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| RJD support crucial in Centre, Cong has little option in Bihar NEW DELHI, Nov 21: Weighed down by RJD’s crucial support at the Centre, Congress appears to have little option but.....more RBI
clerk’s guilt NEW DELHI, Nov 21: Twenty-eight years after police booked an RBI employee on charges of cheating and forgery, a......more ‘Manasarovar’
to be MUMBAI, Nov 21: Manasarovar, an Indian independent movie which is a 90-minute feature film in English, would be.....more Decennial
exposition PANAJI, Nov 21: Thousands of pilgrims and tourists across the world thronged in front of the Basillica of Bom Jesus in......more |
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Other Judges did not misuse position to get allotment: SC NEW DELHI, Nov 21: The Supreme Court has rejected Justice (retd) B P Banerjee’s argument that he alone should not.....more Lokayuktas
recommend NEW DELHI, Nov 21: Twelve Lokayuktas, Lokpals and up Lokayuktas have recommended that instead of bureaucrats........more Poor
infrastructure, NEW DELHI, Nov 21: Madhya Pradesh’s dream of shedding off its age-old image of backwardness and taking a flight.......more Kuchinema
home BHOPAL, Nov 21: With beast skulls strung above the cottage door, ‘Mithun’ (bros frontalis) animal motifs on the front......more |
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between Centre, States on job guarantee scheme ...... Transporters threaten to launch another round of agitation ..... |
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RJD
support crucial in Centre, Cong has NEW DELHI, Nov 21: Weighed down by RJD’s crucial support at the Centre, Congress appears to have little option but to go with the Lalu Prasad-led party in the Assembly polls in Bihar scheduled early next year inspite of strong reservations from the party rank and file. Highly placed Congress sources said the question before the party was not whether to align with RJD but to make the best out of a bad bargain given the compulsions at the Centre. Congress, in its eagerness to defeat the BJP-led NDA in the Lok Sabha elections, had accepted without murmur only four Parliamentary seats from the Bihar strongman in the state, ignoring the "humiliation" for a larger cause. RJD is the second largest constituent of ruling UPA at the Centre after Congress with some 25 MPs in the Lok Sabha. The Left parties, which have some 60 MPs, provide outside support to the Manmohan Singh Government and are not part of UPA. While Congress had contested the last Assembly elections in Bihar on its own, it later tied up with RJD under a Common Minimum Programme to back Rabri Devi Government. Though state Congress leaders emphasise the need to extract maximum seats from the RJD in the Assembly polls, Lalu Prasad, who has a direct rapport with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, was reportedly not in mood to part more than 25 of the total 243 seats. "Lalu rules the roost. He has a sizeable presence in the Lok Sabha so we cannot touch him or abandon him", a senior Congress leader said in exasperation. Congress circles concede that the options before the party were limited in view of the fact that it was not having the best of relations with Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav whose party has more strength than RJD in the Lok Sabha but has been kept out of the Government. Besides, the Congress strategy in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to keep the BJP out of power has so far led to its willy nilly supporting other parties including SP, RJD and BSP thereby resulting in erosion in its own base. A section in Bihar Congress is contending that if the party went it alone in the state, it would help division in BJP-led NDA vote as upper castes would get an option in such a scenario. While time and again partymen in Bihar have resented any tie-up with RJD, the Congress high command has overlooked the demands in view of consideration of strengthening anti-BJP forces. Now the arithmetic in the Lok Sabha has virtually tied the hands of Congress leadership, party leaders feel. (PTI) |
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RBI clerk’s guilt upheld 28 years after his offence NEW DELHI, Nov 21: Twenty-eight years after police booked an RBI employee on charges of cheating and forgery, a Delhi Sessions Court has upheld his conviction, but ordered release of his three co-accused on probation. Upholding Mahender Pratap Juneja’s conviction by a trial court, additional Sessions Judge S N Dhingra said despite the fact that RBI was a good pay master, Pratap, who was working there in a responsible position, betrayed and continuously forged 15 drafts and cheated the bank. The court, however, reduced the sentence imposed on him from three to two years rigorous imprisonment in addition to a fine of Rs 20,000. The ASJ also ordered release of co-accused Chander Prakash, Vijay Kumar and Kuldip on probation for two years considering that they were first time offenders and ordered them to furnish surety bond of Rs 25,000 each. They were also asked to pay compensation of Rs 10,000 each to RBI and the state as well. Juneja was a clerk with RBI and entrusted with the duty of preparing drafts of the rent in favour of landlords whose premises the bank had hired for its employees, said his counsel L K Verma. During 1975-76, he prepared 15 drafts totalling Rs 14,580 in the name of his accomplices, deposited