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Mamata,
Panja quit; PM rejects resignations NEW DELHI, Sept 30: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today reshuffled and expanded his Council of Ministers by inducting two Cabinet Ministers—Mr M Venkaiah Naidu and Mrs Sushma Swaraj—and four as Minister of State, increasing strength of his Ministry to an all time high of 76. The new Ministers were administered the oath of office and secrecy by President K R Narayanan at a simple ceremony at the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Ministers of State are Mr Shripad Yesso Naik (Goa), Mr P Radhakrishanan (Tamil Nadu), Mr Satya Brata Mookherjee (West Bengal) and Mr U B Krishnam Raju (Andhra Pradesh). Mr Naidu has been appointed as Rural Development Minister and Mrs Swaraj comes back to Information and Broadcasting Ministry, held by Mr Arun Jaitley. Mr Krishnam Raju will be in the Ministry of External Affairs, Mr Naik (Agriculture), Mr Mookherjee (Chemicals and Fertilzers) and Mr Radha Krishanan (Youth Affairs and Sports). Suresh Prabhu has been entrusted with power which had fallen vacant due to death of P R Kumarmangalam. Sunderlal Patwa who held the Rural Development Ministry has been shifted to Chemicals and Fertilisers held by Prabhu. All the new Ministers belong to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While the two Cabinet Ministers represents Rajya Sabha, the Ministers of State are members of the Lok Sabha. This was the second reshuffle undertaken by the Prime Minister since he assumed office on October 14 last year. The present excercise was to fill the vacancies caused by the death of Power Minister P R Kumaramangalam and resignation of Ms Uma Bharati, Mr Ram Jethmalani and Mr Bangaru Laxman, who has since taken over as president of BJP. In the first reshuffle, no BJP nominee was inducted into the Council of Ministers. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and many of his Ministerial colleagues including L K Advani, Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha and Murli Manohar Joshi and former Prime Minister I K Gujral were present at the brief ceremony. While four of them, Naidu, Radhakrishnan, Mookherjee and Krishnamraju took oath in English, Sushma Swaraj and Naik did so in Hindi. With their induction, the strength of the National Democratic Alliance Government has gone up to 76. Meanwhile, in a dramatic move, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee and Union Minister of State for External Affairs Ajit Kumar Panja of Trinamool Congress today resigned from the Vajpayee Government in protest against the hike in prices of petroleum products with West Bengal scheduled to have Assembly polls early next year. However, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee rejected their resignations, a spokesman of the Prime Minister’s office in New Delhi said, adding they were being persuaded to withdraw their resignations. Banerjee faxed the resignation letters to the Prime Minister this evening despite announcing earlier that she would wait for three days for the Government to roll back the price hike. The firebrand Trinamool Congress leader told newsmen at her residence "either they have to withdraw or we will withdraw. We cannot accept the price hike which will affect the common people. It is not possible for us to continue in this Government". Banerjee said she had requested Petroleum Minister Ram Naik not to take any decision which would hit the common man. "The prices were hiked at midnight without consulting us. But we cannot remain as spectators. This is too much for us." Referring to the Government move to increase the prices to meet up the oil pool deficit, Banerjee said "the Government has its compulsion. But we also have our compulsion". The Trinamool Congress chief however did not say if her party would continue giving support to the NDA Government. The resignations by the Trinamool Congress leaders from the Vajpayee Government came less than 24 hours after the Centre effected hike in prices of all petroleum products, including kerosene and cooking gas. Incidentally, their resignations came on a day when the Union Cabinet was expanded with the induction of six new Ministers including one from the State. (Agencies) |
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SUNDAY SPECIAL From B L Kak NEW DELHI, Sept 30: The Haryana Government headed by Mr Om Prakash Chautula has created history of sorts following the 1999 Indo-Pakistan war in Kargil sector of Ladakh. Benefits announced by Haryana’s ruling establishment to the dependants of the Indian soldiers killed and disabled during the war are more encouraging than those sanctioned by the wealthier State of Maharashtra. Kargil district is part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. True, the State Government headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah has sanctioned many a measure in support of the dependants of the Kargil martyrs. But Dr Farooq has been left behind by his Haryana