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House logjam stalls higher education reform agenda
Now, Raj threatens to shut Hindi news channels
Jawan dismissed for pointing gun at officer reinstated
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Smart card for buying train tickets on busy routes
Coalgate: Advani at the helm?
Chinese defence minister
arrives on a five-day visit
China's Defence Minister Gen Liang Guanglie
Tharoor supports Akali viewpoint
Power Ministry did not follow PMO instructions: CAG
Include universal pension in Budget 2013, demand activists
Defence MoS Raju inaugurates NCC Academies in Punjab
Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju inaugurates an NCC academy for girls at Malout
on Sunday. Photo: Balwant Garg
Says no threat from China
Manmohan’s defence unconvincing: Advani
Kannur LPG tanker explosion toll mounts to 19
No problem if Mulayam forms Third Front: Digvijay
Bengal dengue cases rise to 643
Cop gets 10-year jail for rape
Clash outside Jaiswal’s house
ONGC to keep Taj clean Jaya orders Sri Lankan football teams to return
Operations halted at 6 coal mines
Pension sought for destitute
and elderly
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House logjam stalls higher education reform agenda
New Delhi, September 2 Besides trying to mobilise political support around his old, controversial Bills, including the one to set up educational tribunals for settlement of academic disputes and another to mandate accreditation of academic programmes across India, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal had readied two Bills for introduction in the current session. These included a Bill to give statutory powers to the CBSE to give it autonomy and empower it vis-ŕ-vis affiliated schools and another to enable electronic storage of academic awards through a National Academic Depository on the lines of depositories that store share certificates. Neither of these has yet been introduced and with the current monsoon session set for a washout, forward movement is not even expected. The result: Sibal’s ambitious laws remain on paper. Even more worrisome is the continuing opposition of political parties, including UPA allies like the Trinamool Congress, to the HRD-piloted Bills that have been pending for over two years. The SP, the BSP and the TMC forced Sibal to amend the “National Accreditation Regulatory Authority for Higher Educational Institutions Bill 2010” for a second time last week. This Bill was first introduced in the Lok Sabha in March 2010 and referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on HRD which recommended 26 changes. Sibal accepted 22 and reintroduced the draft law in the LS on August 8, hoping it would be passed. But the opposition continued, with the SP and the BSP slamming it saying the proposed Authority doesn’t give any representation to OBCs and minorities in the eight-member accreditation authority. The ministry has since amended the Bill again and got the changes approved by the Cabinet. But the law is unlikely to come to Parliament this session. Similarly, the long pending Bill to set up educational tribunals which the Lok Sabha had passed two years ago remains stuck in the Rajya Sabha. Sibal had earlier told The Tribune in an interview that he had twice met Leader of Opposition in RS Arun Jaitley to seek his support on this Bill. The draft law is yet to come before the RS and it remains to be seen if the BJP will oblige Sibal considering he had also met TMC chief Mamata Banerjee for her backing to the Accreditation Bill but the Trinamool MPs blocked the Bill when it came up for discussions in the LS on August 8. Another landmark Bill which is pending related to the creation of an overarching regulator for higher education which would subsume the UGC and the AICTE. Ironically, this Bill was on top of Sibal’s 100-day agenda when he had become the HRD Minister. The Bill is still with the HRD Parliamentary Committee whose term recently expired and the Speaker is in the process of constituting a new one. The panel report is unlikely till the winter session. Also pending are the Bills to prevent unfair practices in higher educational institutions and to regulate the entry of foreign education providers in India.
Stuck in melee
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Now, Raj threatens to shut Hindi news channels
Not understanding the issues
— Raj
Thackeray, MNS chief
Challenge to govts, says Nitish
— Nitish Kumar, Bihar CM
Mumbai, September 2 "There are showing a lot of things without understanding the issues. Such channels should stop doing this or we know how to stop their game," Thackeray told reporters. Poking fun at the Breaking News logos that flash on television channels, Thackeray joked that these channels would play up his latest threat also as a news flash.