them in their accounts, only to take back the amount from them. The accomplices would also get a small cut from the amount so cheated. However, the fraud was detected and a case registered at the Parliament Street police station here. The trial court convicted and sentenced all the four accused against which order they went in for appeal, Verma said. In appeal, the three co-accused claimed that the fraud was masterminded by Juneja and that they were mere tools in his hand, Verma added. The argument failed to cut ice with the court, which observed that "..Repeated supply of amount by drafts and giving back this amount by cheque or cash to Mahender Pratap shows that the other three persons were very much in the knowledge of the fraud being committed by Pratap and they deliberately helped him as part of criminal conspiracy." On the cheated sum, the court said though it looks paltry now, the scale of a gazetted officer in 1976 was only Rs 425 and added that present value of the amount could be assessed by multiplying it atleast 30 times. After his conviction by a trial court, Juneja was dismissed from service by the RBI. (PTI) |
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‘Manasarovar’ to be screened in England MUMBAI, Nov 21: Manasarovar, an Indian independent movie which is a 90-minute feature film in English, would be screened across 35 theatres in England, starting January 2005. "This is a giant leap for Indian independent cinema and proves that these movies are able to attract overseas buyers," writer-director of the film Anup Kurian told PTI here today. Independent films are made without institutional funding, Government subsidies or help from established production houses or financiers, and focuses on art value rather than on commercial value of the film. London-based ‘Bollywood films’ has bought the UK territory rights for the film, expected to be released during January first week, much ahead of its release in India late January or early February, he said. ‘Manasarovar’ has been selected as the opening film of the Indian panorama for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), which opens in Goa on November 20. Starring Atul Kulkarni, Neha Dubey and Zafar Karachiwala, it is about coincidences. "The film is about a love story that ends before it begins," Kurian said. "Ravi Roy (Atul Kulkarni) meets Malathy Chandran (Neha Dubey of `monsoon wedding’ fame) in Pune on a short visit and falls in love with her. She, however, rejects his eccentric advances," he said. A few years later, Ravi’s brother George (Zafar Karachiwala) happens to meet Malathy. She learns from him that Ravi had disappeared and her past comes back through the letters they wrote to each other. She realises her predicament as "one of no choices", Kurian said. The film ends with Malathy reaching Manasarovar — a lake in Himalayas, he added. The theme song of the film, ‘falling through the clouds’, is composed and rendered by Irish group random. This is the first time that an Indian feature film has used Irish musicians and music, Kurian said. The film was a maiden venture for its crew, all batch-mates from Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune. They include writer-director Anup Kurian, cinematographer Viswamangal Kitsu, editor Unni Vijayan and art director Mathewkutty J Mattam. (PTI) Decennial exposition of St
Xavier relics PANAJI, Nov 21: Thousands of pilgrims and tourists across the world thronged in front of the Basillica of Bom Jesus in the historic old Goa township to witness the spectacular 16th decennial exposition of the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier, considered the patron saint of goans. The rich gem-entrusted silver casket containing the relics of the saint was lowered from its sanctuary platform last evening on camera and brought to the entrance gate of the Basillica by a group of eight priests today amid hymns in the backdrop of spiritual music. The casket was taken out in a solemn procession by 500 priests, parishioners and nuns after an hour long mass held at a huge pandal erected in front of the Basillica to the Se Cathedral of the Archbishop of Goa, maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The pilgrims of all faiths queue up in the Se Cathedral, the main Altar which had been dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria, to pay respects and kiss the holy relics of St Xavier canonised on march 12, 1622 and declared the ‘Apostle Of The East’. The 43-day mega-event was simply not meant for venerating the relics alone but for deepening the spiritual inspiration of the people, the organisers said. Situated 10 kms east of the capital Panaji, old Goa was once the second capital of Bijapur Sultans under the Emperor Adil Shah. Later it became the seat of power of the colonial Portuguese after it was conquered by Afonso De Albuquerque in 1510. Dotted with a cluster of magnificent world heritage monuments and Churches, old Goa continues to attract tourists from all over the world even as the archaeologists take special interest to maintain the monuments besides undertaking excavations. Governor S C Jamir and Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, besides top bureaucrats, were among those who witnessed the special mass. For the first time, the Doordarshan telecast/live, the inaugural event in English and Konkani, while All India Radio broadcast the event. The Goa Government and the ASI have been