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Withdraw Teesta's security cover: Gulbarg massacre witness requests Modi

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 23 Agustus 2014 | 08.20

AHMEDABAD: The prime witness to the Gulbarg Society massacre of post-Godhra riots has requested prime minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) cover from social activist Teesta Setalvad and a team of lawyers that assist her in legal proceedings.

Key witness in this case, Imtiyazkhan Pathan and four other witnesses have sought withdrawal of security cover on the ground that Setalvad, her former aide Rais Khan, the lawyers and former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri's widow Zakia and son Tanvir have never faced threat. Moreover, Zakia and Tanvir are not eye witnesses to the case, and there is no point in extending such heavy security cover to them.

Pathan is the only witness that has implicated Modi during the trial of 2002 riots cases. He told the court that when Jafri called Modi for help, the later abused him on phone and did not send any help when the colony in Chamanpura area was surrounded by rioters. Sixty-nine persons including nine persons from Pathan's family lost their lives in this massacre. He identified 23 accused persons during the trial.

In his application, a copy of which is also sent to the Union Home Ministry and the Supreme Court-appointed SIT and Gujarat chief minister, Pathan has alleged that the social activists throw around their weight with the CISF cover with them. He has asserted that the eye witnesses like him are required to be given CISF cover. When contacted, Pathan told TOI, "The witnesses are guarded by a constable and three constables work to protect them in three shifts. But in most of the cases, the policemen spend hardly a few hours with witnesses, and leave them exposed to danger."

Another signatory in this application, Firozkhan Pathan cited example of Nadeem Saiyed, who was a witness in the Naroda Patia massacre case. "He was given security of one constable, but the guards usually stayed with him during day time. When he was assaulted and killed in the open, no guard was present to protect him. The reason behind assault on Nadeem could be different though," he said.

Few witnesses in the Gulbarg Society case and Setalvad fell apart fall apart after Setalvad's NGO Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) kicked out Rais Khan in 2008. Last year, they lodged an FIR against Setalvad, her husband and office bearers of the society accusing them of duping them by giving false promise to purchase the society land to construct a museum of conflict.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Teesta Setalvad,post-Godhra riots,Narendra Modi,Gulbarg Society Massacre,Central Industrial Security Force


08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

World Konkani Centre institutes two awards after Vishwa Konkani Sardar

MANGALORE: World Konkani Centre, Shakti Nagar here has announced two annual awards in name of 'Vishwa Konkani Sardar' Basti Vaman Shenoy who completed 80 years recently. The awards are constituted to recognize outstanding contributions by Konkani-speaking individuals or organizations managed by Konkanis in fields such as education, governance, social service, health care, science, journalism, literature (Non Konkani), performing arts, industry, and so on.

There are separate awards for men and women and are constituted as part of 'Vision TVM' which dreams of one strong Konkani community by 2020. Both awards carry a purse of Rs1 lakh apart from a citation. The nominee can be an individual/individuals/institution. Mother tongue of nominee should be Konkani and age of awardee should be more than 18 years. Self nominations are allowed by individuals and institutions.

In case of Institutions, the same should be managed by Konkani people and founders should be Konkani speaking. In case of an institution it should be in service for a minimum period of five years at the time of considering its nomination for the award. For nominations forms, log on to www.vishwakonkani.org and send it to the chairman, BVS Vishwa Konkani Seva Puraskar Selection Committee, Vishwa Konkani Kendra, Konkani Gaon, Shakti Nagar, Mangalore - 575016 before September 15, a communique from WKC states.


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Salesians offer hope, succor in Ebola-hit Liberia, Sierra Leone

MANGALORE: The Salesian of Don Bosco (SDB) in the Anglophone West Africa (AFW) Province has indicated there are several people who survived the Ebola virus infection and are fully recovering.

"It is a sign of hope, Ebola is not an inexorable death sentence," said Fr Jorge M Crisafulli, Provincial Salesians of Don Bosco, Anglophone West Africa.

In a communication sent to TOI, Fr Jorge said that the number of reported fatalities is 1,229 people out of 2,240 reported cases. In the last three days there have been 84 deaths. The general feeling is that numbers are higher.

"What is clear is that the Ebola pandemic is not only a "health issue" for us at this moment. It is much more than that. Something that is spreading as fast, or even faster, than the Ebola virus is fear and anxiety. Doctors and nurses feel afraid to report to their places of work due to the dread of contagion. The same happens with sick people. People are afraid to report to health facilities even for other sicknesses out of fear of being quarantined," he noted.

He rued that unfortunately hospitals in many cases became places where the infection spread faster and affected more people, since at the beginning there was no consciousness of the danger and no proper equipment for a correct approach to this viral attack. Most clinics and hospital are now closed. Sick people are kept at home which increases the risk of contamination, or brought to Ebola centers where the main purpose is to isolate and the hope of recovery is minimal, he said.

Sierra Leone and Liberia are the countries which were caught completely unprepared to face the Ebola crisis. "Unfortunately, these countries are now called "Ebola countries". Airlines have cancelled their flights to and from Liberia and Sierra Leone. This move was strongly criticized by the head of the World Health Organization. People, even Salesians have become "prisoners" in their own countries. No chance to go to their new placements, or back to their formation houses to continue with their studies. Another sector deeply affected is food. Food prices are on the rise and certain items are becoming scarce. The same story with disinfectants, chlorine, sanitizers and medicines. Delinquency is also on the rising. They are more cases of stealing, robberies. Monrovia, capital of Liberia is sealed. It is difficult to go out and come in."

He said that in Sierra Leone, the government is asking whether the Salesians are ready to take care of orphaned children of parents who died of Ebola. Salesians have accepted the challenge. They are now studying possibilities, resources and risks attached to such intervention. Obviously it has to be the result of a concerted effort done in network with health organizations and government agencies, he observed.


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Mumbai economic offences wing probing investment case involving PACL

MUMBAI: The city economic offences wing (EOW) is probing an investment case involving PACL (formerly Pearls Agrotech Corporation) where the complainant alleged he has been cheated in the name of allotment of land.