"They will now run a Breaking News strip - Raj Thackeray threatens to shut down Hindi news channels," Thackeray said. The MNS chief said the Hindi channels are biased against him and were telecasting programmes that showed him in bad light. "They are not saying what the Chief Secretary of Bihar said against the Maharashtra police which made me react... Now if they don't stop commenting on me they should be prepared to face the consequences," Thackeray said. Hitting out at Congress party leader Digvijay Singh who claimed that the Thackerays had originally migrated from Bihar, the MNS leader said he was kept by the Congress to parry criticism from others. "So is Digvijay Singh's family from Sulabh Sauchalaya," Thackeray asked. Thackeray said why criminals from every part of the country head to Bihar for asylum. "Why don't they go to Gujarat, Tamil Nadu or Karnataka? Why do they go only to Bihar? Recently some kidnappers from Nagpur escaped to Bihar. Police from every part of India are going to Bihar to catch criminals. The politicians of Bihar must wonder why this is happening," Thackeray said. The remarks by the MNS leader against Biharis have invited the ire of leaders from that state. Forced to take action, Home Minister RR Patil told reporters here on Saturday that the government was examining Thackeray's speeches.
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Jawan dismissed for pointing gun at officer reinstated
Chandigarh, September 2 The jawan, Hav Nasik Raja, who was then posted in an artillery regiment under the Western Command, will also be entitled to all consequential; service benefits, including seniority and pay, and will deemed to have been in service since August 2006, when he was dismissed. The AFT’s bench comprising Justice HN Sarma and Lt Gen KDP Samanta observed that the SCM was conducted hastily and in a haphazard manner with vital evidence, exhibits and witness either missing or being incorroborative. The jawan was tried under Section 40 (A) of the Army Act for assault on a senior officer, which is according to statements made before the court, is a serious offence that should have been reported to higher headquarters and the alleged offender should have been tried by a general court martial.
Instead of the jawan being arrested for the alleged offence, he was sent for psychiatric examination at a military hospital where he
was declared fit. The bench observed that from the statements and records of the trial it was clear that the accused
had no intention of pleading “guilty” as reflected in the records. Even the said weapon was not produced during the trial and nor
were the accused’s two immediate superiors summoned as witnesses. The bench observed that the presiding officer of the SCM was very careless in the conduct of the trial and several technical lacunae and procedural errors showed a mechanical approach and lack of basic knowledge. Even the advice rendered on the SCM proceedings by Deputy Judge Advocate General 9 Corps, pointing out errors in the conduct of the trial went unheaded by higher authorities.
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Smart card for buying train tickets on busy routes
New Delhi, September 2 "A pan-India multi-purpose smart card is going to be launched by railways in two most sought after routes on a pilot basis shortly and the modalities are being worked for it," said a senior Railway Ministry official involved in the
project. Go-card
In the first phase, the passenger will be able to buy train tickets on the Delhi-Kolkata and the Delhi-Mumbai routes
Kolkata Metro will be included in the second phase
Depending on the response, it will be extended on other routes
One can book tickets using the Go-India card at booking counters, automatic ticketing vending machines (ATVM) and also through the Internet
Asked whether the scheme will be extended to other routes, officials said, "the pilot project is for one year and depending on the response we will decide for its extension on other routes". The Go-India card proposal, as announced in the Rail Budget 2011-12, will be implemented in two phases. "While in the first phase it will allow the passenger to buy train tickets in the Delhi-Kolkata and Delhi-Mumbai routes, Kolkata Metro will be included in the second phase," he said. One can book reserved and unreserved tickets using the Go-India card at booking counters, automatic ticketing vending machines (ATVM) and also through the Internet. All major stations like Kanpur, Allahabad and Dhanbad in Delhi-Howrah route and Baroda and Surat in Delhi-Mumbai sector will have facilities for using Go-India card. The Centre for Railway Information System (CRIS), the IT arm of railways, is making the software for the smart card. "We will sign an agreement with a nationalised bank shortly to make the Go-India card operational," the official said adding, "our aim is to make booking of tickets for train journey a hassle-free exercise for the passenger as this will act as a single window package for long distance, sub-urban and metro journeys."
