Thursday, July 29, 2010

Parliament approves President's Rule in Jharkhand without debate! The Opposition Reality Show Only Helps the Manusmriti Hegemony to Get Through Legislation Hardles Under Complete Blackout. Thus, Financial Bills have to Be Passed!

Parliament approves President's Rule in Jharkhand without debate! The Opposition Reality Show Only Helps the Manusmriti Hegemony to Get Through Legislation Hardles Under Complete Blackout. Thus, Financial Bills have to Be Passed!

Will overcome Maoist problem in three years: Chidambaram

'Most Indian kids under online sex, violence threat'

Parliament deadlocked again as price rise protests continue!

Sohrabuddin case: CBI to quiz Narendra Modi?

UPA sidesteps reports of Modi's name figuring in CBI probe

Govt may fast-track SAIL issue

Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and Time - Four Hundred THIRTY SEVEN

Palash Biswas

http://indianholocaustmyfatherslifeandtime.blogspot.com/

The government on Thursday said it was confident of overcoming the Maoist problem in the next three years and had prepared a two-pronged strategy of initiating development and police action in the affected areas.

Chidambaram`s Corporate War is Reminiscent of Vedic Invasion against Aboriginal Bharat Varsh thousands years ago as He Reincarnates himself as the God INDRA, the Destroyer of Non Aryan Urban Civilization down to zero ground and the Aboriginal Humanscape has been either Converted as HINDU to be Enslaved Eternally or ejected out of the Mainstream banished in the Dense forests and Barren Hills!

Meanwhile,Parliament approves President's Rule in Jharkhand without debate! The Opposition Reality Show Only Helps the Manusmriti Hegemony to Get Through Legislation Hardles Under Complete Blackout.The deadlock in parliament over the rising prices of essential commodities continued on Thursday with a determined opposition stalling both houses and no business being transacted for the third working day of the monsoon session.

Thus, Financial Bills have to Be Passed!Amid Opposition uproar over price rise, Parliament on Thursday approved imposition of President's Rule in Jharkhand without any debate.

Addressing a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee for the ministry of home affairs, home minister P Chidambaram expressed confidence that the challenge of left wing extremism would be met jointly by the central and state governments.

"The government was confident that the problem of left wing extremism would be overcome in the next three years," he said.

Chidambaram said after consultations with the Naxal-affected states, it was agreed to have a two-pronged strategy to handle the Maoist issue -- development and police action.

While the Central government acknowledged that the primary role and responsibility was that of state governments in enforcing law and order in confronting the challenge of left wing extremists, it also recognised its responsibility in assisting the states in every way, he said.

The home minister said the Centre was assisting the states by providing para-military forces, sharing intelligence and funding both development schemes and security needs.

Chidambaram informed the Parliamentarians that in a meeting of chief ministers of seven Naxal-affected states on July 14, it was agreed that a Unified Command would be set up in four states -- West Bengal, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand -- for anti-Naxal operations.

Besides, the Centre would provide these states additional helicopters for logistical support, funds for establishment and strengthening of 400 police stations recruiting additional Special Police Officers.

It was also agreed to set up an Empowered Group chaired by member secretary, Planning Commission, to review existing norms and guidelines in implementation of various development schemes, having regard to local needs like road connectivity, primary education, primary health care and drinking water.

During the discussions, the members broadly agreed with the suggestions given in the agenda note which included steps on both security and development fronts.

According to an estimate, about 40,000 sq km areas in these states are under the control of Maoists. Naxal violence has claimed the lives of over 10,000 civilians and security personnel in the last five years. Out of a total of 10,268 casualties between 2005 and May this year, 2,372 deaths have been reported in 2009 as against 1,769 in 2008 and 1,737 in 2007.

As Opposition members stormed the well in the Lok Sabha and raised vociferous slogans in the Rajya Sabha, a statutory resolution approving the central rule was put to vote and adopted by voice vote in both Houses.In the Rajya Sabha, the resolution was moved by Minister of State for Home Mulapally Ramachandran and passed without discussion amid uproar over price rise.Similar scenes were witnessed in the Lok Sabha where members of the BJP-led NDA and the Samajwadi Party stormed the well raising slogans, when Minister of State for Home Ajay Maken placed the resolution for vote. The measure was adopted by a voice vote amidst the din.

Jharkhand came under Central rule on June one this year after Congress and BJP gave up efforts to form an alternative government following resignation of Chief Minister Shibu Soren. The assembly has been kept in suspended animation.

Congress and BJP had both indicated their inability to form an alternative government in the state after the Soren government was reduced to a minority on May 24.

BJP, with 18 MLAs and JD(U) with two, withdrew support to the government after Soren voted against the cut motions sponsored by the opposition in Lok Sabha on April 27. The JMM, with 18 MLAs and having the support of seven others, was short of the required 42 MLAs in the 81-member House.

Congress, with a strength of 14, and its ally JVM(P) with 11 members, had said it did not have the numbers to stake claim to form a government.

Jharkhand has seen seven Chief Ministers since its creation on November 15, 2000.

A day after Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar rejected the opposition demand for debating the issue as an adjournment motion that entails voting, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders L.K. Advani, Nitin Gadkari and Sushma Swaraj, among others, took the battle to the Rashtrapati Bhavan seeking President Pratibha Patil's intervention.

Non-National Democratic Alliance (NDA) opposition parties chose to demonstrate inside the Parliament House complex. Demanding a roll-back in the hike in fuel prices, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the Communist Party of India, along with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), the AIADMK and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) wanted a discussion under rules which have a specific provision for voting.

The protests were preceded by repeated disruptions in parliament, forcing the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha to be again adjourned for the day.

Vociferous protests by the opposition erupted as the two houses assembled at 11 a.m. Failing to restore order, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira and Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari adjourned the proceedings till 12 noon.

However, as the pandemonium continued when they reassembled, both houses were adjourned for the day after government papers were tabled. Amidst the bedlam, the two houses also approved the imposition of president's rule in Jharkhand.

In the Lok Sabha, angry opposition members led by Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj and Mulayam Singh of the Samajwadi Party were on their feet as the house resumed in the morning, demanding a discussion on the price rise issue under an adjournment motion that entails voting.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal objected to the opposition's demand and stated that the government was ready for a discussion under rule 193, which does not entail voting.

"Please let question hour proceed," urged Speaker Meira Kumar but Swaraj retorted that the only issue that would be discussed in the house was the price rise.

The Rajya Sabha, where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was present during the din, was also adjourned for the day after similar scenes.

Parliament has not been able to transact any business on the first three working days of the monsoon session that began Monday due to vociferous opposition demands that the price rise issue be debated on priority basis followed by a voting to "censure" the government over its alleged failure to curb the rising prices.

BJP president Gadkari told reporters outside Rashtrapati Bhavan that "the basic reason of price rise is the wrong economic policies of the UPA government. We have urged the president to intervene and find solution after talking to the government".

Advani expressed surprise over Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's statement Wednesday that the government had not failed to contain the prices. "If it is not government failure, what else is it?" he asked.

On its part, Congress criticised the opposition for paralysing parliament.

"The prices are not going to come down if they keep shouting slogans inside and outside parliament," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said.

Tewari said the Congress was not averse to discuss the issue and added that since the speaker had rejected the opposition demand they must accept it.

'Most Indian kids under online sex, violence threat'

Seven out of 10 Indian kids have been exposed to nudity and violence, or have been asked by a stranger to meet them in person when they are online, security software-maker Symantec said.
According to Symantec's Norton Online Family Report 2010, 77 per cent of Indian kids have experienced some 'negative' situation online, while only half of the Indian parents interviewed thought their children had such an experience.
For example, only 24 per cent of the parents interviewed thought it was possible for a stranger to try to add their child as a friend on a social networking site, but 55 per cent of the children surveyed said it has happened to them.
"This report provides a glimpse into the online lives of children and how tuned in parents are to their online activities," Symantec Consumer Business Head Asia Effendy Ibrahim said.
The third edition of the report, which is part of a global survey of 2,800 children and more than 7,000 adults across 14 countries, examined the actual online experiences of kids compared to their parents' perception.
Though parents have an idea of the amount of time their children spend online, only 45 per cent of parents realise their kids are having negative experiences, the study said.
"While parents are generally aware of the kid's activities online, they underestimate the extent to which kids download music and videos. During the process, kids may be exposed to inappropriate content and may be encouraged to disclose personal details," Symantec Country Sales Manager (India) (Consumer Products and Solutions) Gaurav Kanwal said.
These negative online experiences result in an emotional impact as well. While 41 per cent of the children surveyed felt angry, 40 per cent said they were upset by the experience and 35 per cent said they were afraid.
"Along with a variety of emotions like being scared or angry, we have also met kids who feel personally responsible for these negative experiences, especially downloading a virus or being scammed," Ibrahim said.
Kids, however, now find it easier to talk to parents about their online activities.
"In addition to relying on their parents if something bad happened online, nearly nine in 10 report they follow family rules for Internet use," Ibrahim said.
Symantec suggests that parents undertake an open discussion with their children and set rules for Internet usage.
"These days, a lot of softwares are available that allow parents to keep a tab on the activities of the kids online.
However, it is important to discuss it with them rather than forcing them," Kanwal said.

Govt counting on PSU dividends to improve finances: Arun Yadav
The government today said it is counting on payouts by public sector units, particularly in the petroleum sector, to improve its finances.

Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) are expected to declare a minimum dividend of 20 per cent. This would be 30 per cent in the case of oil, petroleum, infrastructure and chemical sector PSUs, Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Arun Yadav informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

"This is to meet the austerity measures of the government," he said.

The finances of the central government 2008-09 came under pressure in 2008-09, as it had to give a stimulus packages to the industry, which was hit by the global slowdown.

Consequently, the fiscal deficit went up to 6.1 per cent and 6.7 per cent of the country's gross domestic product in 2008-09 and 2009-10, respectively. It had shot up from 2.6 per cent in 2007-08.

"It rose... in the wake of increased spending and tax deductions that were part of the fiscal stimulus," the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council said in its economic outlook for the current fiscal.

The total contribution by CPSEs to the central exchequer stood at about Rs 1.52 lakh crore in 2008-09 and the dividend paid was Rs 19.38 lakh crore.

IOC, BPCL and HPCL are among the leading PSUs in the petroleum sector.

UPA sidesteps reports of Modi's name figuring in CBI probe

Government on Thursday chose not to comment on reports of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's name cropping up during interrogation of former minister Amit Shah by CBI in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.
"The issue is distressing for any democracy... thus one should be extra cautious about what one does or says. It should be seen that we don't overstep the law of the land. Supervision of Supreme Court is the highest... as public figures, we cannot comment in such cases," Union Minister Salman Khurshid told reporters outside Parliament.
The Minority Affairs Minister was reacting to a question on Modi's name reportedly cropping up during former junior Home minister Amit Shah's interrogation.
The investigating agency has so far arrested Shah, IPS officer Abhay Chudasama and owners of Arham farm Rajendra Jirawala in the case.
CBI had interrogated Shah inside the Sabarmati jail on Wednesday.

