India News

New Delhi: A Spanish couple, inspired by Indian culture, married in accordance with Hindu rituals in Agra, the city of the world famous Taj Mahal.

Maria and Salvia fell in love with Indian culture during their frequent business trips to Agra for their footwear company.

Wearing Indian attire both bride and groom arrived at the ''Mankameshwar Temple’ dedicated to Lord Shiva to solemnize their marriage.

The couple garlanded each other amidst chanting of holy verses.

Salvia tied ''mangalsutra'', a Hindu symbol of marriage around the neck of Maria and put vermilion on her forehead, a sign of marital status of a Hindu woman.

“First is probably the kindness and love ness of this religion makes you feel very welcome and first of all I need to learn so many things but the spirituality of the religion is the main thing I feel attracted about," said Salvia.

For Maria the wedding ceremony was a matter of immense happiness.

"I feel very strong in this... because it gives me love and happiness for life always," said Maria.

Scores of devotees present in the temple cheered for the couple and participated in the wedding ceremony.

Source ANI

New Delhi: Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus drivers are being trained in English to welcome foreign tourists during the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

This training is being given as part of New Delhi''s initiatives to act as perfect hosts for the event.

Mukesh Kumar said training sessions have boosted his confidence and he was proud to be an Indian brand ambassador.

“One thing is for sure our country comes first in welcoming guests. Indians are great hosts. I also have a part to play to show the world how good hosts we can be. I would be the Indian brand ambassador,” said Mukesh Kumar, a bus driver.

Just like Mukesh, over 5000 DTC drivers and conductors are being given lessons and trained in soft skills.

“When they will arrive we''ll say ''Welcome to India'' and would welcome them. When they will travel in our bus, we would say ''Please take your seat.'' And, if they need any help, we''ll say, ''may I help you Sir? This way, we will welcome them," said Satya Pal Singh, another bus driver.

Nearly 100,000 tourists are expected to arrive in Delhi next October to witness the two-week long games.

DTC is thus overhauling its bus fleet for the visitors.

"We''ll have to think that as drivers and conductors, they are very good in their field. They just have an inferiority complex from which we have to bring them out and need to bring them in to mainstream of the society. So we are trying that they become a bit confident in speaking English language,” said Nanditesh Niley, Director, training requirement and education programme, DTC.

Nearly 6,000 new DTC buses will be introduced by 2010 to ease commuting of which many will be low-floor, high capacity and air-conditioned.

Source ANI

New Delhi: Former Australian cricket captain Allan Border on Friday encouraged school children in New Delhi to play sports in order to remain fit.

Speaking at an event organised by the Satya Bharti School, Border said that jogging and running are the best ways to keep fit.

“The fact that many years of my cricket it''s very important to stay fit and become fitter and fitter. The best way of doing that is jogging and running so I can sort of put my stand to the half marathon,” said Border.

Children enthusiastically received useful sporting tips from the Australian cricketer.

“I felt good and Allan Border Sir taught us batting, running and now we plan to practice hard and in future we will take up sports,” said Khushboo, a school student.

Border is in the city as brand ambassador for Airtel Delhi Half Marathon schedule to be held on Sunday.

Border played for 16 years for Australia before retiring in 1994.

Source ANI

New Delhi: Telecom Minister A Raja on Friday said he wouldn’t step down from his position in the wake of charges that his spectrum allocation policies have caused a revenue loss of 60,000 crore rupees.

“I will not step down. Ours is a government that has followed all rules to the letter and spirit by following the recommendations of TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India),” he said. 

Raja also alleged that the BJP-led NDA government was involved in the "biggest ever scam", as it distributed free spectrum to operators depriving the exchequer of over 1,60,000 rupees crore revenue.

He added that the NDA government not only distributed free spectrum, it also violated all norms by giving the frequency far in excess of 4.4 MHz to many leading operators.

Responding to BJP leader Arun Jaitley’s demand for his resignation, Raja said Jaitley had favoured major operators during the NDA rule and also defending one of them in the high court.

“Now there is infighting within Arun Jaitley. His legal brain is fighting the political brain. I do not know what will be the outcome. Whether his legal brain will win or the political one,” he said.

Source ANI

Gangtok: Vice President Hamid Ansari on Friday laid the foundation stone of the first ever railway line (Rangpo-Sivok railway line) to Sikkim at Rangpo.

The new broad gauge railway line is between Sikkim''s small township of Rangpo and West Bengal''s border town of Sivok.

"People of Sikkim had a dream and the process of fulfilling it just started today. It is a difficult project considering that the terrain through which the line will go is difficult," Ansari said.

