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| BJP flays Govt for retaining
‘ineffective’ IMDT Act NEW DELHI, Oct 29: BJP today lashed out at the UPA Government for deciding to retain the "ineffective" Illegal...more CAG
suggests measures PATNA, Oct 29: Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) of India V N Kaul today asked the Bihar Government to computer......more IAF
commanders NEW DELHI, Oct 29: The IAF commander’s conference ends today, with top officers having.....more Indefinite
curfew in Orai LUCKNOW, Oct 29: An indefinite curfew was imposed in Orai town of Jallaun district in Uttar Pradesh this morning......more |
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TN Governor resigns CHENNAI, Oct 29: Barely hours after the Supreme Court declined to pass any interim order on the Tamil Nadu......more Rocket
fuelling MUMBAI, Oct 29: The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) at Trombay here has developed a remotised system for......more MUMBAI, Oct 29: Starting as a Cabinet Minister in the DF Government in 1999 to getting elected as deputy Chief.....more Kashmiri
Pandits demand NEW DELHI, Oct 29: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today assured Kashmiri Pandits that the Government would ......more |
BJP flays Govt for retaining ‘ineffective’ IMDT Act NEW DELHI, Oct 29: BJP today lashed out at the UPA Government for deciding to retain the "ineffective" Illegal Immigrants Determination (IMDT) Act, alleging it amounted to providing "protection to (Bangladeshi) infiltrators" at the cost of the country’s security. The main opposition party, whose Government had repealed the act, alleged the Congress-led regime was placing its political and electoral interests above the national interests and "ignoring" the threat posed by illegal Bangladeshis. "The UPA Government is crucifying the interests of the nation at the altar of its own narrow political interests," BJP spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said in a statement here. The act had come into force in Assam on October 15, 1983 and provides for detection and deportation of people who came to the country after March 25, 1971. Naqvi said the Vajpayee Government had decided to repeal the "ineffective" act at the insistence of security agencies and considering the "experience" that instead of preventing infiltration of Bangladeshis, it "has in effect only extended protection to the immigrants". The NDA Government had presented in Parliament a bill to substitute IMDT to meet the threat of illegal infiltration and the new bill has been sent to the select committee of Parliament headed by Pranab Mukherjee. "But the present Government, ignoring this most important issue involving national security, has decided to revive the act to polarise the votes of Bangladeshi infiltrators just to promote its electoral prospects," Naqvi said. "The latest decision of the UPA Government will only promote its political interests ignoring the threat posed by illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to the social, political, economic and national security," he alleged. The BJP leader alleged that the Manmohan Singh Government’s actions were "providing constitutional protection to illegal migrants." He demanded that the Government rise above "petty political considerations" and immediately take effective steps to stop the illegal influx of Bangladeshi immigrants by repealing the IMDT Act. (PTI) |
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CAG suggests measures to prevent any financial frauds PATNA, Oct 29: Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) of India V N Kaul today asked the Bihar Government to computerise its treasuries and transacting centres to prevent financial irregularities and timely detection of economic offences. Mr Kaul told newspersons here that the CAG office was facing difficulties in detecting irregularities due to the delayed information from the treasuries. He said financial irregularities slips in easily due to non-computerisation as the old system was time consuming. Mr Kaul, who parried queries relating to the multi-crore rupee fodder scam, said such scams would not be repeated if the system was modernised and streamlined. He expressed concern over delayed informations from 41 treasuries and five sub treasuries in Bihar and said he had requested the State Government to computerise its treasuries at the earliest to solve the problems in accounting. "We should take a lesson from the fodder scam in which the Public Accounts Committee had also moved a privilege against the CAG," Mr Kaul said. The fodder scam was a subjudice matter and instead of commenting on it the AG should focus on preventing its repeatition, he said. Mr Kaul, however, said the CAG had already analysed the situation and stressed the need for rectifying the shortcomings through computerisation and modernisation, which was the only answer to the problem. He said Bihar did not have a unique problem on the accounts side and suggested activated coordination committee at the level of Chief Secretary for reviewing the compliance of the audits. The revenue expenditure of almost all states have gone over their normal growth resulting in problems of fiscal imbalance in most states. In Bihar, the capital expenditure was varying between 6 to 11 per cent during the past 4 years and the State Government was trying to increase it. Regarding audit objections, he said non-compliance of Parlimentry instructions and the Government orders were the prime focus of the CAG. Quick audit response and monitoring would help in timely compliance of the Government orders. Mr Kaul said the Bihar Government had agreed to constitute an Apex Committee at the Chief Secretary level and a monitoring Committee of Secretary Level for compliance of the orders. Mr Kaul ruled out any deliberate obstruction by any of the State Governments in compliance of the orders regarding some of the scams detected by the CAG and said the view point of the CAG and the Government differed in some cases. To a query regarding excessive expenditure over the sanctioned funds, he said the CAG had no role in checking it and added it could only detect and inform parliament about excessive expenditure. (UNI) |