Reserve Bank may tighten rates till mid-2011: Credit Agricole

The Reserve Bank of India's key policy lending rate may be raised to 6.25 percent by December and 6.75 percent by mid-2011, Credit Agricole said on Thursday.

The bank had earlier predicted the repo rate at 6 percent by December and 6.5 percent by mid-2011, it said. The rate was raised to 5.75 percent at the central bank's monetary policy reivew on Tuesday.

"Indian policy makers seem increasingly desperate to catch up with inflation as a belated start of the tightening process left them substantially behind the curve," said Dariusz Kowalczyk, senior economist and strategist, Credit Agricole CIB, Hong Kong.

The RBI is likely to raise interest rates more aggressively in the rest of the fiscal year, a Reuters poll conducted on Tuesday showed, and most economists surveyed expect rates to be raised by the end of September.

"Clearly, monetary policy settings have not matched price developments and RBI goals, and more needs to be done to rectify the imbalance," Kowalczyk wrote.

"Furthermore, the RBI begun to increase rates as late as in March, when inflation was already rampant. Being behind the curve means that policy makers need to do more than they would if they had started the process sooner. The delay has allowed price pressures to spread beyond the original culprit food to the wider economy." Credit Agricole said it expects inflation to be "quite sticky" at just under 10 percent year-on-year until October and then stabilizing at around 6 percent during 2011.

"A pause in the tightening cycle will follow as policymakers may want to assess how developed economies cope with withdrawal offical stimulus," Kowalczyk wrote.

Credit Agricole expects the RBI to narrow the difference between the repo and reverse repo rates further from 125 basis points but sees banking system liquidity remaining tight with the call rate at the repo rate for the next couple of months.

It sees the central bank raising the reverse repo rate by 75 basis points in the second half of 2010-11, compared with a 50 basis-point prediction for the repo rate. It expects the rupee to depreciate in the third quarter of 2010-11 regardless of further tightening as softer US data weighs on sentiment for emerging markets but a rebound in the fourth quarter is likely to follow as concerns over global double dip should subside by then.

When liquidity conditions return to normal, short money market rates are likely to resume tracking the reverse repo rate. This would lead to their decline despite further tightening by the central bank, which could partially reverse recent gains at the short end of the OIS curve, according to the note.
Sohrabuddin case: CBI to quiz Narendra Modi?
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team is likely to seek permission from its headquarters to question Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in connection with the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case. According to television reports, the investigating agency may want Modi to answer some

Aiyar raises CWG issue in Rajya Sabha

Mani Shankar Aiyar just cannot stop talking about the Commonwealth Games and after openly praying that the event ends up a disaster, the former sports minister on Thursday asked pointed questions in the Rajya Sabha on the expected revenues from the extravaganza here.

The Congress MP, who created a furore by saying that he would be unhappy if the Games are a success, today asked Sports Minister M S Gill about the revenues likely to be generated from it and whether the money earned would be able to cover up for the cost.

He asked whether the Commonwealth Organising Committee has agreed to reimburse the government from revenues generated by ticket sales, sponsorship and advertising.

Gill replied in affirmative and also stated that the, "the expected revenue generation as estimated by the Organising Committee is Rs 1708 crore."

Gill said the OC is likely to incur expenses of Rs 2394 crore but the government's contribution would be known only after "final settlement of accounts".

Asked by Aiyar how much the Government had initially sanctioned for the Games when the Indian Olympic Association made the bid for the Games in 2003, Gill said, "The IOA had estimated in 2003, an expenditure of Rs 655 crore for organising the Commonwealth Games. The present estimates for organising the Commonwealth Games have been reflected at Rs 11,494 crore."

Replying to a question from another MP on the delay in completion of work for infrastructure development, Gill said, "Corrective measures by way of increased workforce and intensive monitoring have been taken. The projects of sports infrastructure will be completed well before the Games."

Govt may fast-track SAIL issue

The government may fast-track the SAIL divestment process that would exempt the steel-maker from seeking comments on its draft offer from the market regulator Sebi.
The follow-on public offer, which will see the government divesting 10 per cent of its stake and the company issuing fresh equity in the same proportion, may help raise Rs 16,000 crore going by the current market price.
"SAIL disinvestment will be on the fast-track basis," a senior finance ministry official said. He further said the government will this week or by the next, invite applications for book running lead managers for the offer.
According to Disinvestment Secretary Sumit Bose, SAIL is one of the many public sector companies identified by the government for stake dilution to raise Rs 40,000 crore to help arrest the widening fiscal deficit.
The others are Coal India, Hindustan Copper, Power Grid and Manganese Ore India. Divestment in Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam is already complete, while that of Engineers India is on.
Through SJVNL, the government raised over Rs 1,000 crore, while EIL could fetch nearly Rs 977 crore.
The government in 2009-10 had raised Rs 25,000 crore through divestment in Oil India, NMDC, REC and NTPC.
Under the fast-track route, a company can proceed with the FPO by filing a copy of the prospectus with the RoC or the letter of offer with Sebi and stock exchanges. Such companies are not required to file draft offer document for comments from the market regulator and stock exchanges.
The government had cleared a proposal to sell 20 per cent equity in SAIL, the country's largest steel-maker, in April.
The government holds a little over 85 per cent in SAIL, which will go down to about 69 per cent post-FPO.
Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh had recently said the FPO could generate Rs 16,000 crore.
SAIL shares were trading at Rs 204.4, down 1.83 per cent on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

CIA watched ISI tap phones, help suicide bombers

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Manu Pubby

Posted: Jul 29, 2010 at 0313 hrs IST
New Delhi Washington's claim that it gave a heads-up to New Delhi on the leaked Af-Pak documents is loaded with irony. For, what these papers show is that Pakistani spy agency ISI supplied suicide bombers in Afghanistan with explosives-strapped motorcycles and listened in on telephone networks to supply them crucial information — all right under the nose of the US intelligence establishment.
In a threat assessment report dated August 27, 2007, one of the many leaked by Wikileaks, the US intelligence establishment admits it has information that all calls made to the largest mobile phone company in Afghanistan, Roshan, are routed through Pakistan.
With a non-existent landline network, most telephone users in Afghanistan — including coalition force members and foreign nationals — are dependent on this mobile network.
"Reporting from February 2007 indicates Pakistani intelligence service (ISI) is currently collecting and databasing all Roshan calls and numbers from Afghanistan. Reportedly, when a Roshan user places a call to any number — either inside or outside Afghanistan — the call is re-routed through Pakistan," the intelligence report says.
However, no course of action was charted out even though the report went on to say that the ISI is known to share information with Taliban insurgents.
"Elements of the ISI and insurgents have cooperated in the past and it is possible that intercepted cell photo data can be passed to insurgents on a regular basis," the report says.
While phone-tapping can yield information that can be used by insurgents, there is more evidence in the leaked documents that US was aware of ISI's direct funding of Taliban insurgents and suicide bombers.
In May 2007, another intelligence report on the activities and plans of the Haqqani network reveals that the US was aware of ISI's funding of suicide bombers. "On 25 April, 2007, ISI sent 1000 motorcycles to Mawlawi Jalaludin Haqqani for suicide attacks in Khowst and Lowgar Province," the report says.
Yet another report dated March 2009 — just before Kabul saw stepped up violence — reveals that the US was aware that Pakistan had ordered Taliban fighters to intensify attacks in the Afghan capital.
"Several Taliban commanders leading approximately 100 armed fighters, along with 15 Chechen, have entered Afghanistan, passing through Iran. These have been appointed by Pakistan to conduct attacks, including suicide attacks, in Kabul Province," the threat report says.
While former ISI chief Hamid Gul has denied that he was involved with the Taliban, US intelligence reports say he attended meetings with the top leadership of the terror organisation in 2006 and instructed them to target coalition soldiers and "make the snow warm in Kabul" with repeated attacks.
A December 2006 report says that Gul procured 50 mines for distribution to Taliban fighters for use against targets in Kabul.
"During this meeting, Gul claimed he dispatched three unidentified individuals to Kabul city to carry out IED attacks during the Eid celebration...reportedly Gul's final comment to the three individuals was make the snow warm in Kabul, basically telling them to set Kabul aflame," the report notes.
Another intelligence report reveals that US is aware of an ISI- run training camp in Quetta that is training Taliban fighters.
The report dated August 16, 2006, says that in a meeting in Quetta, which was attended by both Mullah Omar and Osama Bin Laden, instructions were given to six suicide bombers to target different parts of Afghanistan.
"Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) runs a training facility in Quetta, and train Pakistani activists from Jamyat-Ul-Talabah and Harakat Islami Kashmir as well as Chechens, Uzbeks, Afghans and Arabs," the report says.
In a December 2007 intelligence report, inputs were received that the ISI could possibly be using children to carry out suicide attacks in Kabul and Khost.
"Extremist leaders in Pakistan, in coordination with a Pakistani intelligence agent (ISI), allegedly planned to send three children to conduct suicide attacks in the Afghan cities of Kabul and Khost on or shortly after the Eid ul-Adha holiday on 20 December 2007," the threat report says.
On Hamid Gul, the last report on his meetings with the Taliban leadership is in January 2009 where he is described as planning operations to get suicide bombers into Afghanistan.
"Hamid Gul encouraged the AAF (Anti Afghan Forces) leaders to focus their operation inside Afghanistan in exchange for the government of Pakistan's security forces turning a blind eye to the presence of AAF commanders and fighters in Pakistan," the report says.

TODAY - 29 July, 2010

Is it time to have a baby?

Are you ready to have a baby? Here's what you might want to consider before you decide to become parents. Read on

As of 5 hours ago

Food inflation eases to to 9.67 pct

- IE Finance
India's food inflation eased and fuel inflation notched up in mid-July, but the data is unlikely to change the RBI's decisive move towards stamping down on double-digit inflation....

HCL Tech Q4 net up 23% at Rs 238 cr- IE Finance
Aggressive monetary policy needed: RBI- Reuters
Monsoon strengthens further, crops to gain- Reuters
Govt raises security concerns over BlackBerry services- IE Finance
Indian Hotels bullish on domestic mkt- IE Finance

            » View more top stories

Featured

UK hints at review of govt-related IT outsourcing deals
British prime minister David Cameron said all outsourcing contracts signed with the previous government will be reviewed as the country battles a huge budget deficit that stands at 11% of national income, the highest among G20 countries.

