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Centre hopes for political solution in Delhi
BJP did nothing to legalise e-rickshaws: AAP
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‘Set up night shelters for homeless women’
Civil service aspirants seek apology from HM for violence
Two die in path lab fire
Teen raped by stepfather, landlord
DMRC completes tunnelling work at Lal Quila
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Centre hopes for political solution in Delhi
New Delhi, July 31 The response from the government came as the political parties questioned the delay in this regard and pointed out that the lack of a government in the national Capital was hurting infrastructure development, especially power and drinking water supply. "I hope some political solution will come out to help in government formation or fresh elections will be held in Delhi," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said while replying to a debate on the Delhi Budget in the Rajya Sabha. Later, the Rs 36,766-crore Delhi Budget was passed and returned by the Upper House with a voice vote, a day after the Lok Sabha passed it. Delhi was placed under the President's Rule in February when the AAP government quit after remaining in power for 49 days. Parties like the Congress and the SP wanted to know how long the President's Rule would continue as they contended that this was affecting governance in the national Capital. To a suggestion on extending power subsidy to consumers from April to September this year, Jaitley said subsidies are only prospective and never retrospective. "Subsidies are only prospective. They are never retrospective. No subsidy is ever retrospective. When you had the government at the Centre then, on April 1 you could have asked the then government for subsidy," Jaitley said replying to a query from Parvez Hashmi (Congress) on paying consumers subsidy from April. The Finance Minister said that the power bills of 84 per cent of households in the capital will come down immediately as a result of the subsidy and promised better infrastructure, more hospitals and educational institutions for the national Capital. "Because of provisions in the Central Budget and this budget, 84 per cent households will get reduced power bills immediately," he said. Jaitley pointed out that Delhi was a city of business and said that of the Rs 36,766-crore Delhi Budget, Rs 31,570 crore was collected through taxes from Delhi alone and Rs 1,161 crore came from non-tax revenue while the Central government's grant-in-aid for Delhi was to the tune of Rs 3,672 crore. He said Delhi also has a considerable lower debt to GDP ratio of 7.93, indicating that it had less debt that many other states. He said Delhi will have 1,380 more low-floor and 400 cluster buses for slums. Besides, there will be cleaning of the Yamuna and re-introduction of higher pension for over 4.3 lakh aged persons and more schools and hospitals. Earlier, participating in the discussion the Opposition drew government's attention towards problems of infrastructure in Delhi, especially in power and drinking water supply sectors, and questioned why the Centre was not trying for a popular government which could address these issues effectively. |
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BJP did nothing to legalise e-rickshaws: AAP
New Delhi, July 31 Drivers of e-rickshaws are mooting to hold protests in the city and for this they will meet tomorrow to take a final call on the roadmap for their future course of action. The AAP too lashed out at the Centre accusing it of "doublespeak" while demanding an explanation from Gadkari for the assurances for relief made last month. The fact that the BJP "did not take" any step towards operationalising the e-rickshaws and laying down safety standards for them even as nearly 45 days had lapsed after Gadkari had assured regularisation of such vehicles, licensing and easing their registration and insurance reflects lackadaisical attitude towards their concerns, they alleged. "We are not against the judicial decision but angered due to the lack of seriousness and apathy of the Centre. It is the question of income of nearly two lakh families dependent on e-rickshaws," said Sukhvir Sisodia, DERCS secretary. "Gadkari assured that within 15 days he will ensure that procedures for licensing, registration, loans and insurance cover for e-rickshaw drivers are done without hassles but nothing happened," said AAP MLA Rajesh Garg. According to the AAP, the step to phase out e-rickshaws is "extreme" and the Centrel must take responsibility for the ban on e-rickshaws as it took contrary stands inside and outside the court. |
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Kejriwal woos auto drives
New Delhi, July 31 Seen as part of AAP's strategic move Kejriwal said it was his party which took up their grievances and issues for the first time in the capital and both the BJP and the Congress had "never bothered" to resolve their woes. During the rally at Ramlila Ground where he was joined by senior party leaders, he came down heavily on the Delhi Police for alleged harassment of auto drivers in case they refuse to pay "bribe" while justifying that auto drivers' misbehaviour with commuters is a reaction. "Autos are being impounded for petty reasons and even for that the drivers are forced to pay hefty penalties. They have to give a monthly bribe of Rs 5,000-10,000 and are compelled to cheat.... We have to understand that it is a vicious cycle and if we stop the bribe cycle of the Delhi Police, the auto drivers will improve," said Kejriwal. He assured, "We will take up the issues with Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi and Lt Governor Najeeb Jung. We will demand that any auto driver who is on his way to lunch or retiring for the day is not penalised. Other major issues like reviewing the provision of 66/192A of the Motor Vehicle Act will be considered after we come to power." |
