Members of North India Printers’ Association during its 33rd executive body meeting held at Jammu on Sunday.
JAMMU, June 29: The 33rd executive body meeting of North India Printers Association (NIPA) was held here at Press Club under the presidentship of Padamshree, Vijay Kumar Chopra in which members from Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Karnal and Jammu participated.
All office bearers and executive members of Jammu Printers Association also participated in the meeting as observers. The meeting was held as per agenda of the NIPA already circulated among the members.
Chopra while addressing the participants stressed upon the unity of NIPA members for furthering the cause of NIPA associates.
The meeting was conducted by general secretary Kamal Chopra. Earlier, Joginder Singh, president, Jammu Printers Association, welcomed the delegates of NIPA to the city of temple. The meeting concluded with lunch.
Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, June 29: A pillion rider was killed when the motorcycle she was riding on along with her son slipped near Rahmati road in Shiv Nagar.
As per police sources, 54-year-old Nirmla Pradhan, wife of Sham Singh Pradhan of Bilan Babli was riding on motorcycle bearing registration number JK14B-1852 with her son, when the vehicle slipped near Rahmati road in Shiv Nagar, causing serious injuries to woman.
The woman was rushed to District Hospital (DH) Udhampur, where doctors declared her as brought dead.
The body has been shifted to mortuary of District Hospital for postmortem, which will be conducted tomorrow.
A case under relevant Sections has been registered at Udhampur police station and investigation started.
Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, June 29: Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, under Romeo Force distributed school furniture to Government Middle School, Ponthal, district Rajouri, today.
During recent civil-military interaction at Ponthal, local residents from the area had requested Army to assist school authorities in provisioning of basic furniture for the school. Army having taken cognizance of people’s request, took the initiative for the noble cause and presented school with 34 desks double seater, four almirah, five stools during a glittering ceremony held at Ponthal.
The function was attended by various dignitaries from civil administration as well as Army. The programme concluded with vote of thanks from Sarfraz Khan, Sarpanch Ponthal and Mohd Sabbar, School Headmaster wherein efforts of the Indian Army towards bringing a new face lift to the school were highly appreciated.
Government Middle School, Ponthal is the only middle school existing for children from this area.
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 29: A meeting of field officers/functionaries of All Sericulture Development Department Employees Union, (ASDDEU) Jammu province was held here today.
A number of officials participated in the meeting and through secret ballot election of central body members was conducted.
The members elected included Veerji Bhat as president, Vijay Kumar Sharma and Rajinder Kumar Padha as vice president, Sanjay Rohmetra as general secretary, Tariq Ali as secretary, Sunil ji Bhat as technical secretary, Mohd Sharief Khan and Mohd Ishaq as central committee members, Romesh Sharma as cashier and Harpal Singh as publicity assistant.
A unanimous resolution was passed in the meeting to actively take up the matter of anomalies in the pay grades of field functionaries of Sericulture Department with the Government.
NEW DELHI, June 29:
The new Government may enhance the Plan expenditure for 2014-15 by around Rs 11,000 crore in the Budget next month, which would be about 2 per cent higher than what was provided in the previous fiscal budget.
However, the proposed plan spending for the fiscal would be higher by about Rs 90,790 crore or 19 per cent over the revised estimates for 2013-14.
The plan expenditure, or GBS (gross budgetary support), is the Government spending on social sector schemes such as Bharat Nirman, rural employment guarantee and National Rural Health Mission.
“The new Government may increase GBS by Rs 11,000 crore which would be around two per cent higher than Rs 5,55,322 crore provided in the 2013-14 budget,” a source said .
According him, the GBS figure has already been finalised for the General Budget which would be presented in Parliament next month.
A senior official said that there is little scope to increase the Plan spending over the last budget as Government is required to keep the fiscal deficit in check.
According to the latest Government data, the fiscal deficit in 2013-14 stood at 4.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), lower than 4.6 per cent projected in the revised estimate, mainly on account of curbs on Government expenditure.
The fiscal deficit, the gap between Government’s expenditure and revenue, in actual terms was at Rs 5.08 lakh crore as against Rs 5.24 lakh crore projected in the revised estimates.