counterpart, Mr Chautula. If the statistics maintained by the Defence Ministry are any guide, Haryana has stolen a march not only over Jammu and Kashmir but also over the remaining States in the country. Per capita income in Jammu and Kashmir is more than the assessed figure in Himachal Pradesh. Significantly, however, Himachal Pradesh, too, has gone a step ahead of Jammu and Kashmir in respect of benefits to the dependants of the killed and disabled soldiers. Haryana is perhaps the only State, which has announced job to two of the family members or dependants of the killed soldier. In addition, Haryana has already announced grant of ex-gratia of the order of Rs 10 lakhs to the next of kin of the deceased. Three other States, which have also sanctioned ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakhs to the next of kin of the killed solider, are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. The Defence Ministry’s statistics reveal that Jammu and Kashmir accounts for only two things, namely, ex-gratia amount of Rs 5 lakhs to the next of kin of the deceased and employment to one member of the affected family. As against this, Punjab, the neighbouring State of J&K, has sanctioned a plot of land at reserve price of Rs 5 lakhs, Rs 2 lakhs in case of death, job to one of the eligible member and free education to children of the affected family. And if Haryana has sanctioned Rs 20,000 for construction or repair of a house and education stipend from Rs 25 to Rs 700 per month for the affected family, Himachal Pradesh has already sanctioned Rs 5 lakh as ex-gratia to the next of kin of the killed soldier, 10 per cent reservation of houses or plots ofland under Indira Awas Yojna, employment to one eligible member and free education up to graduation level for two children of killed soldier. Indeed, far from encouraging is the contribution from Maharashtra, the land of Marathas-just Rs 5 lakhs as ex-gratia relief to the next of kin of the killed soldier and disability relief ranging between Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000. And Nagaland, which is a backward region compared to cash-rich Maharashtra, has gone far ahead-Rs 3 lakhs to the next of kin of JCOs or other ranks, Rs 5 lakhs to the family of a killed officer and Rs 1.50 lakh to Rs 3 lakhs for a disabled soldier. Rajasthan, too, has gone ahead of J&K and Maharashtra. Rajasthan’s announcement: Rs 5 lakhs to the widow, Rs 1 lakh plus 25 bhigas of land or Rs 1 lakh plus MIG house to the disabled and Rs 1 lakh to the parents of the deceased, job to the widow or any other dependant and permanently disabled soldiers, free education to children of affected family in Government schools, colleges and technical education, medical and engineering institutions. The Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, has already confirmed that Haryana has also established a lead over all other regions of India in respect of employment opportunities to the dependants of the martyrs of the Kargil conflict. Of the 220-odd jobs provided, Haryana accounts for the maximum number of jobs (65) offered to the dependants of the deceased. Significantly, Jammu and Kashmir has secured the second position in this sphere-more than 50 jobs offered so far to the dependants of the Kargil martyrs. All Army personnel are covered by the Army Group Insurance (AGI). The AGI scheme provides insurance cover for death (including suicide) in peace time, on internal security duties, in war-like situations and in actual combat. The AGI makes payments to the tune of Rs 8 lakhs as insurance amount to the next of kin of deceased officers and Rs 3.75 lakhs to the next of kin of JCOs and other ranks. The maturity benefits under the scheme are also paid, depending on the length of service and contribution made. |
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Army has 'good grip' on
situation NEW DELHI, Sept 30: The new Army Chief Gen S Padmanabhan today said that nuclearisation of the region had in no way changed the role of conventional forces and vowed to defeat "nefarious aims" of terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir where the Army had "a good grip on the situation". Conceding that nuclearisation had brought about a qualitative change in the security environment, Gen Padmanabhan, who took over today as the 20th Chief of the Army Staff, said recent incidents like Kargil operations had demonstrated that there "is space for conventional conflict between a low intensity conflict and an all out nuclear war". Advocating a sustained annual funding of three per cent of the GDP for defence, the new Army Chief said this would enable the Army to modernise in a planned manner to ensure that while combating insurgency, the country’s operational preparedness to meet the conventional threat is in no way compromised. Stating that there had been escalation in the proxy war situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Gen Padmanabhan said this had been caused by increase in the number of foreign mercenaries being