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Need skill, scale, speed to compete with China: PM
Babus told to follow Modi’s directive on speedy decisions
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After talks, hint of trouble brewing across LoC
Economic situation challenging: Jaitley
Capitation fee: HRD Min revives Rs 1 cr penalty talk
Absence of injuries, delay in FIR can’t go in favour of rape accused: SC
‘Operation Bluestar was planned well in advance’
UP rape horror
Antulay blames Congress high command for party’s defeat
Criticise BJP policies in LS, Mamata tells TMC leaders
Justice Patwalia is Addl Solicitor-General of India
Prez to address Parliament today
Voters were bribed online in LS polls: EC
Lt Col’s release on bail held up over rules
Delhi hottest in 62 years at 47.8°C
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Need skill, scale, speed to compete with China: PM
New Delhi, June 8 He emphasised that if India wanted to compete with China, it must focus on skill, scale and speed. The PM’s observation came on a day when the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. He is also scheduled to meet Modi tomorrow. Probably, the PM took a leaf from US President Barack Obama who always tells Americans to prepare and compete with Indians (in Maths and Science) and Chinese. The comment came during the release of a book “Getting India Back On Track – An Action Agenda For Reform”. The PM suggested that the universities should be actively involved in research and analysis of the development processes and they must contribute in the policy-related decisions. The country, he said, needs to exploit the demographic dividend, as 65 per cent of our population was below 35 years of age. For this, skill development is a priority area. Referring to skills such as teaching, nursing and paramedics, he said good teachers were one of the biggest needs of society, but there are a few good teachers available. In infrastructure, the focus needs to shift from highways to “i-ways” and optical fibre networks. In future, the cities will be built and based on availability of optical-fibre networks and next-generation infrastructure, he said. The PM said urbanisation should not be treated as a problem, but as an opportunity. If we have to generate employment and change for the better, we plan to build 100 smart cities. He cited the three colours of the Tricolour to suggest revolutionary agendas of futuristic growth. Beginning with green, he says the country needs to bring about a second green revolution – focusing on increased agro-productivity, value addition, agro technology, and decentralisation of warehousing. Referring to white, he said a white revolution must now focus on increasing milk productivity and developing a support system for ensuring cattle health. On saffron, he took a swipe at critics stating the mention of the colour is bound to make people sit up, but it represents energy and the country needs a saffron revolution that focuses on renewable energy sources to meet India’s growing energy demand. Inspired by the blue colour of the Ashok Chakra in the flag, he said the blue revolution should focus on the fisheries sector, including ornamental fish. The PM stressed the need for water conservation, and emphasised the importance of micro-irrigation, which would lead to “per drop, more crop.” Talking about the need to combat the challenge of global warming and climate change, he said a civilisation that treated rivers as mothers did not need to learn about environment protection from a western mindset. Minister for Finance, Corporate Affairs and Defence, Arun Jaitley said there could not have been a more appropriate time for release of the book. He said, “The governments should not only have the will to rule, but also the credibility to rule.”
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Babus told to follow Modi’s directive on speedy decisions
New Delhi, June 8 The instructions were issued by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth on June 5 as a follow up to the meeting that Modi held with the top bureaucrats on Wednesday last during which he said the rules which create hurdles in speedy decision-making should be done away with. The circular, issued by Seth, carries 11 points which lay stress on efficient and speedy decision-making in a transparent manner. “I expect you to act upon these immediately and indicate a plan of action latest by June 9,” the Cabinet Secretary’s circular said. It asks each department to “identify and repeal at least 10 rules or processes and even archaic acts that are redundant and would not lead to any loss of efficiency”. Every department has been asked to identify forms that are in vogue and shorten them, where possible, to one page only, the circular says, adding seeking of “unnecessary or irrelevant information should be discouraged”. All departments have been asked to reduce decision-making to a “maximum of four layers”.