There are over five lakh investors approximately in the state who invested money to get land plot or double their money in five years.

Recently Sebi has asked PACL to refund Rs 49,100 crore to investors within three months. Sebi has also ordered the immediate closure of unauthorized collective investment schemes (CIS) run by the company.

Bhupendra Singh, president of Fund Rising Association, invested around Rs five lakh in 2010 had complained to the EOW. In his complaint, he stated that he was Promised Land plot but was not given any land despite company's promise of allotting the land plot within 270 days of agreement. Rajvardhan Sinha, additional commissioner of police, EOW, said, "We are conducting a preliminary enquiry (PE) into it." As a procedure, the EOW conducts a PE before registering an FIR against the suspects, if it found some substance in the allegations.

"I also submitted a 254-page report EOW citing the names of defaulters and money invested by me my relatives. The company has various investment plans starting from Rs three thousand a month. Their agents come to collect money (in cash) and state that if the plot is not allotted to an investor or he did not want the land, his money will be doubled in five years, and, refunded," said Singh. He added that the company would collect money in Mumbai and would show an investor land in other state like Uttar Pradesh, Madya Pradesh etc. "How will we go and verify the land plot. But the agents are local and they convince people in investing money before compiling an agreement," he said. A group of investors last year had taken a morcha at Sebis' Bandra office.

P S Kanda, regional manager, PACL, told TOI,"Our schemes are on all India level basis. We have been refunding money to the investors those who don't want land plot. There are many people who got their money doubled and later invested in our company again. We will not do losses to anyone. The Sebi has given us directives and we are following it."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=sebi,Economic Offences Wing,collective investment schemes


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PM sanctions Rs 2 lakh to kin of each dead in floods in 4 states

NEW DELHI: Condoling the loss of lives in floods in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sanctioned Rs two lakh for the next of kin of each of the deceased.

Modi also sanctioned Rs 50,000 for each of the seriously injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund, a PMO statement said.

"The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condoled the loss of life in the floods in the states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Assam," the statement said.

Floods have ravaged Uttar Pradesh and caused damage in Uttarakhand, Bihar and Assam. At least 89 people have died in floods in UP alone.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Prime Minister's National Relief Fund,floods in 4 states


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US diplomats banned from Ice Bucket Challenge

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 22 Agustus 2014 | 08.20

WASHINGTON: It is the charity stunt that has got everyone from billionaires to pop stars and even former US presidents drenched by buckets of freezing water.

But don't expect American diplomats to get involved in the fast-growing Ice Bucket Challenge — in support of Lou Gehrig's disease research — any time soon.

The State Department has issued an internal telegram forbidding US ambassadors and other high-profile foreign service officers from participating in the forfeit, in which people either pledge $100 to ALS research or record themselves getting soaked by frigid water, then post it online and challenge others to do the same.

"It's not just about ambassadors. Federal government ethics rules prevent us from using our public offices, such as — high public offices such as ambassadors — for private gain, no matter how worthy the cause is," State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said on Thursday.

"For that reason, high-ranking State Department officials are unfortunately unable to participate in the ice bucket challenge."

President Barack Obama has declined a dare from Ethel Kennedy, the 86-year-old widow of late senator Robert F. Kennedy. Obama promised to make a gift instead.

Pop star Justin Bieber and former US president George W Bush and Microsoft founder Bill Gates are just some of the celebrities who have drenched themselves in icy water in support for the cause.

And its popularity has spread around the globe, particularly to Australia, Britain, Canada, Germany and New Zealand.


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10 killed, 40 injured as two buses collide in Cairo

CAIRO: At least ten passengers were killed and 40 others seriously injured when two tourist buses collided on a highway on Friday near Sharm el-Sheikh, medical officials said.

Ten people were killed in the accident 50 km near Sharm el-Sheikh. The number of dead is suppose to increase, said Mohamed Lashin, Health Ministry Undersecretary in South Sinai.

Egypt has one of the world's highest traffic accident rates due to careless driving, road and vehicle conditions which leads to death and injury of thousands every year.

A recent report by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) said there were 15,578 car accidents in Egypt in 2013, up 0.4 per cent from the year before, which claimed the lives of 6,716 people and injured 22,411 others.


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West Bengal-based trader thrown out of train, dies

MUZAFFARNAGAR: A West Bengal-based trader died after being thrown out of a train by some passengers following a dispute over a seat near Muzaffarnagar Railway Station.

Sheikh Rahmatulla was on his way to Amritsar from Delhi when some passengers boarded the Jalandhar-Amritsar Express at Muzaffarnagar yesterday and asked him to vacate the seat, according to Government Railway Police.

Soon a confrontation took place following which the passengers threw him out of the train, they said.

The victim was rushed to a district hospital in a serious condition where he was declared dead. The body has been sent for postmortem.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=West Bengal-based trader,Sheikh Rahmatulla,Jalandhar-Amritsar Express


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JD(U) suspends party MLA Rajiv Ranjan for 6 years, for 'anti-party activities'

NEW DELHI: JD(U), on Friday, suspended Islampur MLA RajivRanjan from the party for six years, accusing him of "anti-party activities", days after he attacked his party's government in Bihar over "unabated corruption" after having earlier opposed a tie-up with Lalu Prasad's RJD.

"Party president Sharad Yadav has suspended Islampur MLA Rajiv Ranjan for six years considering his activities as anti-party. Yadav has directed all party leaders to maintain discipline and fight for social justice. There is no place for any kind of anti-party activities," JD(U) general secretary KC Tyagi said in a statement.

Rajiv Ranjan, who is an MLA from Islampur that falls in former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's home district Nalanda, had earlier written a letter to the state JD(U) president Basistha Narayan Singh in which he opposed the tie-up between JD(U) and RJD, which he alleged had created "jungle raj" (lawlessness) in Bihar during its tenure.

