NEW DELHI, Aug 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a visit to Nepal tomorrow with an aim of taking the bilateral relations to a higher level through further cooperation in economic and other areas.
Modi will be in Nepal for two days during which the two countries are expected to sign agreements in sectors like power. India may also announce economic aid for that country.
This will be the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Nepal in 17 years, after I K Gujral had travelled there in June 1997, and underlines Modi’s focus on priority to India’s neighbourhood.
The Prime Minister will hold talks with his Nepalese counterpart Sushil Koirala and have the honour of addressing that country’s Constituent Assembly, only the second foreign leader after former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl who had done it in early 1990s.
He will also address Nepalese business community and visit the famous Pashupatinath Temple where he is expected to participate in a special puja. Modi is also expected to meet leaders of various political parties.
During the trip, India is expected to announce economic assistance and the two sides are likely to sign pacts in sectors like power and culture.
Modi’s visit comes just a week after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had travelled there.
Modi, who has made it clear that neighbourhood will be the priority of his foreign policy, is making Nepal his second foreign destination in bilateral terms after Bhutan.
Koirala had attended the swearing-in ceremony of Modi as Prime Minister at the latter’s invitation on May 26.
India is making efforts to boost bilateral ties in all aspects, including defence, security, training, exercises and connectivity.
Cooperation in management of common rivers is a key element of India-Nepal ties. India, which at times, faces floods because of the rivers originating in Nepal, has been imparting training to Nepalese officials to deal with the problem. It has given Rs 200 crore to Nepal for the purpose.
Abhay Thakur, Joint Secretary (North) in the MEA, said there is a need for realtime exchange of flood data.
“We are ready to extend assistance in this regard,” he said, adding India is already providing assistance on improving embankments of rivers.
The then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had visited Nepal in 2002 but it was in the framework of multilateral SAARC Summit.
External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said India would like to upscale the relationship beyond 2014 amidst its desire to see stable, democratic and peaceful Nepal. (PTI)
PM to visit Nepal today
MV International School holds CCE Workshop
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 2: MV International School organized a workshop on Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (C C E) in School premises, here.
Anamika Sharma and Tarun Gupta were the resource persons from Oxford University Press New Delhi.
The workshop was attended by all teachers of the school.
A total of 70 teachers took benefit of this interactive workshop which covered the aspect of implementation of CCE in formative assessments, latest policies, tools & techniques as well as methodologies recommended by CBSE.
The teachers got a fair opportunity to refresh their knowledge and clear their doubts on the subject.
The workshop started with welcome address by the school Principal K L Dogra where he stressed upon the importance of Continuous Assessment and the need of frequent training sessions.
The teachers were first shown video presentation to touch the core areas of F A (Formative Assessment), S A (Summative Assessment) P S A (Problem Solving Assessment) and ASL (Assessment of Speaking and Listening).
The teacher groups were assigned tasks for presentation on CCE activities followed by critical analysis and creation of rubrics of assessment.
Director of the School, Gourav Abrol presented vote of thanks.
CBI arrests Syndicate Bank CMD for taking bribe
NEW DELHI, Aug 2:
The CBI today arrested six persons including Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Syndicate Bank S K Jain for allegedly taking bribe of Rs 50 lakh for increasing credit limit of some companies in violation of banking rules.
After keeping a watch on the activities of Jain for last six months on the directive of CBI Director Ranjit Sinha, CBI sleuths finally swooped on his relative and a Madhya Pradesh- based chartered accountant and arrested them while allegedly receiving cash from representatives of companies which have been involved in coal scam.
The CBI has filed two cases against Jain — accusing him of receiving a bribe of Rs 50 lakh through conduits and abusing his official position to enhance the credit limits of some companies in violation of laid down procedures, official sources said.
Sinha, who has been at the forefront of fighting corruption at high places, has been personally monitoring the case and the searches that were being conducted by its sleuths since morning at 20 places in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Bhopal.
“We are determined to fight corruption at high levels and today’s case was one such example,” Sinha told PTI.
In this case, CBI alleged that the conduit was the brother-in-law of the CMD and the deal was struck by the chartered accountant who has started his own firm of providing loans to big corporate houses.
CBI claimed to have recovered cash to the tune of Rs 21 lakh from Jain’s residence besides gold worth Rs 1.68 crore and Fixed deposits upto Rs 63 lakh.
In the two FIRs, CBI has named Neeraj Singal, Vice President and Managing Director of Bushan Steel, Ved Prakash Agarwal, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Prakash Industries, Pawan Bansal, chartered accountant, Vineet and Puneet Godha (relatives of Jain), Vijay Pahuja, Purushotam Totlani and Pankaj Bansal.