pushed from across the Line of Control. He said that both the foreign dominated groups and their backers in Pakistan were giving the cover of Jehad in pursuance of unleashing "raw terrorism against the local people and security forces." "Though there may be odd hiccups, we have got a good grip on the situation. We will defeat the nefarious aims of these mercenaries," Gen Padmanabhan said. Admitting that the Army over the past decade had been heavily committed to internal security duty, which was its secondary role, the new Army Chief said "despite this, we have not compromised our primary role to confront external aggression as was seen by the country in the Kargil war". Prolonged exposure to internal security duty will eventually affect the operational efficiency of the Army, Gen Padmanabhan said adding that the Army has ‘made its points’ to the task force set up by the Government to study this aspect and till that is done "the Army would continue to deal with insurgency". The new Army Chief, in an interview to the force’s magazine "Sainik Samachar" on assumption of office, said in its anti-insurgency drive in Jammu and Kashmir, Army was getting support of the local population adding that it was only the professional and apolitical approach of the Army which had manifested in targeting only terrorists. He said in its anti-insurgency drive the Army was operating in a ‘transparent manner’ under the ever watchful eyes of the National Human Rights Commission and media. Padmanabhan came out in support of the unified command structure to confront militancy saying the system ensured synergisation, expedited decision making and achieved greater cohesion among different forces engaged in internal security. On restructuring of the armed forces and the Ministry of Defence, Gen Padmanabhan said "Army had conveyed its views to the Government. I am certain that these will be considered as and when the decision to restructure is taken". Regarding the concept of integrated intelligence agencies, he said Government had already constituted a task force to have a de novo look at the intelligence apparatus. "We have given our views to the task force and I am certain that the Government will take positive steps to bring about improvement in the functioning of intelligence agencies". On the shortage of almost 13,000 officers in the Army, Gen Padmanabhan said that recent publicity drive by the Army had received encouraging results. "There has been an increase in the intake". The new Army Chief in his first public remarks had a word for the youth saying that a career in the Army would give them a window to "take up the challenge of adventure and high technology". "The Army is just not another profession, it is total involvement", he said. (PTI) |
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PM hints at "difficult steps" to raise economic growth NEW DELHI, Sept 30: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today said the Government would take "difficult steps with far reaching changes in policies" to raise the level of growth from 6.5 per cent to nine per cent in the tenth plan period. "This is only possible if we can take a number of difficult steps with far reaching changes in existing policies. It is time that these issues are frontally addressed...," Vajpayee told a full Planning Commission, which met here to review the mid-term performance of the ninth five year plan. He said the difficult issues would be taken head on so that both the Centre and states were faced with a clean statement of what was needed to be done in their respective areas. In this connection, Vajpayee said Planning Commission would have to be restructured from investment planning orientation to a "think tank" for the Government as the role of planning itself has changed from what it was in the earlier years. Vajpayee said planning has to move beyond undertaking mere budgetary allocations to the role of ensuring policy harmonisation for creating a productive environment. "I would expect that in the course of this move from largely investment planning orientation, the Commission would create within itself the capacity to undertake independent assessment of issues and policy options," he said adding that Planning Commission must also act as "think tank" for the Government. He said the mid-term review of the ninth plan highlighted achievements which were considerable and weaknesses which the country must face in the years ahead. While admitting that there were pressures on the fiscal side, the Prime Minister said "it should be a matter of legitimate satisfaction that India’s economic growth has been a sustained one despite several shocks in recent years." Vajpayee said despite these shocks the rate of growth of the Indian economy in the 1990s made the country "one of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world." He said poverty in the country has declined during the 1990s but much more needed to be done. "The growth and poverty reduction we have achieved is commendable, but is not