A few days back, Ranjan slammed the state government led by Jitan Ram Manjhi over corruption saying that in light of the prevailing condition in the state, it is time to adopt a new law by the name of 'Right to Bribe' in Bihar.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, JD(U) could win just two out of 40 LS seats in Bihar going down from its tally of 20 seats in 2009 Lok Sabha poll.

After the defeat, JD(U)joined hands with archrival RJD to take on a resurgent BJP and both Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar jointly campaigned for the byelection in Bihar for which voting took place on Thursday.

The suspension letter also gives a warning to other senior leaders making statements contradicting the party's stand. "Yadav has also cautioned top office bearers that they should avoid making contradictory statements," Tyagi said.

JD(U) leader and former minister Shakuni Choudhary had said that former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar should "quit politics rather than being insulted by Lalu Prasad".

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Nitish Kumar,Lalu Prasad,JD(U) suspends party MLA Rajiv Ranjan


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Karnataka govt keen to constitute 7th pay commission for govt employees

MYSORE: Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said that the state government is positively inclined to constitute seventh pay commission for state government employees in addition to providing various facilities to them on the lines of central government.

Addressing state level government employees conference here, he said the employees are demanding the government to constitute new pay commission, but you should know that state government has implemented the recommendations of the sixth pay commission in 2012 and there is time till 2017 for constitution of the new pay commission.

As there is pressure from the experts to prepare from now itself to constitute the new pay commission government is working in that direction, he said adding that soon the state government may come out with a decision on the constitution of new pay commission. "However we are determined to provide facilities to the state employees on the lines of central government," he said.

Speaking for more than one hour at this state level conference being organized after a gap of six years, that too at CM's homeground, he said government is timely releasing the allowances and salaries of the employees. Referring to the demands of the government employees, chief minister said at the same time the employees should learn to work sincerely with a service motto. "Government employees should realize their responsibilities and duties" he said urging the workers to discharge their duties properly. "I am not here to give sermons to you, but if you want to command peoples respect you have to work seriously and sincerely," he added.

Suggesting the employees to hold this conference once in every three years, Siddaramaiah said such conference will instill confidence you and make you to rededicate yourself for a public cause.

Releasing a souvenir on the occasion, housing minister Ambarish said the employees are the link between the government and people and is the responsibility of the workers to make the government programmes reach people. "This will happen only when employees realize that this itself is a great work and needs dedication," he said.


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JMM decides to boycott programme of all Union ministers

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 21 Agustus 2014 | 08.20

RANCHI: Soon after conclusion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's programme, in which BJP supporters booed chief minister Hemant Soren, an infuriated JMM announced to boycott programmes of all Union ministers. Though Soren maintained his poise and condemned the act of BJP supporters softly, the JMM leaders expressed resentment, accusing the Prime Minister of not showing maturity in dealing with the BJP supporters who are humiliating non-BJP chief ministers.

JMM central general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said that the JMM was apprehending such indecency on part of the BJP workers and had sent letters to the PMO and Union home ministry seeking their intervention. "We have decided to boycott programmes of all ministers of Union government and the JMM leaders would sport black badges during programmes of Union government," he said.

Describing the government's official programme as an election rally of BJP, Bhattacharya said that Prime Minister is country's leader and that decency should be maintained. JMM had sought intervention of Election Commission of India (ECI) to prevent use of posters and banners of the party during Prime Minister's programme.

Bhattacharya said the way BJP used platform of official programme to campaign for party it was nothing but wastage of public money in electioneering.

PM Narendra Modi with Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren during inauguration of 765/400 KV Power Grid Ranchi Sub Station. (TOI photo)


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Thailand's coup leader likely to become Prime Minister

BANGKOK: Thailand's junta chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha, who seized power from an elected government in a bloodless coup on May 22, is likely to be chosen as new Prime Minister of the country, a move that will strengthen military's grip on the country.

Military-appointed National Legislative Assembly (NLA) will nominate a candidate or more for the post of Prime Minister tomorrow amid speculation that 60-year-old Prayuth could be the next Premier.

Since the bloodless coup in May, the military government has been the sole authority for all matters regarding the state.

A candidate for Prime Minister will need at least 99 votes in 197-member NLA to win the post.

Somchai Sawaengkarn, an NLA member, allayed concerns voiced by many people that the vote would lack legitimacy if Prayuth is voted prime minister.

He said if Prayuth wanted to be prime minister he could simply appoint himself to the post without seeking approval from the NLA.

Prayuth seized power on May 22, two weeks after Yingluck Shinawatra, the country's first woman prime minister, was forced to resign following a controversial court ruling for abusing power.

Thailand has been embroiled by political chaos since Yingluck's brother Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted as prime minister in a coup in 2006.

Thaksin is on a self-imposed exile in Dubai since 2008 to avoid prison for a corruption conviction that he insists was politically motivated.

Yingluck could also face criminal charges in connection with a controversial rice subsidy scheme.

If found guilty, Yingluck could face a jail term as well as a five-year ban from politics.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Thaksin Shinawatra,Thailand,Prayuth Chan-ocha,junta chief,Dubai


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Obama unlikely to deepen Iraq military involvement, say US officials

WASHINGTON: Despite outrage at home and abroad over the grisly beheading of an American journalist, President Barack Obama is unlikely to deepen military involvement in Iraq or Syria and will instead stay the course with US air strikes, US officials say.

US officials appeared rattled by the video posted on social media on Tuesday showing a masked, black-clad militant executing James Foley, 40, and declaring war against the United States in retaliation for nearly two weeks of US air strikes on jihadist targets in Iraq.

But several administration officials said there were no plans to significantly alter the US campaign against Islamic State militants who have seized a third of Iraq since June, or to expand military action to neighboring Syria, where the group has gained strength during its brutal civil war.

"From a military perspective, I don't think this is going to change anything," a US official said on condition of anonymity. "The military objective never was to degrade ISIL," the official said, using another name for the militant group. "It was to protect US personnel and facilities."