Interview: Liquidity checks will help banks mobilise deposits
Interview: We are not planning to revise our pricing strategy

LIVE BUSINESS NEWS

Bank of Baroda to maintain 25 pct profit growth in FY11- Reuters
Hero Honda quarterly net dips, margin pressure to continue- Reuters
Nagarjuna Fertilizers net up on better gas usage- Reuters
POLL - Equity funds plan to raise stock bets- Reuters
SAIL Q1 net falls 12 pct; sees demand rising- Reuters
RBI official: aggressive monetary policy needed- Reuters
Hero Honda quarterly net down 1.6 pct, lags f'cast- Reuters
Oriental Bank Q1 profit jumps 41 pct, shares gain- Reuters
Rupee at near 1-month peak on dollar weakness- Reuters
ONGC Q1 net falls 24.5 pct, lags estimates- Reuters

http://in.finance.yahoo.com/

Alarm over chemicals in veggies
Kounteya Sinha, TNN, Jul 28, 2010, 12.36am IST
Tags:vegetables|oxytocin|health|farmers|chemicals in veggies

How healthy is your veggie diet? (AFP)

NEW DELHI: How fresh and healthy are the vegetables that you consume daily? Not much, according to the Union health ministry.

In a bid to make them look garden fresh and ensure that they grow faster to reach markets, farmers are using chemicals at random that threaten to cause serious health hazards to consumers.

Expressing concern, minister of state for health Dinesh Trivedi has said, "Eating vegetables -- a must for good health -- may pose serious threat to health, causing nervous breakdowns, sterility and various neurotic complications because of their chemical content."

In a letter to Union health secretary K Sujatha Rao, Trivedi has called for immediate action against farmers involved in such unscrupulous acts.

The letter outlines that the health benefits of consuming green vegetables as a staple diet finds "a sharp contradiction in the present day context". Farmers are blatantly using hormone shots to help vegetables at a faster rate. "These hormones may cause irreparable damage to our health, if consumed over a period of time," Trivedi wrote.

Oxytocin is the most commonly-used hormone, which was earlier primarily prescribed for pregnant women.

However, the Schedule H drug has been banned since then.

"The hormone can be used only on animals, leave alone vegetables. The even more shocking element is that the public/authorities may also be aware of this Oxytocin. In local parlance, it has got many names starting from cocin and 'paani to dawai', and is available at almost all the general stores," the letter said.

Oxytocin is a mammalian hormone, which also acts as a neurotransmitter in brain. The hormone is used clinically to help begin or to continue labour, to control bleeding after delivery and to stimulate the secretion of breast milk.

"Researchers have proved that the indiscriminate use of Oxytocin injections by farmers has been causing health hazards. Oxytocin is being used by fruit and vegetable growers, who administer it to the plants and climbers which grow faster and get ready for sale," warned the letter.

The injection is mainly being administered to vegetables like pumpkin, watermelon, brinjal, gourd and cucumber.

Trivedi also pointed to the rampant use of chemicals like copper sulphates for artificially colouring both fruits and vegetables. The minister hoped that the adverse effects of these toxins are scrutinised and their wanton usuage monitored and looked into immediately.

Milch cows are also administered Oxytocin to augment production of milk.

Calcium carbide is used in fruits for ripening, but can harm eyes and lungs, besides causing severe irritating and burning sensation of skin. Also, it may lead to irritation in mouth and throat, and if inhaled can cause both coughing and wheezing.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Alarm-over-chemicals-in-veggies/articleshow/6224569.cms

How to control inflation

29 Jul 2010, 0534 hrs IST,Rajan Bharti Mittal,
Let me start by welcoming the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) move to have a mid-quarter review of monetary policy from now. In a fast-changing and quite unpredictable macroeconomic environment, there is a need for continuous assessment and policy action. By reviewing the monetary policy every six weeks, RBI can provide a more realistic and faster response to developments. This will also take the surprise element out of the off-cycle actions, as noted by RBI.

Coming now to inflation, if we look at the headline index, we see that inflation has been at double-digit levels since February 2010. Latest figures show that in June 2010, headline inflation stood at 10.6%. Disaggregated numbers further show that while inflation in primary articles has remained at elevated levels for an extended period, with inflation crossing the 15% mark in recent months, the price rise phenomenon is now spreading to other segments as well.

Data shows that non-food manufacturing inflation has seen a rapid build-up, rising from near zero in November 2009 to 7.3% in June 2010. This increase in prices of manufactured goods can be explained by three factors. First is the incessant increase in prices of raw materials and industrial inputs.

Second is the upward revision in wages and salaries, with several companies renegotiating their compensation contracts to match the higher cost of living. Third and most important is the recovery in economic situation with demand holding at strong levels in the economy. This has led to an improvement in capacity utilisation levels with some segments of industry now facing constraints to meet the rising demand.

The RBI is understandably worried about this increasingly generalised nature of inflation. It has made its concern public and to clamp down inflation, it has introduced a series of quick and successive policy rate hikes.

On July 2, 2010, we saw the repo and reverse repo rates being hiked by 25 bps. On July 27, 2010, RBI repeated the act, but this time, the reverse repo was hiked by 50 bps against 25 bps that was the consensus view amongst economists who participated in Ficci's latest Economic Outlook Survey.

With the RBI making it clear that the balance of policy stance has to shift 'decisively' to 'containing inflation' and 'anchoring inflationary expectations', we can pre-judge the direction in which monetary policy will move in the days ahead.

The question now is whether these moves will help in cooling down prices and bringing inflation back to the more acceptable 5% level. In our view, the answer is both yes and no. Let me explain.

The tightening of monetary policy by RBI will be followed by an increase in lending rates by banks for all kinds of borrowers. Once this happens, you will see some impact on industrial growth. The logic is simple: A rise in interest rate will compress both consumption and investment demand and this, in turn, will impinge on industrial activity. As a follow up, you will see some relief from capacity constraints and manufacturing inflation will moderate.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/comments--analysis/How-to-control-inflation/articleshow/6230764.cms

Decoding the goods and services tax

29 Jul 2010, 0211 hrs IST,Vikas Vasal,

The goods and services tax (GST) is an attempt to consolidate, simplify and widen the indirect tax structure, which currently consists of excise duty, value added tax (VAT), service tax and the like.

Finance minister's (FM) recent consultations with the empowered committee of state finance ministers are indeed laudable wherein the Centre appears to have conceded to the demands of states on several issues such as multiple rate structure, compensation for loss of revenue etc. Furthermore, the government's stated resolve to give IT infrastructure a push and consider rationalisation of exemptions has fuelled hopes of a more robust framework.

Rate Structure

It is quite likely that the GST would be a 2-tier structure, with both the Centre and states keeping their taxing rights. Therefore, the GST model will essentially feature the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) and the State Goods and Services Tax (SGST).

In order to achieve a single rate of GST, the FM has suggested that rates for goods and services under GST be rationalised over 3 years. For services, a CGST rate of 8% is proposed right from the beginning. As for goods, it is proposed that there should be two categories and accordingly, these should be fixed either at lower or standard rates.

The goods falling under the lower rate would be taxed at 6%, 6% and 8% over the first, second and third year, respectively, while the goods falling under the standard rate would be taxed at 10%, 9% and 8% over the same period. The FM has suggested to the states to replicate the above structure for SGST as well.

Taxability of Goods

This rate structure for goods looks positive in light of the current tax scene as well as international benchmarks. GST (CGST + SGST) is likely to be 12% (lower rate) to 20% (standard rate). Broadly speaking, currently the effective tax incidence on most consumer products is more than 20% with excise duty of 10.3% and VAT of 12.5% or more. It is also expected that savings made by businesses on their purchases would also be passed on/shared with consumers.

Taxability of Services

If states agree to the levy of SGST of 8%, then services would be subject to GST (CGST + SGST) of 16%. This would mean that for end consumers of services like telephone, insurance and the like, cost of services could go up, as the current service tax rate is only 10%. However, the incremental impact should be less than 6% points as service providers may pass on some of the savings on their procurements to end consumers.

Small businesses

The threshold for both goods and services is proposed to be `10 lakh, as opposed to the demand of the states to keep it high for CGST. Though initially it may disappoint small dealers, especially the SSI units currently availing of excise exemption, it is an important move towards widening the GST net. The government should simplify the compliances for such businesses for wider acceptability and larger participation.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/personal-finance/tax-savers/Decoding-the-goods-and-services-tax/articleshow/6230329.cms

Welcome to the world of e-filing, it's smart, easy and a lot fast too

29 Jul 2010, 0204 hrs IST,Preeti Kulkarni,ET Bureau
Too bogged down by routine work to file your taxes? Try e-filing and discover how income-tax dept has made filing tax returns real Saral. ET tells you how to get the right clicks.

Step 1: Log on to incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in and register yourself with your PAN — which acts as the user ID — and log in to your account.

Step 2: From the 'Downloads' menu, select the ITR form applicable to you for assessment year (AY) 2010-11 and download the same. For a salaried individual with no other source of income, the relevant one is ITR-1.

Step 3: Open the downloaded excel utility with 'macros enabled'. For example, if you are using Office 2003, then go to Tools > Macro > Security, set the security level at 'medium' and enable macros while opening the excel utility.

Step 5: Validate all the information by clicking the 'Validate' key and proceed to generate an XML file. It will be automatically saved in your machine.

Step 6: Upload this XML file on to the website by going to the drop down menu under the 'Submit Return' section; select AY 2010-2011 and the applicable Form. Select 'No' for the question 'Do you want to digitally sign the file?', unless you have obtained a class II digital signature.

Step 7: If you have followed all steps correctly, a message about successful e-filing will be displayed on the site, along with a note that the ITR-Verification form has been mailed to your e-mail ID.

Step 8: Download the ITR-V form, print it out, sign the same and send it by ordinary post to Income Tax Department-CPC, Post Bag No-1, Electronic City Post Office, Bangalore - 560100, Karnataka within 120 days of filing your returns on-line. A failure to adhere to the deadline will mean going through the process all over again. If you do not have a printer at home, you can simply save the file in a pen drive/CD and carry it to a printing centre.

Nokia's mail service faces IB security test

28 Jul 2010, 0646 hrs IST,Joji Thomas Philip & Kalyan Parbat,ET Bureau
NEW DELHI | KOLKATA: The Intelligence Bureau has asked the telecom department to stop Nokia's popular messaging services in India until they can be monitored, another sign of the growing discomfort of the country's spooks with similar offerings they view as suspect from a security angle.

The security agency has written to the DoT that it is against the continuation of the Finnish company's push email service for corporates and consumers that allows the easy management of multiple accounts, said a DoT official familiar with the matter. The communiqué, a copy of which is with ET, shows that this is not the first time that the agency has brought the issue to the DoT's notice.