Expressing confidence that the Indian Railways will do it, he said that the line would be an engineering achievement for the railway.

Terming it a landmark for India and Sikkim, Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was also present on the ocassion, said: "It was a landmark for India and also for Sikkim which has no railway link till now."

"If we can do it in Jammu and Kashmir as well as Uttarakhand, we can do it in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan too," she added.

This 52.7 km long new broad guauge Rangpo-Sivok line will be constructed at a cost of Rs. 1339.48 crore and has been declared as a ''National Project'' for which 75 per cent of the fund would be provided by Ministry of Railways through their gross budgetary support and balance 25 per cent as an additionality by the Ministry of Finance.

The survey for further extension of this line from Rangpo upto Sikkim''s capital Gangtok (69 km) has also been completed recently and survey report is under examination in the Ministry of Railways.

Source ANI

Mumbai: Residents in Mumbai will have to make do with much less water as Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced 15 percent water cut until next July.

However, sub-urban and slum areas are the worst hit which already get controlled water supply.

Residents living in Bandra and Santacruz area will share their every day sufferings with thousands others living in Borivli, Dahisar Malad-Malwani and other suburban areas.

With the scanty supply of water, many residents of Bandra and Santacruz fear the worst, as it is they wait for hours for their turn to fill water from public taps.

"Water problem will become acute. If they don''t reduce supply water, where will we get it? We will have to do without it. Water comes for two hours and our turn comes in half an hour," said Shamim Sayed, a resident.

Ever since the announcement was made by the BMC, residents have started storing water.

"We came to know about the water cut three days ago, so we stored water the day before yesterday," said Saleem, another resident.

The BMC announced its water-cut plan on Wednesday as city lakes and reservoirs have limited freshwater. To be able to supply water untill the next monsoon sets in, the BMC has imposed rationing of water for domestic purpose.

The cut will be even more for commercial purposes. Hotels, malls and other commercial establishments will see 30 percent cut in water supply.

This year''s late and insufficient monsoon rain has led to this stringent measure.

Source ANI

Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has tested positive for swine flu on Friday.

According to doctors at the government hospital here, Modi tested positive after undergoing an H1N1 virus test.

Modi will be kept in isolation for seven days, said a Gujarat Government spokesperson.

The Chief Minister recently returned from Russia.

Source ANI

New Delhi: The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, on Friday called for sustained endeavour to achieve 9 to 10 per cent growth rate.

Addressing the two-day Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2009 here, Dr Singh said that the Government is keen to sustain a growth rate of 9-10 per cent growth in the coming years.

He also reiterated that India wishes to resolve all outstanding issues with neighbors through dialogue.

"We sincerely wish to resolve all outstanding issues with our neighbours through dialogue... that should characterise our relations," he added.

He also asserted that the destinies of the two countries and that of other South Asian nations are closely interlinked.

Speaking about China, Dr. Singh said, both India and China have immense opportunities to work together and there is ample space in the world to accomodate the growth ambitions of both the countries.

He expressed the hope that peace and tranquility will prevail along the India-China boarder.

Commenting on Pakistan Dr. Singh said, "Pakistan is grappling with internal problems and India wishes them success."

He also made it clear that the security of India lies in progress and stability.
Speaking on the issue of climate change, Dr. Singh said that as responsible global citizen, India wants to be a partner with other nations in the conservation of the environment.

He also spoke about the importance of the Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation and described former US president George W Bush as a great friend of India.

"We recognize the very important role he played in the fruition of the civil nuclear cooperation initiative. We are working now with our international partners to give a boost to our nuclear power programme. This will be an important contribution to our efforts to use cleaner fuels and thus combat climate change," he added.

The theme for this year''s Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, is:  ''Vision 2020: Challenges for the Next Decade''.

Source ANI

Kupwara: Two militants were killed when army troops foiled an infiltration bid in Jammu and Kashmir''s Kupwara district on Friday.

According to a defence spokesman, the two heavily-armed infiltrators were confronted by the Army when they were trying to sneak into Keran sector.

The terrorists opened fire at the troops. The fire was returned, triggering a gun battle in which two militants were killed, a defence spokesman added.

Operation was continuing when reports last came in.

Source ANI

Jaipur: Union Petroleum Minister Murli Deora on Friday said there is no other option but to let the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) depot fire burn itself out.

"We will have to let all the fuel burn. Only then, will experts be able to go anywhere near the site. We expect the fuel to burn out by the evening," Deora said after reviewing the situation here.