Obama called Islamic State a "cancer" with a bankrupt ideology at a news conference on Wednesday. He described Iraqis waging a fight against Islamic state, with US support. Not long after he spoke, the Pentagon said US aircraft conducted 14 air strikes in the vicinity of Iraq's Mosul Dam, destroying or damaging militants' Humvees, trucks and explosives.

Obama's decision to forego a direct military response to the killing underscores the White House's aversion to becoming more entangled in the mayhem gripping both Iraq and Syria.

Since the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began in 2011, the White House has stressed the limitations of US power to shape events in the Middle East, pushing back against criticism of its muted response to bloodshed there.

In Syria, where an estimated 170,000 people have died in three years, the president has shied away from using US military might, even after accusing Assad of using chemical weapons against civilians. US officials instead have tried to broker a diplomatic deal and, with more success, sought to eliminate Assad's chemical stockpiles.

Obama "dragged into this"

In Iraq, where Obama ended a war that killed thousands of American soldiers and consumed US foreign policy for nearly a decade, the White House launched air strikes only after militants threatened not only the capital of Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region but Baghdad itself.

Since August 8, US drones and fighter jets have hit armored vehicles, artillery weapons and other targets of hardline Sunni Muslim fighters. The goal, US officials say, has been to protect US facilities in the Iraqi Kurdish capital Arbil and nearby civilians, not to destroy Islamic State itself.

"Our strategy is to (help Iraqis) push them back from territory they've gained," a second US official said.

As US air strikes gather momentum, so too have Islamic State threats against the United States. On Monday, the group promised to "drown all of you (Americans) in blood." The next day, before the video of Foley's killing surfaced, another message warned of a holy war against "crusader" America.

While there have been fears for several years that jihadists with European or US passports could launch an attack in the West, the United States has avoided aggressive intervention in Iraq, leaving Iraqi forces to the fight the militants — a position generally supported by public opinion polls.

A Reuters-IPSOS Poll in June, for instance, showed that 55 percent of those surveyed would disagree with the Obama administration involving the US military in Iraq. Only 20 percent of Americans polled would support military action in Iraq, according to the poll.

It's unclear whether the beheading of Foley will turn the tide of public opinion, but support for military action appears to be growing. A poll this week, before the Foley video was published, showed that most Americans approve of US air strikes in Iraq and an increasing number thought the United States has a responsibility to act there.

US soldiers attempted to rescue Foley and other Americans held in Syria earlier this summer, but were unsuccessful, US officials said on Wednesday.

"The effort to roll (Islamic State) back into (Syria) is a commitment the administration has been unwilling to make," said Faysal Itani, a Middle East expert at the Atlantic Council, a Washington think tank. "The death of this man, however tragic, will not cause a fundamental recalculation of that policy."

While chances of deeper involvement are slim for now, the United States risks being pulled further into the Iraq-Syria conflict if the threat from Islamic State grows. That may force US officials to revive options that military leaders presented in the past, such as launching air strikes in Syria. Other options could include drone attacks in parts of eastern Syria that Assad does not control, as has been done in areas of Pakistan and Yemen.

"Obama is being dragged into this," said James Jeffrey, a veteran diplomat who was US ambassador to Iraq from 2010-2012. "His reluctance is simply untenable."

Washington has also sent over 800 soldiers to Iraq since June. On Wednesday, US officials said that up to 300 additional military personnel could be sent to Iraq to provide security for US diplomats.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Yemen,US military in Iraq,Syria,President,Mosul


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Militant hideout unearthed, arms found in J&K's Bandipora district

SRINAGAR: Security forces have unearthed a militant hideout and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition in Bandipora district of Kashmir, an Army spokesman said today.

"A militant hideout was busted in Maitrigam area of Bandipora district where a huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered," the spokesman said.

He said the recoveries included seven AK 47 rifles, five pistols, one UBGL, 74 rounds of UBGL, 21 hand grenades and large quantity of AK and pistol ammunition.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=militant hideout,Army,AK 47 rifles


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Good turnout in Karnataka assembly bypolls

BANGALORE: The byelections to the three assembly constituencies in the state on Thursday were peaceful and witnessed a good turnout.

The polls were held in Shikaripur, Bellary Rural and Chikkodi-Sadalga. At 6pm, Chikkodi-Sadalga had witnessed 86% polling, followed by Bellary Rural with 72% and Shikaripur with 71%. Counting of votes is on August 25.

The voters of Malagondakoppa in Shikaripur staged a protest and stayed away from polling in the morning as their demand for a polling station had fallen on deaf ears. The voters had to travel three km to exercise their franchise. By afternoon, former CM and MP BS Yeddyurappa met the villagers and requested them to vote. He admitted that the officials had erred by not having a polling station in the village.

In Bellary, the para-military personnel refused to eat breakfast as it was stale. At Chikkodi, police averted a possible clash between the BJP and Congress workers.

With JD(S) staying away from the contest, the fight is between BJP and Congress at all the three places. At Shikaripur, Yeddyurappa's son BY Raghavendra is the BJP nominee, while HS Shanthaveerappa Gowda (Congress), a one-time associate of Yeddyurappa, his challenger. Here, JD(S) leader HT Baligar, who had bagged around 26,000 votes in the 2013 assembly polls supported the Congress, while former minister Goolihatti Sehkar, who was in the fray as an independent, retired and extended his support to the Congress.

In Bellary rural, MP B Sriramulu's close confidant Obalesh is the BJP candidate, while four-term MLA NY Gopalakrishna the Congress nominee.

In Chikkodi-Sadalga, former minister and MP Prakash Hukkeri's son Ganesh Hukkeri is the Congress candidate and MLC Mahantesh Kavatagimath his challenger from the BJP.

This by-poll to three assembly segments on Thursday is an acid test for chief minister Siddaramaiah, while it is equally important for Yeddyurappa and Sriramulu.

After Congress's unimpressive performance in the Lok Sabha polls, it's crucial for Siddaramaiah to prove his mettle. As a defeat would mean clipping of his authority both in the government and party, he has spared no efforts.

