Delhi Police Commissioner were working together on the Baba Ramdev issue,” he said. Ramdev had not violated any law by converting his yoga training camp into a platform for hunger strike against corruption and Delhi police had no justification for resorting to lathicharge and water cannons against a gathering of about 25,000 people who were fast asleep when they were asked to disperse, he said. The abrupt police action was aimed at servicing a “political purpose,” he argued.
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PIL in SC over Gen VK Singh’s date of birth
The government order was contrary to the stand consistently taken by Gen Singh that his date of birth was May 10, 1951 and “backed by his matriculation certificate which is the only authentic document which can be taken into consideration for establishing the date of birth of a person,” the Grenadiers Association (Rohtak chapter) contended in the petition. The government had taken his date of birth as 1950 on the basis of the age mentioned on the admission form to the National Defence Academy in 1966, but this was subject to correction after submission of the matriculation certificate, the petition said. The PIL was listed for hearing before a Bench comprising Justices
BS Chauhan and TS Thakur, but Justice Thakur opted out of hearing the case, without giving any reason. The petition would now have to be posted before another Bench. Uncertainty over the tenure of the Army Chief would affect the capability, strength and morale of the forces as a whole and adversely affect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, the association argued. The government order was contrary to the opinions rendered by four former Chief Justices of India - JS Verma, RC Lahoti, GB Patnaik and VN Khare - according to which the DOB on the school-leaving certificate was to be taken as authentic, it said.
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mid-day meal horror
Bangalore, December 16 In 2005, a a six-year-old girl had died after falling into a sambar vessel at a mid-day meal centre in Poonamallee in Tamil Nadu. The girl apparently slipped and fell into the vessel which was left uncovered. In a critical condition, she was admitted to the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital in Chennai, where she died. Talking to The Tribune from Mysore, Dr Mohan of the Burns and Plastic Surgery Department of KR Hospital, who treated Apoorva, said she had received about 80 per cent burns on her body. “Except for her feet and a portion of her face and head, every other part of her body was affected. She died at 1 am today”, Mohan said. According to her school, Apoorva, who was racing with her friend to get to the food queue first, lost control and fell into the vessel which was placed on the floor. It is, however, suspected that Apoorva might have been engaged in distribution of food when the mishap happened. It is a common practice in schools to get students to distribute meals to fellow students and also clean up the place after the exercise. The headmaster and three cooks of the government school in Kattehunsur village near Mysore, where Apoorva was studying, have been suspended. The decision was taken based on a report of a nine-member panel of officials and elected representatives who visited the school
and collected details of the incident. The panel, in its report, is said to have opined that the tragedy occurred because of failure of the headmaster to ensure proper supervision when the meal was being distributed. A circular has now been issued asking
schools to ensure that at least two teachers are deputed to check food and supervise its distribution. not the first time
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Bengal hooch toll reaches 171, excise official suspended
Canning (WB), December 16 The officer-in-charge of the Excise Department in Diamond Harbour, Radheshyam Pande, was today suspended on charge of dereliction of duty, South 24-Parganas district police superintendent LN Meena said. According to the Chief Medical Officer (Health) S Adhikary, the killer hooch claimed 171 lives in Diamond Harbour sub-divisional hospital, MR Bangur Hospital and National Medical College and Hospital. She said over 90 victims were still under treatment in the hospitals where condition of some was critical. Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting CM Jatua said he had shot off a letter to the Commissioner of Excise three months ago, calling for action against mushrooming of liquor joints in Sangrampur and other areas of the district. "No action has been taken so far," said Jatua. The CMO(H) said Diamond Harbour sub-divisional hospital, where most of the victims were admitted, alone accounted for 121 deaths, followed by 44 in MR Bangur Hospital and six in National Medical College and Hospital. — PTI
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Union Cabinet expansion tomorrow
New Delhi, December 16 The RLD joined the ruling UPA camp last week with an eye on the coming crucial Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. The alliance with the RLD, which has five members in the Lok Sabha, has provided much-needed comfort to the ruling coalition, which is facing intense Opposition heat in both Houses of Parliament. It now enjoys the support of 277 members in the Lower House. This will be the fourth time that Ajit Singh will join the Union Cabinet. He was a minister in the VP Singh government in 1991-1992. He also worked as a Cabinet minister in the Narasimha Rao government in 1995-1996 and later, the Vajpayee-led NDA government from 2001-2004. The Civil Aviation portfolio is currently with Vayalar Ravi, who also holds the charge of the Overseas Indian Affairs Ministry. The ruling establishment is hopeful that the induction of Ajit Singh in the Cabinet would boost the prospects of the Congress as well as the RLD in UP, especially in the agricultural belt. Apart from Ravi, Kapil Sibal, Salman Khurshid and Anand Sharma are holding the charge of at least two key ministries each. The DMK is yet to make up its mind on rejoining the Union Cabinet to fill the vacancies caused due to the exit of Dayanidhi Maran and A Raja. At the time of the last Cabinet reshuffle in July, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said that he had asked DMK chief M Karunanidhi to name his party nominees for ministerial berths at the Centre.