The IB had issued a similar warning against BlackBerry services, another mode of communication favoured by corporate clients, Google's Gmail and internet telephony firm Skype earlier this month.

Gold slips further on speculative selling, silver declines

MUMBAI: Gold prices moved down further at the bullion market here on Thursday due to sustained speculative selling amidst poor local buying interest despite firming trend in global markets.

Silver also declined in the absence of demand from industrial users.

Standard gold (99.5 purity) moved down by Rs 20 per ten grams to finish at Rs 17,745 from overnight's closing level of Rs 17,765.

Pure gold (99.9 purity) also looked down by Rs 25 per ten grams to end at Rs 17,835 from Rs 17,860 yesterday.

Silver ready (.999 fineness) fell by Rs 120 per kilo to close at Rs 28,840, as against Wednesday's closing level of Rs 28,960.

Nifty closes above 5400 on July F&O expiry

29 Jul 2010, 1741 hrs IST,Mohammed Sabir,ET Bureau

MUMBAI: Indian equity benchmarks ended a choppy session on a positive note on Thursday, as traders squared off positions on July F&O series settlement. Losses in oil & gas and pharma stocks were offset by gains in banks and auto stocks.

Bombay Stock Exchange's Sensex ended at 17,992, up 34.63 points or 0.19 per cent. The index touched a high of 18,013.10 and low of 17,902.84 intraday.

National Stock Exchange's Nifty closed at 5408.90, up 11.35 points or 0.21 per cent. The broader index hit a high of 5415.85 and low of 5381.55 during the session.

"We don't expect huge volatility in the market for next 5-7 trading sessions. Nifty is likely to be range bound between 5300 and 5520. Traders should be stock-specific at current levels.

Traders can initiate long positions in Power Grid Corporation, Cairn India, HDFC Bank, Tata Motors and Idea Cellular. They can go short on Punj Lloyd and IVRCL Infra," said Ashish Chaturmohta, AVP, Anand Rathi Securities.

The BSE Midcap Index gained 0.22 per cent while BSE Smallcap Index moved lower by 0.17 per cent.

Amongst sector indices, BSE Oil&Gas Index slipped 0.76 per cent and BSE Healthcare Index declined 0.24 per cent. BSE Bankex moved up 0.92 per cent and BSE Auto Index advanced 0.49 per cent.

IDFC (2.60%), HDFC (2.26%), ICICI Bank (2.22%), Hindalco Industries (2.21%), and Cairn India (2.10%) were amongst the top Nifty gainers.

Losers included Suzlon Energy (-2.92%), Reliance Communications (-2.52%), Sun Pharma (-2.35%), Reliance Power (-1.77%) and Bharti Airtel (-1.65%).

Market breadth was negative on the NSE with 1,616 declines against 1,579 advances.

Meanwhile, European markets were in the green on the back of positive earnings report. Wall Street is also likely to open higher. At 4:20 pm IST, Dow Jones futures was up 0.46 per cent, Nasdaq was up 0.39 per cent and S&P 500 advanced 0.55 per cent.

India's NSE plans to list index futures on Tokyo bourse: Nikkei

29 Jul 2010, 0214 hrs IST,REUTERS

India's National Stock Exchange (NSE) is considering listing stock index futures on the Tokyo Stock Exchange later this year, the Nikkei business daily reported quoting its chief executive officer.

The NSE is also in talks with a major online brokerage on building a sales framework for individual investors, the Nikkei quoted CEO Ravi Narain as saying.

If NSE lists on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, it would mark the first-ever listing of foreign stock futures on the Tokyo bourse, the paper said.

Filing Tax return

8 saral steps of e-filing your tax return
Too bogged down by routine work to file your taxes? Try e-filing and see how IT dept has made tax returns real Saral.

Tips to speed up your return filing process
IT dept have categorized form types, depending on stream of income. Identify your streams & then select relevant form.

e-filing I-T returns: Get your maths right
If you decide to opt for I-T department's website, there are a few points that you need to bear in mind while filing your I-T returns.

I-T returns: Things you need to fill in
Process of filing tax returns is underway as last day is fast approaching. Here is list of documents need to file tax return.

More >>

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/
Liberation for Bharat
Tarun Vijay, 14 August 2009, 04:12 PM IST
In 1947 an India of the elite, rich and English-speaking got freedom and started enjoying the fruits of a truncated independence achieved at the cost of an unprecedented massacre. Farmers, tribals, the scheduled castes and poor Indians of all denominations remained outside the zone of a progress so passionately touted by our Prime Ministers and leaders.

The result of that progress is this: 2009 has been declared drought-hit, the disabled have to demand through demonstrations a place in the Right to Education Act, rivers are drying, farmland is fast shrinking giving space to malls and multiplexes, small and marginal farmers are either committing suicide or sending their children to other more beneficial and stable vocations. Primary education in villages has yet to get proper attention and in most hill areas potable water is still brought home from a distance source which can be, in some cases, two to three kilometres away. In politics, a caste-conscious regime rules — scheduled castes and tribes are treated as showpieces or their leadership gets too corrupt and self-obsessed forgetting the cause of the social segment they represent. At the ground level, our interaction with tribals and scheduled castes remains formal, untouchability hasn't gone out of our minds.

It's Bharat that needs freedom from the Indian colonialists who decide, sign files, devastate huge chunks of land for big dams and power projects and do not care a hoot about the rehabilitation of the evacuees. It's India that doesn't hesitate to start projects killing the Ganga up in the hills making it trickle where it used to roar like a lion enchanting the entire region.

It's Bharat that travels sleeper class in unreserved coaches and sees every day new schemes for the affluent elite, yet keeps on working, happier with an NREGS and giving votes in the biggest numbers thus protecting the honour of our democracy. Bharat tills the farms, sees the water level going down every year, weaves the mats for schools, works a coolie to the nation and yet always gets the slap, the hurt and the punch of all that's decided by those who never had a feel for the underprivileged except when they seek votes.

Bharat is the voter, India the ruler.

Three days before August 15, I was in Chamaseri, a village five kilometres from Mussoourie, which we call the "queen of the hills" because that is what the British called it. It has a number of internationally famous schools which charge per student as high as Rs 7 lakh a year. There is no dearth of power supply and drinking water which is clean and safe. Roads reach the doorsteps of the residents and students are comfortably placed enjoying studies and the cool weather. Chamaseri, has a population of about 1,000 people. A gram sabha is functioning which means it has at least 250 houses. It's just behind the Woodstock School, famous for having educated some of our elite political leaders' siblings. But it's not connected with Mussoourie through any road. We had to walk eight kilometres each way, through a rough hilly terrain full of big stones and muddy craters to reach a friend who lived on the other side of the village. We saw a couple of naked electric poles and wondered why they were so powerless? A villager sarcastically said that a year back they had erected the poles to get votes. Now votes have been cast so they forgot to put wires in them. Yes, this village in the backyards of Woodstock doesn't have electric supply. Children walk to Mussoourie to study in Ramabai School, run by the local government as there is no school in the village. It means walking eight to nine kilometres each way, almost two hours, as the school is situated at another end of Mussoourie. Children, little kids wih a bagload of books on their backs leave home at six in the morning to reach school by eight, spend the day there and return home by six in the evening. Many times they have to carry extra load on their heads bringing kitchen needs from the city. On a holiday or often on their return from school, they are sent to forest to collect firewood for cooking and grass for cows. A little girl, not more than eight, was bringing a load of green grass on her head, I tried to weigh it by lifting it. Believe me it was too heavy, must have been about 25kg. And she was bringing it from two kilometres from her home that took a tough hilly terrain. It's a daily routine for her. And of course the village doesn't have any landline telephone connections.

(Daughter of Garhwal: Burdened at this tender age yet smiles abound)

I asked some silly questions like what if there is an emergency. (They take patients on a charpoy to Mussoourie, where the nearest government hospital is located). How do you communicate with relatives living in distant areas? (Through post cards). What do you watch on TV channels in the evening? (They don't have any TV as there is no power supply). Have you been given proper care instructions about Swine flu? (What is that, sardi jukam?) What books do you read and is there a library? (They work in lantern and chimney lights, hence can only concentrate on school textbooks). Hospital? (There is one building coming up for it. Doctors will arrive only after the building is done).

(She will traverse the path on her left to reach the green area where her home is, with this load for the cows.)

That's Bharat, Sir

Forget about politicos. What about those who turned Mussoourie into a money spinning station to them and enjoyed a life of a sahib? Why didn't they think they had a social responsibility towards those who provide the chai, servants, chaprasi and vegetables and grains? Have the British left, really?

(This girl, a Class VII student, brings home a sackful of goods from Mussoourie with her school bag hung on the shoulders. Every day she walks 8km way to study and brings household goods too.)

That's visible in most of the rural areas that makes the real Bharat. From Nandigram to Sylhet and Udalguri to Phulbani. India acts through khaki. Killings, arrests and no hearing and accountability. The Manipur episode is not an isolated one. If something of this kind happens to the Indian brown sahibs they would threaten to secede. Why should I have my love for a state that doesn't have any relation with me except collecting votes and tax and giving bullets and backwardness in return? I can love Bharat as my nation but the state power's ruthless rudeness needs to be punished. But how? Through guns? Or use people's power?

Gun never succeeds, it never has

The only solution lies in collecting strength on the basis of positive resolution of people's consolidation. It alone wins ultimately. Gandhi did it and succeeded. Hedgewar did it and showed it works. So can us.

(The poles are there but the wires are missing.)

Here are some tips to begin

Instead of blaming the government for every ill, start a public-interest group, adopt an area to spread literacy, and teach hygiene and etiquettes, organize small help centres like "how to use RTI" and get information about MPs and MLAs funds distribution.

(On the road to Chamaseri, a girl takes fuel wood home for evening cooking.)

Land acquisition is a big racket and it's killing farmers and a social life. Try to collect data about how much land has been converted for non-agricultural use and write letters to editor in local newspapers creating awareness and appealing to people to petition courts to stop urbanization of farmlands.

Plan a holiday in the northeast. It's the most panoramic part of our nation but too neglected and ignored. We must be as naturally going to the northeast as we go to Haridwar or Shimla. It's a great experience in fun and national integration.

Send the best child in the family to join the forces. It's a shame that forces are lacking good human material and they have to advertise to attract youngsters to join their ranks. There can be nothing more satisfying than serving in any wing of our security set-up. Start distributing beautifully designed stickers for the vehicles of those whose children have joined forces, saying "proud parents of a soldier"'. It helps create a patriotic atmosphere.

Try spending a weekend in a village close by. Learn and teach your children about the importance of village life, its autonomous structure, meet people and share a meal. Maybe you will find a child who needs your help or an old man who would like you to write his application to the district magistrate or you may use your connections to expedite a project for the common good. Nothing will be more satisfying than this, believe me.

