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Dual citizenship soon a reality,
Funds start flowing
to MP, Rajasthan |
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Dissidence breaks out in Rajasthan Cong CBI begins probe in Dubey case
Resigning employee can’t claim pension, says SC DEFENCE NOTES
16 scientists receive ICMR awards
Advani felicitates Dev Anand, Ratan Tata
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Dual citizenship soon a reality, says PM New Delhi, December 14 “Certain recommendations such as dual citizenship would soon become a reality,” Mr Vajpayee said adding that the government was looking into the other
recommendations as well. “There is still a lot to be done for the PIOs.... Whatever is possible we will do it.... This is just a beginning, not a fullstop,’’ he said, while addressing NRIs and PIOs after laying the foundation stone for ‘Pravasi Bhavan’ at ‘International Sahyog Parishad’ here. Mr Vajpayee said the L.M. Singhvi Committee set by his government had made recommendations for PIOs relating to culture, education, health, science and technology, community media, dual citizenship and ways to improve relations with them, besides security for the NRIs. Terming the Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) spread across the five continents a “cultural commonwealth”, he called for making the commonwealth effective and powerful so that it play an important role in tackling the global challenges of poverty and terrorism. “Today the countries are uniting on regional and economic fronts. The European Union, ASEAN and SAARC are some examples. In all these cases, there is a big role of the culture of the region.... The Persons of Indian Origins also constitute a separate unit, a cultural commonwealth. We should all make the commonwealth effective and powerful,” he said. Recalling the contributions made by PIOs such as Gujarati businessmen in African countries, doctors, engineers and computer experts in the USA, Tamil workers in Singapore and Malaysia and Sikh farmers in Canada, the Prime Minister invited them to contribute to make India a developed nation. He said the PIOs and the NRIs can play an important role in giving the correct picture of India to the right people at a time when the world view was changing in favour of India. Commending the parishad for uniting the PIOs, the Prime Minister said the Pravasi Bhavan, when completed, would fill up the gap existing for so many years. Among those present on the occasion were Mohan Lal Mittal of Ispat Industries, London, Parisahd general Secretary Baleshwar Agarwal and chairman Lakhan Lal
Malhotra. |
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Funds start flowing
to MP, Rajasthan New Delhi, December 14 The Rural Development Ministry has released Rs 1,138.28 lakh for Rajasthan and Rs 728.44 lakh for Madhya Pradesh for planning and development of the watershed programme during 2003-04. On December 9, Mr Vajpayee at a luncheon meeting had assured the newly elected Chief Ministers of adequate central funds, besides central intervention and help wherever necessary. At the meeting, organised to celebrate the landslide victory of the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, the Prime Minister had asked them to push forward the “development agenda” aggressively and prepare an “action plan” for their states. Of the Rs 1,138.28 lakh allocated to Rajasthan, Rs 49.92 lakh goes to Karauli district, Rs 108 lakh to Baran, Rs 25.64 lakh to Jaipur, Rs 216.37 lakh to Barmer, Rs 157.46 lakh to Ajmer, Rs 47.69 lakh to Bhilwara, Rs 102 lakh to Chittorgarh, Rs 55 lakh to Bikaner, Rs 97.77 lakh to Jalore and Rs 278.42 lakh to Jodhpur district. The Centre’s fund under the Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP) for Madhya Pradesh will be utilised in Umaria, Panna, Betul, Khargone, Badwani, Dhar, Shivpuri, Khandwa and Seoni. Besides, Madhya Pradesh has been released an amount of Rs 4.35 crore and 2,973 tonnes wheat and 232 tonnes of common rice as second installment of funds and foodgrains. |
Dissidence breaks out in Rajasthan Cong Jaipur, December 14 “There will be revolt in the Congress if Mr Gehlot is appointed CLP leader or PCC President,” the MLA from Sardarshehar said here. Congress MLAs, earlier in the day, had unanimously authorised party chief Sonia Gandhi to select the Legislature Party Leader. Claiming the support of 35 of the 56 party MLAs, Mr Sharma asserted that the “people of Rajasthan have rejected Mr Ashok Gehlot. It is not the Congress that has lost the poll, but it is Mr Gehlot’s defeat.” Mr Gehlot is the lone MLA from his caste, he said, maintaining that there was an urgent need for the Congress, ahead of the Lok Sabha and panchayat poll, to wean back the support of caste groups that have been distanced from the party. “People want change. They want Ashokji to go,” he said, claiming the Chief Minister’s good image was merely a media creation. He also demanded the resignation of party state in charge General Secretary Ambika Soni. “She should not show her face in Rajasthan. She, too, should resign”. Mr Sharma hoped Ms Gandhi would name a CLP Leader who can gain the support of all sections of society. —
UNI |