It is alleged that Bushan steel used the services of Totlani and the money was handed over to Vineet, the sources claimed and added at that point the CBI arrested both.
There was no immediate word on the other three who had been arrested by the CBI. (PTI)
Police seek video of Arundhati’s speech
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Aug 2:
Police have sought the video of writer and activist Arundhati Roy’s controversial speech at Kerala University last month following a complaint.
City Police Commissioner H Venkatesh has asked the university authorities to provide the clipping to examine whether it had any defamatory content to initiate action against her as alleged in the complaint.
“The inquiry has been started on the basis of a complaint given to the DGP by one George from Pala (in Kottayam). As part of the probe, we have asked the university to provide the video footages of the function,” Venkatesh told.
She made the remarks while delivering a lecture in honour of Kerala’s 19th century Dalit liberation leader Ayyankali, organised by the Ayyankali Chair of the Department of History of the university.
The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee had earlier this week adopted a resolution condemning Roy’s alleged remarks against Mahatma Gandhi.
Activist and writer K K Kochu said this was not for the first time that Gandhi had been criticised and taking action for voicing one’s views is condemnable.
However, Congress(S) leader and former state minister Ramachandran Kadannapally, who also sought action against Roy, said there was nothing wrong in police move.
Ebi Jose, president of Pala-based Mahatma Gandhi Foundation, said in fact police should have initiated suo motu proceedings agaist Roy without waiting for complaint. (PTI)
Natrang stages Shakespeare’s “Richard III” in Hindustani
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 2: Natrang staged William Shakespeare’s ‘Richard III’, directed by Asheish Nijhawan in Hindustani, at Matrika Auditorium, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), Katra, here this evening in the International conference organised by Faculty of Management, SMVDU on the Topic “Shifting Paradigms in Applied Economics and Management: Course Correction”.
Earlier, introducing to the guests Natrang Director, Padamshree Balwant Thakur informed that play has been directed by Asheish Nijhawan -a post graduate of National School of Drama, New Delhi with specialization in Acting. After his studies at NSD, he was selected as an artist in its National Repertory Company and worked there for over a year and travelled with his performances across India and abroad, he added.
Recipient of prestigious Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholar award (2012-13), he has performed in more than 35 plays, prominent among them where he played major roles include Begum Ka Takiya, Acharya Tartuffe, Ram Naam Satya Hai, Andha Yug, Richard The Third, Trojen Women, King Lear, In The Jungle Of Big Cities, The Father, Mrichikatikam, Court Marshal , Final Solutions, Yamgatha and Inkosazana.
Gaurav Jamwal remarkably played the role of Richard. The other actors who gave shindig performances included Syed Mudassar Ali Shah as Clarence and Arch Bishop, Susheel Raina as Hastings, Sajra Qadir as Anne 1 and Dutchess, Aarushi Thakur as Anne 2, Varun Sharma as Gray, Mahikshit Singh Langeh as Riverse and Richmond, Namit Dubey as Messenger, Pankaj Verma as Stanley, Shivam Manhas as Buckingham and Brakenberry, Neeraj Kant as King Edward, Shazia Batool as Elizabeth, Manik Sharma as Prince York, Sachin Saini as Prince Edward, Rajan Thakyal as Mayor, Vickey Kaw as Catsby and Amit Raina as Priest.
The lights of the play were designed and executed by Neeraj Kant.
Sonowal Reviews implementation of CSS in Leh
Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Aug 2: On his maiden visit to Leh district, the Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports (Independent Charge) and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Mr Sarvananda Sonowal chaired a joint meeting of officers of various departments to review the implementation and the status of Centrally Sponsored Schemes being carried out in Leh District.
The Minister took a detailed review of the implementation of schemes under various sectors including Youth Affairs & Sports, Forest, Wildlife, LREDA, Tourism, Agriculture, Power, Education and Skill Development Departments. Besides inquiring about the development of sports infrastructures in the district, he also inquired about the implementation of MGNREGA and IAY schemes in Leh.
The Deputy Commissioner and concerned HoDs briefed the Minister about the achievements registered under the Schemes and projects being executed in Leh district under their control and apprised him about the difficulties and challenges faced specially during winter months.
Expressing his willingness to visit Leh again and again, the Minister assured that he would take up the issues of Leh district with concerned ministries at Delhi.