He said he would also order an inquiry into the matter, but only after due consultation with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

"A enquiry committee will be formed who will investigate and find out the reason behind the mishap. When enquiry committee will be formed, we''ll make sure to adopt such measures," he added.

At least 12 people have been killed and 150 others injured in the incident.

The army has been deployed to handle the situation. Twenty-two fire tenders, 300 army personnel and two teams of oil fire experts are currently engaged in bringing the fire under control.

The injured have been admitted to different hospitals in Jaipur.  A loss of over Rs. 500 crore is estimated in the incident.

"The latest information that we have is about 20 in Sawai Man Singh Hospital, about 15 in Fortis and 50 in Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital. All precautions have been taken and people have been evacuated from nearby houses and areas," said Aimaduddin Ahmad Khan, Rajasthan Health Minister.

B L Soni, Inspector General, said, "All measures are being taken to douse the fire. Indian Oil''s in-house team is here and from Mathura and Panipat are also here."
Five lakh residents around the area have been moved to safer locations, including hostellers of 10 engineering and medical colleges.

The State Government has announced an ex-gratia of two lakh rupees to next of kin of those killed in the incident, one lakh to those seriously injured and 50,000 rupees to the injured.

Source ANI

Agra: To guard the territorial integrity and national security from any quarter, the Army Chief, General Deepak Kapoor, has assured that security forces are ready to face any challenge from the Taliban, and added that Special Forces modernisation is being done keeping in view asymmetric and fourth generation warfare.

 

Para commandos are elite special forces of Indian Army. They are the largest and most important part of the Special Forces of India. The parachute units of the Indian Army are among the oldest airborne units in the world. On April 15, 1952, by absorbing three parachute battalions the Parachute Regiment was finally formed.

 

“I like to assure everyone that we are ready to face any challenge,” General Kapoor told ANI when asked about the preparedness of the Army in wake of growing Taliban menace in neighbouring countries.

 

A fortnight ago Tehreek-e-Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud said that India is the next stop for Taliban fighters after they create an Islamic state in Pakistan.

 

“There are whole lot of new equipments, which is being thought of for Para Special Forces modernisation, especially in view of the fact that asymmetric warfare, and fourth generation warfare is a matter of concern and from that perspective we are trying to modernize entire Para Forces,” said the Army Chief during the paratroopers reunion hosted by the Parachute Brigade here on Tuesday.

 

Since the mid-1990s the role of Para commandos as a counter terrorist force has increased substantially. They are now actively involved in counter terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir to conduct pro-active raids against militants hiding in the countryside and mountains.

 

Commenting on the preparation of the Special Forces for 21st century warfare, Colonel of the regiment, Lt. General P C Katoch said: “One can see what is happening in the J-K, Northeast, there is outside interference. Parachute Regiment and Special Forces are all prepared for it all along.”

 

As part of the modernisation of the Special Forces, a hi-tech warfare training is being given to the troopers, who have been equipped with light weight weaponry to enable them to take swift action during combat operations.

 

The Special Forces, which is also known as the Red Devils for their courage and professionalism, have been equipped with Travor rifles that would prove beneficial to the troops, deployed in counter insurgency operations.

 

The Special Forces will also get helmets fixed with night vision binoculars and earpiece for communication purposes. The body armour will comprise of lightweight bulletproof vests and shoes.

Source ANI

Jaipur: The massive fire that erupted at the Indian Oil Corporation''s fuel depot in Sitapura industrial area on the outskirts of Jaipur on Thursday night is still raging.

Atleast 12 people were killed and 150 others were injured in the incident.

The army has been deployed to handle the situation. Twenty two fire tenders, 300 army personnel and two teams of oil fire experts are engaged in bringing the fire under control.

The injured have been admitted to different hospitals of Jaipur.  Loss of over 500 crore is estimated in the incident.

Five lakh residents around the area have been moved to safer locations, including hostellers of 10 engineering and medical colleges.

The government has announced an ex-gratia of two lakh rupees to next of kin of those killed in the incident, one lakh to seriously injured and 50,000 rupees to the injured.

Petroleum Minister Murli Deora has reached Jaipur to assess the situation. He will be visiting the accident site and will meet Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

Source ANI

New Delhi: The 43rd Session of the Standing Labour Committee, an important organ of the Tripartite Consultative Machinery in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, will be held here today.

The Committee, which advises the Government in the evolution of principles and policies in the field of Labour, is meeting under the Chairmanship of the Union Minister of Labour and Employment Mallikarjun Kharge.