— PTI
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Jantar
Mantar Anita Katyal
Gadkari’s Alaska
cruise
Chair brings cheer
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Chinese defence minister
arrives on a five-day visit
Mumbai/New Delhi, Sept 2 Gen Liang's visit, the first by a Chinese Defence Minister in eight years, takes place at a time when the two Asian giants are competing vigorously to get a firm grip across the continent for resources. The minister arrived
in Mumbai, his first halt, where he visited Mahatma Gandhi's memorial 'Mani Bhawan'. "The minister was keen to know about Gandhiji and his roots. He seemed to very interested in Gandhi's early life and asked questions with the help of an interpreter," Mani Bhawan executive secretary Ghanshyam Ajgaonkar told PTI. Gen Liang will arrive in New Delhi on Tuesday for wide-ranging discussions with Defence Minister A K Antony on issues relating to border and bolstering military-to-military cooperation. The two sides are expected to exchange views on putting in place more Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), a senior official of the Defence Ministry said here. "We are planning to resume the army-to-army exercise 'Hand-in-Hand' from next year and a final decision in this regard is expected to be taken at the meeting between Gen Liang and his Indian counterpart," the official said. Military exercises between the two countries had started in 2007 but were put on hold after a series of hiccups in the defence ties between the two sides. The first exercise was held in Kunming, China in 2007 whereas the second was held in India at Belgaum in 2008. After the denial of visa to the then Northern Army Commander Lt Gen B S Jaswal by the Chinese in 2010, New Delhi froze all bilateral defence exchanges with Beijing. Though the defence exchanges have re-started, there are still some issues like China declining to give visa to an IAF officer belonging to Arunachal Pradesh. China considers Arunachal Pradesh as part of his territory and calls its as 'South Tibet', a claim rejected by India, which says the state is its integral part. The two sides also have a long-pending boundary problem along the over 4,000 km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC). The Special Representatives of the two countries have held 15 rounds of talks on the issue but not much progress has been made in this regard. Gen Liang's visit will be the first by a Chinese Defence Minister to India since Gen Cao Gangchuan's trip here in March, 2004. A Defence Minister-level visit to China from India had last taken place in May, 2006. He will also visit Taj Mahal in Agra and Qutub Minar here.
— PTI
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Sikh killings in the US Aditi Tandon/TNS
New Delhi, September 2 Tharoor made this statement while talking to reporters during a two day workshop the Lok Sabha Secretariat organised on August 30 and 31 to familiarize mediapersons with the nuances of parliamentary proceedings and conventions. "In the US, bearded persons are mistaken as Muslims and Sikhs are mistaken as Arabs because they not only sport beards but also turbans. The turbaned and bearded look makes them appear closer to Osama bin Laden, which is often why they are attacked," Tharoor said, in response to queries on the recent shootout in Wisconsin that led to the killing of members of the Sikh community. In saying so, Tharoor supported the line Akali Dal took in Parliament during a debate on the issue. Akali MP from Bathinda Harsimrat Badal argued in the LS during the discussion on killings that the Sikhs were being targeted repeatedly in the US on account of their resemblance to Arab terrorists and Osama. Contrarily, Congress member from Punjab Partap Singh Bajwa countered her by saying that the said Sikh resemblance to terrorists was not the reason for attacks on them. Bajwa said in the Lok Sabha, "The attacks are not due to this perceived resemblance. The man who shot at the Sikhs offering prayers at the Wisconsin gurdwara knew who he was shooting. He was aware." Congress MP from Kerala and former MoS for Foreign Affairs Tharoor, however, argued closer to the Akali line the other day when he said the Sikh resemblance to Arabs was indeed a reason for their killings in the US. He said creation of awareness was a must in the US about the religious roots of Sikhs, who sported turbans and beards in deference to the preaching of their gurus. A huge step in the direction of awareness generation came this week when a Sikh priest scripted history by offering invocation at the Republican National Convention in the US, where he was invited by the party as part of its "healing touch" effort towards the community shocked by the Wisconsin gurdwara massacre. "The gesture would go a long way in inspiring faith in the Sikh community in the US," Tharoor said.