— PTI
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Naidu sworn in as Andhra CM
Hyderabad, June 8 Governor ESL Narasimhan administered oath of office and secrecy to him. Along with Naidu, who steered his party to power in the recent elections after a gap of ten years, 19 other ministers also took oath amidst much fanfare. Pomp and extravaganza marked the oath-taking ceremony as the TDP mobilized large number of people from across Seemandhra region for the mega event. Naidu, 64, took oath at 7.27 pm at the open grounds near Acharya Nagarjuna University campus on Vijayawada-Guntur road. A galaxy of leaders including Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, M Venkaiah Naidu, Prakash Javadekar and Nirmala Seetharaman and Chief Ministers Parkash Singh Badal (Punjab), Vasundhara Raje (Rajasthan), Anandiben Patel (Gujarat), Raman Singh (Chhattisgarh), Manohar Parrikar (Goa) and G Leeyang (Nagaland) attended the function. Senior BJP leaders LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi also participated in the event which had all the markings of a massive political show of strength. The sprawling 70 acre-ground, opposite Nagarjuna University campus, was teeming with TDP supporters who raised full-throated slogans hailing Naidu’s leadership. Special trains were arranged to ferry people from across the state while over 10,000 policemen were deployed to provide security and to ensure smooth conduct of the ceremony. Three helicopters were stationed at Gannavaram airport near Vijayawada to transport the dignitaries to the venue. The Prime Minister greeted Naidu ahead of the swearing-in ceremony. “As Chandrababu Naidu takes oath as CM of Andhra Pradesh this evening, I convey my best wishes to him and his team in developing the state,” Modi tweeted.
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AAP overhaul is Kejri’s pill to tackle infighting
New Delhi, June 8 Following introspection during the three-day national executive committee meet in the National Capital, the AAP has deferred its decision on contesting the Assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra while the party is gearing up for the Delhi Assembly elections and affairs of which will be overseen by party national convener Arvind Kejriwal as decided during the NEC meet concluding today. Patiala MP Dr Dharam Vir Gandhi has been made leader of the AAP parliamentary group and special invitee to the political affairs committee, the party's highest decision-making body. Party's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal once again chose to downplay the "differences" revealed by the communication exchanged between Manish Sisodia and Yogendra Yadav saying, "Everything is resolved within the family....Yogendra is like an elder brother and he may scold me. I take all his comments constructively."
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After talks, hint of trouble brewing across LoC
New Delhi, June 8 Radio intercepts have hinted at movement in PoK by terrorists and their handlers, who are averse to India and Pakistan attaining even a semblance of normalcy in their ties. Modi had invited Sharif along with other SAARC leaders for the swearing-in ceremony of the BJP-led NDA Government in New Delhi. Inputs, including radio intercepts and human reporting, collated by various agencies monitoring various channels of information gathering have indicated a definite attempt to mobilise terrorists. The first move could be to infiltrate in large numbers into Kashmir and launch strikes across the Line of Control (LoC), sources said. Snow on the higher passes in the Himalayas has melted and infiltration routes through heavily forested and inaccessible areas can now be exploited to push in militants. The last such attempt was made on May 10 from near the Rawalkote-Poonch sector. Since then, there have been preparations across the LoC and Indian suspicion is that a multi-pronged attempt may be carried out simultaneously at several points along the 749-km Line of Control (LoC), sources indicated. During 2013, as many as 267 attempts were made by PoK-based terrorists to infiltrate in which 38 militants were killed. Another 190 returned back while the rest were successful. Indian Army Chief General Bikram Singh on Friday briefed Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the internal security challenges on the international borders. The home minister reviewed the working of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) here today. He lauded the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) jawans, who took on the terrorists when they attacked the Indian consulate at Herat, Afghanistan. Infiltration on cards
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Economic situation challenging: Jaitley
In over two-hour long pre-budget consultative meeting with the Finance Minister, captains of Indian industry listed out host of demands including lowering of tax rates, easing of gold import curbs, clarity on retrospective tax law amendment and early roll out of Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Direct Taxes Code (DTC). Jaitley on his part pointed out that “the economic situation at present is quite challenging” and welcomed the enthusiasm of the industry to turn it to its advantage. He said it was a “constructive meeting” and promised to give directional thrust to the economy to ensure better results. “The government should make earnest efforts to move away from the aggressive revenue approach and provide a genuine non-adversarial and conducive tax environment,” Ficci president Sidharth Birla said. The vexed issued of retrospective tax amendment carried out by the UPA had adversely impacted the investment sentiment. “A simple, transparent and non-adversarial tax regime bereft of complexities and ambiguities would go a long way to strengthen business sentiment and restore faith of the foreign investor in the India growth story,” CII president Ajay Shiram said. Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Mittal said: “Industry pitched for reviving the investment sentiment, making tax regime much more simple to understand, take away ambiguities.” On the telecom sector, he said: “There is need to give boost to the sector and also auctioning of more spectrum. Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Essar Group Shashi Ruia, Suzlon Group chairman Tulsi Tanti and Videocon Group chief V N Dhoot, Assocham president Rana Kapoor and PHD president Sharad Jaipuria also attended the meeting. Pitching for service tax exemption for exports, Fieo president Rafeeque Ahmed said the Minister had indicated that there will not be any populist measures in the budget. Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said the industry wants a boost to manufacturing sector and job creation. Basically the government is very committed to kick-start the economy and other issues discussed were pertaining to service tax and exemptions.” The industry also demanded income tax exemption limit to be raised to raise to Rs 5 lakh from existing Rs 2 lakh and deferment of GAAR for at least next three year and exempting dividend from MAT. Finance ministry sources said the mood of India Inc was optimistic.