enough. The aspirations of our people, especially the new entrants into the labour force, require us to move much faster", Vajpayee added. The Prime Minister said even the targetted nine per cent growth in the tenth plan was not enough in view of the high level expectations in the economy. "As a start, however, we should define the minimum necessary set of policies to achieve a nine per cent growth in the tenth plan," he said. Stating that almost 40 per cent of the country’s population was still illiterate, Vajpayee said the country must give "top priority" to improve the performance in the education sector. He said massive investments were needed to develop an infrastructure capable of supporting rapid growth. "India’s infrastructure whether we talk of power, roads, railways or telecommunications needs major transformation even to come up to the standards applicable in developing countries," he added. In the economic sphere, the role of private sector has increased enormously and much of the prospects for achieving higher growth depend upon private sector initiative in both industry and agriculture, he said. Referring to the increase in international oil prices, he said that the situation arising out of the steep rise in oil prices needed to be kept under constant review. (PTI) |
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Civilian dies in blast Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Sept 30: A civilian was killed in a blast at village Gagrian in Sabjian area last evening while a minor girl was injured in Pakistani firing at Nakerkot. Troops of Romeo Force busted a militants hideout at Mithyani Gala near here this afternoon. According to official sources, a civilian was killed when a landmine exploded as he walked over it at village Gagrian in Sabjian area of Poonch district last evening. He has been identified as Khadim Hussain son of Noor Mohd, a resident of Sabjian. Khadim was moving along the LoC when a mine planted by Pakistani militants exploded killing him on the spot. His body was evacuated from the spot by army jawans and shifted to hospital. Pakistani troops also resorted to unprovoked firing at village Nakerkot in Poonch last evening causing injuries to a 10-year old girl Nimmi Fatima daughter of Sham Din Khan. She was standing near her house when a bullet hit her causing her a grievous wound. The child was evacuated to civil hospital Poonch by army. Her condition was now stable. "Such deliberate barbaric acts reflect the desperation in rank and file of Pak army due to non-cooperative attitude of civilian population towards militants sponsored by them. It is a clear manifestation of Talbanisation of Pak Army. Their desperation does not allow them to spare even children and old men", a Defence spokesman said. He said Pakistani troops opened indiscriminate firing on Indian locations in Nowshera and Krishna Ghati sectors overnight. In retaliation by Indian army, three Pakistani bunkers in Kalal area of Nowshera sector and three other bunkers including an ammunition depot in Jhalas area of Krishna Ghat sector were destroyed. An unspecified number of casualties were caused on Pakistan army in Indian retaliation. There was, however, no casualty on Indian side, the sources said. BSF jawans of Romeo Force smashed a militants’ hideout at Mithyani Gala near here today. A consignment concealed in the dhok was recovered by army which include one Chinese pistol, 58 rounds of AK, two Chinese hand grenade, one remote-controlled IED, one liquor bottle and incriminating documents. Meanwhile, six militants killed by army and police in an encounter at Panjnara forest area of Budhal on September 28 have been identified as Abu Haroon alias Sher Khan, Assad Ullah, Abu Hafiz, Abu Ilyas, all hailing from Anantnag and Abu Talah of Doda. |
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Family foils ultras bid to
recruit youth into militancy Excelsior Correspondent POONCH, Sept 30: Militants last night massacred five members of a Forest Guard’s family including a woman and her four children and injured two children at their house in village Nar Samoothi in Gursai area of Mendhar tehsil. All deceased children of Gulzar Hussain Shah, a Forest Guard, were teen-aged. Two of them were male and two other females. Gulzar’s two other children were seriously injured in the shoot-out, official reports reaching the district headquarters today said. Gulzar Ahmed was not present in the house as he was on night duty. Reports said that two heavily armed militants attacked the house of 42-year old Gulzar Hussain Shah at about 2300 hours last night when the family was asleep. They forced their entry inside the house and asked 18-year old Tariq Hussain Shah (Gulzar’s son) to accompany them for joining the ranks of militants. However, a determined Tariq Shah outrightly refused to join the militants and declared that he will not accompany them at any cost. Gulzar’s mother Begum Ashraf also refused to send her son for arms training. Reports said that all five brothers and sisters