NEW DELHI, July 25:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has identified two locations in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Seemandhra for setting up of the missile test range facilites, the Lok Sabha was informed today. In a written reply, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said DRDO has identified Rutland Island in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Nagayalanka in Krishna district in Seemandhra for putting up missile test range facilities.
There is no proposal at present for setting up of Missile Launcher Project in Telangana, Mr Jaitley clarified. (UNI)
DRDO has identified locations for missile test range: Jaitley
No proposal to integrate UID & NPR: Govt
NEW DELHI, July 25:
Government is not considering any proposal to integrate the UID (Aadhaar) project with National Population Register (NPR), Parliament was informed today.
“There is no such proposal under consideration of the Government at this stage,” Planning Minister Rao Inderjit Singh said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, when asked whether it proposes to integrate UID with NPR.
On giving statutory status to Aadhaar, Singh said: “A notice for introduction of the bill (for the purpose) alongwith official amendments was moved in the Parliament during Winter Session, 2013. However the same could not be taken up for consideration.”
The National Identification Authority of India Bill 2010 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in December 2010 and was thereafter referred to the Standing Committee on Finance.
The UPA Government had to suspend Aadhaar-based direct benefit transfers in view of reservations over certain issues.
Giving indications that the new Government will continue Aadhaar enrolments, Rs 2,039.64 crore has been provided in the budget for the Aadhaar for the current fiscal, as against Rs 1,550 crore released in 2013-14.
As per latest information available, as many as 73.71 crore Aadhaar enrolments have been done till mid-July, with 8.45 crore rejections by the Unique Identification Authority of India implementing the project.
UIDAI has generated 64.05 crore Aadhaars and incurred an expenditure of Rs 4,620.61 crore so far since its inception.
The Minister informed the House that Aadhaar enrolments are being carried out in all districts of 22 states and union territories allocated to the project.
The authority was mandated to collect biometrics of 60 crore residents and rest of India’s population was to be covered under the NPR project.
It was decided by the Cabinet Committee on UIDAI during UPA regime that all residents would be issued National Multi-purpose Identity Cards under NPR, and UIDAI would generate Unique identification number for entire population.
Both UIDAI and NPR were to share the biometric data collected by them for issuing NMIC and generating unique identification number.
The NPR is a compreensive identity database maintained by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India under the Home Ministry. (PTI)
Lifters Sukhen, Sanjita win gold as India make rousing start
Glasgow, July 25: Sukhen Dey and K Sanjita Chanu stole the limelight by clinching a gold each in weightlifting, as India launched their campaign in the 20th Commonwealth Games with a flourish, winning seven medals in all on the opening day of the competitions here.
Judokas Navjot Chana and Shushila Likmabam had to be contend with a silver medal each after they failed to clear the final hurdle in the men’s 60kg and women’s 48kg events, respectively. There was a bronze for for another judoka, Kalpana Thoudam.
In weightlifting, there was a silver medal for S Mirabai Chanu, while Ganaesh Mali bagged a bronze.
The paddlers, shuttlers and squash players had easy outings on the first day, with both badminton and table teams posting convincing wins.
It was a display of overwhelming domination in 48kg women’s weightlifting by the Indians as apart from Sanjita’s gold, S Mirabai Chanu bagged the silver medal to make it a one-two for last edition’s hosts.
In the men’s 56kg contest, the 25-year-old Dey lifted a total of 248kg (109+139) after trailing at the halfway snatch stage, but came back strongly in clean and jerk to win the gold and cap a remarkable day for the Indians at the Clyde Auditorium.
In women’s 48kg weightlifting, Sanjita won with a total lift of 173kg (77+96), while Mirabai grabbed the silver with a cumulative effort of 170 (75+95) in the absence of other strong competitors.
21-year-old Mali was leading after snatch but slipped behind in clean and jerk to settle for bronze with a total lift of 244kg (111+133). Malaysia’s Mohd Pisol Zulheimi was at fourth after snatch but recovered in fine fashion to bag the silver with a total lift of 245kg (108+137).
Meanwhile, Australia’s female swimmers set a new 4x100m freestyle relay world record of 3min 30:98sec as they retained their Commonwealth Games title in style.
Lifter Sanjita’s total of 173kg missed the Games record, held in the name of 2010 CWG gold winner Augustina Nkem Nwaokolo (175kg effort), by two kilograms. Sanjita’s 77kg effort in snatch, however, equalled Nwaokolo’s CWG record.
The contest was all but over at the halfway snatch stage with 20-year-old Sanjita and 19-year-old Mirabai lifting 77kg and 75kg. (PTI)
No proposal to lower gold import duty: FM
NEW DELHI, July 25: The Finance Ministry today said at present it has no proposal to lower customs duty on gold from the current 10 per cent.
“Currently, there is no proposal to reduce the customs duty on gold,” Minister of State for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
There have been demands for reduction in the levy on the precious metal as imports declined to 638 tonnes in 2013-14 from 845 tonnes in the previous fiscal.
Following a sudden spurt in gold import in the beginning of 2013, the government had hiked import duty on the precious metal to 10 per cent in phases.
The government and the Reserve Bank also imposed certain other restrictions on shipments, including linking of imports to exports to prevent outgo of the foreign exchange, adding to instances of smuggling.