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Capitation fee: HRD Min revives Rs 1 cr penalty talk
New Delhi, June 8 HRD Minister Smriti Irani, in a recent meeting with her officers, voiced concern over poor quality institutions, both government and private,
mushrooming across the country. At the meeting, unfair practices like charging of capitation fee, misrepresentation in prospectus, fake institutions, etc, were identified as principal causes for poor quality institutions surfacing in India. The minister has directed her officers to come up with suggestions to curb these malpractices at the earliest. Ban on prohibition of unfair practices is thus all set to become part of HRD Ministry’s 100-day agenda. HRD officials said, “The minister was extremely concerned about the lack of standards in higher education which stem from lack of regulation. We are considering possible amendments to the UGC Act 1956 to provide stringent penalties for malpractices. Alternatively, we will also look at the related law pending in Parliament. The easier and faster route is likely to be adopted.” At the heart of prohibition of malpractices is the talk of enhancing penalties to the levels where they act as deterrents. The proposal is to have Rs 1 crore as the maximum penalty to curb unfair practices in higher education. The Prohibition of Unfair Practices in Higher Education Act 2010, which the UPA had approved
in November 2011 for passage in Parliament, has remained pending for want of political consensus. This law prescribes Rs 1 crore penalty on institutions charging capitation fee and a range of other penalties for offences like misrepresentation in prospectus, withholding of students’ certificates and overcharging of fees. The HRD Ministry is considering possibilities of amending the existing UGC Act 1956 which provides for a meager Rs 1,000 penalty for misrepresentation by institutions under the
UGC. A ministry official said, “It is easier to amend the existing law than to pass a new one. We must look at the fact that the UGC Act was passed many decades ago and the penalties prescribed therein were never revised. Rs 1 crore is a justifiable penalty. We are considering the possibilities of amending this law. The final decision on which course to take will come later.” Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development had in its 2010 report recommended Rs 1 crore penalty for capitation fee even though the government Bill draft had capped the maximum penalty at Rs 50
lakh. Penalties as deterrents
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4 detained, family wants CBI probe
Greater Noida, June 8 The ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh came under attack over the killing of Pandit, who was cremated here today on the outskirts of Delhi amid tight security, even as Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav promised swift action in the case saying the culprits will not be spared. Pandit was shot dead by four assailants last night following which his supporters torched 16 vehicles near Dadri police station and hurled stones at a police team. The police had to resort to firing in the air to control the mob. The clashes between the two sides continued till late last night. BJP workers also blocked traffic on the national highway demanding arrest of the killers. “Section 144 has been clamped... killers would be arrested soon,” District Magistrate A V Rajamouli said. “We have detained four persons for questioning. Family had given names of some suspects. Manhunt has been launched to nab them,” police said, adding paramilitary personnel and Rapid Action Force have been deployed to maintain law and order. ADG (Law and Order) Devendra Chauhan said several teams have been constituted to nab the killers. Special Task Force has also been roped in to investigate the case. Pandit’s wife Geeta, who is Dadri Nagar Panchayat Chairman, alleged that he was killed due to election rivalry at the behest of local SP leader Narinder Bhati, who denied the allegation. She claimed that they were receiving threats because they were campaigning for BJP MP Mahesh Sharma in the Lok Sabha election. Pandit had led the election campaign for the BJP candidate in recent elections. His family also accused the police of inaction saying they had informed the cops about the threats to Pandit but they paid no heed. “We will ask for a CBI probe. The administration is at fault,” Pandit’s brother Lokesh said. After the post mortem, Pandit’s body was taken to his house. The last rites of the BJP leader, who was shot dead last night, were held at Dadri cremation ground. — PTI SP Govt under fire
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Absence of injuries, delay in FIR can’t go in favour of rape accused: SC
New Delhi, June 8 The apex court also rejected the convict’s contention that the victim had gone to her house from the place of the alleged crime and then only approached the police to lodge a complaint “and hence the story of rape cannot be believed.” “We find nothing unusual in this. One cannot expect every rape victim to straightaway go to police station and lodge a complaint,” the Bench ruled. The SC also did not believe the convict’s argument that the victim and her family had a personal grudge against him for complaining about her close acquaintance with some boys of the area whose character was questionable. The trial court had sentenced him to rigorous imprisonment for seven years as the medical examination had shown the presence of semen on the undergarments of the victim. The girl’s father also supported the rape theory. He said he had reached the scene of crime (farmland with Bengal gram crops) on hearing the noise of his daughter and seen the accused running. He tried to apprehend the accused, but could not succeed. The incident had taken place on October 6, 2011. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had upheld the conviction and sentence, but had referred his claim of being a minor to the Juvenile Justice Board. The Board ruled that he failed to prove his juvenility by providing documentary evidence.