It is important for Yeddyurappa and Hukkeri because it is their sons who are in the fray, while in case of Sriramulu it is his close confidant.


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Country remembers Rajiv Gandhi on 70th birth anniversary

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 20 Agustus 2014 | 08.20

NEW DELHI: The country on Wednesday fondly remembered former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 70th birth anniversary with President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice-President Hamid Ansari leading the nation in paying tributes to the departed leader.

Mukherjee, Ansari and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh paid floral tributes at Vir Bhumi, the samadhi of Rajiv Gandhi.

Rajiv's wife and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, son and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, daughter Priyanka Vadra and her husband Robert Vadra, also laid flowers at the samadhi.

Senior Congress leaders Sushil Kumar Shinde, Motilal Vora, Mukul Wasnik, Mohsina Kidwai, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Arvinder Singh and CLP leader Harron Yusuf were among the other leaders who paid tributes to the departed soul.

Devotional music was played throughout the programme. Scores of members of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of Congress, were also present on the occasion.

Rajiv Gandhi, who heralded the information and communication technology revolution in the country, was born on August 20, 1944 and served as the sixth Prime Minister of India from 1984-1989.

He was assassinated by the LTTE on May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu while addressing an election campaign.

In Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Harish Rawat paid tribute to Rajiv Gandhi and said his contribution to the development of the nation can never be forgotten.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Rajiv Gandhi birth anniversary,Rajiv Gandhi


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111-year-old from Japan recognized as oldest man

TOKYO: A 111-year-old retired educator from Japan who enjoys poetry has been recognized as the world's oldest living man.

Sakari Momoi received a certificate from Guinness World Records on Wednesday. He succeeds Alexander Imich of New York, who died in April at the age of 111 years, 164 days.

The world's oldest living person is also Japanese: Misao Okawa, a 116-year-old woman from Osaka.

Momoi was born Feb 5, 1903, in Fukushima prefecture, where he became a teacher. He later moved to the city of Saitama, north of Tokyo, and served as a high school principal there until retirement.

Momoi says he enjoys reading books, especially Chinese poetry. He has five children and now lives at a nursing home in Tokyo.


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8 dead, 13 missing in Hiroshima landslide: Reports

TOKYO: At least 18 people were killed and another 13 were still missing after a huge landslide engulfed homes in western Japan, reports said on Wednesday.

Dozens of houses were buried when a wall of mud thundered down a hillside in Hiroshima overnight, television pictures showed, with national broadcaster NHK citing local police for the death toll.

Nippon TV gave the same figure. The number of dead rose rapidly from an initial toll of four, although emergency services said it was too early to tell exactly how many people had lost their lives.

"We haven't assessed the full extent (of the disaster) yet," said a spokesman for Hiroshima's fire department earlier.

Rescuers said the victims included a two-year-old child and a 77-year-old woman.

Another emergency services spokesman said several more people were missing although the exact number was not yet confirmed.

There are "several spots where people are supposed to be buried alive, and we still don't know how many people are missing", he told AFP.

At least two reports said a 53-year old rescue worker died during the operation when the hillside collapsed again.

It was not clear if this man's death was included in the global toll and there was no immediate confirmation of the reports.

Aerial footage showed several houses buried by the sludge, their wooden frames splintered by the weight of the mud.

Torrents of brown water ran off mountains behind the homes and through the wrecked buildings, hampering rescuers' efforts to get to those still trapped.

Emergency workers were seen climbing up to the second floor and roofs of half-collapsed houses — some of which were floating — in a bid to reach any survivors.

Footage showed there had been at least five different landslides in the same hillside area, some having uprooted trees and carried rocks down the hillside.

Japanese troops were deployed in response to a request from the local government.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said it would be a sizeable deployment. "I have ordered (government officials) to carry out the rescue operation in an integrated manner, aware of the possibility of further rain," he told reporters in Tokyo.

"I also ordered them to raise the number of Self-Defense Force (military) personnel to several hundred in order to strengthen rescue operations," he said, adding he would be sending one of his ministers to the site.

Japan's weather agency warned more heavy rain was on the way to the area, raising the risk of further landslides in places where tonnes of mud have already been displaced.

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Indian Mujahideen planned to send poisoned letters to kill targets: Delhi Police

NEW DELHI: Suspected Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives had planned to send letters soaked with poison to kill its targets, says a Delhi Police chargesheet filed in a case relating to an illegal arms factory operated by the terror group.

Police filed the chargesheet in a court here August 8 against suspected IM operatives Tehsin Akhtar, Zia-Ur-Rahman alias Waqas and three others — Mohd Maroof, Waqar Azhar and Mohd Saqib Ansari — for allegedly setting up the illegal arms factory.

"During their interrogation, accused Waqar and Tehsin had disclosed that they had made efforts to make poison with the help of available chemicals such as magnesium sulphate, acetone and castor seeds," the chargesheet said.

"Their purpose behind making poison was to attempt target killing by sending letters soaked with poison. These chemicals have been recovered from Waqar," it said.

These accused have been named in the chargesheet for the offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

In November 2011, the special cell of police had busted the illegal arms factory located in Nangloi area here and arrested several IM suspects.

Tehsin was arrested on March 25 near Indo-Nepal border in Darjeeling district of West Bengal while Waqas was arrested outside Ajmer railway station on March 22.

Earlier, police had charged IM chief Yasin Bhatkal, his aide Assadullah Akhtar and others.


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HDFC Bank launches ForexPlus card for Haj and Umrah pilgrims

LUCKNOW: In a first of its kind initiative, HDFC Bank Limited has launched an exclusive 'ForexPlus' card for people making the Haj and Umrah pilgrimages. Pilgrims can use this card to make all payments during the pilgrimage in a convenient and secure manner, and avoid carrying Saudi Riyals in cash, which might get misplaced.

The ForexPlus card can be used to withdraw money from ATMs as well. HDFC Bank is also offering exclusive deals and offers for pilgrims making payments using this card at select merchant outlets in partnership with Visa. The prepaid forex card will be offered at branches across the country from August 18 onwards. Both HDFC Bank customers and the general public can avail this product.

