|
|
|
|
|
Shettar govt survives another day in K’taka
Uddhav reaches out to estranged cousin Raj
Pak exports to India record a quantum jump |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
PM to open summit on sustainable development today
Panel moots professional media dept for Cong
Punjab among best on RTE targets
High drama over ‘Vishwaroopam’ release
Speedy justice a Constitutional command: SC
Anna Hazare launches ‘Janatantra Morcha’
2G Scam
Navy, IAF adjudged best marching contingents
Delhi
gang-rape Effect
Rushdie's Kolkata visit cancelled
Assam wants CBI probe into rhino killings
|
|
Shettar govt survives another day in K’taka
Bangalore, January 30 Thirteen Yeddyurappa loyalist MLAs of the ruling party quit yesterday but it was not enough to bring down the government. Yeddyurappa needs five more BJP MLAs to resign to bring the government to a minority. The day saw Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar claiming that the government was stable and Yeddyurappa asserting that some more MLAs would resign soon. Yeddyurappa is keen on bringing down the government to prevent the Chief Minister from presenting the 2013-14 budget in the Assembly session starting February 4. The former CM is apprehensive that a populist budget will enable the BJP to effectively woo the electorate before the Assembly elections in the state
due in May. It, however, appears that the influence that Yeddyurappa wielded over the BJP legislators when he was part of the BJP has reduced considerably after he floated the Karnataka Janata Party. The deadline set by him to topple the BJP government was postponed twice and finally when he did manage to get BJP MLAs to resign, it was not enough to bring down the government. Yeddyurappa had been playing truant with the party’s high command
ever since he was forced to quit the CM’s post following charges of corruption levelled against him by
the Lokayukta.
|
|
Uddhav reaches out to estranged cousin Raj
Mumbai, January 30 “This is an issue that the two of us will have to sit together and discuss. Both of us will have to answer this question together,” Uddhav told the interviewer. The Shiv Sena leader, however, sounded wary and wanted his cousin to make the first move. “One cannot clap with one hand.... if Raj Thackeray wants an alliance with the Shiv Sena we will welcome him. I welcome everyone who is genuinely willing to join hands with us,” he said.
|
||
|
Pak exports to India record a quantum jump
New Delhi, January 30 But India’s exports to Pakistan grew merely by 16 per cent during the same period, dispelling the propaganda by hardliners and ‘jehadi’ groups that granting the MFN status to India would badly hit several Pakistani industries. According to trade figures released by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, Pakistan’s exports to India in the nine months of 2012 stood to $ 460 million, which was much more than $ 277 million during April-December 2011 and was also more than the value of Pakistan’s exports to India ($ 401 million) in the entire previous year (April 2011-March 2012). The growth of $ 183 million in Pakistan’s exports to India during April-December 2012 was more than the increase of about $ 170 million in its imports from India in the same period. The figures also indicated that the share of Pakistan’s exports in bilateral trade with India has almost doubled since 2009-10. Significantly, the statistics were released by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad in what is seen as an attempt by New Delhi to play down criticism against the trade normalisation process that has delayed granting of the MFN status to India.
|
||
|
PM to open summit on sustainable development today
New Delhi, January 30 Guyana President Donald Ramotar, Seychelles President James Alix Michel, Republic of Kiribati President Anote Tong along with dignitaries, Nobel laureates and ministers from several countries will participate in the summit.
|
||
|
Panel moots professional media dept for Cong
New Delhi, January 30 There is growing realisation in the Congress that it has not been able to communicate the UPA government's achievements to the people. In fact, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said as much in his speech at the recent Jaipur AICC session. The Digvijaya Singh report has recommended that the party's media department be expanded and a new structure be put in place which will make extensive use of technology, especially the Internet and social media, to put across its message. The report has suggested that professionals and researchers be employed for the task. The committee members felt the party had failed to connect with the urban middle class as seen during the recent street protests against corruption and the Delhi gang rape case which were fuelled largely by the use of Internet and social media. The government, too, found itself at a loss in the face of that public outrage. The panel, it is learnt, also felt there was lack of synergy between the government and the party and has suggested that the two media teams should meet periodically to coordinate the information that needs to be put out. The report also felt that the party's views do not often percolate down to the district level while its spokespersons who participate in television debates are ill-prepared. It has, therefore, been suggested that a professional research team be put in place which can supply party spokespersons with background material on specific subjects. It has also been proposed that the flow of information be streamlined so that it reaches down to the "taluka" level at the earliest.