It will review the action taken report on the recommendations of previous session of Indian Labour Conference which was held in February this year and will also set the agenda for the succeeding session of Indian Labour Conference.

The National Policy on HIV/AIDS in the World of Work will also be launched on the occasion.

The policy aims at generating awareness about HIV/AIDS and to encourage action to prevent its spread.

The policy also dwells upon the ways and means to further improve and develop the support and care initiatives at the workplace.

The meeting will be attended by senior representatives from Central Trade Union Organisations, Central Organisations of Employers, Ministers and senior officials from the States and also by the representatives from various Central Ministries and Departments.

The first session of the Standing Labour Committee was held in 1942 and since then the Committee has had 42 Sessions.

Source ANI

Jaipur: The massive fire that erupted at the Indian Oil Corporation''s fuel depot in Sitapura industrial area on the outskirts of Jaipur on Thursday night is still raging and unconfirmed reports have said that it may continue for another 24-36 hours.

Unconfirmed reports have suggested that at least 12 people have been killed and 150 others were injured in the incident.

However, IOC Chairman Sarthak Behuria, said: “Three civilians are confirmed dead and one is seriously injured. Six of our staff - three officers and three blue collared employees, are missing.”

He also added that five civilians were seriously injured, while 40 others sustained minor injuries.

IOC’s total losses due to the fire is being estimated at Rs. 300 crore, out of which Rs. 150 crore is the product loss and another Rs. 150 due to infrastructure damage.

The army has been deployed to handle the situation.

Five lakh residents around the area have been moved to safer locations, including hostellers of 10 engineering and medical colleges.

The State Government has announced an ex-gratia of two lakh rupees to next of kin of those killed in the incident, one lakh to those seriously injured and 50,000 rupees to the injured.

Source ANI

Hyderabad: The Rosaiah government in Andhra Pradesh suffered a setback on Thursday as its Minister of Women Development and Child Welfare Konda Surekha tendered her resignation from her post in protest against Y S Jaganmohan Reddy not being made the State chief.

Describing her reason for resignation, Surekha told the media persons on Friday (October 30) that the masses always wanted to see Jaganmohan Reddy as the future Chief Minister but some senior leaders in the party had scuttled his way to the CM''s post.

"We want Jaganmohan Reddy as Chief Minister and the public want him to be the Chief Minister as well. We have told this to the High Command but some senior leaders have given a different message to the High Command and want to disturb Jaganmohan Reddy''s family. I have my resignation so that some reaction takes place in the party''s High Command," said Konda Surekha.

According to certain constitutional experts, Konda Surekha should have submitted her resignation to the Chief Minister who in turn would have forwarded it to the Governor.

Meanwhile, reacting to her resignation, the Andhra Pradesh CM, K Rosaiah, denied any dissent in the party.

"Had she come to me directly, that''s a different matter. She has submitted her resignation to the Governor. Governor forwarded it for my advice. So where''s the scope? Come on tell me if there is a method? No, dissent, don''t feel agitated there is no dissent," said K. Rosaiah.

Source ANI

New Delhi: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday dismissed the view that the mysterious ''Rahul'' figuring as a target of David Headley arrested by the FBI in the U.S for allegedly plotting terror-attacks overseas, including India, being Congress Party’s General Secretary Rahul Gandhi.

"It could be a pseudo name, it could be a code name but please be assured that it is not the Rahul you think it is," said P. Chidambaram during a media interaction in the national capital.

On the issue of arrest of David Headley by the FBI in the U.S., Chidambaram said: "We know that David Headley visited Pakistan several occasions. Most of the time he seems to have travelled in his own name and under regular passport bearing his own name, now who his friends were, who he is acquainted with, these are matters that have to be investigated. Our investigators are joining the investigation in United States; our investigators will reach US by Sunday. They will join the investigation on Monday."

The FBI arrested David Coleman Headley, a Chicago resident earlier this month for plotting terror-attacks overseas, including India. He was arrested along with a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin by the FBI''s joint terrorism task force.

It is reported that Headley came in close contact with several unidentified leaders of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) a Pakistani-based terrorist organisation with links to Al Qaeda.

Headley, a U.S. citizen who changed his name from Dawood Gilani in 2006 and resides primarily in Chicago, was arrested on Oct. 3, 2009, by the Chicago FBI''s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) at O''Hare International Airport before boarding a flight to Philadelphia, intending to travel on to Pakistan.

He was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit terrorist acts involving murder and maiming outside the United States and one count of conspiracy to provide material support to that overseas terrorism conspiracy.

