NEW DELHI :  Petrol price was today hiked by 75 paise and diesel by 50 paise a litre as rise in global oil rates and fall in rupee value increased the cost of production.

The hikes, effective midnight tonight, are excluding local sales tax or VAT and actual increase will be higher and vary from city to city.

Petrol price, which was last hiked by 41 paise excluding VAT on December 21 as government raised commissioned paid to petrol pump dealers, will cost Rs 72.43 a litre in Delhi from midnight tonight, up 91 paise from Rs 71.52 currently.

The price of diesel in Delhi will be hiked by 56 paise, including tax, to Rs 54.34 per litre, while it will cost Rs 61.42 a litre in Mumbai as against Rs 60.80 currently.

Diesel price increase is in line with the January 2013 decision of the government to raise rates by up to 50 paise per month till such time that the entire losses on the fuel are wiped out, and prices made market determined.

Announcing the price hike, Indian Oil Corp, the nation’s largest fuel retailer, said that even after the 12th price hike since last January the oil companies are incurring Rs 9.24 per litre loss on sale of the fuel.

Officials said the price revision was due on January 1 but the oil companies did not change rates as they were wary of the decision being dubbed as ‘New Year Gift’ to consumers.

The Diesel price was last hiked by 10 paise on December 21 when the commission paid to petrol pump dealers was increased by the government.

Since last January, diesel rates have risen by a cumulative Rs 7.19 this year.

“Since the last price change, international prices of gasoline (petrol) have increased from about USD 115 per barrel to about USD 116.6, and the rupee-US dollar exchange rate has depreciated from Rs 61.88 to a US dollar to Rs 62.00,” IOC said in the statement.

There is a continued volatility in the international oil prices because of geopolitical and economic developments around the globe, it said.

On diesel, it said, the government had on January 17, 2013 authorised oil marketing companies to increase the retail selling price within a small range every month.

“Accordingly, since then, retail diesel prices are being revised every month…. Even after the current increase, under recovery (loss) on diesel shall stand at Rs 9.24 per litre,” it said.

Besides diesel, the state-owned oil firms are losing Rs 37.33 a litre on sale of kerosene through public distribution system (PDS) and Rs 762.50 per 14.2-kg domestic cooking gas (LPG) cylinder.

“For the (financial) year 2013-14, IOC is expected to incur under-recovery (revenue loss) of Rs 74,700 crore on sale of three sensitive products,” the statement said, adding that the industry would end the year with Rs 1,44,800 crore loss.

The movement of prices in the international oil market and the exchange rate are being closely monitored and developing trends of the market will be reflected in future price changes, IOC added. (agencies)

NEW DELHI :  Backing Prime Minister’s statement that Rahul Gandhi has outstanding credentials to be PM, Farooq Abdullah today hoped that the Congress vice president will deliver like his grand mother Indira Gandhi.

“I think PM made up his mind. There is no doubt about it that he has chosen to go. He does not want to have a third term. He has been a good PM.

“He led in the most difficult times of India’s history,” Farooq said after Singh ruled out a third term for himself and backed Rahul as PM candidate.

The Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy supported PM’s statement that Rahul has outstanding credentials to be PM and said that he hoped that “Rahul will deliver like his grand mother Indira Gandhi did.”

He blamed coalition politics for slow growth.

Farooq said many roadblocks were removed and things picked up pace again but time was lost.

“Running a coalition is not easy. We would have moved at faster speed… But coalition has these problems,” he said. (agencies)

NEW DELHI :  Border guarding forces of India and Pakistan have decided to resolve issues of ceasefire violations and firing along the border through a new dialogue mechanism between their local commanders.

Border Security Force (BSF) chief Subhash Joshi, who led a delegation of his officials for bilateral talks with Pakistan Rangers in the neighbouring country recently, today said both the sides have agreed that the commanders of these forces on the ground should meet at regular intervals to thrash out issues rather than the higher-ups holding formal talks.

The new decision would mean that the field commanders can talk to each other promptly rather than wait for approvals from seniors everytime. Specific cases would be dealt with according to old protocols.

Joshi said a host of confidence-building measures were discussed between the two forces, out of which the most salient point was the decision for quick repatriation of people who inadvertently cross the Indo-Pak border.

BSF officials said they witness an average of 60 such incidents of local people crossing over the border.

“We have agreed to send back the inadvertent crossers as soon as possible. My force commanders have been instructed to undertake quick measures in facilitating the return of such people after it is diligently established that they had no ulterior motives,” Joshi said on the sidelines of a BSF event here.

The Director General (DG) expressed the hope that these measures would help increase the confidence and friendship between the two forces.

Joshi said while it has decided that there will be ‘zero tolerance’ towards smuggling activities from both the sides, all existing mechanisms of communication between the officials on the ground would be enhanced by activation of a few more channels of conversation in the light of any incident that needs talking between the BSF and the Rangers.

Sources said the Rangers have agreed to investigate BSF’s contention that a few of its troops, on border guarding duties, have been injured by firing from ‘sniper’ or precision weapons which is against the rules of engagement during peacetime.

While the 13-member Indian delegation was led by Joshi, the Rangers team was headed by Maj Gen Khan Tahir Javed Khan. The officials of the two forces held face-to-face talks after one-and-half years.