The
need
|
||
|
Punjab among best on RTE targets
New Delhi, January 30 The state is all set to meet the RTE deadline of March 31, 2013, with 90 per cent of the 19,595 government elementary schools already having complied with infrastructure and teacher-pupil ratio-related requirements of the law. The state also has 9,626 private unaided elementary schools out of which 1,850 have already been granted recognition under the RTE law as they have fulfilled the conditions required by it. Secretary, School Education, R Bhattacharya said Punjab was the best in India on drinking water coverage and common toilets, important requirements under the RTE Act. The government, while ruling out the extension of RTE law deadline, has asked all states to pull up their socks and meet the specified targets of infrastructure and teacher-pupil ratios as mandated by the legislation guaranteeing free and compulsory education to students aged six to 14 years. The RTE Act, notified on April 1, 2010, has an inherent provision saying all schools in India must comply with infrastructure and teacher-pupil ratio-related specifications by March 31, 2013. Beyond this deadline, parents can take governments to court for denial of education rights. In Punjab, infrastructure targets (one classroom per teacher; common toilets, drinking water, ramps, library, playground and fencing) are close to being met and the state is ranked first in India on infrastructure. "Ninety per cent of our schools have met the targets. The rest have been granted funds to comply by the deadline which we will meet," KS Pannu, Director General, School Education, told The Tribune today. HRD Ministry's review of states' preparedness on RTE also shows that all government schools in Punjab have implemented "continuous and comprehensive evaluation" for students ending the practice of annual examinations as mandated by RTE. So far as RTE deadline goes, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha are struggling with targets. Bihar had recently asked the Centre to amend the Act and provide for extension of deadline beyond March 31, 2013. But HRD Minister MM Pallam Raju has ruled out amendment for the time being. The pressure on the Centre to meet the deadline is, however, immense considering that parents can take the government to court if free and compulsory elementary education is denied to their wards in neighbourhood schools beyond March 31, 2013.
1,600 pvt schools may face
closure
|
||
|
High drama over ‘Vishwaroopam’ release
Chennai, January 30 The relief given to the actor by Justice K Venkataraman late last night was short lived as a division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Elipe Dharma Rao and Aruna Jagadeesan overturned a single-judge order, effectively stalling its release today. The two-member bench posted the case for hearing next Wednesday. While the 58-year-old actor's lawyer earlier indicated that they may challenge the decision, his brother Chandra Haasan said they would wait till next Wednesday to decide the next course of action. As judicial proceedings were on before a two-judge division bench of the high court, Haasan agreed to delete some scenes at a meeting with leaders of Muslim outfits that was preceded by an emotional outburst. He said Tamil Nadu does not want him to stay in the state and he might seek a ‘secular’ place in the country or overseas, citing M F Husain's exile. In stray incidents of violence, petrol bombs were thrown at two theatres screening the movie in Ramanathapuram town, damaging glass panes while elsewhere in the state, screenings were stopped midway by theatre owners. The issue also took a political turn when DMK President M Karunanidhi wondered whether Haasan's statement at a recent function clamouring for a ‘dhoti clad Tamilian’ to become the prime minister, an apparent reference to P Chidambaram, was the root cause of his present problem. Karunanidhi also cited reports suggesting that a TV channel close to AIADMK wanted to buy the film but that the producers had refused saying they had spent over Rs 100 crore. In Delhi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said the High Court should consider the matter “holistically”. The AG told the court that the single judge had not considered the ‘prospective implications’ that would affect public peace, public order, public safety and tranquillity consequent to release of the film. He also said the Judge had ‘not at all considered’ the fact that several countries like Singapore, Sri Lanka, the UAE, and Malaysia have temporarily banned screening of the film, as it was likely to hurt sentiments of certain sections of society and cause communal disharmony. Earlier, Haasan said, “When M F Hussain can do it, Kamal Haasan will do it... I am fed up. I am an artiste. After that, I will have to seek a secular state for my stay... Secular state from Kashmir to Kerala, excluding Tamil Nadu... Tamil Nadu wants me out.” The actor said he had pledged all his property to make the multi-lingual movie. He said he might lose his house because of the losses incurred by the delay in the release of the movie. In a show of solidarity, leading film personalities, including Sivakumar, Prabhu and actress Kushboo, called on the actor at his residence, where a large number of Haasan's fans gathered. — PTI
|
||
|
Speedy justice a Constitutional command: SC
New Delhi, January 30 “A time has come when all concerned are required to abandon idleness and arouse oneself and see to it that the syndrome of delay does not erode the concept of dispensation of expeditious justice which is the constitutional command,” a Bench comprising Justices KS Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra said in a verdict. The SC made the observation after finding that a land dispute case in Rajasthan had been pending for more than 22 years - for 11 years in the district court and another 11 years in the high court. It noted that the advocates had sought “adjournment after adjournment in a nonchalant manner and the same were granted in a routine fashion” by the HC. “All who are involved in the justice dispensation system, which includes the judges, the lawyers, the judicial officers who work in courts, the law officers of the state, the Registry and the litigants, have to show dedicated diligence” to avoid delays, the SC said. “The virtues of adjudication cannot be allowed to be paralysed by adjournments,” it noted. “The foundation of justice, apart from other things, rests on the speedy delineation of the cases pending in courts. Delayed delineation of controversy in a court of law creates a dent in the normative dispensation of justice and in the ultimate eventuate the Bench and the Bar gradually lose their reverence,” the court said.