Pilgrims can walk into any HDFC Bank branch with the required travel documents and submit an application form. The Forex card will be immediately handed over to the customer over the counter, and will be activated within 4 hours after submission of all the documents. The card comes with a back-up card which can be activated in case of loss or damage of the primary card.

The card can be reloaded from any branch of the bank through an authorized representative of the Haji in case the amount loaded in the card is exhausted. Through this initiative the bank is reaching out to over 1.7 lakh pilgrims across India who are expected to make the annual pilgrimage in September and October. The pilgrims will be able to meet all their Saudi Riyal needs in a swift and convenient manner.

Speaking on the launch, Navin Puri, Country Head, Branch Banking, HDFC Bank, said, "HDFC Bank is consistently looking at ways in which we can make a difference in people's lives. With the launch of the prepaid forex card, we are offering pilgrims to Hajj and Umrah a customised product to suit their ever-evolving requirements. They can make payments in a safe and easy manner, and also avail of the exclusive deals offered on the card."

Parag Rao, Senior Executive Vice President, Business Head - Cards Payment Products and Merchant Acquiring Services, HDFC Bank, said, "HDFC Bank's Visa Forex card is a perfect financial solution for Haj and Umrah pilgrims. It not only provides secured access to the money but also has special offers in some of the reputed merchant outlets. There are offers from reputed brands like Tiffany and Coach and on outlets which are known for special delicacies."

HDFC Bank has of late been user-friendly services through a wide range of platforms for better customer accessibility and engagement. It offers a full bouquet of retail forex services to its customers, including inward and outward remittance across the globe, foreign currency demand drafts, foreign cash currency, and travelers' cheques in addition to the multi-currency prepaid card.

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Abolishing Planning Commission will cost the nation: Prithviraj Chavan

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 19 Agustus 2014 | 08.20

MUMBAI: Opposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to do away with the Planning Commission and have a new institution in its place will "cost the nation", Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said on Tuesday.

"Recent decisions like abolishing Planning Commission will cost the nation," Chavan said.

"It is dangerous to hand over financial matters to Free Economy," the chief minister tweeted.

Chavan's comments came after Modi tweeted that the government wants ideas from people on how the new institution which will replace Planning Commission will look.

The Prime Minister, in his Independence Day speech, had said that his government would scrap the six-decade old plan panel to set up a new think-tank that will be more federal in nature.

"Inviting you to share your ideas on what shape the new institution to replace the Planning Commission can take," Modi tweeted today.

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Unborn baby's skeleton removed from woman's womb after 36 years

NAGPUR: In a rare surgery, a team of doctors from a city hospital removed the skeleton of an unborn baby from the womb of a 60-year-old woman after a span of 36 years, possibly the longest that the remains of an ectopic pregnancy were retained in a female body.

The woman, Kantabai Gunvant Thakre from Pipariya (Seoni) in Madhya Pradesh was operated upon recently by a team of doctors from Nagpur's N K P Salve Institute of Medical Sciences (NKPSIMS) and Lata Mangeshkar Hospital here after she came for an OPD last week.

Since last two months, Thakre had been complaining of consistent pain in her abdomen. On check-up, the doctors felt a lump on the lower right side of her abdomen, and feared it was cancer. The presence of a lump was confirmed by sonography. Further, a CT scan revealed that the lump was made of hard, calcified matter.

"It was after the patient underwent a MRI that the doctors could make out that the mass was in fact a child's skeleton," Dr Murtaza Akhtar, head of surgery at the hospital, said on Tuesday.

A team of surgeons searched for medical literature on similar cases and found a Belgian woman had retained the remains of an ectopic pregnancy for 18 years, the longest period they could find on record.

The woman who got pregnant in 1978 as a 24-year-old, had then suffered from a medical condition in which the baby was growing outside the uterus. However, the pregnancy got terminated mid-way.

"We asked for a detailed medical history and the patient's brother told us that in 1978 she was pregnant and had some complications," said Dr B S Gedam, who led the team of surgeons.

Earlier, doctors from a city-based hospital had told her that her foetus might have died at that time and she would have to undergo an operation now. We gathered that she got scared at the prospect of surgery and went away to her village (Pipariya) without undergoing the operation, Gedam said.

He said that the patient claimed that after a few months of treatment at a health centre in her village, she was relieved.

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Madras HC directs Tamil Nadu govt to give jobs to 13,000 public welfare workers

CHENNAI: The roller coaster fortunes of around 13,000 Makkal Nala Paniyalargal (public welfare workers) witnessed yet another twist on Tuesday with the Madras high court directing the Tamil Nadu government to appoint them in regular government vacancies before October 31.

The posts of welfare workers were created during the DMK regime in 1996, and they were supposed to monitor implementation of various welfare measures at the village level.

They were all ousted in 2001, only to be posted again during the 2006-2011 DMK regime. They were rendered jobless after the present government removed them from jobs and disbanded the posts.

The case was treated closed by a division bench in 2013, after the then office-bearers accepted a one-time settlement according to which they would get a few months' salaries.

However, another section of the workers refused to accept the settlement, and they moved the Supreme Court. It was on the direction of the apex court that a division bench of Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice M Sathyanarayanan heard the matter.

On Tuesday, acceding to submissions of senior counsel P Wilson, the bench asked government to appoint them in available vacancies in different departments on or before October 31. Otherwise, they should be given their last drawn salaries till they were given regular jobs, the court said.

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LIC Housing Finance asked to pay Rs 2.3 lakh for loss of documents

NEW DELHI: A consumer forum has asked Life Insurance Corporation Housing Finance Ltd (LICHFL) to pay Rs 2.3 lakh compensation for loss of documents submitted by two doctors who had taken home loan from it.

New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, presided by C K Chaturvedi, asked the company to pay the money to Dr Mukesh Kumar and Dr Renu Bala, residents of Delhi.