The lower fiscal deficit reduces the Government’s expenditure on interest payment.
The UPA Government had cut the total Plan expenditure to Rs 4,75,532 crore for 2013-14 compared to the budget estimates of the Rs 5,55,322 crore, for keeping a tab on the fiscal deficit. It was for second year in a row that the previous Government cut Plan spending substantially to keep fiscal deficit under control.
After assuming office in 2004, the UPA Government in its regular budget had pegged the total Plan expenditure at Rs 1,45,590 crore, as compared to Rs 1,35,071 crore provided in the interim budget for 2004-05 by previous NDA Government.
Similarly, this time the Plan expenditure would be a little higher over Rs 5,55,322 crore provided in the interim budget for the 2014-15 by the previous Government. (PTI)
NEW DELHI, June 29:
UGC today asked Delhi University to continue with the four-year B.Tech programme only for the students admitted during the academic year 2013-14, putting an end to uncertainty following rollback of the controversial FYUP.
University Grants Commission (UGC) also asked DU to ensure that colleges under it, which admitted students to the four- year undergraduate programme (FYUP), obtain approval from regulatory bodies such as UGC itself and AICTE to ensure that students under FYUP are not put to any disadvantage.
Over 2,500 students are enrolled in six B.Tech programmes — Computer Science, Electronics, Food Technology, Polymer Science, Instrumentation and Electronics and Psychological Science. They have been protesting ever since the rollback of FYUP.
UGC, in a statement, said, “4-year B.Tech Programmes in Computer Science, Electronics, Food Technology, Instrumentation Electronics and Polymer Science {where such students were admitted in the colleges under Delhi University} and which are covered under section 22 of the UGC Act, with respect to B.Tech, may continue in these programmes only for the students already admitted for academic year 2013-14.”
The Commission was, however, silent on the Psychological Science course. This programme, also with the Bachelor in Management Studies (BMS) programme, about which the commission also remained silent, are likely to be converted into three- year courses, officials said.
The directive of UGC is in line with the recommendation of its Standing Committee, which has suggested that the programme should continue in the four-year format for the students already admitted so that there is no “prejudice” caused to their interest. (PTI)
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 29: PDP Migrant Cell activists in a meeting today reviewed the prevailing situation and appealed the Party High Command to include the migrants rehabilitation, restoration of their religious places and constitution of Shrine Board in the Party manifesto.
The meeting, which was chaired by Ashok Dhar of Pahalgam Constituency and among others attended by Nana Ji Raina of Kokernag Constituency urged the workers to gear up for the elections and ensure the victory of Party candidates. The meeting expressed satisfaction over selection of candidates including Rafi Ahmed Mir from Pahalgam and others including granting of mandate to Abdul Rahim Rather from Kokernag.
The meeting said in the changing political scenario PDP has to play a crucial role and relieve the people of the State from present mess.
The meeting said that the temples including Ganeshbal Pahalgam, Paperna Nag Salia and Siligam needed to be renovated. The meeting among others was attended by Ramesh Kumar Dhar, S K Bhat B N Dhar, O N Bhat, S L Koul, A K Koul, Kamal Ji and Ashok Raina.
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 29: Army and police today recovered a consignment of arms, ammunition and explosive devices from Mahore area in Reasi district. A hideout of the militants was destroyed in the operation.
Reports said a joint team of Rashtriya Rifles and police launched a joint search operation in Mahore forests this morning after developing specific inputs that a consignment of arms and explosive material had been dumped in a hideout in the forest area.
After two hours long search operations, troops identified the hideout and destroyed it. Recoveries made from the hideout included one AK rifle with one magazine and 128 rounds, five fires cases of AK, one Improvised Explosive Device (IED) with 2.5 kg explosive material, one IED circuit and one Chinese hand grenade.
Army and police conducted searches in the area but no arrests were made, reports said.
Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, June 29: Madan Lal Sharma, former Minister and Ex- MP today addressed workers meeting at Samba wherein he raised the issues of price hike, refugees, border inhabitants, quota for Jatt’s, increase in quota for OBCs and inclusion of Border villages in RBA.
