|
|
|
|
|
CBI to probe coal fields’ allocation
Jammuites take pride in Gen Bikram’s feat
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
BJP rift out in the open, Advani hits out at Gadkari
27 pilgrims die in UP mishaps
Iranian Finance Minister in Delhi
Govt moots Rs 170/qtl hike in paddy MSP
Stung by graft charge, Krishna hints at suing Team Anna
Now, a buffer zone for Jarawas in Andaman
Soon, a tomato that is juicier, tastier & lasts 30 days!
|
|
CBI to probe coal fields’ allocation
Sources said the CVC had referred to the CBI the case of alleged irregularities in allocation of coal blocks to public and private companies — an issue that has brought the government under attack from the Opposition and Team Anna. BJP’s Prakash Javdekar had also made a complaint to the CVC, seeking a probe in the allocation. Even though the PM has already spoken very strongly on the matter, the message behind the move to transfer the case to the CBI is clear - that neither he nor the UPA government had anything to hide regarding the issue. CBI officials are understood to have held a meeting today in which the issue was discussed in detail. The meeting, chaired by the CBI chief, discussed all aspects of the reference received from the vigilance panel and also which branch should handle the probe, sources said, adding that the CBI had been asked to forward its report within three months to the CVC. The issue got heated up on Tuesday when the PM, while on his way back from Myanmar, said he would give up public life if charges levelled against him by Team Anna were proved. Yesterday, the PMO also issued a detailed statement on the allocation but a relentless Team Anna remained insistent on a probe by SIT. Allegations about “coal-gate” — as the scam is now being referred to — are based largely on a preliminary inquiry by CAG which in its draft report reportedly indicated that by not following the auction path for coal fields, the government lost a whopping Rs 1.8 lakh crore. According to the leaked CAG draft that appeared in the media, the government’s failure to auction 155 coal blocks between 2004-09 may have resulted in windfall gains to the tune of Rs 10.7 lakh crore to power companies, some of which were PSUs. Latching on these charges, Team Anna alleged that since the PM appeared responsible, an independent probe should be commissioned by July 24 — a demand that was outrightly rejected by the government and the Congress on Wednesday. The government had denied figures quoted in the leaked report and said there was no final report from the auditor. But the fact that the PMO went to the extent of issuing a clarification shows that the UPA wants to clear all air on the issue. The note categorically stated that “allocation of coal blocks was never looked upon as a potential source for generating revenue for the Central Government. The government was committed to developing infrastructure and industry”. It stresses that the process of allocation was handled by a screening committee and advertisements were placed by the government to invite the maximum bids and present equal opportunities to all interested players. In 2008, Parliament was presented with amended guidelines that focused on auctioning coal fields to the highest bidder.
|
|
Jammuites take pride in Gen Bikram’s feat
Jammu, May 31 “The only son of his parents, he was very sharp in studies and see what he did today. He has become Chief of the Indian Army,” recalled an old woman, who now lives in the same decrepit house where General Bikram Singh once lived with his five sisters and parents. He, however, was sent to Nabha for his schooling, she added. One of his sisters, Balbir Kour, is married to a police officer. They now live with their family in Trikuta Nagar, she informed. Son of Piara Singh and Jeet Kour, his family lived here for nearly 20 years, she recollected. The General’s brother-in-law IPS Bali (retired SP) said, “I feel on top of the world today. He (General Bikram Singh) has scaled the pinnacle of success. I really feel happy and I think every Jammuite should take pride in his remarkable feat.” By sheer dedication and hard work, the Army Chief has made it to the top, said Bali. General Bikram did his schooling from Punjab Public School, Nabha, before joining the Army. His father was a surveyor by profession. Dalbir Singh, a retired engineer, who lives in the Exchange Road area, recalled his brief rendezvous with General Bikram Singh. “I had an inkling that he will carve out a niche for himself,” he said.