Remember Ramakrishna Paramhansa said: "Jeever Seva, Shiver Seva" (to serve humans is to serve gods). I don't think we need more temples and mosques and churches, whatever we have is enough to make God hear our petitions and prayers. If humans are living a miserable life, what use is it spending millions on such structures? Ensure that the temple in your vicinity or any place of worship is kept clean and puja is conducted correctly; that will be more useful than erecting a new structure. Our places of worship should cater to the needs of the society. If they teach how to face swine flu in such times, and why we shouldn't panic, that will be more in tune with serving the gods. The temple must start teaching physical exercises to keep the body fit and inspire devotees to make religious groups for river cleaning and stopping the use of plastics while on a pilgrimage. After all, rivers are dirtied and plastic bags thrown in our holy places by devotees only. Why can't we start a reformist action at such places?

That's liberating Bharat.
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indus-calling/entry/liberation-for-bharat

US backs India, tells Pak to punish 26/11 plotters

TNN, Jul 28, 2010, 12.35am IST
NEW DELHI: A day after Wikileaks brought out Pakistan's thriving partnership with Taliban and other terror groups, the US publicly asked Islamabad to take action against the 26/11 perpetrators.

Endorsing New Delhi's insistence that full-scale dialogue with Pakistan won't be possible till the latter changed its policy to crack down on terror groups menacing India, the US said, "If Pakistan wants to convince India that it has made this kind of fundamental change, bringing to justice those who are responsible for the Mumbai attack would be a very, very constructive and important step."

The statement of Phillip Crowley, spokesperson of the US state department, jarred with Pakistan's stand, as articulated by its foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi during the ill-fated talks in Islambad earlier this month, that India was unreasonably fixated on 26/11 and it was time the two countries moved on.

Indeed, Crowley emphathised with India's distrust of Pakistan's claim that it had taken action against terror groups like LeT which plotted the carnage in Mumbai. "We believe strongly that the proof is in what people do, not what people say," he said when asked about India's charge of ISI's nexus with Lashkar, Taliban and Al Qaida.

The spokesperson even seemed to repeat India's charge that while Pakistan had at last moved to rein in those behind terrorist acts on its soil, it continued to indulge those targeting India. "From the standpoint of India, India clearly wants to see that Pakistan is taking steps to bring to justice those people that threaten neighbouring steps," Crowley said.

The state department said they had given India a "heads up" on the Wikileaks revelations.

The warmth for India's viewpoint confirmed the estimate that the shock in the US over the Wikileaks expose of Pakistan's collaboration with terror gruops attacking US troops may lead the Obama adminstration to toughen its stance towards Pakistan.

The revelations don't tell the US authorities anything that they don't know already, while its abject dependence on Pakistan for the war effort in Afghanistan rules out a drastic shift in ties. But apprehensions of the adverse reaction among the population is expected to lead US leadership to trim their sails.

This much was evident when the White House said Pakistan should not expect "blank checks" from the US regarding its activities, and that the US was well aware that Pakistan was supporting the Taliban and helping to kill US troops.

In India, the MEA spokesperson took a more reasoned view, sticking to a more broad-based comment on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. "Sponsorship of terrorism, as an instrument of policy, is wholly condemnable and must cease forthwith. The utilization of territory under Pakistan's control to provide sanctuaries for recruiting and sustaining terrorist groups, and to direct terrorist activity against neighbors, must stop," Vishnu Prakash said.

Not ready to offend the Pakistanis who are crucial for keeping the supply lines open for western troops in Afghanistan, White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs said the US-Pakistan relationship had improved and that the US continued to "help" Pakistan make what the US calls a "strategic shift".

"The direction of our relationship with Pakistan, based on steps that we've asked them to take, has improved that relationship," Gibbs said.

But opposing the status quo, Gibbs added, "We have certainly known about safe havens in Pakistan. We have been concerned about civilian casualties for quite some time. On both of those aspects, we've taken steps to make improvements," he said.

"I think the President was clear back in March of 2009 that there was no blank check for Pakistan; that Pakistan had to change the way it dealt with us; it had to make progress on safe havens," Gibbs said.

"It is in the interest of the Pakistanis, because we certainly saw last year those extremists that enjoyed a safe haven there turning their eye on innocent Pakistanis. That's why you've seen Pakistan make progress in moving against extremists in Swat and in South Waziristan," he added.

"But at the same time, even as they make progress, we understand that the status quo is not acceptable and that we have to continue moving this relationship in the right direction. Over the course of the past more than year and a half, what the Pakistanis have found is that the extremists that once enjoyed complete safe haven in parts of their country now threaten their country. So they've taken steps. We want to continue to work with them to take more steps," Gibbs said.

The state department also said secretary of state Hillary Clinton delivered a message to the Pakistani leadership during her recent visit to Islamabad asking it to ensure that terror groups are not supported by elements within the establishment in Islamabad, who continue to follow the "old mindset".

Clinton, he said, told the Pakistani government to ensure that insurgent groups are not being supported by elements within Pakistan. In his briefing, Gibbs said, "The direction of our relationship with Pakistan, based on steps that we've asked them to take, has improved that relationship."

Parliament deadlocked again as price rise protests continue

Hindustan Times - ‎2 hours ago‎
The deadlock in parliament over the rising prices of essential commodities continued on Thursday with a determined opposition stalling both houses and no business being transacted for the third working day of the monsoon session. ...

Parliament approves President's rule in Jharkhand

Oneindia - ‎3 hours ago‎
New Delhi, July 29 (ANI): The Parliament on Thursday approved the imposition of the President's rule in Jharkhand. As the members of the Opposition staged uproar against the Central Government on the issue of price rise, a statutory resolution ...

Price rise forces Parliament to adjourn till Friday

Sify - ‎6 hours ago‎
The issue of price rise rocked the third day of Parliament's Monsoon Session on Thursday. Both the houses were adjourned till Friday. According to reports, the opposition members, demanding a thorough discussion over the price rise issue, ...

Congress slams Opposition for disrupting House

Express Buzz - ‎5 hours ago‎
PTI NEW DELHI: With Parliament being rocked on the issue of price rise for the third consecutive day, Congress today attacked the opposition for disrupting the functioning of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. "It is unfortunate that the opposition is ...

Speaker rules against adjournment motion, Oppn vows to continue blockade

Times of India - ‎18 hours ago‎
NEW DELHI: An unmollified Opposition threatened to continue its blockade of Parliament even after Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Wednesday rejected adjournment notices on price rise, ruling that the measure could be invoked only when the government ...

Speaker says no to adjournment motion

Economic Times - ‎16 hours ago‎
NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Wednesday rejected Oppositions notices for adjournment motion over price-rise on the grounds that the government had not failed to discharge its constitutional and legal duties. The Speaker's ruling sparked ...

Rising prices not government failure: Pranab Mukherjee

Times of India - ‎Jul 28, 2010‎
NEW DELHI: Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday welcomed a debate on the rising prices which, he said, was not a government failure and could be discussed but not voted on. Unless the central government "fails to discharge its duties enjoined ...

Opposition unites to paralyse Parliament over price rise

Times of India - ‎Jul 27, 2010‎
NEW DELHI: Despite the looming shadow of the government's showdown with BJP over Amit Shah's arrest, the Opposition presented a solid block on Tuesday in challenging the ruling coalition over price rise. The unity looks likely to hold and the logjam in ...
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	Parliament deadlocked again as price rise protests continue ‎2 hours ago‎ - Hindustan Times
	Price issue rocks Parliament for 3rd day, both Houses adjourn ‎8 hours ago‎ - Times of India
	Speaker rules against adjournment motion, Oppn vows to continue blockade ‎18 hours ago‎ - Times of India
	Rising prices not government failure: Pranab Mukherjee ‎Jul 28, 2010‎ - Times of India
	Price rise: Oppn holds House to ransom ‎Jul 27, 2010‎ - Hindustan Times
	Oppn disrupts Parliament on price rise, vows the same tomorrow ‎Jul 27, 2010‎ - Times of India
	CBI not Congress Bureau of Investigation: PM ‎Jul 26, 2010‎ - Times of India
	United Opposition pushes for adjournment motion ‎Jul 25, 2010‎ - Economic Times

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Opposition united on price rise issue
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<div class="video-thumb thumbnail"><a class="js-link thumbnail-toggle" href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="return false;"><img src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/G-adgz2b0mI/default.jpg" alt="" class="thumbnail" width="120" height="90"> <div class="icon play-icon"></div></a></div> <div class="video-details"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-adgz2b0mI">Opposition united on price rise issue</a> <span class="source">NewsX</span>  -  Jul 27, 2010 <div class="icon video-icon"></div> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-adgz2b0mI">Watch video</a></div>

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28 July 2010 Last updated at 10:39 GMT

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Kashmir inquiry to investigate civilian deaths

By Altaf Hussain BBC News, Srinagar

The government of Indian-administered Kashmir has set up a commission of inquiry into the killings of civilians during recent anti-India protests.
A government spokesman said the commission would be headed by a retired high court judge.
It will look into 17 incidents in which deaths occurred "on account of action" by the state police and security forces since 11 June.
The commission will submit its report within the next three months.
The cabinet also approved a package under which the families of the victims would be given 100,000 rupees ($2,138) and a government job to one member of each family.
However, the father of a teenage boy killed in June criticised both the commission and the compensation package.
"I want an inquiry by a non-Indian judge," Mohammad Ashraf said. "What the government has offered is not worth the dust of the shoes of my son. Even if they offer me the whole world, I won't accept."
The government's decision is unlikely to soften the anger among other ordinary people across the Kashmir valley over the killings by police and paramilitaries.
The state cabinet also decided to review the cases of detainees held under the Public Safety Act.
They include prominent political leaders and a number of teenaged boys held without trial for up to two years on suspicion of posing a threat to the security of the state or for throwing stones at police.

UK PM defends Pakistan comments

British Prime Minister David Cameron says it is important to "speak frankly" after criticism of his comments about Pakistan's record on tackling terrorism.

Second missing US sailor 'dead'

Jarod Newlove, the second of two US servicemen who went missing in Afghanistan last week, is found dead, officials say.

Crown Jewels diamond 'staying in UK'
The famous Koh-i-Noor diamond, presented by the East India Company to Queen Victoria, will not be returned to India, says PM David Cameron.
Hunger striker wins burger claim
A Tamil hunger striker accepts damages over newspaper claims he secretly scoffed McDonald's takeaways during his high-profile London protest.
Pakistan mourns air crash victims
Nepal government lifts Iraq ban
UN declares right to clean water
BAE signs Indian Hawk jets deal
Arcelor Mittal profits hit $1.7bn
Courtesy drive in Bhutan's cabs

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UK's picoChip to help India rollout 4G telephony

Business Standard - ‎35 minutes ago‎
PTI / New Delhi July 29, 2010, 19:38 IST British firm picoChip will help India's roll-out of the fourth generation (4G) telephony in association with the Mumbai-based Rancore Technologies. The picoChip-Rancore partnership was among four multi-million ...