Source ANI

New Delhi: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday said that pre-paid cell-phone connections would be banned in Jammu and Kashmir for security reasons.

The Home Ministry has decided not to issue fresh pre-paid mobile connections in Kashmir and as per this policy, the existing pre-paid SIM cards would not be renewed in the State after November 1.

"I have no problem if there are pre-paid connections in rest of India but there is a security situation; we think that pre-paid connections are prone to be misused," Chidambaram told reporters in national capital New Delhi.

Chidambaram, during his visit to the state earlier this month had hinted about such a step by the Central Government.

Source ANI

New Delhi: The in-fighting and persisting turbulence in BJP’s Karnataka unit deepened on Friday as a group of party MLAs arrived in the national capital to impress upon the BJP’s central leadership to remove B.S. Yeddyurrappa as the chief minister of the State.

The latest step of the party MLAs could be viewed as the Reddy brothers’ demonstration of their hold in Karanataka State politics, a private channel reported.

Source ANI

New Delhi: In a scathing attack on the way some Madrassas are imparting education across the country, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday said that the Madarsas, the Islamic education institutions, were encouraging militancy in the country.

Bhagwat noted that unlike the Islamic educational institutions, the Hindu religious schools teach and propagate Indian culture.

"The education that we are giving and the education that we have received, is not for doing atrocities on the people. Our education is not like Madarsas (Islamic educational institutions), which encourage militancy. We consider everyone as ours. We educate about our culture," said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat while addressing activists and volunteers of RSS at New Delhi on Friday.

RSS chief’s statement has come at a time when Ministry of Human Resource Development has mooted Central Madarsa Board Bill 2009 under which the structure of Muslim religious education would be brought at par with the modern education system.

The move to set up a Central Madarsa Board was initiated following the National Commission for Minorities Educations recommendation made in April 2007.

Source ANI

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit on Friday said that the State Government would take necessary steps to ensure safety of the Northeastern community residing in the national capital.

While addressing a group of students from northeastern States, who were staging a mass protest against repeated incidents of attacks on them, Dikshit assured them that steps would be taken to contain the rising crime against the students and others from the Northeast.

“I called for a meeting with MPs and Police Commissioner, and have ordered them to take necessary steps immediately. We will go into this because we must see that they feel safe. It''s a sad picture if they are feeling unsafe, it has to be rectified,” Dikshit said.

The students’ protest comes in the wake of the murder of a nineteen-year-old girl from Manipur last week.

Carrying banners and placards that read ''We Despise Rape and Murder'', ''Stop Sexual Harassment'', ''Stop Harassing Us'', the students urged the State and Union Governments to step up security for the community living in the national capital, a majority of them being students.

“We are very much insecure and for that reason we are asking the State to provide us more security, to give us more attention because we are more vulnerable people,” said Tungrei, the President of Tangkhul Naga Students'' Union.

Meanwhile, Takam Sanjay, an MP from Arunachal Pradesh, said that they (parliamentarians) would be meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram soon to discuss the issue.

“As a MP, we have already given our opinion. Administration should be aware of our problem, especially the police. We condemn the inactiveness of the police department. We will be meeting the Union Home Minister to ensure the safety of the students from the Northeast. Security is a prime agenda and we will be meeting the Prime Minister also,” Sanjay said.

Source ANI

New Delhi: The Government is hopeful that the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and its work in the areas of water management and crop enhancement would lead the country to a second Green Revolution.
 
While inaugurating a conference on ‘NREGA for Water Management’ at Observer Research Foundation here on Friday, Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development Dr. Rita Sharma said:  “It may be a wild thought now but the first Green Revolution came about as a result of very high water guzzling cropping systems from the irrigated regions of the country. But the NREGA holds the trigger for a second Green Revolution from the rain-fed areas, but using water conserving technologies and working with the smaller and poorer farmers while the first Revolution came from the big farmers.”
 
Explaining the role and scope of NREGA in water management, Dr. Sharma said the SRI (System of Rice Intensification) technique, being popularized by NREGA, would help in crop enhancement by cutting the usage of water by one-third.
 
SRI technique is being used in the cultivation of wheat and other crops as well by the farmers themselves and the significant productivity increases could be stimulated, leading to another food revolution, Dr. Sharma informed.
 
She said the Government provides highest priority to water conservation in the choice of works under NREGA and the nature of works undertaken is such that it leads to creation of ‘green jobs’.
 
The Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development revealed that the expenditure on the NREGA is estimated to go up to Rs. 50,000 crore in 2009-10, giving employment to 5.5 crore rural people out of which 52 per cent are women.