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Power Ministry did not follow PMO instructions: CAG
New Delhi, September 2 Having embarked on increasing the power-generating capacity by 11,813 MW during the period 2007-12 in the hydel power sector, the CPEs have achieved only 1,550 MW of capacity enhancement (13 per cent and 23 per cent of the original and revised targets respectively) by March 2012. Above all, the Power Ministry did not follow instructions from the Prime Minister’s Office in awarding six hydro power projects with 20,700 MW capacity in Arunachal Pradesh. These facts have come out in a recent report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on capacity expansion in the hydro power sector. The report said while the CPEs had embarked on an ambitious target of capacity addition of 11,813 MW during the period 2007-12, they did not prepare their capacity addition plans with due diligence as two CPSEs (THDC and NEEPCO) did not envisage any new project for capacity addition and two CPSEs (SJVNL and NHPC) included projects without consultation with the state governments, with the result that the plans did not materialise. As a result, the plans had to be scaled down (11,813 MW to 6,794 MW). Even the scaled down targets, which were almost 42 per cent less than the original targets, could not be achieved. CPSEs had achieved only 1,550 MW (13 per cent and 23 per cent of the original and revised targets respectively) by March 2012. Besides, these CPSEs are likely to add only 3,774 MW capacity in 12 projects in the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-2017) as against 14,535 MW in 33 projects envisaged in the Hydro Power Policy 2008. The report said poor planning and laxity on part of four state-run power companies including NHPC Ltd led to an increase of 112 per cent in the cost of 11 hydro-electric projects proposed to be set up in the last five years. The report said NHPC favoured a company led by Maytas Infra Ltd by relaxing certain bid conditions for award of a civil works contract. “Despite specific directions in August 1999 from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), MOP did not form Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for survey, investigation and implementation of the Siang and Subansiri multi-purpose projects (six) in the Brahmaputra basin in Arunachal Pradesh,” it said. The government allocated six projects in May 2000 to NHPC, of which, only one project, ie Subansiri Lower, of 2,000 MW capacity is being executed by NHPC. The report says later, the Arunachal Pradesh government allotted four of these projects to private developers and joint ventures. The remaining one project was allotted to NTPC by Arunachal Pradesh for preparation of a pre-feasibility report. “The decision to move from SPV to NHPC and then to private developers only added to the delay and execution of the projects. The audit report of four companies - NHPC, SJVN, NEEPCO and THDC Ltd - said delay in execution of 16 projects resulted in revision of their initial approved cost of Rs 30,005 crore to Rs 44,712 crore. In the seven completed or ongoing projects, the cost overrun was in the range of 53 to 148 per cent,” CAG said. The report added that based on the anticipated date of commercial operation of 10 ongoing projects of NHPC, SJVN and THDC, it was reasonable to conclude that a period of nine years to 19 years would be taken by these CPSEs from conceptualisation to commercial operation of these projects. Delays in commissioning of projects have led to CPSEs losing the opportunity of generating 26282.97 MUs of electricity every year. Further, additional return on equity to the tune of Rs 1474.57 crore has also been foregone by the
CPSEs.
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Include universal pension in Budget 2013, demand activists
New Delhi, September 2 President Pranab Mukherjee has assured a seven-member delegation of the Pension Parishad that he would speak to the Prime Minister on the long-standing demand of universal pension. In the coming election, along with the anti-corruption wave, the issue of social security for the poor cannot be ignored by political parties. The Pension Parishad, a group of activists, has resolved that if the demand of a non-contributory universal pension of Rs 2,000 for persons aged above 55 years is not met, they will start the campaign from villages. The activists will reach out to MPs to take up the issue during the Winter Session in Parliament pushing for inclusion of universal pension in the Annual Budget 2013. Baba Adhav, voice of an unorganised sector of workers in Maharashtra, said: “If the government can give subsidies to private power and oil companies, it can surely meet the demand of pension of Rs 2,000 that the poor elders have been demanding.” Adhav along with National Advisory Council member Aruna Roy of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan have been spearheading the campaign which now will be intensified by mobilising people at village and block levels and reach out to political leaders ahead of the forthcoming election. “The needs of the elders have not been addressed and the government has to change the fiscal policy to fit the non-contributory universal pension into the Budget,” stressed Roy. The cause now has been shared by many, including National Alliance for People’s Movement’s Medha Patkar and Ginny Srivastva of the Ekal Nari Adhikari Manch, who said over 5 crore of single women, widows, separated, divorced and abandoned women are among the most deserving for social security pension.