Joshi earlier flagged off a contingent of the force which will render police duties under the United Nations (UN) flag in Haiti. (agencies)

NEW DELHI : Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and close aide Asadullah Akhtar were today remanded in police custody for 10 days by a Delhi court in connection with a case lodged against them for the September 2010 Jama Masjid terror attack days before the Commonwealth games here.
Bhatkal and Akhtar were produced before Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash after expiry of police custody in a separate case and special cell of Delhi Police sought their custodial interrogation in the 2010 Jama Masjid attack.
The police told the court that on September 19, 2010, two bikers had fired upon tourists at the gate of Jama Masjid in Old Delhi area and two Taiwanese, Ku-Ze-Wei and Ko-chiange, had sustained bullet injuries whereas a bomb was fitted in a car parked in the area.
It said the pressure cooker bomb planted in the car had not exploded due to some circuit problem and they need to quiz both Bhatkal and Akhtar in connection with the case.
Advocate M S Khan, who appeared for both Bhatkal and Akhtar, opposed the police’s plea saying his clients are in their custody for a long time.
Khan also argued that remand should not be granted only in the name of national security as Bhatkal and Akhtar had nothing left with them to disclose to the investigators.
The court, however, allowed the police’s plea and sent both the accused to custody for 10 days.
Earlier, the police had taken custody of both the accused in several terror cases, including the case relating to the firing incident at Jama Masjid’s gate.
The special cell had earlier told the court that during interrogation, Bhatkal had disclosed that he had arranged the logistics for Akhtar, Waqas, who is still absconding, and other IM members who carried out the attack near the prominent mosque here.
Bhatkal and Akhtar were earlier taken to Hyderabad after their arrest on September 21 and September 17 last year respectively by NIA’s Hyderabad unit in connection with the Dilsukhnagar blasts that claimed 16 lives.
The blasts were caused by IEDs planted near Konark and Venkatadiri theatres on February 21 of this year.
Bhatkal and Akhtar were prior to that arrested by NIA for allegedly carrying out various terror strikes in the country. NIA had said that Bhatkal was involved in bomb blasts in different parts of India since 2003.
According to NIA, Bhatkal, wanted in over 40 terror cases and carrying a reward of Rs 35 lakh, and Akhtar were arrested from the Indo-Nepal border on the night of August 28, 2013.
Bhatkal, who hails from Bhatkal village in Udupi district of north Karnataka, was allegedly involved in a string of terror attacks in Ahmedabad, Surat, Bangalore, Pune, Delhi and Hyderabad, the NIA had said.
30-year-old Bhatkal, who was earlier associated with banned outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), is suspected to have hatched a conspiracy with others to wage war against India. (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI : In yet another shot in the arm for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government in Delhi, its MLA M S Dhir was today elected Speaker of the Delhi Legislative assembly.
Mr Dhir, who was pitted against BJP’s Jagdish Mukhi for the post, received 37 votes in his favour against 32 votes for Dr Mukhi in the 70-member House.
His election to the post was a foregone conclusion after the Congress this morning decided to support the AAP candidate for the post. (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI : (Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today expressed hope of visiting Pakistan in next four months and said circumstances were “not appropriate” to visit that country so far.
Addressing a press conference, Singh was asked why he never visited Pakistan in last nearly ten years of his Prime Ministership.
“I would very much like to go to Pakistan. I was born in a village which is now part of West Punjab but as Prime Minister of the country I should go to visit Pakistan when conditions are appropriate to achieve solid results.
“I thought of it many times but ultimately I felt that circumstances are not appropriate for my visit. I still have not given up hope of going to Pakistan before I complete my tenure as Prime Minister,” Singh said while addressing a press conference.
On another query about reports that India and Pakistan were on the verge of a historic deal on Jammu and Kashmir, the Prime Minister said,”I have tried to improve relations with all our neighbours to the best of my ability and on one time it appeared that important breakthrough was in sight.
“Events in Pakistan for example that General Pervez Musharraf (former President) had to make way for a different set up. I think that led to the process not moving further….”
However, he added that he still believes that good relations between India and Pakistan are very essential for the sub-continent to realise its full development potential to get rid of poverty, ignorance and disease which have caused inevitable loss to millions and millions of people. (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI : Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a 10-fold decrease in militancy related incidents during the nine years of the two tenures of UPA and the situation in the state was “rapidly improving”, says a report card of the Government released by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today.
The report card, released ahead of Singh’s press conference, said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir has shown vast improvement as the Government has worked with people of the State to restore normalcy and encouraged development in equal measures.
“Militancy related incidents declined sharply and a ten-fold decrease was witnessed as both the Central and State Government worked in cooperation and coordination,” it said.
The number of incidents in 2004 was 2,565 which resulted in 1,964 deaths while in 2012 there were 220 incidents that led to 102 deaths.
The Government was able to contain loss of lives while concentrating more on development and employment generating measures to empower citizens, it said.
“Security situation in the State has rapidly improved after UPA Government came to power and implemented policies for relief and rehabilitation in the militancy affected areas,” it added.
Talking about Left Wing Extremism(LWE), the report card said the UPA was dealing with it in a “holistic manner” in the areas of security, development, ensuring rights of local communities and good governance.
It was showing results in declining violence in LWE affected areas. (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI : Expressing confidence over the UPA coming to power at the Centre for a third consecutive term, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said having BJP leader Narendra Modi as Prime Minister would be disastrous for the country.
‘I am confident that the next Prime Minister will be from the UPA. It will be disastrous for the country to have Narendra Modi as PM,’ Dr Singh told a press conference here.
Elaborating, he said, ‘I do not believe that the kind of strength associated with Modi is good for the country. Strength is not someone presiding over massacre of innocent  people on the streets of Ahmedabad.” (AGENCIES)