and mother of Tariq surrounded him in an apparent bid that he was not kidnapped by the militants. Frustrated over the failure of their attempt to lure Tariq into militancy, one of the two militants loaded magazine in his AK-47 rifle and fired indiscriminately on the house inmates killing three family members on the spot and wounding five others. Two injured later succumbed to their wounds. Militants escaped easily after the killings as there was no presence of security forces or police around the village. Hearing the cries of injured, some neighbourers were reported to have gathered in the village and informed the incident at a nearby security picket. Troops of Jharan Wali Gali (JWG) Brigade of Romeo Force accompanied by police reached the house immediately and shifted three injured to sub district hospital in Mendhar. Five members of family were announced dead on being shifted to hospital. The deceased were identified as Begum Ashraf , 35, wife of Gulzar Hussain Shah, Shahnaz Ashraf, 18 and Musharraf Begum, 12, both daughters of Gulzar, Aurangzeb, 10 and Kaka Shah, 9, both sons of Gulzar. The injured include Gulzar’s 17- year old son Tariq Hussain Shah and 16-year old daughter Mehnaz Akhter. The injured were later referred to district hospital of Poonch where their condition remained serious. All of them had sustained gun shots, which were removed by the doctors during operation. Reports said the militants left the house presuming all house inmates dead. It was only because of luck that two of them survived. Following the killings, army and police cordoned off the village and launched a search operation in the village. However, the militants involved in the killings had managed to escape and reportedly disappeared into the forest area, where they had developed their ‘safe hideouts’. DIG Rajouri-Poonch Range Ram Lubaya and SSP Poonch Pankaj Saxena besides other senior police officers also visited the spot. According to police sources, the militants who executed the massacre were local activists of Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit. They had been assigned the task of recruiting local youths into the militancy. Tariq Hussain Shah, who was target of the militants but survived, told police officials in the hospital that he was proud of thwarting militants’ attempt to rope-him in anti-national activities though he had to lose five members of his family. "My family preferred to die than to follow the dictates of Pakistani agents", he said. |
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Civilian injured in R S
Pura Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Sept 30: A civilian was injured in militants’ firing as three Kashmiri militants, spotted in Abdullian village of RS Pura sector yesterday morning, continued to play a hide and seek battle with army and police throughout the day today. Over 700 jawans of army, BSF, CRPF and police led by senior officers have been deployed in Sunderpur, Abdullian and adjoining villages of RS Pura tehsil to eliminate the militants, reportedly numbering three and hailing from Kupwara district of Kashmir valley. Though senior police officers were busy in supervising one of the major operation in border tehsil of RS Pura, reliable sources said that a Forest Guard Janak Singh son of Sadhu Singh, a resident of Sunderpur village noticed three militants hiding behind a cluster of trees in a field at Sunderpur village last mid-night. He immediately informed a police party which was carrying out searches in the village. A police party rushed to the village. While police was laying cordon in the area, the hiding militants opened firing causing a bullet injury to Janak Singh, who was accompanying the police party. Taking advantage of the situation, the militants managed to escape from the village by the time police personnel could take positions and retaliate. The injured was rushed to Medical College hospital where his condition was stated to be stable. Army was rushed to Sunderpur to track down the militants. A massive search operation continued throughout the last night and day today in Sunderpur and adjoining villages to get hold of the militants but they remained untraced. Sources said more than 700 jawans of different security agencies in full battle dress were hunting for the militants, who remained elusive till the reports last came in. Police have also alerted all police stations, posts and nakas in the border areas to carry out searches for the militants. As reported today, four militants were first spotted in Abdullian village in the wee hours of yesterday morning. As troops challenged them, an Army Subedar was killed and a jawan was seriously injured. Ultras escaped. Subsequent searches by army and police had led to the arrest of one of the militant while three others escaped. Arrested militant was a Kashmiri hailing from Kupwara. He disclosed that his three associates also hailed from Kupwara. All of them had infiltrated through the International Border in RS Pura sector after arms training in Pakistan. They were headed for Kupwara but were trapped in RS Pura. All three were equipped with sophisticated weapons, the sources said. |