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CBI begins probe in Dubey case New Delhi, December 14 The CBI registered a case against unknown persons under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder) and various provisions under the Arms Act, an agency spokesperson said. A high-level team was formed in the CBI to crack this case. The team is scheduled to leave for the scene of crime either tonight or tomorrow morning, the official said. Dubey was murdered at Gaya last month. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the Bihar Government together had decided to hand over the Dubey murder case to the CBI. Regretting his killing, Mr Vajpayee had said “like all right-thinking Indians, I am shocked and saddened by the murder of Satyendra Dubey, an upright and dedicated officer working with the NHAI. “The case has been already handed over to the CBI. Those responsible for his death, wherever they may be, will not be spared,” he said. Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi had recommended handing over the probe into the murder of Dubey to the CBI on December 8. Dubey had written to the Prime Minister about the alleged siphoning off of money from his 'dream project' at Barachatti segment in Bihar. He was killed in Gaya on November 27 when he was on his way to his house from the district railway station. |
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NDA govt puppet in US hands, says Laloo Ranchi, December 14 Addressing the Jharkhand Bachao Maha rally at Morahabadi Maidan, Mr Yadav said the NDA government, under the pressure of the USA and European countries, had adopted anti-people policies. “The NDA government is adopting the ‘clauses’ of the WTO disregarding the country’s interests and has handed over the country’s public and private sector industries to the multi-national companies resulting in mass retrenchment.” He ridiculed the Centre’s claim that the country had become high-tech and said India was traditionally a labour intensive economy and did not need computers as it increased unemployment. Mr Yadav said the Prime Minister had promised ‘swadeshi mantra’ in his election manifesto, but now the society and economy were witnessing ‘videshi’ everywhere. He alleged that the present government at the Centre was anti-poor and had socially deprived the backward communities. He said, “While nothing had happened to senior minister like George Fernandes and BJP leader Bangaru Laxman, who had been shown taking money before a camera, Ajit Yogi and “voice of Dalits” Mayawati were being victimised by lodging false and baseless cases against them”. The RJD supremo warned the NDA government that their double standard policy and communal agenda would be exposed during the Lok Sabha elections. —
UNI |
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Resigning employee can’t claim pension, says SC New Delhi, December 14 There is a fundamental distinction between seeking voluntary retirement and tendering
resignation by an employee, a Bench comprising Mr Justice Doraiswamy Raju and Mr Justice Arijit Pasayat said in a judgement, setting aside the
Bombay High Court’s order awarding pension benefit to some Reserve Bank of India (RBI) employees, who had resigned after completion of 50 years of age. They had sought pensionary benefits on the ground that it was available to those employees quitting the job voluntarily after completing 50 years of age. However, the court said that general rule in this regard could be displaced by an express provision to the contrary between the employees and the employer. “In service jurisprudence, expressions superannuation, voluntary retirement, compulsory retirement and resignation convey different connotations,” the court said, adding the voluntary retirement and resignation, though given on a free will of the employee, operated differently. “One of the basic distinctions is that in case of resignation it can be tendered any time, but in the case of voluntary retirement, it can only be sought for after rendering a prescribed period of qualifying service,” the court said. |
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DEFENCE NOTES A cautious India keen on keeping with its neighbours on an even keel is taking no chances of rubbing anyone the wrong way. This was evident in the recent turning down of a proposal from the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) did not want to take any chances which could have ruffled the Chinese feathers in the north-east. The MoD had forwarded a proposal where it wanted to take a team of journalists to Nathu La which traditionally has been a bone of contention between India and China. Besides, that is one of the places where the Indian and Chinese troops remain in eyeball to eyeball contact throughout the year and recognised now as a "border pass" between the two countries. The MoD had proposed taking journalists earlier in the month and had sent the file to the MEA for clearance. But the clearance never came as the issue still remains a delicate one between India and China. Earlier in the year India ruffled Chinese feathers when Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha in an interview to BBC had said that an agreement had been signed with China whereby Nathu La would be recognised as a border post for trade. When asked whether that meant that China had admitted Indian claims over Sikkim, he had said "you can read the language for yourself. I do not know why there should be any doubt about anything". But the Chinese had reacted sharply saying that the expansion of trade did not mean India”s “annexation” of Sikkim adding that Sikkim was an inheritance of history and history could not be changed so easily. So, the concern of the MEA was natural. After all taking journalists to a spot which remains a point of discussion between the two neighbours at a time when all efforts were under way to improve relations with China would not have been without peril. Underwater