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Defence MoS Raju inaugurates NCC Academies in Punjab
Ropar, September 2 The NCC academy set up on 9 acres by spending Rs 9 crore will help in training over 50,000 cadets in the state. Punjab Health Minister Madan Mohan Mittal and Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Sunil Jakhar requested Raju to take effective steps to check smuggling of drugs in the state through international borders. Youngsters of the state are falling prey to drug addiction and the drugs being smuggled from across the border are not only affecting the border state, these have been taking route to the entire nation, they said. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal sought Raju’s intervention to impress upon the Union Ministry of Defence for reversing the existing criteria of recruitment in the armed forces, which was now being done on the basis of population of the state. It should be on the basis of merit only, contended
Badal.
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Says no threat from China
Malout (Muktsar), Sept 2 “Though we have long-time differences on the perception of the borders and both countries had over 14 rounds of talks over the border dispute, there is no belligerence from either side. Rather we have increased business and trade ties over the time,” Raju said. Showing a strong deterrence today in Malout town of Muktsar after inaugurating the NCC Academy for Girls, Raju said the government keeps a wary eye on every development in the border area. About both nations steadily building up military infrastructure along the border and reports of minor skirmishes, he said the issue of contested frontiers takes a long time to settle and both the countries are already in process of talks. Raju declined to make any comment on Chinese modernisation programmes, including construction of strategic roads and expansion of rail network along the LAC.
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Coal blocks allocation
New Delhi, September 2 Advani came to the defence of Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh. In a May 2, 2005 letter, Raman Singh had asked the Centre to share the revenue earned from competitive bidding of coal blocks with states. "Raman Singh is fully justified in demanding a share in the revenue earned. How can this be cited as opposing auction?" Advani said. He noted that "it is universally acknowledged that allowing discretionary allocation of precious resources like spectrum, oil, gas and minerals gives ample scope to people harbouring corrupt and collateral intentions". — IANS
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Kannur LPG tanker explosion toll mounts to 19
Kannur (Ker), September 2 Another woman, undergoing treatment in
Mangalore in Karnataka, also died this morning and a 12-year old boy breathed his last at Pariyaram medical college hospital in the afternoon, police said. Five more persons were battling for life at different hospitals, they said. As many as 35 people were injured when the LPG tanker overturned and exploded after hitting a road divider at Chala near here. 45 houses, 40 shops and 11 vehicles were gutted in the resulting fire. Earlier, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President Ramesh Chennithala, after visiting the accident site and the houses of the victims, said the state government would announce a special package for the victims. Chennithala said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had told him that a special cabinet meeting would be held on September 3 and a special package announced. He also emphasised the need for providing jobs to at least one person from the families of those who died in the tragedy. Union Minister K C Venugopal, who accompanied Chennithala, said efforts would be made to secure compensation from
IOC. — PTI
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No problem if Mulayam forms Third Front: Digvijay
Indore, September 2 "Every political party has the right to tread on its own way. If Mulayam wants to form a Third Front, we won't have any problem," the Congress General Secretary said, speaking at the Indore Press Club. However, Digvijay added that Mulayam had given outside support to the UPA "in writing", and though the SP was not in the government, it was with the UPA "in fighting the communal forces". The BJP was trying to gain political mileage out of a sensitive issue such as the violence in Assam, he said. He accused senior BJP leader LK Advani of making inflammatory statement on Kokrajhar violence in Assam, and challenged him to produce a list of illegal Bangladeshi migrants with names and addresses. If he did, the Congress would ensure that they leave Assam, Digvijay said. It was wrong to link the illegal migrants from Bangladesh to a particular religion, he added.