Mr Sharma conveyed his gratitude to his voters who have voted for him despite propaganda and polarization.
He said that he is always available for the cause of humanity.
Mr Sharma added that they will do retrospection meetings of the party infrastructural, development and social empowerment works done by the UPA Government in the country and by him for Samba, Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch.
In a satirical manner, Mr Sharma said that the Prime Minister before the elections was frequently saying “ Maa Bete ki sarkar Jayegi tu Mehngayi Khatam ho jayegi, Acche din aane wale hai”.
Criticizing the Governments on Railway fare hike, Mr Sharma said that the price hike is not controlled by the BJP Government rather they are raising prices of the commodities which are used by the common man.
He demanded roll back in Railway fare and advised Government not raise other prices.
Mr. Sharma appealed the Government to provide state subjects to the West Pak Refugees and demanded one time settlement of all pending issues of 1947, 65, 71 Refugees. He appealed the State Government to declare border belts on IB and upper belts of Samba as RBA and also demanded implementation of schemes for SC, ST, OBC and other oppressed sections of the Society in letter and spirit. Mr. Sharma also appealed the State Government to pass resolution in the Cabinet and Assembly and include Jats under OBC category.
Prominent Congress leaders S. Manjit Singh Ex. Minister, Dr. Sat Paul Sr. Congress leader in their addresses said that Congressmen will come on roads against anti people decisions taken by the BJP headed NDA Government.
Prominent among others present on the occasion were Babul Gupta, Darshan Singh, Sarpanch, Darbara Singh, Chander Shekhar, Rangat Girdhara Singh, Ghar Singh, Satpaul Sharma, Janak Raj, Bishan Choudhary, Shiv Rattan Dev Singh and Akshay Kumar.
NEW DELHI, June 29:
The Government should raise the FDI cap in the defence sector to at least 51 per cent in order to make the segment more attractive to foreign investors and reduce import dependence, experts have said.
“The Government should open the defence sector for foreign players. It is the need of the hour. Keeping in mind the investment needs of the sector, the FDI cap should be increased to 51 per cent and above. The Government should also keep in mind the security-related issues,” Krishan Malhotra, Head of Tax, Amarchand & Mangaldas, said.
Malhotra, who is an expert on FDI, said raising the FDI cap would help the country to drastically reduce high defence import bill and boost manufacturing in the sector.
Former Ficci President R V Kanoria said: “India should open the sector for foreign players. I do not see any reason why we do not manufacture defence equipment in India.”
He said that in cases where a foreign player would bring state-of-the-art technology, the Government should permit 100 per cent FDI in defence manufacturing.
Renowned economist Rajiv Kumar said that the Government should hike the FDI cap to 74 per cent.
“FDI cap below 51 per cent will not serve any interest of the policy. Government should in fact raise it to 74 per cent. It will help in manufacturing indigenous defence equipment in the country,” he said.
India imports defence equipment worth over USD 8 billion annually. It is one of the largest defence importers in the world with only a minuscule component of exports.
The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion has circulated a draft Cabinet note to relax foreign investment policy in defence sector. They have proposed up to 100 per cent FDI in case of state-of-the-art technology and 74 per cent (FDI + FII) in case of technology transfer.
Raising FDI cap at least to 51 per cent in defence would be a game changer for the country, Government officials said.
“India can be a game-changer only by allowing at least 51 per cent FDI in the sector. With access to critical technology, the domestic companies will be able to manufacture products indigenously and make India a global defence manufacturing and export hub,” an official said.
Figures clearly reflect that India has not received any investment when the cap was 49 per cent. Between 2001 and August 2013, 49 per cent foreign investment (26 per cent FDI + 23 per cent FII) was allowed. During this time, India has attracted only USD 5 million investments, which is lowest in any sector.
As economies in the West are not growing at a healthy rate, multi-national companies want to expand their manufacturing base in Asia and India can become a major centre for that, said an industry player.
“India can become a manufacturing centre for global defence companies and they can also export from here. It would lead to creation of jobs,” he added. (PTI)