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‘Operation Bluestar was planned well in advance’
New Delhi, June 8 The discussion was organised by the Lok Raj Sangathan here today. Initiating the discussion, Lok Raj Sangathan president S Raghvan said Operation Bluestar was planned which claimed many lives. It was aimed at further communalising the situation in Punjab and other parts of the country, rousing passion and making people go against each other on the basis of religion. “Numerous facts have come out indicating that Operation Bluestar was planned well in advance,” he said. “A model of the Golden Temple was erected in Dehradun to train crack commando troops on how to attack it. The correspondence between the British and the Indian government as early as in February 1984 on the subject reveals that they were planning to attack the temple,” he said. At the discussion, ND Pancholi of the Citizen for Democracy said power politics was behind Operation Bluestar. The Congress had backed Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala to weaken the Shiromani Akali Dal that was demanding the implementation of the Anandpur Resolution, 1973.
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Victims’ kin say they aren’t safe
Badaun, June 8 The father of one of the victims said why would they demand a CBI inquiry if they had killed their daughters. Accusing the police of twisting the case, he said: "We want the matter to be probed by the CBI so that reality comes to light." The family members said that they were not safe in the village and alleged that the police and SIT were pressuring them. "We want only a CBI inquiry. We have no faith in police and will not record any statement before it. We will give statement only before CBI," they said. The family members said that if the situation remains the same, they would be forced to leave the village. Asked about DGP's statement that property may also be a motive behind the gruesome crime, the father said he and his three brothers live together and they have only three-and-a-half bighas of land. In a new twist to Badaun gangrape and murder case, DGP AL Banerjee yesterday had said the rape of one of the two girls, who were found hanging from a tree, was not confirmed by forensic experts and that property could be a motive for their murder. "Of the two victims, one was a lone child. Her father has three brothers who have limited resources. In case she is not alive, then it can benefit others. It (property) can be one of the motives. I am not saying that this is the motive," Banerjee told reporters in Lucknow. — PTI
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Antulay blames Congress high command for party’s defeat
New Delhi, June 8 “We have been forced to see this day because of the high command,” the 85-year-old leader said cryptically when asked by PTI as to who is responsible for the Congress tally nosediving in the Lok Sabha polls from 206 to just 44, its lowest ever. The former Maharashtra Chief Minister in whose 2, Janpath residence the Congress-I was formed by Indira Gandhi, lamented that the party has come to such a pass that it cannot secure the Leader of the Opposition post on its own in the Lok Sabha. A close associate of Indira Gandhi, Antulay initially was reluctant to talk on the issue of the electoral debacle of the party at the national level and in his native Maharashtra and how to turn around the party at this critical juncture. Congress has just won two out of the 48 seats in Maharashtra where it is ruling for the past 15-years in alliance with Sharad Pawar’s NCP. “What one can say when the high command itself is not appearing to be concerned,” the former Union Minister said, when asked about the way ahead for the party. Replying to a query, Antulay said he was sad that no one at the helm had contacted him so far to ask how the party could be revived when it has drawn blank in several states and has minimal presence in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
— PTI
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Criticise BJP policies in LS, Mamata tells TMC leaders
In the state, the TMC leaders and workers have been directed not to cozy up with BJP leaders and maintain a distance, putting several party men in dilemma who had already developed good relations with saffron party leaders and workers. State BJP president Rahul Sinha claimed that despite these instructions of Mamata Banerjee, several TMC leaders and workers were now directly contacting him in expressing their desire to join them. He said recently some 50 TMC workers, including three civic councillors in North 24 Parganas and Burdwan and CPM leaders in South 24 Parganas had joined the BJP. A prominent Congress leader in the central Kolkata Pradip Ghosh also joined them. Sinha further claimed after Narendra Modi taking over as Prime Minister, a large number of people in Bengal, irrespective of their political identities, caste, creed and religion, were now coming forward to join the BJP.