|
||
|
Anna Hazare launches ‘Janatantra Morcha’
Patna, January 30 Announcing the formation of "Janatantra Morcha" at the historic Gandhi Maidan during a rally, the first since he parted ways with his former aide Arvind Kejriwal, Hazare said it would not contest any poll but serve the people "without any allurement of power or related benefits". He called upon the gathering to join the new outfit for "Azadi ki dusri ladai" (second freedom struggle) and realise the dream of a political system that would cater to the aspirations of all. "The public sentiments should be taken into account in drafting legislations, but the government is not doing so out of fear ...." he said. The government "must fear" being ousted by the people if it did not bring a strong Lokpal Bill, he said. Congress president Sonia Gandhi had written a letter to Hazare recently and sent it to his Rale Sidhi village home assuring him that the Lokpal Bill, which he is campaigning for, would be passed in the coming budget session of Parliament. He flayed the political class for their disconnect with the masses and their sentiments. He said various legislations enacted by Parliament did not represent the public view. "Parliament must make laws, but the same should represent public views," he added. Hazare, however, said the Lokpal Bill was not a panacea to remove corruption from polity and society in totality, but by 50-60 per cent. Hazare said, "The remaining ills affecting our socio-economic and political system will be addressed by the "right to recall" and "right to reject" that will empower the people to recall the lawmakers for non-performance and reject candidates during the poll if any of them is perceived to be tainted or of criminal background. — PTI
|
||
|
2G
Scam
New Delhi, January 30 Special Judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal said: "The present complaint pertains to 2G spectrum scam and the grievance, if any, of the complainant can only be addressed by the special court so nominated to deal and try the matters pertaining to the 2G spectrum scam. "I am of the considered view that this court being special court dealing with the cases of the Prevention of Corruption Act, has no jurisdiction to entertain the present application. Hence, prayer made by the complainant is declined." The court's order came on a complaint filed by RTI activist Vivek Garg accusing the Prime Minister and Maran of "unlawfully changing and diluting" the original Terms of References (ToRs) for vacation and reallocation of spectrum leading to the 2G scam. Garg had earlier sent a complaint to the CBI and also to the Anti-Corruption Branch of Delhi government, before moving the court. The court relied on the order of the apex court and other documents placed before it by the CBI informing about the creation of special court for all matters pertaining to 2G spectrum allocation scam. — PTI
|
||
|
Pinjore-Parwanoo bypass repairs to take one week
Panchkula, January 30 NHAI officials claimed that the part of the highway had caved in due to accumulation of water and presence of debris after rain. “It will take a week to repair the stretch as a lot of things need to be done. We have to do it in such a way that it doesn’t create further problems,” said an NHAI official. NHAI director Anil Dahiya confirmed that the repair work would take about a week to complete. The stretch had to be closed down and traffic diverted to the opposite lane after a part of the road collapsed. Narender Verma, a commuter, said: “It is going to be tough on commuters. The area has become accident prone. The authorities should ensure the safety of motorists and finish the work at the earliest.” The four-lane Pinjore-Parwanoo bypass was opened to traffic on April 6 last year following orders from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The 11-km bypass, constructed at a cost of Rs 412 crore, starts near the Mallah road, 400 metres short of Pinjore’s Yadavindra Garden, and joins the national highway near Timber Trail in Parwanoo. While 5.5-km stretch is in Haryana, the remaining part falls in Himachal Pradesh. The stretch has cut the journey by one hour as it bypasses Pinjore, Kalka and Parwanoo towns, which have been major bottlenecks for traffic. Eight cameras have been installed on the stretch for instant inputs on the flow of traffic on the stretch.
|
||
|
Navy, IAF adjudged best marching contingents
New Delhi, January 30 For the first time since India became a Republic, the Indian Navy marching contingent has won the award for the 'best marching contingent" at the parade. Kerala won the prize for the best Republic Day tableau while Rajasthan was chosen second and Chhattisgarh third in the category of "best three tableaux", the official said. The tableau presented by the Central Public Works Department has been selected for a special prize. Children of the Eastern Zone Cultural Centre, Kolkata, won the prize for "best schoolchildren item" for Purulia's Chhau Dance. The consolation prize was won by Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Amalwas, New Delhi. The official said three panels of judges were appointed for assessing the performance of marching contingents from the three services and paramilitary forces, the various tableaux and items presented by schoolchildren.