British firms ink multi-million pound deals in India

Hindustan Times - ‎3 hours ago‎
Visiting British Business Secretary Vince Cable on Thursday announced a series of multi-million pound deals signed between British and Indian firms. The deals spanning sectors like infrastructure, high-technology and defence were signed during the ...

Indian and British firms make multi million pounds deals

All India Radio - ‎5 hours ago‎
A series of deals worth multi million pounds were announced in New Delhi today between British and the Indian firms. Welcoming the deals, the British Business Secretary Dr. Vince Cable said that this shows that there is enormous potential by partnering ...

"India is a country where you don't have to be a multinational to succeed. We have superb UK companies operating here in partnership with Indian firms, and I would encourage more UK firms to explore the opportunities here," the UK Business Secretary Vince Cable said here.
more by Vince Cable - 35 minutes ago - Business Standard (20 occurrences)

Cameron plays down cabinet rift over non-EU migrant cap

BBC News - ‎Jul 28, 2010‎
David Cameron is attempting to play down cabinet divisions over immigration after Business Secretary Vince Cable said a planned cap on numbers coming from outside the EU must be flexible. The prime minister told the BBC it was "perfectly legitimate" ...

Businesses urge caution on immigrant limits

BBC News - Edwin Lane - ‎22 hours ago‎
Vince Cable's calls for "flexibility" in the government's plans to cut immigration will be welcomed by many businesses. In the past, business groups have expressed concern over the impact a cap on immigrant ...

Vince Cable travels the world looking for export-led growth

The Guardian - ‎Jul 27, 2010‎
Vince Cable will bang the drum for Britain's businesses in three of the world's biggest markets – India, China and Russia – as the government seeks to develop a new model of export-led growth. Frustrated by the lack of progress in the long-running Doha ...

Britain to consult India on proposed immigration cap

Economic Times - ‎Jul 28, 2010‎
LONDON: Amid reports here that Britain may consult India on the proposed permanent immigration cap on non-EU workers, Indian-origin Labour MP Keith Vaz says he will be writing to New Delhi in his capacity as chairman of British parliament's home ...

Warm words, trade challenge ahead as UK woos India

Reuters - Estelle Shirbon, Sugita Katyal - ‎3 hours ago‎
NEW DELHI, July 29 (Reuters) - India welcomed a pledge by Britain on Thursday to end "complacency" towards its former colony and forge a special relationship, which ministers said would translate in coming years into economic ...

British business secretary for a liberal immigration policy

Sify - ‎Jul 27, 2010‎
Even as British Prime Minister David Cameron begins his first official visit to India, his Business Secretary Vince Cable created a stir by saying he preferred a more liberal immigration policy for non-EU workers than what the government was currently ...

Daily View: Immigration cap

BBC News (blog) - ‎5 hours ago‎
Commentators discuss the proposed cap on the amount of people from outside the EU settling in the UK scheduled for April. "Mr Cameron's determination to put a cap on non European Union immigration is causing concern in India. ...
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I will speak on CWG issue after October 15: Aiyar

After raising a controversy with his unsavoury remarks on Commonwealth Games, Rajya Sabha member Mani Shankar Aiyar today said he has been asked to keep mum on the issue and would speak about it only after October 15 when the event gets over. "Now that everybody is talking about it, I think, now I do not need to say anything more and I have promised that I will keep my mouth shut because somebody asked me to do so as they will successfully organise Commonwealth Games.
Now, I will open my mouth on October 15," Aiyar told reporters. He maintained that his criticism of the Commonwealth Games 2010 was nothing new and he had taken this stand since the last two years.
He wondered why there was a "hue and cry" on the issue two days back. "I am very delighted that what I have been saying for such a long time, now the whole country is aware of it," he said.
When asked if he would stick to his stand, Aiyar shot back, "Have you ever seen me not sticking to my stand?" Taking a dig at Indian Olympic Association head Suresh Kalmadi for calling him ''anti-national'', Aiyar said, "Whoever has said this, his talks are a matter of jest." He denied that party high command had passed a gag order against him.
"High Command has not told me anything. This is my own decision that when my views on the issue are being heard in all households, then what is the need to issue more statements," he said.

EC to roll out guidelines to control money in politics

The Election Commission will soon come out with a set of guidelines to tighten procedures over role of money in polls as part of electoral reforms that will also include deregistration of political parties. Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi, who would assume charge as the new Chief Election Commissioner tomorrow, said the Government has indicated expediting some of the electoral reforms pending with it.
"The draft of the guidelines is ready. By end of August they will be in place," Quraishi told PTI in an interview.
Expressing concern over black money playing a big role in elections, he said "We need to tighten it. Now we have developed detailed guidelines in consultation with the best and most experienced officials.
" Referring to mushrooming of political parties, he said currently there are 1100 odd parties out of which seven are national parties and 40 are regional parties. Among the rest many appear to have doubtful credentials, Quraishi said.
"We have 1100 parties at the moment. Every half an hour a new party gets registered except for seven national parties and 40 regional parties.
900 to 1000 parties are just in name only," he said, adding the Election Commission should have power to deregister non-serious parties. A random examination by the EC showed that office of one such party was in a tea shop while another spent Rs two to Rs three crore on jewellery and shares while a third party''s office was non-existent, Quraishi said.
"We have been assured by the Law Minister to expeditiously look into the electoral reforms proposals, some of which do not require legislations," he said, adding the reforms process has started rolling.

Landslides block roads to Gangotri, Badrinath

Landslides triggered by heavy rains blocked two key highways connecting major pilgrimage centres of Rishikesh, Gangotri and Badrinath in Uttarakhand today, leaving hundreds of people stranded. The landslides struck the Rishikesh-Gangotri National Highway (NH-108) at Nalupani area in Uttarkashi district and Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway (NH-58) at Chhinka area in Chamoli district, sources in Disaster Management and Mitigation Centre (DMMC) said.
The personnel of state police and Border Road Organisation have been pressed into service to clear the debris and open the road for vehicular traffic, they said. Meanwhile, nine persons, including a woman, were injured when boulders hit them while travelling in a jeep in Chami area of Uttarkashi district.
The woman, who was injured seriously, has been admitted to hospital, they said.

Pakistan has to do more in fighting terror: US

Washington, July 29 (IANS) Endorsing British Prime Minister David Cameron's call to Pakistan to stop 'exporting' terror, the US says Pakistan has made a strategic shift in the fight against terror, but more has to be done.
'Well, we don't want to see the export of terror by any country,' State Department spokesman Phillip Crowley said Wednesday when asked to comment on Cameron's warning to Pakistan during his trip to India.
'We are concerned about and have said many times that extremist elements within the borders of Pakistan, in the tribal areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan, first and foremost, it represents a threat to Pakistan, it represents a threat to Afghanistan.'
Noting that extremists with links to these areas have made their way to Europe and the United States, Crowley said the US and Pakistan 'are both satisfied with the aggressive steps that Pakistan has taken in recent months at considerable expense to Pakistan.'
'But as we've made clear, we want to see Pakistan stay on the offensive in combating these extremist elements,' he said. 'And I know Pakistani officials in recent days have publicly stated their commitment to continue to do that.'
Pakistan has, in the US view, 'made a strategic shift in the last year or more,' Crowley said suggesting, 'It has taken aggressive action at considerable expense to Pakistan.'
'The Pakistani people are suffering as much if not more than any other people in the world from terrorism,' he said. 'But there is clearly more to be done.'
'Our joint concern here is to eliminate the safe havens that exist in the region and to prevent the emergence of new safe havens from which there can be the export of terrorism that can threaten the United States, Europe, or other parts of the world,' Crowley said.
Asked if the US trusted Pakistan not to give away sensitive information to Taliban given the fact that Pakistani Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani headed spy agency ISI when it was playing a double game, Crowley said: 'This is part of our ongoing conversation with Pakistan.'
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had talked to Pakistani leaders about these issues just last week, he said. 'But this is a conversation we've been having for some time. There are historical relationships' of ISI and other Pakistani agencies 'with elements of concern to us within Pakistan.'
During General Kayani's tenure as the chief of staff, Pakistan has, in fact, taken the most aggressive action it's ever taken against extremist elements within its borders, Crowley said. 'We want to see that continue.'
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)

World's largest freshwater fish faces extinction threat

London, July 29 (IANS) The survival of some of the world's largest freshwater fish - including a giant catfish - is threatened by a series of hydro-power dams planned for the Mekong River, a leading environmental group has warned.
The construction of a particular dam in northern Laos would disrupt the migration of four of the world's top 10 largest freshwater species to crucial spawning grounds, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has said.
In its report 'River Giants: Giant Fish of the Mekong', WWF said the catfish that grow up to 350 kg and freshwater stingray that can weigh in at 600 kg, would be threatened with extinction if the plans go-ahead, says a Telegraph report.
China has already completed four hydro-power dams on the Mekong, while another 11 are being built or planned in Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. Other smaller dams are proposed along its tributaries.
The Mekong is south-east Asia's longest river, rising in Tibet and flowing through southern China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam before reaching the South China Sea.
But WWF's most pressing concern in the hydropower plant planned for Sayabouly province, in Laos, which boasts ambitious plans to supply power to south-east Asia in an effort to become the 'battery' of the region.
The elusive giant catfish swims from Cambodia's Tonle Sap Lake up the Mekong to breed in Laos and northern Thailand.
'A fish the size of a Mekong giant catfish simply will not be able to swim across a large barrier like a dam to reach its spawning grounds upstream,' said Roger Mollot, a freshwater biologist for WWF in Laos.
Yet the river plays also host to many unique fish including the vast stingray - the world's biggest freshwater fish - a giant barb and dog-eating catfish, so-called because of its passion for dog carcasses.
'More giant fish live in the Mekong than any other river on earth,' said Dang Thuy Trang, co-ordinator for WWF's Greater Mekong Programme.
'Currently, the lower Mekong remains free-flowing, which presents a rare opportunity for the conservation of these species, but the clock is ticking.'
The plans for the new dam are currently under scrutiny by the Mekong River Commission - an international body made up of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. But WWF is urging it to veto the plan on the grounds of its effects on the wildlife, fishing and agriculture in the region.