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‘Set up night shelters for homeless women’
New Delhi, July 31 Jung directed the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to carry out a survey in their respective districts and identify locations for establishment of such night shelters. "These night shelters shall be located independent of the existing night shelters primarily occupied by men. The Lt Governor also directed that the general upkeep of existing night shelters be improved," said an LG House official. Yesterday, a review meeting with all DCs revealed low or no occupancy of night shelters by women and raised concerns about the safety and security of homeless women. Apart from that, the safety audit carried out by the DCs to assess safe and unsafe areas for women in their districts suggested that attention be paid to streetlighting in certain areas, LG House official said. Jung also directed that gram sabha and other government lands, made free from encroachment, should be used for establishing dispensaries and schools, and that it requires close coordination between health and education departments. He also directed that land identified for establishing a working women's hostel be handed over to the Women and Child Department for necessary action. In the North district, Jung said that sports facilities should be developed in five villages. During the review of the health scenario in the national Capital, it was discussed that several matters required multi-pronged solutions. During inspection of hospitals by the DCs it was found that there is need for better ambulance networks in those districts where mother and child care health facilities are located at a significant distance, coordination with blood banks and agencies such as the Red Cross to ensure ready availability of blood units. At the review meeting, Jung laid stressed on the need for coordination with the Department of Education to attend to requirements of teaching and other staff, as also coordination with agencies such as Public Works Department (PWD) and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to maintain the general upkeep of schools. |
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Civil service aspirants seek apology from HM for violence
New Delhi, July 31 At the site of protest organised by JNUSU, they burnt effigy of the Central government and Delhi Police while shouting slogans. "We demand unconditional apology from the Home Ministry for the violence done on the students and protesters yesterday. The new government's terror tactics and double speak can not dilute the spirit of the movement against the discriminatory CSAT," said JNUSU vice-president Anubhuti. All India Students Association representative Sucheta De said, "The protest against CSAT is a protest against systemic exclusion of people from non-English and humanities background. “Wrong translation is an important issue indeed, but the main point being raised here is whether students trained in several of the regional languages should be treated unequally vis-s-vis those who could avail English medium education." |
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Two die in path lab fire
New Delhi, July 31 The fire originated on the ground floor of the laboratory from probably the X-ray machine, the CT scan machine or the computers there, according to the Delhi Fire Services. Seven fire tenders were rushed to the site of the incident and the fire was doused by 4.55 am. On the other hand, the police said that the fire appears to have started from short-circuit in the air-conditioner fitted in the basement. "The smoke from the fire had reached the ground floor, which caused the deaths of Vipin and Robin. There were no burn injuries on their bodies," said a police officer. |
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Teen raped by stepfather, landlord
New Delhi, July 31 The two accused have been arrested and booked under the Indian Penal Code and the PCSO Act. The victim's mother works at a thread manufacturing unit. After her husband's death a few years ago, she married the 42-year-old accused who worked as a house painter. The girl told her mother that her stepfather and their landlord had been allegedly raping her. When the mother was away at work, her stepfather had allegedly raped her once. He then allegedly involved the landlord, who also raped the girl. They allegedly threatened her with dire consequences, if she revealed the matter to anyone. — TNS |
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DMRC completes tunnelling work at Lal Quila
New Delhi, July 31 The Tunnel Boring Machine emerged at the Lal Quila Metro station site after making about 650-m-long tunnel from Jama Masjid on the down line. The maximum depth of the tunnel is 14 m, informed a DMRC spokesperson.
— TNS |
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