— PTI
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Bengal dengue cases rise to 643
Kolkata, September 2 The disease has claimed three lives so far. The outbreak triggered a spat between ruling alliance partners Congress and Trinamool, with the former alleging that the government was trying to suppress dengue figures. While 397 people were struck by the ailment in Kolkata, 116 others fell sick in North 24 Parganas. The epidemic first struck in the second week of August. Hitting out at the Mamata Banerjee regime, state Congress chief Pradip Bhattacharya said, "The government has not done what it needs to do to control the outbreak. It should have tried to work on a war footing. It is not doing that. Instead, it is only trying to suppress the figures."
— IANS
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Cop gets 10-year jail for rape
Agartala, September 2 Additional District and Sessions Judge Udit Chowdhury yesterday awarded the sentence to police inspector Dilip Guha for raping the girl. The court further ordered three-year imprisonment for Chowdhury's domestic help Minati Das, holding her guilty of abetting the crime. Minati had handed over the girl to Dilip in October 2010, who subsequently raped her. The victim's father later lodged a complaint with the Kalyanpur police station in the district.
— PTI
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Kanpur, September 2 Trouble started when BJP activists tried to paint posters of Jaiswal in black. Heated arguments ensured among Congress and BJP workers and a clash broke out. "Many BJP members, including Govind Nagar MLA Satyadeo Pachauri, were injured in the violence which triggered off on behest of Congress members," said party legislator Salil Vishnoi. — PTI
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ONGC to keep Taj clean
New Delhi, September 2 "ONGC has expressed its willingness to join the Clean India campaign and take up six tourist destinations across the country as part of their corporate social responsibility," said a senior Tourism Ministry official. The six sites are Taj Mahal, Khajuraho Temples, Konark Temple, Ajanta-Ellora Caves, Bodh Gaya and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal. "The modalities are being worked out and an MoU with ONGC will be signed soon for keeping these sites clean and environment-friendly," the official said. The oil explorer major will take up responsibility of the cleaning work, maintenance, upkeep and refurbishment of these sites as per the requirement. Lack of hygiene and cleanliness at tourist destinations has negatively impacted tourism in the country. Tourism Ministry has taken the initiative of launching the Clean India campaign with a vision to ensure an acceptable level of cleanliness and hygiene practices at tourist destinations which would be sustained through involvement of private and public sector stakeholders as a part of their corporate social responsibility.
— PTI
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Jaya orders Sri Lankan football teams to return
Chennai, September 2 Jayalalithaa also ordered not to hold any football matches involving Sri Lankan players in the state. She also ordered the suspension of the stadium officer at the Nehru Stadium here for allowing the football team from Royal College of Colombo to play a friendly match against the Chennai Customs football team Friday. Condemning the Central government for permitting Sri Lankan football teams to come to India to enhance their skills, Jayalalithaa said: "Such an action is an insult to the people of Tamil Nadu." According to her, the management of Royal College of Colombo (RCC) contacted an official of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) here to organise a friendly football match with the teams here. The RBI official facilitated such a match and the Sri Lankan team came here Thursday and played the match Friday at the Nehru stadium. She said the stadium officer permitted the match on an oral request from the RBI official. "The stadium officer has no power to permit any match at the Nehru Stadium. Only the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu has such a power. The stadium officer has demeaned the sentiments of the Tamil people by exercising an authority that he does not have," Jayalalithaa said. The other football team from Sri Lanka is from Hilborn International School comprising of eight players and a coach who are here to play a match against Velammal International School.
— IANS
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Operations halted at 6 coal mines
Bhubaneswar, September 2 Mining operations were closed in MCL's Lajkuara open-cast project comprising six mines at Brajrajnagar in Jharsuguda district yesterday for failure to obtain renewed forest clearances, they said. "The six coal mines under MCL were halted as they do not have forest clearances. Operations at these sites will remain shut until they get approval," Odisha's Director of Mines Deepak Kumar Mohanty told PTI. A closure notice was issued by the deputy director of Mines (Sambalpur) for halt of mining operations, he said.