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Justice Patwalia is Addl Solicitor-General of India
The others Additional Solicitor-General of India are Maninder Singh, L Nageshwar Rao, Tushar Mehta, Neeraj Kishen Kaul and PS Narasimha. Senior Supreme Court advocate Ranjit Kumar, too, has been appointed the Solicitor General of India; he replaces senior advocate Mohan Parasaran. The youngest High Court judge in the country at the time of his elevation in 2006, Patwalia had submitted his resignation on December 25, 2006, less than nine months after taking oath. The reason: The lure of courtroom battles he would fight before elevation to the Bench had proved to be too difficult to resist. Patwalia then went on to practice as a lawyer in the Supreme Court on the Constitutional side. He, in fact, started practice as a senior advocate in the Supreme Court January 2007 onwards and soon made a name for himself in service matters. He was appointed group “A” senior counsel for conducting Central Government litigation before the Supreme Court and was further appointed as senior advocate in the Apex Court to conduct cases on behalf of the Chandigarh Administration. He has also been regularly appearing on behalf of the Madhya Pradesh Government, particularly in matters relating to the disposal of Union Carbide waste and litigations filed by the Narmada Bachao Andolan. Before doing his LLB from Panjab University in 1984-87, he secured fourth position in B.Com final year examination. Prior to his elevation, he was designated senior advocate suo motu by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in January 2003. Patwalia, with his appointment as Additional Solicitor-General, has once again, kept up the family tradition of standing up for justice. His father, Justice Kuldip Singh, is a retired Supreme Court Judge.
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Prez to address Parliament today
New Delhi, June 8 Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha will have separate sittings of 30 minutes after the conclusion of the address and the Secretaries General of both the Houses will table a copy of the speech. Measures to address other issues like putting the core sectors on the fast growth path and ushering in industrial development in the country, besides attracting foreign investment are also likely to figure in the President’s address.
— PTI New Delhi: Capt Amarinder said the Congress did not have great expectations from the President’s address on Monday as the BJP barely had the time to articulate its position on policy matters having been in the government only for a while.
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Voters were bribed online in LS polls: EC
New Delhi, June 8 The poll panel’s election expenditure monitoring wing, under its Director General (Expenditure) PK Dash, seized total cash of Rs 313 crore and 2.25 crore litres of liquor along with other illegal inducements for bribing voters during the recently held parliamentary and Assembly polls. “As a fear was created among miscreants, they were constantly changing methods. For example, since vehicles were being checked, it was noticed that some carried cash in the bonnet of the vehicle and, when it was recovered, the currency notes were burnt and the teams seized half-burnt notes.
— PTI
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Lt Col’s release on bail held up over rules
Chandigarh, June 8 A lieutenant colonel was convicted by a general court martial and awarded seven years rigorous imprisonment besides being cashiered from service in a case pertaining to alleged misappropriation of scrap from a central ordnance depot. He moved the AFT against the findings and sentence of the GCM and was granted bail last week. However, when he approached the authorities for his release from custody, he was told that his commanding officer, under whose custody he was during the course of the trial, and commanders up the hierarchical chain were not the competent authorities to execute the AFT’s orders. The reasons reportedly cited were that the rules and procedures for executing bail orders are not defined. This implies that once bail is granted by the AFT, an individual can continue to be kept in, what some legal experts say, is illegal custody. “This is among the several grey areas in the functioning of the military justice system that need to be addressed urgently,” Col SK Aggarwal, a former officer from the Judge Advocate General’s Department, said.
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Delhi hottest in 62 years at 47.8°C New Delhi, June 8 The Indian Metrological Department (IMD) said there was no relief likely from the heat wave tomorrow and similar weather conditions would continue. “The maximum temperature will continue to hover around 45°C on Monday as well,” the IMD official said. The maximum temperature of 45.1° C in the capital was five degree above normal and it was the hottest in five years. Yesterday, the mercury touched 44.9°C. Similar situation prevailed in Palam where the maximum temperature was 47.8°C, the highest since 1952, the IMD said. — PTI
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New Delhi, June
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Don't expect much: Captain