J&K sex scam: CBI court defers hearing till Sept 20

The CBI court on Wednesday issued bailable warrants against one of the prosecution witnesses and issued summons against three others in the J&K sex scandal as all of them failed to appear before the court.
The CBI submitted before court that the summons could not be served owing to disturbed condition prevailing in Srinagar and thus they were reissued today by the judge. Meanwhile, the accused were present in the court. CBI Special Judge Darshan Singh deferred the hearing on the J&K sex scam till September 20, as none of the witnesses appeared in the court.
The J&K sex scandal hit the headlines after pornographic MMS was traced doing rounds in Jammu and Kashmir. The police filed a case and started investigating. During the investigations it was revealed that Sabeena, the alleged kingpin, engaged in supplying girls to various officials in the state. Later the case was transferred to CBI from the police. There are in all fourteen accused involved in the sex scam and these include former J&K Minister Ghulam Ahmed Hassan Mir, independent MLA and former Minister Raman Mattoo, BSF DIG K C Padhi, former J&K Additional Advocate General Anil Sethi, DSP Mohammad Ashraf Mir.

Global warming evidences 'unmistakable'

London, July 29 (IANS) Evidences of global warming are unmistakable, according to a new report on climate change which presents a list of indicators including melting glaciers and rising sea level.
The report prepared by the British Met Office and its US equivalent has provided the 'greatest evidence we have ever had' that the world is warming.
The report brings together the latest temperature readings from the top of the atmosphere to the bottom of the ocean, The Telegraph reported.
Scientists usually rely on the land temperature recorded from weather stations around the world to show global warming. Now for the first time, a study has brought together different ways of measuring changes in the climate.
The ten indicators of climate change include measurements of sea level rise taken from ships, the temperature of the upper atmosphere taken from weather balloons and field surveys of melting glaciers.
New technology also means it is possible to measure the temperature of the oceans, which absorb 90 percent of the world's heat.
The report shows 'unequivocally that the world is warming and has been for more than three decades'.
And despite the cold winter in Europe and north east America, this year is set to be the hottest on record.
The annual report was compiled by the Met Office and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Both the NOAA and NASA have said the first six months of this year were the hottest on record, while the Met Office believes it is the second hottest start to the year after 1998.
Peter Stott, Head of Climate Monitoring and Attribution at the Met Office, said 'variability' in different regions, such as the cold winter in Britain, does not mean the rest of the world is not warming.
And he said, 'greenhouse gases are the glaringly obvious explanation' for 0.56C (1F) warming over the last 50 years.
'Despite the fact people say global warming has stopped, the new data, added onto existing data, gives us the greatest evidence we have ever had,' he said.
Sceptics, however, claimed that emails stolen from the University of East Anglia show scientists were willing to manipulate the land surface temperatures to show global warming.
Dr Stott said the sceptics can no longer question the land surface temperature as other records also show global warming.
Each indicator takes independent evidence from at least three different institutions in order to ensure the information is correct, he said.
Despite variations from year to year, each decade has been warmer than the last since the 1980s.
'Despite the variability caused by short term changes, the analysis conducted for this report illustrates why we are so confident the world is warming,' he said.
'When we look at air temperature and other indicators of climate, we see highs and lows in the data from year to year because of natural variability.
'Understanding climate change requires looking at the longer-term record. When we follow decade-to-decade trends using different data sets and independent analyses from around the world, we see clear and unmistakable signs of a warming world.'

Frank talk from Cameron shakes up British diplomacy Enlarge Photo Britain's PM David Cameron inspects a guard of honour during his ceremonial reception at the...

British Prime Minister David Cameron has revealed a plain-speaking streak during a tour of Turkey and India that raises questions over whether it is down to youthful inexperience or a bold new approach to diplomacy.
He caused anger in Israel by saying in Turkey that Gaza was a "prison camp", and went on to offend Islamabad when he suggested in front of an Indian audience in Bangalore that Pakistan "promoted the export of terror".
While in Ankara, he also dismissed opponents of Turkish membership of the European Union as "protectionist, polarised or prejudiced", an analysis which will not be shared in Paris or Berlin. France and Germany oppose Turkish entry.
"I think it's important, as I say, to speak frankly about these things to countries that are your friends," Cameron said on Thursday in an interview with British broadcasters in New Delhi, adding that he would "do so in the future" as well.
At 43, Cameron is the youngest British prime minister in nearly two centuries. He has been in office since May.
His comments on Pakistan delighted the Indian media, which devoted much of its coverage of his visit to the subject, to the detriment of his core message that he wanted to boost trade and business links between Britain and India.
But Pakistan's high commissioner to Britain, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, said in a column in the Guardian newspaper that Cameron had "damaged the prospects of regional peace".
"He is new in government. Maybe he will learn soon and know how to handle things," Hasan later told the BBC.
"GREAT DIPLOMAT" OR "LOUDMOUTH"?
In a briefing with British journalists covering the tour, Foreign Secretary William Hague came under a barrage of questions on Thursday on whether Cameron might watch his words more carefully in future.
"The prime minister speaks the truth and we are all united and clear and happy about what he said," Hague said.
"The prime minister is a great diplomat and I see that in action every day when he's dealing with foreign leaders. He is a natural at it, so I don't think you need to be worried on that score," he said.
David Miliband, who was foreign minister under the previous government, jumped on the opportunity to attack Cameron.
"I think there's a big difference between straight-talking and being a loudmouth," he told BBC radio.
"It's very, very important that the prime minister ... understands we have got two ears and one mouth and it's very important to use them in that proportion."
Cameron will get a direct response from Pakistan when he hosts President Asif Ali Zardari at his Chequers country residence in Britain next week.
Asked in his interview with British broadcasters whether he regretted damaging relations with Pakistan ahead of the meeting, he said: "I don't accept that they have been damaged ... I look forward to discussing these and other issues (with Zardari)."
(Additional reporting by Mark Trevelyan and Michael Holden in London, editing by Jonathan Thatcher and Sanjeev Miglani)
(For more news on Reuters India, click http://in.reuters.com)

Special anti-Maoist cell needed: Goa assembly panel

Almost two months after a leader of an Orissa-based fringe Maoist group was arrested in Goa, a legislative panel has recommended setting up of a special cell to keep tab on Maoist activities in the state.
The ad hoc committee on home, chaired by Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar, also said that police needed to keep tabs on activities of labourers and immigrants, employed in the state's burgeoning mining and tourism sectors.
'The committee recommends that the police department create a special cell to keep track of movement of workers and immigrants from areas known to be Naxalite (Maoist) infested,' Parrikar, a former chief minister said.
The committee report was tabled in the assembly Thursday.
Shambhu Beck, leader of the Maowadi Trishul Manch (MTM) was arrested in May this year, while he was hiding in Goa.
Beck, 25, was wanted in Goa for crimes ranging from kidnapping, dacoity, arson and robbery.

Six Maoists arrested in Bankura

Six Maoists were arrested Thursday from West Bengal's Bankura district, police said.
'Acting on specific information, we cordoned off the Beguashole village in Raipur sub-division and arrested the six Maoists. A huge consignment of ammunition and explosives were also recovered from them,' Bankura police chief Pranav Kumar told IANS over the phone.
'The six cadres, identified as Aditya Rout, Rajib Kisku, Monohar Hemram, Vidyasagar Tuntabai, Sudipta Mondal and Babulal Soren, were produced before the Khatra additional judicial magistrate. They have been remanded to police custody for 14 days,' the officer added.
Among the six, Aditya is considered a prime catch. He was a close aide of Sidhu Soren, the 'supreme commander' of the Sidhu Kanu Gana Militia - a militant wing of the Peoples' Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) - who was killed in a shootout by the police in Metla forest of West Midnapore Monday, the officer said.
'We suspect that Aditya was present with Sidhu and other members in Metla forest early Monday, when joint forces conducted the raid. He managed to escape along with some other members of the squad,' Pranav Kumar said.
'We are yet to interrogate them. But we are well informed about the group members arrested today (Thursday). Aditya was the kingpin of the group and they used to carry explosives and logistics for the Maoists from one place to another', he added.

India, UK to explore avenues for cooperation in space sector

India and the UK today decided to enhance cooperation in scientific research and explore possibilities for collaboration in the space sector. British Minister for Universities and Science David Willets held discussions with Science and Technology Minister Prithviraj Chavan on further strengthening cooperation in science and research here.
Emerging from the meeting, Willets told reporters that he also held discussions with Chavan on cooperation in the space and nuclear research sectors. During the parleys, Willets highlighted the work done by British scientists in the Pressurised Water Reactors.
On cooperation in the space sector, he pointed out that India has developed expertise in launching small satellites and Britain was in the process of developing satellites. "India has a robust space programme and offers satellite launches at cheaper costs compared to those offered by western countries," Chavan noted.
Asked whether discussions were held on any specific areas, he said "it was too premature to talk about it at this moment.
" The two countries also agreed to launch joint research programmes to bridge the rural/urban divide and provide technological solutions to improve the quality of life of rural inhabitants in both the countries. The two leaders decided to work together on a new initiative to encourage multi-disciplinary research partnerships to develop the next generation of environmentally friendly fuel cell technologies.
Willets is here as part of the delegation accompanying British Prime Minister David Cameron on a two-day visit to India. During the visit, the Department of Biotechnology and Wellcome Trust announced a 45 million pound initiative to support the development of innovative healthcare products at affordable costs.

Opinions and Editorials

Corridors distant from Bharat

IE - 05:08 AM
A day before the prime minister was to hold a meeting with state chief ministers, the band of "armchair advisers of the UPA" — a term coined by a Union cabinet minister, no less — struck again.