"After considering all facts, we find that the loss of conveyance deed in name of complainants in office of Opposite Party (OP) is admitted fact, due to imperfection in securing it properly in safe custody," the forum said.

The complainants had alleged that they had submitted three documents with the company — fifth and final demand letter, payment challan and conveyance deed — which were lost.
The forum also noted that though the company was denying that other two documents were with it, the complainants from day one were reminding it to return the same and they simply could not be disbelieved.

"However, at this stage, all the three documents being not traceable by OP (company), all it can do is to issue a certificate to the complainants, in pursuance to this decision to say that original conveyance deed of the particular property of complainants, was deposited by complainants with it and same has been lost by it," it said.

The forum also directed the company to approach DDA for re-construction of a duplicate conveyance deed, with endorsement from the registrar that the original was registered with it and that the same was lost.

"OP is also directed to pay Rs two lakh as compensation to complainants for loss of conveyance deed ... OP is directed to pay Rs 30,000 as litigation expenses," it said, adding that the complainants should inform DDA about the loss of original papers of the fifth and final instalment, so that they are protected against fraudulent deals.

The complainants had told the forum that they had taken a loan from LIC HFL for a DDA flat allotted to him. Documents of fifth and final demand letter, payment challan and conveyance deed, were given to the company, for conversion from lease holder to free holder. Later, they demanded back the letters deposited with company.

The company, however, accepted that the conveyance deed was lost but it denied that other papers were supplied to it. It maintained its stand before the forum.

Alleging deficiency on the part of the company, the complainants approached the forum.

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Passenger rush in Godavari while seats go abegging in Duronto

VISAKHAPATNAM: The lack of official intimation about the new timings of the 22203/22204 Visakhapatnam-Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam Duronto non-stop superfast is not only causing inconvenience to railway passengers but has also resulted in seats going abegging in this otherwise much-in-demand train.

Though the Duronto's departure timing from Visakhapatnam has been changed to 8.15 pm and its new arrival timing at Secunderabad is 6.16 am the next day (currently the train departs Vizag at 10.30 pm departure and arrives at Secunderabad the next day at 8 am), not too many are aware of the change.

In fact, the failure of the railway authorities to publicise the rescheduled Duronto timings has led to passengers, who want to reach Secunderabad early in the day, rushing to book tickets in the waitlisted Godavari Superfast Express.

On Monday, when TOI checked the AC three-tier seat availability of Godavari Express and Duronto for a journey on September 2, 2014, the IRCTC website showed 514 available Duronto seats as against RAC 4 on Godavari Express though the fares of both the trains are almost the same.

While an AC three-tier ticket for Godavari Express costs Rs 1,045 including taxes, that of the Duronto costs Rs 1,195, including taxes, as per the IRCTC website. Incidentally, the non-stop Duronto takes just 10 hours to cover the distance to Secunderabad while Godavari takes 12.20 hours as it has 20 stops en route.

Passengers attribute the lack of prior information about timing changes to the lackadaisical attitude of the railway authorities. "As I had no prior information about the new Duronto timings, I booked RAC tickets on Godavari for travel on September 2. Had I known about the changes, I would have booked myself on the Duronto. The railway authorities should communicate the new timings promptly to avoid inconvenience to passengers," said an irate P Vamsi Krishna, a B.Tech student of Gitam University.

As per the reservation rules of Indian Railways, passengers are allowed to book tickets of any train 60 days prior to the date of journey. Going by this rule, the change in Duronto timings should have been widely publicised in the first week of July itself, pointed out a frequent rail traveller.

Admitting to the delays in communicating the new Duronto timings, Waltair divisional railway manager Anil Kumar said he would take appropriate steps soon. Incidentally, apart from East Coast Railways, even South Central Railways failed to keep passengers informed.
When contacted, K Sambasiva Rao, chief public relations officer of Secunderabad-based SCR, admitted that while they had not yet officially announced the new timings they would do so within two or three days.


08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

CBI to probe Tata Realty-Unitech land deal

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 17 Agustus 2014 | 08.21

PTI | Aug 17, 2014, 01.51PM IST
NEW DELHI: CBI has registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) to probe into an alleged Rs 1,700 crore land deal between Tata Realty and Unitech in 2007 to purportedly fund the latter's telecom project.

Highly-placed sources in the agency said that the Supreme Court has been informed about the probe that was being conducted to ascertain the actual purpose of the land deal.

The CBI has also said that it would be investigating the allocation of dual technology spectrum to Tata Teleservices in February 2008.

The sources said these aspects were not probed during the earlier investigation into the 2G scam. Now these aspects will be looked into thoroughly after which a report will be submitted to the Supreme Court.

Tata Realty spokesperson said the company was "not aware of any preliminary inquiry.

"We have explained our position on this issue in the past. We reiterate that we have comprehensively addressed questions from all Government agencies and fully cooperated with all authorities in their investigations. We stress that we are committed to the highest standards of ethics and business conduct," the spokesperson said.

Unitech refused to comment on the issue. The agency will probe whether the advance given by Tata Realty was used by Unitech for real estate projects or for a telecom licence pertaining to the 2G telecom spectrum allocation scam.

CBI has already sought a copy of the report of the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) which had alleged that the realty deal between Tatas and Unitech in 2007 could have been aimed at funding Unitech's telecom licence.

The need for the probe was felt after Reliance had approached the Supreme Court seeking directions to quash the FIR filed against it in connection with Swan Telecom which was alleged to be the front company of Reliance Telecom Limited.

As the agency was preparing a reply on RTL plea, the CBI found that no probe had been conducted against Tatas so far and the same was conveyed to the Supreme Court.

The CBI would now be examining senior Tata group officials, the sources said.

Besides this, the agency would look into the report of SFIO probe which was ordered by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in 2012 to look into the affairs of Niira Radia-led PR firm Vaishnavi, which used to handle media relations of various Tata group firms and Unitech, the sources said.

The SFIO report alleged that the Rs 1,700-crore realty deal between Tatas and Unitech in 2007 could have been meant for funding Unitech's telecom licence issued in January 2008.


