New Delhi, April 24
The elections for the Mayors, deputy Mayors and members of the standing committees of the three newly created corporations will be held on April 30, May 1 and May 2. The meetings for the elections have been scheduled with the approval of Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Tejendra Khanna.

The meeting to elect the Mayor, deputy Mayor and six members of the standing committee of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation will be held on April 30 at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Civic Centre. The meeting of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation will be held at its headquarters at Udyog Sadan, Patparganj Industrial Area, on May 1. Finally, the meeting of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation will be held at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Civic Centre on May 2.

Nominations for the posts can be filed by 5 pm on April 26 at the office of the municipal secretary of the respective corporations. Names can be withdrawn any time before the commencement of the elections for the respective posts.

The BJP is likely to romp home comfortably in the North and East corporations as the party has enough numbers to elect the Mayors and deputy Mayors of the two corporations.

However, in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, the party does not have a majority, though it has managed to enlist the support of at least nine councillors.

The party is likely to nominate Rajni Abbi for the post of Mayor of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation while Usha Shastri is the frontrunner for the post in East Delhi.

The party may zero in on councillor Sarita Chaudhary as its candidate for the post of Mayor in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation.

New Delhi, April 24
The city government has increased the minimum wages of unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled labour. This was stated by minister of state for the labour and industries Ramakant Goswami.

The new rates have come into force from April 1. Last time the rates were revised in October 2011.

The government has been effecting increase in the minimum wages after adjustment of the average consumer price index number on half yearly basis by addition of dearness allowances in the wages. This reflects pro-active, pro-labour policies of the government under the leadership of the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit.

Goswami said that the department concerned was involved in taking steps in the direction of labour welfare to make the city a role model in this field.

Monthly minimum wages of unskilled labour has gone up from Rs 6,656 to Rs 7,020, in respect of semi-skilled labour from Rs 7,358 to Rs 7,748 and in respect of skilled labour from Rs 8,112 to 8,528.

Regarding clerical and non-technical supervisory staff in all scheduled employments, the minimum wages of non-matriculates have gone up from Rs 7,358 to Rs 7,748, in respect of matriculates but not graduates from Rs 8,112 to 8,528 and in respect of graduates and above from Rs 8,814 to Rs 9,282.

He said that the minimum wages in Delhi had been fixed in the range of Rs 7,020 to Rs 9,282 per month.

New Delhi, April 24
Six months of efforts of the Blind Workers' Union voicing protest against the violation of the basic labour rights by NGOs and private enterprises eventually paid off today.

The ministry of social justice and empowerment assured that the visually impaired workers retrenched by the NGO National Federation of the Blind (NFB) would be granted alternative employment at a government-supported institute Arunima, located in Rajinder Nagar.

While the immediate relief to nearly 160 concerned followed after over hours of dialogue between a group of four representatives and ministry officials, minister for social justice Mukul Wasnik, at whose residence 100 members of the disabled section carried a daylong protest, remained dismissive in his approach early during the day.

"The protest has been on since November after some visually impaired workers were removed from jobs in October. We were determined of not giving it up until they got alternative jobs," said Alok Kumar, coordinator of BWU.

New Delhi, April 24
Seven persons have been arrested in connection with alleged impersonation in the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) examination, police officials said today. The accused-- Shashi Bhushan Singh (36), Jitender Kumar (18), Amit Chauhan (23), Satish Kumar (27), Shushma (30), Vijender Kumar and Ajay Kumar (22)-- were held on a tip-off.

"We had received information that some impersonators were writing the class 12 economics examination of the NIOS being held at a school in Sadatpur Extension on April 20," said Ashok Chand, ACP (crime).

“ We arrested five impersonators -- Jitender, Amit, Satish, Shushma and Vijender -- from the centre.

Subsequently, Ajay, a PT teacher of the school were the exam was being held, and Shashi, the owner of a coaching institute in Sadatpur, were also arrested.

The accused said Shyam Sharma, the manager of the school, was the kingpin of the racket. He had roped in Shashi and Ajay. Shyam is on the run.

Shashi used to assure success to students who wished to clear the NIOS examination. He charged Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 for impersonation in each examination from each candidate. He paid Rs 3,000 per student per exam to Shyam. The racket has been in operation for around four years," Chand said.

"The students who were being impersonated by the accused have been identified," Chand added.