The average wage rate would also increase from the present Rs. 84 per day in the previous financial year to Rs. 89 in the current financial year, she added.
 
Dr. Sharma said the scheme increased the bargaining power of the rural people in the employment market, but some activist said it led to distortion in the wage market.
 
She also underlined the need for better convergence among the implementing agencies of the government and also the supply and demand side to achieve better impact. She said there was a need to make it more scientific.
 
However, analysts and activists drew a different picture of lack of proper planning, lack of training, lack of assessment of the quality of work done, lack of supervision, lack of proper knowledge leading to ill-conceived, hap-hazard planning, which hinder proper water management under the scheme.
 
Former Cabinet Secretary Surendra Singh, who chaired the inaugural session, opted to draw Government’s attention towards better audit, proper training and capacity building for the purpose of achieving better results.

Noting that the demand for water in India would increase by 2.3 times more by 2025 according to the estimates of the Central Water Commission, Surendera Singh also stressed the need for a better management of water resources. 
 
The sessions was chaired by noted authority on water management, Dr. Ramaswamy R Iyer, who said the UPA Government would be known in history for the NREGA and the RTI (Right to Information Act).

Source ANI

New Delhi: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday said that a report on further police recruitment has been submitted to his ministry, and it is being reviewed.

The Home Ministry’s report for October stated that the one-man committee on “Recruitment Plan (2009-2020) for the Indian Police Service”, headed by Kamal Kumar submitted its report during the month. 

Chidambaram said that the report confirmed his conclusion that there was grave neglect in determining the number of candidates to be recruited to the IPS in the Civil Services Examination during the four-year period 1999-2002, and that, as against the number of 85, only 36 candidates were recruited each year, resulting in a shortfall of 49 candidates a year or a total shortfall of 196 candidates. 

He also informed that the report has recommended that the annual recruitment between 2009-10 and 2019-20 should be fixed at 130 and that a Limited Competitive Examination may also be conducted for 7 years to recruit an additional 448 candidates. 

The Minister further pointed out that the damage could be repaired only over a period of 11 years and said that he has directed the report to be processed expeditiously and placed before the competent authority for appropriate decisions.

The monthly report also said that a Mid-Career Training Programme (MCTP) for IPS Officers has also been approved at an estimated cost of Rs. 68.53 crore.

Under the programme, beginning in January 2010, Superintendent of Police (SP), Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) and Inspector General (IG)-level officers would be imparted specialized training at premier Indian and international academic/training institutions, the report added.

Source ANI

New Delhi: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday said that direct data collection for the National Population Register (NPR) is in progress in the coastal villages of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry, where the biographical details of more than 20 lakh residents and biometric details of more than 1 lakh residents have been recorded.

As regards to Census 2011, the report said that field survey work for the preparation of geo-referenced enumeration blocks bas been completed in 1100 wards out of 2018 wards in 33 capital cities.

Chidambaram also informed that Rs 5.61 crore was sanctioned for the procurement of 337 new vehicles for the recently created 29 police stations and 9 sub-divisions of Delhi Police, while Rs 1.73 crore was released to Dadra and Nagar Haveli for 2009-10 under the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) Scheme.

The report also said that East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction (Amendment) Act, 2001 was extended to the Union Territory of Chandigarh by notification dated on October 9.
 
During the month, the powers and functions of the Central Government under the Delhi Municipal Act, 1957, save a few powers, were delegated to Delhi Government by an order dated October 26, following which a long standing demand of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) has been fulfilled. 

The delegation of powers is in accordance with the recommendations of several committees appointed in the past, the report said.

Chidambaram added that the Third Finance Commission for the Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Lakshadweep submitted its report today. He also informed that the report will be processed and appropriate decisions will be taken soon.

The report also said that the Government has accepted the proposal of Orissa Government to change the name of the State from “Orissa” to “Odisha” and the name of the language from “Oriya” to “Odia”.

A Bill in this regard would be introduced in Parliament, it added.

Source ANI

New Delhi: Union Home Minister P.Chidambaram on Friday said that under the Modernisation of Police Forces (MPF) scheme, Rs.201.06 crore was released to the States in October against the total allocation of Rs.1187.50 crore for 2009-10.

While, Chidambaram informed that the Centre-State Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) Project has been signed by 34 States and Union Territories and only one State is yet to sign the MoU.

The report also said that during the month, the Cabinet also approved the National Policy on Disaster Management. It also approved a proposal to strengthen Fire and Emergency services in the country under a Plan Scheme with an outlay of Rs 200 crore during the Eleventh Plan period.