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North Korea threatens 'merciless' strike against US-South Korea drill

SEOUL: North Korea warned on Sunday of a "merciless" pre-emptive strike as it blasted upcoming joint US-South Korean military exercises as a rehearsal for nuclear war.

South Korea and the United States tomorrow start the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian drill aimed at testing combat readiness for a North Korean invasion.

Although largely played out on computers, it involves tens of thousands of South Korean and US troops.

In a statement published today by the official Korean Central News Agency, the North's military accused Washington and Seoul of planning a "dangerous" rehearsal for nuclear war.

"We declare once again that we will mercilessly open the strongest ... pre-emptive strike of our own style any time at our discretion," it said.

North Korean soldiers were ready to "turn the strongholds of aggression into a sea of fire and ashes", the statement said.

The exercise comes as tensions run high on the Korean peninsula following an extended series of North Korean missile and rocket tests in recent months.

UN resolutions bar North Korea from any launches using ballistic missile technology.

But the nuclear-armed communist country has defended the tests as a legitimate exercise in self-defence.

Seoul had proposed holding high-level talks with Pyongyang to discuss family reunions for those separated by the 1950-53 Korean War and other issues of "mutual interest".

But there has been no official response from Pyongyang.

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Boat carrying 20 foreign tourists sinks in Indonesia, 15 missing

JAKARTA: Fifteen foreign tourists were missing on Sunday after a boat travelling between islands in eastern Indonesia sank, an Indonesian search-and-rescue official said.

Suryaman, based on the island of Lombok, told Reuters that 10 people had been rescued after the ship sank on its way from that island to Komodo Islands.

He said he did not know the fate of the other 15 people on the vessel, which had a crew of five Indonesians and was carrying 20 foreigners.

The vessel left Lombok on Thursday night and sank on Saturday about 7pm local time "and we only received a report at 8 am (on Sunday)," said Suryaman, adding that poor communication caused a delay in deploying a search-and-rescue team.

Local fishermen rescued five people before the team arrived, he said.


Komodo Island in Indonesia is the home to the Komodo dragon, the world's largest lizard, which makes it a major tourist attraction. (Getty Images file photo)

The official said that of the 10 rescued people, the nationalities were known for five — two each from New Zealand and Spain, and one from Britain.

Tajudin Sam, who runs the tour company operating the boat, said it likely encountered stormy weather.

A boat ride from Lombok to Komodo can take three days.

Komodo is famous for its Komodo dragon, the world's largest lizards, which draw many tourists.

Story developing ...

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Domestic pilots mull forming joint forum to fight discrimination

MUMBAI: Concerned over the increasing number of cases in which DGCA acted against the cockpit crew, the domestic pilots' community is mulling to forge a common forum to fight against the alleged discriminatory policies of the aviation regulator, sources said here.

The forum under consideration is likely to be drawn up on the lines of the domestic airlines' pressure group, Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), and act as a "voice" on behalf of the pilots in the country, a pilot working with a domestic airline told PTI here.

"Whenever an incident happens, the axe falls on the pilots in the form of one action or other by both the regulator and the airlines management. But we have never heard DGCA taking action against any airline whether it is the issue of non-payment of salaries or mass lay-offs," the pilot alleged.

While the domestic airlines have formed a platform and lobby jointly whenever some decision or policy goes against their interests, the cockpit crew members in the country do not have any such platform, the pilot said on condition of anonymity.

So, some pilots have taken the initiative and are currently engaged in discussions with other pilots from across carriers to form a joint forum and take on the challenges together, he said.

The idea comes up in the backdrop of recent suspension of two Jet Airways pilots by the DGCA after their flight with 280 passengers on board plunged by over 5,000 feet while flying over Turkish airspace last week as the commander was allegedly asleep and the co-pilot busy with the iPad containing flight information.

Also, the DGCA had served notices to some IndiGo and GoAir pilots for not serving the mandatory notice period and missing the training respectively.

"The joint forum will become a reality soon as pilots from across airlines are expected to come under the platform to fight against the discriminatory policies of the aviation regulator and the airline managements," the pilot said.

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08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Government asks banks to favorably consider women employees transfer requests

The government has made major allowances for public sector employees by giving preferential treatment in transfers to women staff separated from families. It has also asked banks to reintroduce 'compassionate employees' for relatives of employees who die in service and has asked the Indian Banks Association to to include a board-approved employee home loan scheme as part of wage negotiations.

The move on transfers will come as a relief to thousands of women bank staff, but could cause some operational upheaval in short-term. The freedom to structure a favorable home loan scheme for employees will enable banks deploy surplus funds and provide a boost to housing.

In a circular to all banks, the department of financial services gas said that "female employees when placed/transferred away from their husband or parents to distant locations face a genuine hardship and develop a feeling of insecurity."

It added that banks should as far as possible place or transfer female employees at a place where her husband is stationed as near to the place or vice versa. Similarly unmarried employees should be posted near their parents place.

"PSBs are therefore advised to frame a policy on the subject with the approval of their board suitably incorporating the above and take immediate action for implementation and compliance. Pending requests may be considered under these guidelines," the circular said.

'Compassionate employment' or employment to the the children or spouses of employees who die in service was a facility that was available earlier but discontinued after 2004-05. The finance ministry circular addressed to the chairman of the Indian Banks Association states that the government has approved the opening of compassionate appointment in public sector banks in lines of the central government with effect from August 5. It has also discontinued the provision of ex-gratia payment in lieu of such appointments.

On the issue of transfer of women employees a senior executive with a public sector bank said "When recruiting employees it is made clear to them that the bank job is transferrable and the employees will be transferred wherever their services are required. Most of the candidates accept the initial posting as their priority to get employed. But once they are confirmed they put in their request for transfers.". Some bankers say that the new policy might compel banks to relook at their hiring. At present the hiring is largely on merit and the domicile of those qualifying in the competitive exams do not often match that of the regions where the vacancies are.


08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More
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