the co-ordinators for the successful conduct of the event. Elaborate arrangements, including transport of pilgrims and fire-fighting, were made by the State Government for the mega event even as the Department of Information and Publicity brought out one lakh brochures with detailed tourist and event information. Security has been tightened with the deployment of six companies of the CRPF besides the civil cops. A special traffic plan has been drawn by the police to ensure smooth conduct of the event and facilitate the physically challenged and the sick. Fire brigade authorities have taken several measures to avoid mishaps in the wake of a massive fire last month that had resulted in loss of several lakhs of property at the complex. While special ferries and launches have been deployed to ease traffic congestion and bring pilgrims from Panaji to old Goa, the Konkan Railway Corporation has introduced special trains between Karwar and Margaon besides providing additional stops at Majorda for routine trains. "This event should not be construed as a tourist attraction but an effort to deepening the experience of faith and spiritual animation," the Church authorities maintain. Screening of films on glimpses of the life of the blessed and "upside down" on basic human goodness, exhibition of posters and paintings on "bridging the gaps with the gospels" drawn by renowned artists from across the world, and presentations for promoting spirituality would form part of the mega event on November 26. (UNI) |
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Kuchinema home lends fresh charm to Bhopal museum BHOPAL, Nov 21: With beast skulls strung above the cottage door, ‘Mithun’ (bros frontalis) animal motifs on the front wall and two wooden horns along the roof just above the entrance, the Pentagon-shaped abode presents a unique sight for the visitor. One of the latest attractions at the tribal habitat open air exhibition within the city of lakes’ Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS) is the Naga ‘rich man’s house’ - made of the ‘Khula’ variety of pine - of the Chakhesang tribe residing in the north-eastern state’s Pheq district. "The home belongs to the tribe of headhunters. Rich hunters, known as Kuchinema - meaning one who could feed the entire village in a crisis such as drought - are entitled to own such places," museum assistant N Shakmacha Singh told UNI. The dwelling comes at a price. The hunter is supposed to throw a Gala party for villagers serving them with Mithun meat. He is entitled to engrave Mithun Motifs equalling the number of animals he sacrifices for the treat. "The more the number of motifs, the greater is his prestige," says Mr Singh. Besides carvings of female mammary glands to signify that the house has the potential to feed everyone, the sun, moon and stars are also depicted to imply the prosperous home’s inherent strength. "What makes the dwelling unique is that their number is dwindling courtesy a ban on logging besides adivasis abandoning tradition," he elaborates. The interior is as meticulously planned and fabulously designed. "Before constructing the abode, a pillar - signifying the home deity - is erected at the Centre and covered with a plank on one side. The first room is for grinding grain, also serves as a granary and kitchen while the rear portion is for dining and sleeping," Mr Singh explains. Interestingly, the IGRMS brought chakhesang tribals and Khula wood all the way from from Nagaland for the project. "The construction was both enriching as well as exciting. The wood-carving and Motifs, unmatched in style and elegance, provide an insight into the tribe’s lifestyle and culture," Opines Sangrahalaya curator Ashok Kumar Tiwari. The IGRMS provides an Oasis to urbanites thirsting for knowledge on the aesthetic qualities of India’s traditional lifestyles in diverse forms. Besides life-size replicas of rural homes in Rajasthan, the north-east and other parts, scores of Terracotta images and an entire Kerala ‘snake boat’, this museum - spread over roughly 200 acres - boasts of nearly three dozen original rock shelters containing prehistoric paintings. (UNI) |
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Rift between Centre, States on job guarantee scheme NEW DELHI, Nov 21: A rift between Centre and some States have erupted over the proposed Rs 40,000 crore employment guarantee scheme for the poor, a bill which is expected to be taken up by cabinet shortly. While the Centre has announced the scheme to provide 100 days of jobs annually to one able-bodied member of families below poverty line and assured financial assistance to states for it, some of states like West Bengal have expressed apprehensions in implementating the scheme. The states have objected to the clause that stipulates that states have to pay unemployment benefits at one-third of minimum agriculture wage, if they fail to provide employment within 15 days of application by the poor families for jobs, official sources told PTI here. "States have pointed to the financial problems they had to face in implementing fifth pay commission recommendations and are now apprehensive of the new scheme," they said. Some states have communicated to the Centre that there might be additional financial burden involved while implementing the new scheme, which would further worsen their fiscal health. The issue assumes importance as salary and pension payments eat up almost half of the