Will share conclusion at appropriate time: MoS PMO on UPSC row
NEW DELHI, Aug 2:
The government’s decision on the UPSC row will be shared at an appropriate time, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said today, even as civil services aspirants’ protest seeking change in the examination pattern intensified.
“At the appropriate time, the government will share whatever the conclusions are,” he told reporters here after meeting Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
The minister was asked about details of the government’s decision on the Varma Committee’s report that examined the possibilities of changing the pattern of civil services examination among other matters.
Today’s meeting to discuss the civil services examination issue was held at Rajnath Singh’s residence, official sources said.
A three-member committee, under the chairmanship of former Secretary of Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) Arvind Varma, was formed in March this year to look into the demands of students for changes in the pattern of civil services examination.
The committee submitted its report to the government on Thursday which is currently under examination.
The students have been protesting in the national capital in support of their demand to change the pattern of Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) to give level-playing field to those coming from rural areas.
There are two compulsory papers of 200 marks each in the preliminary examination. These papers are also known as CSAT I and CSAT II.
The CSAT-II paper carries questions on comprehension, interpersonal skills including communication skills, logical reasoning and analytical ability, decision-making and problem- solving, general mental ability, basic numeracy, and English language comprehension skills (of Class X level).
Students have been objecting to the level of aptitude, analytical and English language questions being asked in the CSAT II examination, claiming they are biased in favour of those aspirants with engineering and management background.
The protesting students have also been demanding that the civil services preliminary examination, scheduled to be held on August 24, be postponed.
The country’s prestigious civil services examination is
conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in three stages — preliminary, main, and interview — to choose candidates for Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others.
The other members of the committee, which was formed on March 14, are IAS officers R K Gupta and P K Das. R K Gupta is working as Principal Secretary to the Jammu and Kashmir Governor and P K Das is working as Joint Secretary in DoPT.
The Committee’s chairman Arvind Varma is a retired IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre. He has served as DoPT Secretary between September 30, 1996 and November 30, 1998.
Meanwhile, scores of National Students’ Union Of India (NSUI) activists today staged a protest outside the residence of Rajnath Singh, demanding scrapping of Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT). (PTI)
Woman jumps into river
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 2: A woman jumped into river Jhelum today in an attempt to end her life in Baramulla district of North Kashmir.
Reports said that Ruqaiya Hamid, 30, mother-of-three children from Sangrama Sopore jumped from Cement Bridge Baramulla this afternoon. The reason of her attempt to suicide was yet to be ascertained. Police, civil administration with the help of Army launched rescue operation immediately.
A police officer said that they have pressed in at least three boats from the river police into service to fish out the body.
Police said they have started investigation about what led the woman to take the extreme step.
People protest against PDD
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 2: The residents of Shiva Colony and Uttam Nagar near Kunjwani held a protest demonstration against the Power Development Department (PDD) and blocked National Highway at Kunjwani for about one hour.
The residents from nearby mohallas from Kunjwani including shopkeepers blocked the National Highway towards Sainik Colony and raised slogans against the PDD for adopting delaying tactics in repairing the damaged power transformer of the area.
The protest was led by BJP leader Baldev Singh Billawaria, who alleged that the transformer installed in their locality was damaged some days back but despite repeated requests to PDD it was not repaired till date. The PDD’s causal approach has created manifold problems for the people especially old age citizens and kids in this hot and humid weather, he added.
Later, on the assurance of police and PDD officials that the faulty transformer would be replaced at the earliest, the protestors dispersed.
Sahyog organizing Volleyball Tournament on Aug 15-16
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
SAMBA, Aug 2: On the eve of Independence Day, Sahyog Committee Industrial Complex Bari-Brahmana is organizing 39th Volleyball Tournament on August 15, 2014 at Peer Baba Mini Stadium Bari-Brahmana, here.
16 teams will be taking part in the tournament.
A Tri-Color will be hoisted by ‘Sahyog” Committee during the inauguration of the tournament.
The final of the tournament will be held on August, 16, 2014 in which MLA Vijaypur Surjit Singh Slathia would be chief guest to distribute the prizes and trophies among the winners and runners-ups teams.
Talking to media, general secretary of Sahyog, Rakesh Sambyal told that the main objective of this tournament is to help youth not to derail from the mainstream and shun social evils like drugs etc.
Prominent amongst others present during the press conference were Dharam Paul, president of Sahyog, Rashpal Chand, Ghulam Hazrat Ali, Bhagwan Dass, Uttam Chand Sharma, Mulkh Raj, Girdhari Lal, Tarsem Singh Sambyal, Sat Slarvi, Shashi Sharma and Ashok Sharma.