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IAF commanders review
functioning, make NEW DELHI, Oct 29: The IAF commander’s conference ends today, with top officers having reviewed the force’s impressive functioning over the last six months, which included sending fighters across the globe and the lowest accident rate in 34 years, as well as making plans for next year. "The conference basically involved a data-based review of the performance and functioning of the different commands and departments of the IAF with all their Aoc-in-CS and principal staff officers making presentations on activities and achievements over the past six months as well as proposed activities for the next year," IAF sources said. The conference, held as the first-ever joint exercise between the IAF and the Singapore Air Force was underway at Gwalior, also saw a presentation by Singapore Air Force Chief Maj Gen Lim Kim Choon on the inaugural day. Among the issues understood to have figured at the meet was the impressive showing of the recently-acquired Il-78 mid-air refueller, the first of the IAF’s ‘force-multipliers’. The Il-78 had facilitated the despatch of fighters across the globe, with the Jaguar deep penetration strike aircraft travelling to Alaska in July to participate in the multinational ‘co-operative cope thunder’ exercise. This was the first time fighter aircraft had gone out of India as well as flown across the Atlantic. Fresh from the triumph, the force also sent its Mirage-2000 aircraft across the Indian Ocean to participate in the ‘golden eagle’ exercise in South Africa. With the range of its offensive assets augmented by the ‘force-multipliers’ like the airborne tankers, the IAF’s top brass considered the enhanced capabilities of its fleet and how it augments their current mission profile, the sources said. The issue assumes prominence with the IAF’s decision to adapt its frontline Su-30 MKI multi-role fighter for ‘buddy refuelling’ capability, increasing its Radius of Operation as well as decreasing reliance on dedicated mid-air refuellers. Also, energetic measures to curb accidents — with three mirage crashes in about a month (Sep-Oct) — were also high on the agenda. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy had proclaimed that the IAF had, upto now this year, achieved its lowest accident rate in almost three and a half decades — 0.83 per ten thousand flying hours, though he said there was still room for further improvement. "We must work to get the rate down to about 0.5, if not lower,"he had said in his press conference on the eve of Air Force day earlier this month. Another priority item on the agenda were reports on the formation of an aerospace command from a high-powered group, set up in the Southern Air Command (SAC), to study all aspects of the matter. The IAF, which had last year drawn flak from the Parliamentary Committee for not pursuing the matter, had begun action in a methodical manner and appointed this group. The conference — the last to be presided over by ACM Krishnaswamy, who retires in the coming January, was inaugurated on Monday by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, while Defence Secretary Ajai Vikram Singh was also present. The Vice Chief, all the AoC-in-CS of the force’s seven commands, principal staff officers at the air hqs here as well as strategic forces Command Chief Air Marshal Ajit Bhavnani were present in the meet. (UNI) Indefinite curfew in Orai after murder of two clerics LUCKNOW, Oct 29: An indefinite curfew was imposed in Orai town of Jallaun district in Uttar Pradesh this morning following the murder of two clerics, including the Shahi Imam of local Jama Masjid. Police sources here told UNI that Shahi Imam, Maulana Fahim Ghauri, belonging to the Deobandh sect, was shot dead by some the miscreants after the morning Namaz near the Masjid located in Bajaria township. Two others accompanying the Imam were also injured in the incident. After knowing about of the incident, another group shot dead Maulana Bashir Ahmed Kadri of the Barelwi sect, they added. They said rivalry between the two sects was believed to be the reason behind the murders. Police said as the situation continued to be tense, the district administration imposed an indefinite curfew while the police, rapid action force and PAC personnel have been deployed in all sensitive areas of the town. They said Maulana Fahim was returning along with two others from the Piro Wali Masjid after offering Namaz, when some miscreants fired on them near a tent house. He was later rushed to a hospital, but declared brought dead. All injured have been admitted at the local hospital. The incident sparked off retaliatory action, when Maulana Bashir Ahmed Kadri belonging to the rival Barelwi sect was shot dead by another group. Situation was tense but under control. Police claimed. (UNI) |
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Kashmiri Pandits demand
employment package, NEW DELHI, Oct 29: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today assured Kashmiri Pandits that the Government would consider their demands for Confidence Building Measures including employment package and proper security for the members of community living in the Valley. Dr Singh gave this assurance to a delegation of Kashmiri Pandits led by All India Kashmiri Samaj president M K Kaw which met him to apprise the difficulties faced by the community and demanded a nodal agency at the Centre and the State level to address the problems of displaced community including enchroachment on their properties. The delegation apprised the Prime Minister, who is likely to visit Jammu and Kashmir soon, that unless Confidence Building Measures are not taken by the Government to instill a sense of confidence and constitutional guarantees granted to them, any call to return is of little sense. The leaders said that any solution of Kashmir issue without the involvement of Pandits would not be lasting. The