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World’s cheapest tablet in market
New Delhi, December 16 The tablet is available in the market for the first time and orders can be placed online at “aakashtablet.com”, the portal of Datawind. Aakash was priced at Rs 2,250 and 5,000 pieces were initially made available for testing. The government is in the process of compiling data on the results of the product that was delivered to colleges to be handed over to students for use. The government has so far received 10,000 tablets against an order of 1 lakh pieces. The target is 10 million pieces for which the government wants a price of Rs 1,750. Aakash, on which the government is offering 50 per cent subsidy to students, has just 1.5 hours of battery life, an area of concern which the HRD Ministry wants addressed in later orders. Meanwhile, Datawind yesterday said the new market version of Aakash would be available, upon booking, in seven days. This seven-inch tablet has Android 2.2, with the company already working on Aakash's next commercial version called the Ubislate 7, which will have a faster processor and will hit the markets by late January next. The current market version has 256 megabytes of RAM, ARM 11 processor, two USB ports and HD-quality video. Ubislate 7 will, however, have a 700 MHz processor compared to the 366 MHz processor Aakash has. It will cost Rs 3,000 for sale online.
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Sex-determination tests land Pune doc in jail
Mumbai, December 16 The doctor, Mohan Kumar Bandopant Nagne (50), was sentenced to imprisonment by first-class judicial magistrate Justice VB Bohara on a complaint filed by the Janwadi Mahila Sangathan (JMS), a non-government organisation. The JMS had conducted a sting operation by sending decoys to Nagne, who was then attached to the government-run Aundh Cest Hospital in Pune in 2006. Nagne, who was also practicing privately, used to conduct sonography tests in his private clinic and the decoys were sent there, says Kiran Moghe, president of the JMS. The decoy also included a pregnant woman on whom the tests were conducted. The complaint against Nagne was filed after he communicated the gender of the unborn child to the decoys, said Moghe. Investigations revealed that Nagne had violated several provisions of the PCPNDT Act by not obtaining the written consent of the patient on whom the test was conducted. He was also found guilty of not maintaining adequate records of the patients, said Moghe.
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Graft: Maya issues White Paper on 24 govt depts
Lucknow, December 16 Addressing the media, Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh claimed that Uttar Pradesh was the first state in the country to have issued such a White Paper on various functions and tasks undertaken by 24 of its departments since the Mayawati-headed BSP government took over in 2007. Claiming that transparency has been maintained in whatever the government had done, Singh said, “We
have uploaded all information related to the performance of 24 departments on our official government website.” Expressing satisfaction at the government’s track record, Shashank Shekhar Singh declared, “During the past five years, much work had been done in the development of infrastructure, power generation and the agriculture sector which managed to attract many investments.” Outrightly rejecting charges of gross misconduct and corruption in various departments, he expressed hope that the White Paper issued today would clear such doubts. The White Paper was released today, days after the BJP and other Opposition parties demanded CM Mayawati issue such a paper on the performance of her government and the assets reportedly accumulated by her and her close family members.
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2G: HC denies bail to Siddharth Behura
New Delhi, December 16 Justice VK Shali disagreed with Behura's counsel Aman Lekhi that he also deserved to be granted bail on the ground of parity like others who got the relief from the Supreme Court, the High Court and the trial court. "I do not agree with Lekhi that simply on the ground of parity either of the apex court or that of the order passed by this court, the petitioner (Behura) deserves to be extended the benefit of bail automatically. "If that be the intention of the apex court, it would have made an observation in this regard and this court would have had no difficulty in granting bail to the present petitioner. I, therefore, feel that merely on the ground of parity, the petitioner is not entitled to the grant of bail," the court said. The court, which referred to an observation of the SC in the case that bail is rule and jail is exception, however, said "there was no denial of the fact that the grant of bail in non-bailable cases is matter of discretion with the courts". Denying bail to Behura, who is left in jail along with Raja since their arrest on February 2, it said, "One thing, which emerges from their (witnesses) statements, is very clear that the petitioner has been a perpetrator of illegal design of Raja and, therefore, his role was distinguishable from 10 accused who have been granted bail and were beneficiary of that illegal act."
— PTI
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Bihar cops get copter for anti-Naxal ops
Patna, December 16 The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has provided the helicopter to the state government as a part of security-related expenditure (SRE), the new terminology for the anti-naxal operations fund. “We require two helicopters at our command that can be used for anti-naxal as well as relief-and-rescue operations,” said Abhayanand. According to him, Union Home Secretary RK Singh during his meeting with state officials last month had given an assurance to provide an additional helicopter to the Bihar police, in addition to three more companies of paramilitary forces. Of the 38 districts in Bihar, 22 have been identified as naxal-affected areas by the Centre and the funds required for strengthening the police were being provided under SRE, the DGP said. The state had also been sanctioned Rs 170 crore for rebuilding 85 police stations on the model cleared by the MHA for naxal-affected areas.
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