|
||
|
BJP rift out in the open, Advani hits out at Gadkari
Advani stayed away from a meeting called by Gadkari at his residence this evening to assess the impact of the Bharat bandh called by the party in protest against the hike in fuel prices. Hitting out at his bete noire Gadkari in his latest blog, Advani has pointed out that the BJP cadres are a demoralised lot today as the party has not been able to rise to the occasion although the UPA government is bogged down by scams and scandals. Although he did not name Gadkari, he minced no words in underlining the lapses committed by him. While pointing to the party’s performance in the recent UP Assembly poll, Advani referred to the manner in which the party “welcomed BSP leaders who were removed by Mayawati on charges of corruption”. It is no secret that it was Gadkari who unilaterally decided to induct former BSP leader Babu Singh Khushwaha and was subsequently forced to backtrack following a furore in the party. The BJP veteran was also critical of the handling of the developments in Karnataka and Jharkhand, adding “all these events have undermined the party’s campaign against corruption”. Stating that the situation calls for introspection, Advani blogged, “That the party is in power in as many as nine states today, but it is no compensation for the lapses committed. If the people are angry with the UPA government, they are also disappointed with us.” That Advani and Gadkari are not on the same page is no secret in the BJP. However, this is the first time that the senior leader has targeted the party president directly.
|
||
|
27 pilgrims die in UP mishaps
Lucknow, May 31 Twenty seven persons, who died in these two separate accidents, were all engaged in religious rituals. In the first case, around 40 persons were returning after a holy dip in the Ganga at Garh. They were travelling in a Tata 407, when it collided with a UP roadways bus near Bulandshahr under Aurangabad police station. Most of the 21 dead were women. The second accident occurred when the family of Adhya Prasad Dubey from Samera Baisukhia village under Mirzapur village (rural) was crossing the Ganga when their boat capsized midstream drowning six women members of the family.
|
||
|
Iranian Finance Minister in Delhi Ashok Tuteja/TNS
New Delhi, May 31 Shortly after his arrival here, Salehi held talks with External Affairs Minister SM Krishna at Hyderabad House. He is scheduled to call on the PM tomorrow. The two ministers are understood to have discussed a wide range of issues, including Iran’s stand-off with the West over its controversial nuclear programme, the situation in Afghanistan, India’s energy needs and the threat posed to the two countries by terrorism and extremism. Later, addressing the media, Krishna made it clear that Iran remained an important source of India’s oil needs, given this country’s increasing demand for the crude. He also said India would abide by the UN sanctions against Iran and not the ones slapped by individual countries. “Iran is an important neighbour and a crucial trade partner for India, and also a major source of our energy supplies,” Krishna said, adding that the Islamic nation was also a gateway for India to Central Asia. Salehi emphasised that Iran had been a reliable partner for India on matters of energy security and would continue to do so. He also wanted India to look at energy sources that were reliable.
|
||
|
Govt moots Rs 170/qtl hike in paddy MSP
New Delhi, May 31 According to sources, the ministry has circulated a Cabinet note among various ministries recommending MSP of Rs 1,250 per quintal for common variety paddy and Rs 1,280 per quintal for 'A' grade variety of paddy for 2012-13 crop year. For the 2011-12 crop year, paddy MSP of common and 'A' grade varieties were fixed at Rs 1080 per quintal and Rs 1,110 per quintal, respectively. Paddy is grown in both kharif and rabi season. The kharif sowing begins with the start of the south west monsoon in June and harvest starts from October. Sources said the agriculture ministry's proposal on support price of kharif crops for 2012-13 crop year are in line with recommendations made by the Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices (CACP). Besides paddy, the ministry has recommended Rs 800-1,000 per quintal increase in support price of pulses for 2012-13. It has suggested Rs 4,500 per quintal for moong, Rs 4,300 per quintal for urad and Rs 4,000 a quintal for tur this year. Last year, support price of moong, urad and tur stood at Rs 3,500 a quintal, Rs 3,300 a quintal and Rs 3,200 a quintal, respectively. "Pulses require special attention as they are in short supply. The substantial increase in MSP has been suggested to raise domestic production and reduce imports," the sources said. To boost oilseeds production, the ministry has proposed up to 37 per cent hike in MSP. It has suggested support price of Rs 3,700 per quintal each for groundnut and sunflower seed and Rs 2,200 per quintal for soyabean for 2012-13. In 2011-12, MSP of groundnut and sunflower seed was fixed at Rs 2,700-2,800 per quintal. Whereas soyabean MSP was Rs 1,650 per quintal. With regard to cotton, the ministry has recommended Rs 3,600-3,900 per quintal for 2012-13, as against Rs 2,800-3,300 per quintal last year. With substantial increase in support price, the agriculture ministry aims to achieve a new record in foodgrains production. In 2011-12 crop year, the country is estimated to have harvested bumper 252.56 million tonnes of foodgrains. —