surveillance system India has been using the indigenously manufactured underwater surveillance system to keep a watch on its vast coastline and many strategic offshore and onshore intallations. Developed by the Defence Reasearch and Development Organisation (DRDO) in 1989 at a cost of over Rs 215 crore, the Sonobuoy Processing and Control System is now being manufactured by the Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL), Hyderabad. The efficacy and acceptability of the system had been established through extensive trails conducted on submarine and various airborne paltforms. After it was cleared for induction in 1991 orders for as many as 11 systems has been placed with the ECIL. 8
Sikh Battalion After having won laurels in various operations within the country, the 8 Sikh Battalion has now acquitted itself commendably during peacekeeping operations in Lebanon as part of UNIFIL. Famous for its exploits during the 50-day war which India fought with Pakistan in Kargil, specially the capture of “Tiger Hill”, the last components of 8 Sikh battalion, which was relieved by 10 Garhwal Rifles, returned from Lebanon on December 11. The troops from the battalion were posted as "ambassadors of peace” in a highly volatile region in the Middle East for one year. During their assignment in Lebanon, the 8 Sikh performed duties with great elan, dignity and professionalism befitting the high standards of the Indian Army. In doing so they also won the love and admiration of the Lebanese people. Incidentally, the Indian Army has been contributing an Infantry Battalion group and a sizeable number of Mission Headquarter staff in Lebanon (UNIFIL) since November 1998. The present Force Commander and Head of the Mission is also an Indian Army officer
Maj-Gen L.M. Tiwari. |
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16 scientists receive ICMR awards New Delhi, December 14 Prof T Jacob John, former Head of the Department (HoD) of Virology, Christian Medical College, Vellore bagged Dr B R Ambedkar Centenary Award for Excellence in Biomedical Research (2001) for his work on ‘Pulse Polio Immunisation’. Union Health Minister Sushma Swaraj gave away the awards. Basanti Devi Amir Chand Prize, the oldest ICMR award, was given to Prof S Majumdar, HoD Experimental Medicine at the PGIMER, Chandigarh for his work on ‘Molecular basis of pathogenesis of disease process.’ Prof S K Sarin, HoD Gastroenterology at the G B Pant Hospital, New Delhi, was awarded for his contribution towards “Management of chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis of liver”. —
PTI |
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Dalits demand reservation in private sector New Delhi, December 14 Addressing a rally
organised at Ramlila Grounds by the All-India Confederation of SC/ST
Organisations, Dalit leader Udit Raj said the government’s
privatisation policy had proved counter-productive, generating large
amount of black money but less employment opportunities. “About 70
per cent of the industries set up in the private sector have become
non-performing,” he claimed. He said the worst sufferers of globalisation and privatisation were the Dalits and farmers. The Dalits have little avenues left. The government should withdraw the anti-reservation measures and enact a reservation Act. Safai karamcharis should be given time-bound promotion and reservation in government contracts. The government should also allow the recognition of caste certificate of one state in another state, he said. Later,
a memorandum in this regard was submitted to Prime Minister Atal
Bihari Vajpayee. — UNI |
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Advani felicitates Dev Anand, Ratan Tata Mumbai, December 14 While Dev Anand was felicitated with the K.T. Shahani Memorial Lifetime Achievement award, Tata group chief Ratan Tata and Infosys chief N.R. Narayana Murthy were presented with the K.T. Shahani Memorial award for ethical excellence. —
UNI |
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Don’s woman associate arrested New Delhi, December 14 The woman, identified as 29-year-old Shalini Jyoti, was arrested yesterday and incriminating documents and pornographic material were seized during a search of her house, the police said today. She was arrested after the businessman complained that he had received a threat call from someone who identified himself as Fazal-ur-Rehman. The caller had demanded Rs 50 lakh to be paid through channels to be disclosed in due course. |
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Veerappan gang
encountered Coimbatore, December 14 |
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