Samaj also discussed various facets of the issue, particularly the role of Pandits in the ongoing dialogue process with the Centre. It suggested formulation of a national policy on Kashmir by taking the AIKS policy paper on the subject as base and holding an all party conference to evolve a national consensus and have the draft document approved by Parliament. The delegation demanded creation of a two-tier consultative apparatus by having a committee under the Union Home Minister and other under the Chief Minister with AIKS representatives so that the matters pertaining to the community are dealt in consultation with their accredited representatives. Expressing concern over the attitude of the State Government, they asked the Prime Minister to give employment to youth, provide relief and rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Pandits from the State budget and prosecute those responsible for the killings of innocent Pandits. The delegation demanded an ordinance for the upkeep and maintenance of Hindu shrines and other religious places, management control of minority institutions back to the community and restoration of Devnagri as additional script for Kashmiri language. The Pandit leaders demanded that at least 10,000 youth be given employment in armed forces, para-military forces, Central Government Offices, Public Sector Undertakings and in the State Government. Self-employment opportunities be provided to Pandit youths by galvanising the Central and State Government agencies and banks by creating infrastructure and marketing facilities and giving subsidised loans against group guarantees, the delegation demanded. Their other demands included providing all migrants in Jammu, Delhi, Udhampur, Nagrota and elsewhere with two-room flats and health insurance. The delegation demanded that Kashmir affairs not be left solely in the hands of police who tend to convert everything to security consideration alone and prevents a holistic approach to the problem. "The Prime Minister sympathetically heard our problems and assured that he will take up our demands with the Home Minister, the Finance Minister and the State Government to provide justice to the Pandit community," Mr Siban Dudha, the political advisor of the Samiti said. (UNI) |
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Rural areas plagued by low tele-density: Maran NEW DELHI, Oct 29: Communications and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran today said that a number of villages are still waiting for telephone connectivity and are reeling under a low tele density of only 1.55 per hundred. Mr Maran said huge investments would be needed to achieve respectable levels of connectivity in all these areas. He said broadband connectivity can help move up the teledensity. "The policy and regulatory framework would be put to test in future with the changing technology and growth in tele-density", the minister said at a seminar on dispute settlement scenario in the telecom sector. The urban sector has a teledensity of 20 per hundred. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has said that roll out obligations as part of license conditions has also not managed to get telecom infrastructure in rural areas. "There has been a phenomenal spurt in the growth of tele-density in the country, with the evolution of new wireless technologies, but the gap between the urban and the rural tele-density has been increasing," TRAI said. Universal service obligation fund (USO fund) currently emphasised mostly on telephone connections and to a limited extent on high speed telecom information centres. The authority has said that there is a need for a relook at the entire issue of rural communications. TRAI recently issued a consultation paper on growth of telecom services in rural India . This consultation paper is an invitation to all stakeholders to participate in a collective thinking process so as to achieve higher and higher quantitative and qualitative growth of telecom services in the country, especially rural India. Even with tremendous growth in the Information Technology sector, overall ICT usage and penetration in the country has still lagged behind international averages. The authority noted that the success in other countries in making telecom services as the basic platform on which economic and commercial growth is achieved can also be replicated in India. For this development to occur, appropriate regulatory environment and policies need to be established so that the discrepancy in pricing, penetration and type and quality of telecom services between India and other countries can be eliminated. Once this happens, only then will there be successful growth and business models in video, broadband, internet and telephony services. The main approach discussed in this consultation paper is that more coverage of wireless services in rural areas and small towns is the key for future growth of telecom sector. To achieve this the deployment of more cost effective technologies should be encouraged. This includes broadband over Wi Max, Cordect, Power Line, etc. The entry barrier and regulatory costs for small players should be removed so that they can offer telecom services in rural areas at an affordable price. This includes the concept of niche operators as discussed in draft recommendations of unified licensing. Local content development will also help in generating more and more rural employment. The whole emphasis is on creating self sustaining models with initial support for inputs like bandwidth and spectrum. (UNI) Man knocked to death by J&K truck in Delhi NEW DELHI, Oct 29: A man was killed today when a truck coming from Jammu and Kashmir lost control and hit him in North West Delhi and the teenaged driver has been arrested in this connection, police said. Suresh Rai, working at the roadside, was run over by the truck after it lost control and hit a tempo, police said, adding that driver Shaha Maldina (18) of Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir was apprehended. (PTI) |
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