PTI
|
||
|
Stung by graft charge, Krishna hints at suing Team Anna
New Delhi, May 31 Talking to reporters after a meeting with Microsoft founder Bill Gates here, he said the charges against him were "motivated" and aimed at maligning him. He said that while he was open for a probe, it was "highly improper" for anyone to ask for another investigation when the Karnataka Lokayukta and the High Court have found no truth in the charges against him. "If anybody makes personal allegations against me, then I deserve the right to react in a manner I think is proper," Krishna said. Team Anna had charged Krishna with de-reserving forest land and not permitting Mysore Minerals Limited to market high grade iron ore fines to benefit private players. Krishna said he would provide Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with all details about the "motivated allegations" made against him. "I have no reservations for any kind of inquiry or investigation. However, since Justice Santosh Hegde, as the Lokayukta of Karnataka, had conducted a detailed investigation and had exonerated me of any wrongdoing, it is highly improper for anyone to ask for another investigation again which is aimed only at disreputing me and to malign my 50 years of unblemished public life," he said.
|
||
|
Now, a buffer zone for Jarawas in Andaman
New Delhi, May 31 The Union Cabinet today amended the existing Andaman and Nicobar Island (Protection of Aboriginal Tribals) Regulation empowering the Centre to create a five-km buffer zone around the reserved forest areas inhabited by the tribals to protest them from “undesirable outside influences.” Stringent penal provisions have been put in place to check the menace of unauthorised entry into the “reserved areas.” While tourism will not be allowed in this zone, curtailed commercial activity will be permitted. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said after the Cabinet meeting that the Centre stepped in as a notification issued by the local administration in 2007 for the declaration of a five-km buffer zone was struck down by Calcutta High Court. The government decided to amend the necessary regulation under Article 240 of the Constitution which gives the President the power to make regulations for “the peace, progress and good government” of the union territories which includes the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Cabinet decision comes in the backdrop of a controversy which erupted earlier this year following the release of shocking footage which showed semi-nude women of the endangered Jarawa tribe being forced to dance for tourists. London-based newspapers - The Guardian and The Observer - had released the video which had sparked off an immediate furore in New Delhi.
|
||
|
Soon, a tomato that is juicier, tastier & lasts 30 days!
Giving an insight into the important breakthrough by the Tomato Genome Consortium (a group of 300 scientists from 14 countries which sequenced the genomes of domesticated tomato and its wild ancestor Solanum pimpinellifolium), National Institute of Plant Genome Research director Akhilesh Kumar Tyagi said the effort would serve as a reference for other Solanaceous species as well as help in comparative genomics among diverse data. Sequencing a genome is basically decoding an organism’s DNA that then works as a blueprint to help scientists understand the organism and potentially improve it. Therein comes its significance for the common man. According to Tyagi, a housewife’s wish would be to have juicier and tastier tomatoes that last long on her shelf, a farmer would like his crop to be free of disease. The ketchup industry would want tomatoes in tempting colours along with taste and flavour. “The wishlist for these diverse desires is controlled by genes in tomatoes. Now that its genome has been sequenced, breeders can improve quality and quantity of the produce. Coming out with a new variety may take 10 to 15 years, but the process can now be hastened by at least five years,” he said. Indian scientists also aim to use the knowledge to increase the shelf life of the vegetable to 30 days. Sequencing will help them achieve the shelf-life target set by the controversial GM tomato.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
Youngest among six siblings, General Bikram Singh, affably called “Bikki” by his friends, who took over as the 25th Chief of the Army Staff of the third largest Army in the world today, spent his early childhood in Exchange Road area of the old city here.
New Delhi, May 31
New Delhi, May 31
New Delhi, May 31
New Delhi, May 31