Chidambaram also informed about the proposal made at the Chief Ministers’ Conference, and said that the Ministry has approved a scheme for strengthening of special branches in the State with a total outlay of Rs 150 crore. 

The State Governments will implement the scheme with technical and financial support from the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the report said.

The report also said that Raghu Raman was appointed during the month as the Chief Executive Officer to implement the National Intelligence Grid (Natgrid) project.

Raman has agreed to accept this assignment until May 2011, when the project is expected to be fully implemented.

Source ANI

New Delhi: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday said the Planning Commission gave in-principle approval for Rs.1,011 crore for the implementation of the Mission Mode Project on Immigration, Visa and Foreigners Registration and Tracking (IVFRT).

The project aims to develop a secure and integrated service delivery framework to enhance security and facilitate immigration, issue of visas and registration.

Chidambaram informed that the project will be completed in September 2014 and would cover 169 Indian missions in foreign countries, 78 ICPs (Immigration Check Posts), 5 FRROs (Foreigners Regional Registration Offices) and all FROs (Foreigners Registration Offices) in the State/District headquarters.

The report also said that the computerization and networking of 42 ICPs is progressing satisfactorily, and the hardware has been delivered to 25 ICP sites and a local area network have been installed at 11 other ICPs.

It also informed that 139 e-Passport Reading Machines (e-PRMs) have been procured for installation at the Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai Airport ICPs.

Source ANI

New DelhiUnion Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday said that during the month of October, steps have been taken to improve the Border Road, Coastal, and Security network.

The report said that 20 kilometres of fencing and 30 kilometres of new roads were completed along the India-Bangladesh border in the month.

Along the India-China border, 196 kilometres of roads were in various stages of construction, while 46.63 kilometres of formation works and 4.77 kilometres of surfacing works were also completed during the time.

The report also said that the construction on the Naga-Jadhang road in Uttarakhand was started in this month.

Further the Home minister informed that under the Border Area Development Programme (BAPD), Annual Action Plans have been received from 15 States and the first installment amounting to Rs. 310.57 crore was released to 12 States, including Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.

Chidambaram also said that initiatives were also being continued on the coastal patrolling and security front, as two companies -GSL Goa and GRSE, Kolkata- are required to supply 60 boats during the period July 2009 to February 2010. 

The report said that 20 boats were ready for delivery, and it has been allocated to Gujarat (3 boats), Maharashtra (6 boats), Goa (1 boat), Karnataka (1 boat), Kerala (1 boat), Daman and Diu (2 boats), Tamil Nadu (1 boat), Andhra Pradesh (1 boat), Orissa (2 boat) and West Bengal (2 boats).

States are being requested to take delivery immediately and efforts are being made to impress upon the two shipyards to deliver the remaining boats before February 2010, the report said.

Source ANI

New Delhi: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday said that on the issue of internal security of the country, the Government continues to remain vigilant against any terror threat or attack.

“We continue to remain vigilant against any terror threat or attack.  In Jammu and Kashmir, led by the Army and the J&K police, the security forces have been able to neutralize a number of attempts of potential militants to infiltrate into India,” said Chidambaram but he underlined: “The most serious threats to internal security in October 2009 came from the CPI (Maoist). I have already referred to the incident in Gadchiroli.”

Revealing his ministry’s monthly assessment for October, Chidambaram said: “On October 27, 2009, the CPI (Maoist) and their supporters in the PCPA held the Rajdhani Express with 1250 passengers hostage for nearly 5 hours.  In the last two days alone, there have been violent incidents in West Bengal (CPI (M) and Trinamool  Congress cadres shot dead); Jharkhand (2 school buildings blown up); Andhra Pradesh (Congress worker shot dead); and Chhattisgarh (1 SPO and 1 villager killed).”

Chidambaram said that all these incidents, in his view, point to the nature of the challenge of the naxalites. “The violence must end.  The State – the Central Government and the State Governments – have a duty to end the violence. It is with that objective that we have made a simple and straight forward appeal to the CPI (Maoist): “Halt the violence. These are three simple words, and I do not see why they should be subjected to tortuous interpretation and analysis.

Home Minister said that on behalf of the Central Government I wish to say once again that the CPI (Maoist) should halt the violence and the Central Government would persuade the State Governments to talk to the CPI (Maoist) on all matters including their concerns on land acquisition, forest rights, industrialization and development. 

“I regret to say that the response so far has been disappointing,” he added.