— PTI
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Pension sought for destitute
and elderly New Delhi, September 2 With the government having failed to empathise and go beyond rhetoric, here is a clear message — pension is going to be a poll issue — from thousands, especially those from the unorganised sector, who were here recently to further their demand of a universal pension scheme for destitute and elderly. Baba Adhav, voice of an unorganised sector of workers in Maharashtra, said: “If government can give subsidies to private power and oil companies, it can surely meet the demand of pension of Rs 2,000 that poor elders have been demanding.”
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Mumbai/New Delhi, Sept 2
The presence of security forces will be strengthened and patrolling will be increased at the Indo-Pak border in Punjab so that the smuggling of narcotics can be checked effectively.
This was stated by Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju while addressing the gathering after inaugurating the NCC Academy for Boys at Ropar today.
The Congress-led UPA would not have any problem if Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav forms a "Third Front" at this juncture, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh said today.
"Every political party has the right to tread on its own way. If Mulayam wants to form a Third Front, we won't have any problem," the Congress General Secretary said, speaking at the Indore Press Club.
Digvijay Singh
New Delhi, September 2
There are showing a lot of things without understanding the issues. Such channels should stop doing this or we know how to stop their game.
The MNS chief's diatribes against Biharis pose a challenge to all govts to deal with a person who has been holding out threat to the migrant people.
Aptly named Go-India card, it can be used for booking tickets for long distance and sub-urban trains on the Delhi-Mumbai and the Delhi-Howrah routes.
BJP president Nitin Gadkari’s decision to go ahead with his travel plans to Canada at a time when his party has launched a countrywide agitation and halted Parliament function over the coal blocks allocation is being read as a clear sign that the campaign is being led by veteran leader LK Advani. Apparently, it was Advani’s idea that the BJP adopted its present maximalist position of demanding Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s resignation as he is genuinely convinced that an already-shaky UPA government will ultimately crumble under pressure, resulting in early Lok Sabha poll. According to the BJP grapevine, Advani sees this as his “now or never” moment of occupying the Prime Minister’s “kursi”. Gadkari had little choice but to concur with the senior leader’s strategy as the process of ratifying his second term as the party president is still to be completed. Although it is well-known that Gadkari and Advani are not on the best of terms, the BJP president obviously did not want to antagonise him at this
juncture.
As the tension between the BJP and the UPA government over Coalgate continue to escalate, it was only to be expected that the Congress would jump at any opportunity of poking fun at BJP president Nitin Gadkari. The irrepressible AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh was quick to tweet: When the whole country is embroiled in logjam in Parliament, Gadkari is on an Alaska cruise! Perfect timing! Would RSS chief respond? Defensive BJP leaders have been busy explaining that Gadkari had finalised these holiday plans with his family well before the coal blocks controversy surfaced. Hitting back, they state that while their party president has no hesitation in giving out details about his foreign trip, the same could not be said about Congress president Sonia Gandhi and son Rahul Gandhi whose trips abroad are always kept under wraps. It’s entirely possible that it was because of these jibes that AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi was quick to inform media that Sonia Gandhi had gone abroad for a week for a medical check-up. There is still no word about Nehru-Gandhi scion Rahul Gandhi, who has hardly been seen or heard at a time when the Congress is faced with a sharp Opposition attack and needs all hands on
deck.
Corporate Affairs Minister Veerappa Moily was disappointed when he was given this portfolio after heading the all-important Law Ministry as he saw the move as a demotion. He had been keeping a low profile ever since he took over the charge, but has now bounced back when he was given additional charge of the key Power Ministry after Sushil Kumar Shinde was shifted to the Home Ministry. Moily took over the ministry when it had hit the headlines following the unprecedented power crisis in the country. He is now his old cheerful self as he goes about tackling his new charge with his characteristic enthusiasm. Corporate Ministry officials maintain that Moily has lost interest in this portfolio as he prefers to spend most of his time in Power Ministry. Now that speculation about a more comprehensive Cabinet reshuffle has resurfaced, Moily must be hoping he does not lose the Power Ministry though it is clearly designated as his additional charge.