|
||
|
Delhi
gang-rape Effect Girja Shankar Kaura/TNS
While the incident itself sent shock waves across the country, it also stressed on the need for installation of CCTVs and surveillance cameras in colonies and at other parts of the cities across India, leading to a major surge in demand. A recent survey carried out by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) brought out that the sales of CCTV cameras, especially the cheaper Chinese brands, had increased 60 to 70 per cent in one month. In a survey between December 20, 2012-January 20, 2013, and following interaction with about 200 stakeholders in the domain of security products including the traders, manufacturers and others operating in CCTV cameras’ market, it came to light that the gory incident of December 16 had made surveillance imperative. The Assocham carried out the survey in metro cities of Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mumbai, National Capital Region (NCR-Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Faridabad and Noida) and Pune as these state capitals and cities are flocked by men and women from various tier II, III cities, districts and rural areas in search of job opportunities which also makes these centres prone to crime. Incidentally, it was the footage from a CCTV camera installed outside a hotel which had led to the identification of the bus in which the gory crime was committed on December 16 last. Experts point out that there is little domestic manufacture of CCTV cameras in India, making security installers and integrators reliant on imports to satisfy demand. Cameras are being sourced predominantly from China, Taiwan, Malaysia and Israel but also from the US and Europe. Even India’s few indigenous manufacturers are sourcing the components from overseas and selling them under local brands. There was a greater demand of cameras from China as their product is not only cheap but being a leading hardware manufacturer, the products are affordable and based on latest technologies and thus are more preferred by the customers over domestically manufactured CCTVs. The domestic production is also being hampered by lack of government support, absence of a regulatory framework and outdated technology leading to increased dependence upon imported stuff. “The need for safety and security in almost every walk of life has fuelled an overwhelming demand for CCTV cameras and more so after the Munirka gang-rape incident as hostels, paying guest accommodations, hotels and places alike in cosmopolitan cities are installing surveillance gadgets to keep a check on the movements of both the inhabitants and stalkers,” said D.S. Rawat, secretary-general of Assocham. The imported tag on basic fixed focus cameras and sophisticated infrared cameras is proving to be lucrative for those operating in the business and said it is feasible for them to import as the investment involved is huge while the volumes are not high which in turn does not justify the cost of production. According to an analysis, the video surveillance and CCTV market in India is growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 30 per cent is likely to cross Rs 2,200 crore by 2015. Indian CCTV camera market is currently poised at about Rs 1,300 crore and accounts for about 40 per cent of the Rs 3,250 crore worth total electronic security market in India, according to an analysis on CCTV and video surveillance market. Currently, parts of northern India account for maximum number of security installations, followed by west, south and east India.
|
||
|
Rushdie's Kolkata visit cancelled
Kolkata, January 30 Rushdie who travelled to Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai without any problem in the last few days, was to attend promotional activities with Deepa and actor Rahul Bose. But the author cancelled his trip over security issues, a source close to the development said. Anticipating the Booker Prize winning author's arrival, a few hundred people from minority groups gathered at the Kolkata airport, but dispersed when they learnt from the police that he had called off his trip. Rushdie's 1988 novel
‘The Satanic Verses’ had led to a fatwa being issued on his life. The sources said that Deepa also cancelled her visit to the city where she was scheduled to participate in a discussion on the film at the second edition of Kolkata Literary Meet (KLM) being held at the Kolkata Book Fair. Asked about Rushdie's security concerns, Joint Commissioner of Police (Hqs) Javed Shamim said, “We did not have any prior information about his arrival. We do not know anything about it.”
The issue evoked strong reactions from National Award winning Bengali film director Rituparno Ghosh. — PTI
|
||
|
Assam wants CBI probe into rhino killings
Guwahati, January 30 The State Forest department has asked Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to move the Union Home Ministry to expedite the process of allotment of AK-47 series of rifles to forest guards in Assam. Five rhinos have been killed by poachers in the State so far this year making mockery of government’s claim to have augmented protection measures. In fact 26 rhinos have been killed in the state during the last 13 months raising concern among the people and conservationists given that Assam is one of the last bastions of this beautiful animal. The Assam government said the alleged nexus of some insurgent elements with poachers would also be probed into.
|
|
| 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 | |
The tug-of-war between the BJP government in Karnataka and its estranged leader and former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa continued today with the latter unable to get more MLAs to resign from the Assembly to reduce the government to a minority.
Chennai, January 30
Patna, January 30
New Delhi, January 30