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Communists' move against FDI

         New Delhi: The politburo of the CPI-M held a meeting on Sunday to prepare its future course of action on the budget proposals, especially on the hike in foreign investment in telecoms, insurance and civil aviation. The left-backed Congress-led UPA government earlier in the week unveiled billions of dollars in spending for poor in an expansionary first budget that taxed the rich but did little to tackle a nagging deficit. Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram's cautious budget was less inflationary than some analysts had feared but, as expected, included no major measures to cut the worrying fiscal deficit, seen as a challenge to sustained high economic growth. The budget raised foreign investment caps in the telecommunications, insurance and aviation sectors and increased- but did not specify-investment in state power and telecom firms. It also reduces tariffs, increases farm sector credit and plans a new container port terminal in the south. The Left Parties had said it would "take the issue before the people and mobilise opinion". The union budget increases spending in the current fiscal year by 100 billion rupees over the previous government's interim budget in February, largely to deliver the Congress-led coalition's promised "new deal" for rural India, which brought it to power.

Arunachal Congress MLAs demand removal of Governor (Go To Top)

           New Delhi: Congress MLAs from Arunachal Pradesh met senior party leaders here Sunday seeking removal of the state Governor, who recommended President's rule in the state but later reversed the order. Governor VC Pande had recommended President's rule earlier this week on the Chief Minister's recommendation after a revolt over pruning the size of the 21-member ministry to meet a constitutional deadline. According to the 91st Amendment, the size of the council of ministers in smaller states was to be limited to 12 by July 7. The state's ruling party, the BJP, has alleged that the Governor had acted under duress from the Congress MLAs. The political battle has now shifted base to the Capital with a team of Congress MLAs meeting their party general secretary Oscar Fernandes. "They are saying that Governor is not keeping good health and he is not able to take good decisions. The law and order problem in very much there in the state and if you want to have free and fair elections under the present system it may not be able to hold election and have free and fair elections," Oscar Fernandes told reporters after meeting the MLAs. "He is the custodian of the constitution in the state. Therefore I feel any individual is not above the institution and the interest of the individual should not supercede the interest of the state or the country," former state chief minister Mukut Mithi said. The political crisis started last week back when nine legislators from the BJP switched over to the Congress after Chief Minister Gegong Apang downsized his council of ministers. The BJP had alleged that the Congress was playing foul and called for fresh elections in the state.

Violence in SGPC elections, 8 injured  (Go To Top)

          Amritsar: At least eight people were injured in police firing as voting began for the election of the governing council of the Sikh apex body - SGPC - on Sunday. SGPC activists said that they were fired at when they tried to stop the police from influencing the voters. "They started firing and booth-capturing. Many people were injured. This was not at all a democratic election," senior SAD leader Nirmal Singh Kahlan said. On the other hand, police said they were forced to fire in self- defence. "We have no information about any kind of injury to anyone. From the police side the firing was for self-defence and no person was injured in that," Ram Singh, senior superintendent of police, said. Over 5.5 million people are expected to vote across 8,000 polling stations. Elections for the 170 SGPC seats were held for the first time in eight years in four states - Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh. Though theoretically apolitical, the SGPC, which gets millions of rupees in grants and donations, especially from Sikhs settled in foreign countries, wields considerable influence on the community and regional politics. This year the state's main opposition party, SAD candidates are pitted against the Panthic Morcha, a conglomeration of breakaway factions opposed to SAD chief Prakash Singh Badal. The SAD activists in Dera Baba Nanak, a few km from Amritsar, alleged the local police were favoring the opposition candidates, supported by the Congress.

World Population Day observed in Capital (Go To Top)

          New Delhi: Hundreds of children marked the World Population Day on Sunday by taking part in a run organised to create awareness on population and AIDS control. The run, organised by the state government, was flagged off by newly elected MP Ajay Maken and Union Minster of State for Health P. Lakshmi. "Main aim is population control to which we are giving more importance. We are giving more importance to family planning," said Lakshmi. Meanwhile, In Kolkata a massive rally was also organised in Sonagachi area, a bustling "red light" district with some 15,000 sex workers. Volunteers from UNAIDS and Institute of International Social Development (IISD) distributed free condoms to prostitutes in order to create awareness on reducing the risk of AIDS. A key focus of the city's anti-AIDS campaign has been to get prostitutes to band together to ensure clients use condoms and, if they don't, refuse them. "The purpose of the rally is to create an awareness on the issues which are essential in today's life to promote the quality of life like safe sex which will prevent us from HIV/AIDS," said Rajyashri Choudhri, IISD Secretary General. Sonagachi is one of the battlegrounds in the war against the HIV epidemic in India where 5.1 million people are infected with the virus, the second largest number after South Africa.

Mango fair in Pinjore (Go To Top)

          Pinjore: A mango fair was organised in Pinjore, around 40 km away from Chandigarh. Nearly 170 varieties of mangoes were on display at the festival, where farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Uttaranchal and UP brought their produce at the fair. Farmers from Punjab said that in such fairs one got to learn a lot as one was exposed to a lot of mango varieties from different corners of India. They said that if government gave them subsidies and cold storage facilities, then farmers would surely grow mangoes. Not just farmers, but even visitors who came to witness the different varieties of mangoes like Alphonso, Chausa and Safeda were overawed at the sheer variety on display. Many products like mango juices, squashes, and jams were also displayed at the fair. The idea was to inform people and farmers that growing of mangoes was not the only option available, but agro-processing of mangoes to produce various mango products was also a viable option. Officials said that organisation of the fair was done to attract farmers towards mango farming, a viable diversification crop. Also on display at the fair were agro-implements used to sprinkle mango trees with. There were pesticide sprinklers and a host of other products that attracted farmers' attention. An award was also given for the best mango fruit on display.

India values ties with Israel, says Natwar (Go To Top)

          Thiruvananthapuram: External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh has said that India greatly valued its relationship with Israel, but that would not affect its rapport with Palestine. After speaking on `New Dimensions of Nehruism' here Sunday, the Minister said that it was during PV Narasimha Rao's term that India raised its level of representation in Israel.

British varsity confers doctorate degree on Indian MP (Go To Top)

          London: An Independent Rajya Sabha member from Bihar, Mahendra Prasad, has been honoured with the Doctorate degree by the University of Moldova, Britain, for his contribution in various fields of science across the world. The Rector, Professor Ion Ababii honoured 64-year old Prasad with "Doctor Honoris Causa" at a special convocation in Moldova on Saturday. "Prasad is a man of exquisite erudition and exceptional intelligence, who has marked merits in various domains of science worldwide. He has been chosen for the doctorate in recognition of his contribution to the prosperity of the entire society through education," said Ababii. Born in Jehanabad, Prasad has been a member of either house of the Parliament for last 25 years and his name finds mention in the Limca Book of World Records for traveling 163 countries.