In a separate reply, Sitharaman said the quantity of gold imported during the April-June quarter of the current fiscal was 221 tonnes, while in value terms it was Rs 54,792 crore.
The value of imported gold stood at Rs 2.28 lakh crore in 2011-12, Rs 2.45 lakh crore in 2012-13 and Rs 1.60 lakh crore in 2013-14.
Sitharaman said the cases of gold smuggling had gone up in 2013-14 to 2,441. In 2012-13 and 2011-12 the number of such cases stood at 869 and 500 respectively.
She said the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has communicated to all field formations to keep a close watch on the trend of smuggling of gold.
Other intelligence agencies, like the DRI, are also keeping a close watch on gold smuggling, she added.
High gold imports also pushed up the current account deficit as it rose to USD 88.2 billion or 4.7 per cent of GDP in 2012-13. Through import curbs, the CAD has been brought down to USD 32.4 billion or 1.7 per cent in 2013-14. (PTI)
EAC defers green nod to expansion of Sasan’s 2 coal projects
NEW DELHI, July 25: A high-level panel has deferred green nod to production capacity expansion of Sasan Power’s two coal mining projects in Madhya Pradesh for want of details like revised mine closure plan.
The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) “after detailed deliberations, sought information for further consideration of the project”, according to an official document.
“The proposal is for expansion for Moher and Moher Amlori Extension coal blocks project from 12 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum) to 15 MTPA and 16 MTPA to 20 MTPA Peak of Sasan Power Ltd,” it said.
The panel asked the proponent to submit an affidavit that no investigation or their matters are under consideration of the IMG (Inter-Ministerial Group).
“Project proponent needs to submit details land use pattern covering total project area; total mining lease area; total forest land; total forest clearance obtained and balance forest clearance awaited in a tabulated form,” said the document.
Reliance Power had announced in September 2012 that coal production has started from both the mines allotted to the company’s Sasan Ultra Mega Power Project in Madhya Pradesh and it would touch 20 million tonnes in the next four years.
“We will be able to get 20 million tonnes per annum from these mines as a result of our efforts to optimise coal production by deploying latest and advanced mining technologies,” the company had said.
“Coal production has commenced at Moher and Moher-Amlohri extension mines allotted for the 4,000 MW Sasan project,” it added. (PTI)
Govt not to hike import duty on sugar
NEW DELHI, July 25: Rejecting the demand to hike import duty on sugar to 40 per cent, the Finance Ministry today said the levy will be retained at the existing level of 15 per cent.
“Requests have been received from the various stakeholders for increase in import duty on sugar. Upon consideration of all relevant aspects, the government has decided not to disturb the import duty structure on sugar for the present,” Minister of State for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
The announcement to maintain status quo comes within a month of a high-level meeting held by Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan in which there was a consensus on raising import duty on sugar to 40 per cent, from 15 per cent.
The duty was last raised in August last year from 10 per cent.
Currently raw and refined sugar attract import duty of 15 per cent, while Khandsari sugar attracts 60 per cent duty.
Till June, sugar arrears stood at Rs 11,524 crore.
Earlier this year, the government had announced interest -free loan worth Rs 6,600 crore to sugar mills to pay dues to growers.
The sugar industry has been facing a cash crunch due to higher cost of production and lower selling prices in the wake of surplus output over the past few years.
The country’s sugar production is expected to 24.3 million tonnes in 2013-14, as against 25.1 million tonnes in the last year. (PTI)
SAT extends stay on Sebi order on Karvy Stock Broking
MUMBAI, July 25: Securities Appellate Tribunal today extended the stay on implementing the Sebi order that barred Karvy Stock Broking from taking up new assignment or launching new schemes, till the time the matter is decided by the tribunal.
Capital market watchdog Sebi’s ruling was with regard to the IPO scam of 2003-2005.
Earlier in June, SAT had stayed the Sebi order till a hearing today.
Prior to this, the tribunal on April 16 had extended the stay on implementation of the order till June 23.
“Ad interim order granted on April 16, 2014 and continued on June 9, 2014 shall continue till disposal of the appeal,” SAT said in a order.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) had charged that Karvy Stock Broking had “failed to maintain high standards of integrity and further indulged in manipulation and malpractices and thereby violated the code of conduct” specified in its Broker Regulations.
The case relates to large-scale irregularities in as many as 21 IPOs during 2003-2005 period.
Sebi had passed the order against Karvy Stock Broking Ltd on March 14 wherein the entity was prohibited from taking up any new assignment or contract or launch a new scheme for a period of 6 months in respect of its business as a stock broker. (PTI)
Debris of ill-fated car which rolled down from bridge near Pouni in Reasi on Friday. —Excelsior/Mengi
Debris of ill-fated car which rolled down from bridge near Pouni in Reasi on Friday. —Excelsior/Mengi
Army chief General Bikram Singh pays homage to martyrs at Drass on Friday. (UNI)
Army chief General Bikram Singh pays homage to martyrs at Drass on Friday. (UNI)
Rocket shells recovered at village Rattian on Friday. —Excelsior/Rakesh
Rocket shells recovered at village Rattian on Friday. —Excelsior/Rakesh