Chidambaram informed: “Lt. General (Retd.) Vijay Madan has been appointed as Interlocutor to hold talks with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM). Following the decision of the DHD(J) to lay down arms and move its cadres into designated camps, the stage has been set to hold talks with the DHD(J) as well as some other groups which have evinced their interest to hold talks.  It is proposed to hold talks with the DHD(J), UPDS and the NDFB (pro-talks).  In consultation with the Government of Assam, P C Haldar has been appointed as the interlocutor.” 

“Union Home Secretary visited Guwahati on October 9, 2009 and chaired a meeting of State Home Secretaries and State Intelligence Chiefs of the North Eastern States.  He also visited Kohima, Nagaland on October 13-14, 2009 and reviewed the law and order situation in Nagaland.  During these visits, he also interacted with diverse sections of civil society,” Chidambaram added.

On the issue of Central para-military forces (CPMFs), Chidambaram said: “Sanctions amounting to Rs. 188.41 crore were issued during the month for various infrastructure works of the CPMFs--CRPF (94.79 crore), SSB (Rs. 49.76 crore), AR (Rs. 37.46 crore), ITBP (Rs. 6.40 crore).”

While sanctions amounting to Rs. 38.50 crore were issued during the month for acquisition of land for various establishments of the CPMFs as follows: CRPF (Rs. 31.13 crore), ITBP (Rs. 3.97 crore), AR (Rs. 2.64 crore, BSF (Rs. 0.76 crore), the report added.

CISF will be deployed for security at BHEL, Ranipet. 98 posts have been created for this purpose, the Home Minister informed.

“Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Maken, visited Hyderabad on October 22, 2009 and held discussions with the Screening Committee of Eminent Freedom Fighters. This Committee was re-constituted recently to scrutinize pension claims relating to the Hyderabad Liberation Movement,” Chidambaram informed in his monthly report.

Source ANI

New Delhi:  Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday, while presenting the monthly report of his Ministry, said that the highlight of October was the State Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra, which remained, by and large, peaceful.

Addressing media persons in the capital, Home Minister Chidambaram said: “The highlight of the month of October, 2009 was the Assembly elections held in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra, which he described as, by and large, peaceful. 298 Coys of CPMFs/SAPs/Border Wing Home Guards were deployed for the elections.  The sole incident that marred the peace occurred in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, in which 17 personnel of the Maharashtra police were killed.  The CPI (Maoist) was responsible for the attack on the police party.”
 
Chidambaram informed how on October 5, he delivered the sixth Nani Palkivala Memorial Lecture at Mumbai where he appealed to the naxalites to abjure violence and pave the way for the State Governments concerned to talk to them on their demands and include them in the process of development and inclusive growth. “I also appealed to the leaders of civil society to prevail upon the naxalites to abjure violence and take the road of democracy and dialogue,” he said.

Talking about his Jammu & Kashmir visit on October 13-14, which was primarily to attend the All India Editor’s Conference, Chidambaram informed that he also met the Governor and the Chief Minister of the State. “Following my visit, we have identified a number of issues on which follow up action is being taken by the Central Government and the Government of Jammu & Kashmir. We intend to follow up on the promise of “quiet talks, quiet diplomacy” with all shades of political opinion in Jammu & Kashmir.”

“A sum of Rs.30 crore was released to Jammu & Kashmir as advance for payment of one-time cash compensation in lieu of appointment in Government service to the next of kin of persons killed by militants.  Sanction was issued for release of balance of Rs.5.3 lakh to J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Srinagar,” said Chidambaram.

About his Jharkhand visit on Oct. 22, Chidambaram said that he reviewed the development and social welfare schemes of the Government and was briefed on the security situation and the readiness of the State Government to hold elections to the Legislative Assembly and the requirement of police personnel for elections was also discussed. “On my return, the Government recommended the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly of Jharkhand with effect from November 1, 2009.  The President of India issued a Presidential order to that effect on October 23, 2009.  The Election Commission of India has since announced that elections will be held between November 25 and December 18, 2009.”

On the issue of Disaster Relief, Chidambaram mentioned that on Oct. 5, he accompanied the UPA Chairperson, and the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and the Karnataka Chief Minister, respectively on an aerial survey of the flood affected areas of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. “The Prime Minister also visited Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.  Following the Prime Minister’s visit, the Government announced an advance of Rs.1000 crore each to the two States from the NCCF.  Central teams have been dispatched to the two States to make an assessment of the damage due to the floods and submit their reports,” Chidambaram informed.

Source ANI