total revenues of states. Moreover, sources said differences have also arisen between centre and states on the issue of who would identify the families eligible for the scheme. After a high-level meeting last month, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had directed Ministry of Rural Development to consult states and work out the modalities of a national rural employment guarantee bill, so that it could be introduced in winter session of Parliament. Finance Minister P Chidambaram had announced last week that the bill would be taken up by cabinet shortly. The bill envisages creation of a non-lapable employment guarantee fund at the national and states levels to provide unemployment benefits in case of failure to provide jobs. But Government sources said the consultations between Centre and States are yet to be completed because of the rift. (PTI) Transporters threaten to launch
another NEW DELHI, Nov 21: Barely days after reaching a final agreement on the contentious service tax, transporters have again threatened to take to streets, accusing the Government of sidestepping a whole host of issues concerning the transport sector, including scrapping of old vehicles, toll tax and security on highways. All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) chairman O P Agarwal told UNI that transporters and the Government had signed an agreement on October 27, stipulating that the 10.2 per cent service tax would not be collected from truck operators till January next year while freight charges upto Rs 1500 were exempted from its ambit. The Finance Ministry had accepted these recommendations of a high-powered 13-member committee constituted in July following a week-long strike by transport operators in protest against the imposition of the service tax in the Union Budget. Mr Agarwal said apart from the service tax, another issue agreed up on after the strike was the TDS recovery from the transporters. "We were assured that the issue would be looked into sympathetically and since the notional income of a truck is only rs 42,000 per annum, its recovery should be stopped straightaway." However, the Government had not shown any willingness to deal with the issue, he said, adding that efforts to seek a hearing from the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) during the past week had proved abortive. The AIMTC chairman said the Government had also agreed to look into the issues of scrapping of old vehicles, third party insurance, collection of toll tax and security on national highways. "But we regret to say that the Government till date has not taken any steps to resolve these issues. On top of that, the recent price hike in petroleum products has dealt a blow to the transport trade," he said, adding that prices of petrol were reduced after the downturn in the global crude oil rates, but the diesel price had been left untouched. Mr Agarwal said such a move smacked of a step-motherly treatment to the transport trade, which would also stoke the inflation rate. "The transport trade is witnessing an unprecedented crisis of operational cost escalation, which may leave thousands jobless. The Government seems hell-bent on breaking the back of the transport trade and is oblivious of the welfare of the self-employed in the trade," he alleged. Mr Agarwal also expressed concern over the spate of robberies on the national highways. "We have demanded that the Government raise a special force to ensure safety on the highways, but it has not been forthcoming on this demand." "Truck drivers are being killed and their vehicles looted with impunity. Such a scenario is not conducive for carrying out the transport business," he averred. The AIMTC chairman said the transport trade had been viewed as the backbone of the national economy but the Government’s "indifferent" attitude belied that notion. "The situation is fast approaching the stage where the transporters will be forced to take a fresh look at the agreement and take to streets again to struggle for their rightful demands. The Government should come of its slumber and get in touch with the ground realities," he said. The truck operators had launched an indefinite countrywide strike on July 21 in protest against the slapping of the service tax. It was called off after a week after the Government agreed to constitute a 13-member committee, headed by Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) chairman S K Bhardwaj, to look into the modalities of collection of the service tax. As per the October 27 agreement, the service tax will be paid by the consignees instead of goods booking agents. Consignments of fruits, vegetables, eggs, milk and sand will be exempted from its ambit. The Government also accepted another recommendation of the committee that transport operators should not be subjected to harassment by excise officials. The Finance Ministry will issue instructions not to stop any vehicles unless there is information about deliberate evasion of service tax. The committee identified seven categories under which the onus of paying the service tax would fall on the consignees. These include factories registered under the Factories Act, 1948 companies established under the Companies Act, 1956 Corporations and Societies registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and dealers of excisable goods registered under the Central Excise Act, 1944. (UNI) |
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