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Face saver IE - 05:08 AM
The editorial 'Yes, no, minister' (IE, July 27) rightly raises a question mark over S.M. Krishna's capabilities as foreign minister.
That '80s show IE - 05:08 AM
From his first role, as the chain-smoking wastrel in Chashme Buddoor, Ravi Baswani has been a familiar face in India, in many, many movies, TV serials, plays and adverts.
Crossing over IE - 05:08 AM
Battling and defeating the Maoists has for some time now been neatly defined as a two-prong strategy of field battles using the police forces of affected states and Central paramilitary as well as undertaking developmental work in the backward areas where such insurgency thrives.
Reinventing the Raj IE - 05:08 AM
Avoid nostalgia. Don't think, even for a moment, about the Raj." That has been the near unanimous advice from the British media to the visiting Prime Minister David Cameron as he sits down with the Indian leaders on Thursday.
Boys to men IE - 05:08 AM
I remember an evening many years ago as clearly as if it was yesterday. I was with a girl, sort of a friend, the kind you speak to but not talk to. We were in a tiny dhaba close to college, where you could smoke illicit cigarettes and drink oversweet adrak chai, and she was speaking. The words were bullet-like, hard things about myself, things I hadn't heard before.
Malegaon was minor IE - 05:08 AM
In denial mode over the involvement of some of its pracharaks in saffron terror, the RSS believes that the UPA government is focusing only on cracking the Malegaon blasts — a "minor" incident, according to the Sangh — and alleges that the Congress is working overtime to implicate the RSS while almost all the terror attack investigations in the past six years are stymied both for want of
FE Editorial : For universal food security FE - 02:48 AM
A universal food security Act remains an important agenda item for the National Advisory Council and the UPA government.
Column : Battle of attrition FE - 02:48 AM
It is like the heydays of 2007. Well, almost. Million-dollar salaries are back, executive level hiring is in, project managers are difficult to find and everybody in India's IT industry has plenty of choices. The attrition numbers at India's most respected IT firms say it all.
FE Editorial : Saturation point FE - 02:48 AM
That the Chhatrapati Shivaji airport in Mumbai is about to hit saturation point is not new news. After all, it was exactly this prognosis that led to a search for a site for a new airport, which led to the pinpointing of a Navi Mumbai location.
Go forth and multiply? FE - 02:48 AM
Iran's announcement of a financial incentive package to encourage population growth has come at a moment when several countries are facing precipitous declines in numbers even though the earth's human contingent is approaching the nine billion figure by 2050. That population fall can be a widespread problem is itself a recent notion, which turns old Malthusian forebodings on their head.
Column : RBI increases its frequency to eight FE - 02:48 AM
A major takeaway from the credit policy is the addition to the number of policy statements that will be made by RBI. This is interesting because it accepts the fact that there has been quite a bit of surprise attached to its own actions in the past, which may not exactly have been market-friendly.
Column : Building good institutions FE - 02:48 AM
Monetary policy requires a handful of good people. There is little political economy in play. A few announcements a year from a monetary policy committee (MPC) sum up the action. And once proper accountability structures are set up, there is little discretion. Financial regulation is much unlike this.
Quit, finally IE - Wed, Jul 28
Why the Left had not openly demanded Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation so far is quite inexplicable.
The general behind the throne IE - Wed, Jul 28
There are two ways of approaching the full-term extension granted to General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani by the current Pakistan Peoples Party government — the ideal, which may also be called the abstract; and the real, which may be termed contextual.
The great Game Folio IE - Wed, Jul 28
American tragedy You can wake up any one who is asleep, but not the one who has chosen to shut his eyes.
Defending the front IE - Wed, Jul 28
In Kerala, the Congress has fallen back on one of its most cynical and tired ploys — playing Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan's remarks on the Popular Front of India as a slur on all Islam.
Keep the focus IE - Wed, Jul 28
The Reserve Bank of India has hiked interest rates, narrowed the LAF (liquid adjustment facility) corridor, and announced mid-quarter reviews of monetary policy.
A fine balance IE - Wed, Jul 28
President Pratibha Devisingh Patil ('Freedoms to question', IE, July 27) has rightly praised the initiative taken by The Indian Express in not only promoting excellence in journalism but also attempting to give expression to the collective aspirations of Indian society.
The unclassifiable IE - Wed, Jul 28
As the US government faces the largest military leak since the 1971 Pentagon Papers on Vietnam, all eyes have turned to the scrappy little website that made it happen.

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Maoists set five trucks on fire in Chhattisgarh

Maoists set five trucks of the Essar Group on fire in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Dantewada district Thursday, the second day of the week-long 'martyrs week' called by the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist).
Dozens of Maoists appeared in the early hours at Kirandul in Bailadila hills, an iron ore rich location, and set five trucks on fire, a police official told IANS.
Police reportedly reached the site hours after the incident, despite being informed immediately and failed to make any arrests.
The banned outfit has been observing the week in Chhattisgarh and other states in memory of its leaders who were killed in battles with security forces.
The 'martyrs week' has hit bus services in interiors of the state's 40,000 sq km Bastar region that is considered the nerve centre of Maoist militancy in India.
Thirteen of Chhattisgarh's 18 districts are hit by Maoist militancy, which has claimed over 2,000 lives, including 1,000 civilians, since the state came into existence after a split of Madhya Pradesh in November 2000.

PDP stages sit in, wants probe into civilian killings

The opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) led by its president Mehbooba Mufti Thursday staged a sit in outside the civil secretariat in summer capital Srinagar demanding a judicial probe into the recent killings of civilians.
Leading the dharna of party MLAs including former deputy chief minister Muzaffar Hussain Beigh, senior Shia leader, Molvi Ifftekhar Hussain Ansari, and others, Mehbooba Mufti said there was no rule of law in the state.
'There is no rule of law in the state. Innocent people have been killed here. The government is carrying out developmental meetings at various district headquarters after literally clamping curfew there,' she said.
'The government presses its employees to report for duties despite the curfews and restrictions. It is impractical unless the situation improves here,' Mehbooba told reporters.
The PDP also demanded ex gratia relief to the next of kin of the civilians killed.
The civil secretariat in Srinagar houses the offices of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, his ministerial colleagues and all the senior bureaucrats of the state.
It must be recalled that the PDP had chosen to stay out of the all-party meeting called here earlier this month by the chief minister despite requests from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and union Home Minister P. Chidambaram.
Since June 11, 15 people have been killed in the Valley in firing by security forces during clashes with unruly stone pelting mobs.
The state government has already announced a judicial probe into the civilian deaths to be carried out by two retired judges of the state high court.
The government has also announced ex gratia relief of Rs.5 lakh each to the next of kin of the victims or Rs.1 lakh and a government job.
The ruling National Conference (NC) has dismissed the PDP protests, terming it a propaganda campaign.
Talking to media persons at the Nawa-e-Subha headquarters of the NC, parliament member, Sharief-ud-Din Sharieq and state MLC Sheikh Gulam Rasool said the PDP was trying to seek political mileage out of the present crisis and had no genuine interest in addressing the problems of the people.
'The government has already announced a judicial probe and ex gratia relief in the civilian deaths. Today's (Thursday's) protests are yet another gimmick of the PDP,' the NC leaders said.

A teacher says no to burqa in a West Bengal Muslim university, isn't allowed to teach

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Shiv Sahay Singh

Posted: Jul 29, 2010 at 0312 hrs IST
Kolkata For the past three months, 24-year-old Sirin Middya has not been able to hold her classes at West Bengal's first Muslim university. While the guidelines at Aliah University in Kolkata don't stipulate the same, the students' union has demanded that Middya can teach but only in burqa.
Middya was appointed a guest lecturer at the university in March this year and got the union "diktat" in the second week of April. "I was told that I would not be allowed to attend college if I did not agree to come in a burqa. The University Grants Commission does not prescribe any such dress code and even the university does not have a dress code. But the most unfortunate part is that students are forcing us to wear burqa," Middya told The Indian Express.
According to her, she has no issues with wearing a burqa — but if she dons one, it would be of her own free will.
Siamat Ali, secretary of West Bengal Madrasah Students' Union, says he doesn't understand Middya's problem.
"There are eight women teachers at the university. It was decided through consulation that the women will observe purdah, and most teachers agreed. Only this lady has a problem," Ali said, adding that they were ready to welcome Middya back as long as she adhered to the "decent" dress code.
The university has chosen to play safe, putting the issue on the backburner and hoping it dies down.
"This is a stray incident... we tried to nip the problem in the bud. There is no dress code in our university. Since there was a problem, we asked the teacher to report to the Salt Lake campus," said Vice-Chancellor Syed Shamshul Alam.
The university was set up in 2008 by upgrading the famous Calcutta Madrasah which was started in 1781 by Warren Hastings, Governor General of Bengal. One of the oldest centres of higher learning and culture in the country, the institution has had many eminent scholars in its ranks. Aliah University was expected to harmonise tradition and modernity, and while its Islamic cources are run in the Calcutta Madrasah building, the other academic activities are conducted on different campuses at Salt Lake.
Middya joined Aliah University after an M.A. in Bengali from Jadavpur University. Having refused to kow-tow to the union, she has been unable to go to Aliah's Calcutta Madrasah campus, and reports to the university's library at Salt Lake. "Without taking any classes, I am given the full prescribed salary by the university," said Middya.
"Most of the teachers do not like the diktat of the students to wear burqa. But they have no option but to accept it. This is Talibanisation of educational premises and there is no one to our rescue," she said.
On June 4, nearly two months after she was virtually barred from the campus, Middya wrote to West Bengal's Minister for Minority Development Abdus Sattar. She said she was yet to get a response.
Prior to this episode, Aliah University had faced another row when the students' union held protests demanding that the word "madrasah" be added to its name.
With the university itself silent on the Middya issue, other teachers' unions such as the All Bengal University Teachers Association (ABUTA) have decided to launch a movement.
"The university and the government should have protected this teacher and other teachers so that their fundamental rights were not infringed upon. Whereas in other parts of the world, even in Muslim countries, wearing a burqa is not mandatory, here the Left Front government has failed to protect the rights of the teacher," said Tarun Naskar, general secretary of ABUTA.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/A-teacher-says-no-to-burqa-in-a-West-Bengal-Muslim-university-isnt-allowed-to-teach/653282/

Exempt PSUs from maintaining 25pc public holding: Scope

PSU chamber Scope today said state-run companies should be excluded from the mandatory 25 per cent public holding regulation for the listed firms as it would not be possible for them to offload equity in large quantities to comply with the norms. "PSUs should be kept away from this regulatory norm of 25 per cent mandatory public holding," Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (Scope) Director General U D Choubey told PTI. The mandatory 25 per cent public holding norm, he said, would also hurt the disinvestment programme of the government as there would be flooding of the fresh equity by the companies where public holding is less than 25 per cent.
"The new listing norm maintaining 25 per cent public holding may affect the government policy of encouraging listing of more and more public enterprises on the bourses," Choubey said. He said that complying with the rule of the Securities Contract Regulation, over two dozen PSEs and public sector banks would have to bring follow on public offers in the market.
As per estimates of Scope, the five per cent of the market capital of the public sector enterprises and banks would be over Rs 46,000 crore. Besides, several private players will have to bring FPOs in the market which would create huge over supply of stocks and affect their stock price.
He pointed out that under this scenario where market is already flooded, the new PSE aspiring to get listed on bourse may be not feel encouraged as their stock value would be affected under this situation. In this situation, the PSEs would not find the situation conducive for their initial public offers which would give set back to the government''s policy of listing more and more PSEs on brouses, he said.
"The general apprehensions of the market regulator Sebi is that corporate manipulate with the market. But this view does not hold good for PSE because here we have large many checks and balances like statutory audits.
" According to the norm, for new listing, if the post issue capital of the company calculated at offer price is more than Rs 4,000 crore, the company may be allowed to go with 10 per cent public share holding and later divest 5 per cent per annum to meet the threshold. Of the 56 listed PSUs and state-owned banks, the public holding in about 25 entities is less than 25 per cent.
The major PSUs which need to raise public holding to meet the threshold include IndianOil, MMTC, NTPC and SAIL..

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Thursday, July 29, 2010

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