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Young girl kidnaped by ‘Sevadar’ recovered Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Sept 30: Domana Police today recovered a young girl from Pathankot, Punjab allegedly kidnaped by a youth who was impersonating as ‘Sevadar’ of a religious organisation located at Ranjit Singh Pura in the Gole Gujral area. According to police, the accused Dharam Singh alias Dharma resident of Sherda Chumber, Pathankot was serving as ‘Sevadar’ at a religious organisationwhere the girl Dolly used to visit. Sardari Lal, father of the kidnaped girl in his FIR lodged at Police Station, Domana alleged that Sevadar trapped the innocent girl and later kidnaped her on July 7. Unaware of the fact that her daughter has been kidnaped by the self-styled Sevadar, the father lodged missing report in the police station. It was later he came to know that his daughter was not missing but kidnaped by the Sevadar who also disappeared mysteriously on July 7. Following fresh kidnaping report, the police started investigation on different theory and raided various hideouts of the self-styled Sevadar. According to police Dharam Singh took the girl to Chandigarh where one of his relation has been living. After getting information that Dharam Singh is coming to Pathankot to meet his parents, a police party of Domana Police Station rushed to Pathankot to nab the alleged kidnaper. Police laid a naka at Pathankot Bus-Stand and ultimately arrested Dharam Singh while he was proceeding towards his home after coming from Chandigarh. The girl was also recovered from his possession. Both Dharam Singh and Dolly were brought to Jammu where the girl was sent to the hospital for medical examination. After medical examination the girl was handed over to her family. Dharam Singh is taken into custody. |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Sept 30: A militant was apprehended following an encounter with army and police at Dungli Kelar in Bhalla area of Bhaderwah in Doda district yesterday. SSP Doda, Ashkoor Wani said a patrol party of army and police post Bhalla was fired upon by the militants. Security jawans retaliated. After a brief exchange of firing, police arrested a local militant Mohd Yaseen son of Sher Mohd of Dungli. Two hand grenades were recovered from the possession of arrested militant, who was an activist of Harkat-ul-Jehad Islami (HUJI) outfit. Other militants managed to escape. A hideout of the militants was also destroyed by police in the same area. A large quantity of ration was recovered from the hideout. |
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No breakthrough in Gangyal murder Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Sept 30: Police have so far failed to achieve a breakthrough in apprehending the murder accused of an industrialist Rahul Sharma at Gangyal. Though identified soon after the crime the accused Tarlok Chand Mahajan of UNO Lane, Talab Tillo, was still at large. Reliable sources said that instead of arresting the accused, police was trying to get him surrendered to weaken the case against him. Rahul was shot dead by Tarlok Chand at former’s factory premises in Gangyal on Wednesday night. |
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Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Sept 30: Police have arrested an army jawan of Rashtriya Rifles and rescued a kidnapped girl from his possession. He has been identified as Tirath Singh, a resident of Lam and posted in Rashtriya Rifles at Thanna Mandi. Police said Tirath Singh had kidnapped Parveen Akhter daughter of Mohd Din, a resident of Saj, Thanna Mandi. He took the girl to Udhampur where both of them were arrested by police. Parveen was restored to her family while Tirath Singh was put behind bars in Thanna Mandi police station. A case has been registered against him. |
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Parliament session from Nov 20 RAJAHMUNDRY (AP), Sept 30: The winter session of Parliament is likely to commence on November 20, Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi said today. The session would last till December 20, he told reporters here. To a question, he said of the total Rs 5016 crore released this year towards the Lok Sabha constituency development fund for MPs, only Rs 4000 crore was spent. (PTI) |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Sept 30: Bijbehara police in Anantnag district today destroyed poppy crop cultivated in about 100 kanals of land in two villages and detained two persons in this connection. Today’s drive was third in the series undertaken by Bijbehara police under the supervision of SP Bijbehara Alok Puri. The drive will continue till Bijbehara is rid of poppy menace, Puri said. He said two persons detained in connection with the cultivation of poppy were being interrogated. |
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