Return UDF for Kerala's development: Sonia

      Kottayam (Kerala): Congress president Sonia Gandhi here on Tuesday said that the return of the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) led by the Congress is essential for Kerala's all-round development. Sonia Gandhi, who is on whistle-stop campaigning for her party's candidates, said: "Only, UDF has a positive and constructive agenda for the continued growth and development of the state". Kottayam constituency is adjacent to Puthuppally from where the State Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is seeking re-election to the state assembly. Gandhi said her party will implement its poll promises to improve the lot of farmers, youth and women. "We the UDF have committed ourselves to a wide-ranging economic and social agenda in our manifesto. We make promises and we can and we will fulfil and it has been seen in the past that only those promises that we make are fulfilled," said Gandhi. Gandhi said the UDF alone could ensure social harmony and stability as it had always followed the path of consensus, taking all sections of the people into confidence. Lauding the state government's achievements under Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Gandhi asked the people of Kerala to give a fresh mandate to the coalition as much more remained to be done in the state. Kerala will go to polls in three phases on April 22, April 29 and May 3 and the results would be available on May 11. Gandhi addressed several public meetings in six districts - Idukki, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram - that will go to polls in the first phase. The incumbent Congress led UDF coalition Government in the state is facing a stiff challenge from the CPI(M) led Left Democratic Front (LDF). Various pre-poll surveys too have forecasted that the LDF will come to power in the State.

Shahi Imam's men attack media at PMO (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Raged supporters of Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari today engaged in a scuffle with the media outside the Prime Minister's Office. Bukhari had gone to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the blasts that took place in the premises of Jama Masjid. Tussle ensued after Zee News Correspondent Yusuf Ansari put up a query on reservation in Mandal Commission report for backward Muslims. Instead of answering the question, Shahi Imam turned towards him and said, "I have seen your report...you better stay in your limits" (Indicating a report filed by the correspondent on Jama Masjid). All of a sudden, the Imam's supporters got furious and tried to box Yusuf Ansari. They aimed a mike at him and threw other things over the barricade. A First Information Report is being lodged and police have been asked to initiate an action against the miscreants.

Bhupen Hazarika's condition stable (Go To Top)

     Guwahati: Legendary Asomese singer Bhupen Hazarika, who had suffered a mild celebral stroke at a Bihu function here on Sunday night, is responding well to treatment at the Guwahati Neurological and Research Centre (GNRC). Doctors attending on 80-year-old Hazarika described his condition as 'stable'. They said that he was on a mild diet in view of his present medical condition. Chief minister Tarun Gogoi and All Assam Students Union (AASU) advisor Samujjal Bhattacharjee were among those who have visited the hospital to inquire after Hazarika's welfare. Hazarika's companion and Hindi film-maker Kalpana Lajmi is also at the hospital.

Chhattisgarh jail inmates on hunger-strike (Go To Top)

     Sarguja (Chhattisgarh): Prisoners at the Ambikapur Central Jail in Chhattisgarh's Sarguja District have been on a hunger strike for the past two days. They have accused the new jailor of the prison of reducing their diet and not providing them with other facilities as mentioned in the Jail Manual. "Prisoners are demanding that we should provide them food and other facilities according to the jail manual," said S.S Tigga, the jail's superintendent. Chhattisgarh's Home Minister Ramvichar Netam has termed the charges as false, but added that the matter is being investigated.

Bail for Manu Sharma in Jessica case (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted bail to the eight, including the main accused Manu Sharma, in model Jessica Lall murder case. However, a non-bailable warrant has been issued against Vikas Gill, a co-accused of Sharma in the case. Manu Sharma has been directed to submit Rs.100,000 as the bond surety, while his co-accused Vikas Yadav, Amardeep Singh Gill, Aloke Khanna, Shyam Sunder Sharma, Harvinder Chopra, Raja Chopra, and Yograj Singh have been granted bail on a surety bond of Rs 50,000. The court also has ordered all the nine accused not to leave the country without prior information. The court also made the observation that the trail should be held as fast as possible. It has posted the matter for further hearing to May 15. The Delhi police had filed an appeal in High Court challenging the acquittal accused of Manu Sharma and eight others by a trial court last month, following which, the HC had issued bailable warrants against the accused.

    The Court on March 21 had directed all the accused to appear before the court today and submit themselves to the court's jurisdiction. It was alleged that Lal was murdered by Manu Sharma alias Siddharth Vashist, son of Congress politician and former Union Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies Vinod Sharma, after she refused to serve him a drink since the bar had closed for the day. A Delhi Court had last month acquitted Manu Sharma and Vikas Yadav, sons of Congress politicians, along with others. Vikas Yadav is also a prime accused in the Nitish Katara murder case. Their acquittal, however, raised several eyebrows, as many believed that some manipulation was done with the evidences related with the case. Model Jessica Lal was shot at point blank range on the night of April 29, 1999 while she was working as a celebrity barmaid in the Tamarind Court Bar owned by socialite Bina Ramani.

1,400 Indians in Bahrain stop work (Go To Top)

      Manama (Bahrain): Over 1,400 Indian workers of a contracting company in Bahrain have stopped work in protest against poor living conditions and allowances. The Bahrain Tribune quoted Indian Embassy officials here as saying that poor living conditions were at the core of the discontent among the workers of the Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC). Apart from the Indians, there are over 500 Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Nepalis and Filipinos in strike mode. The Bahrain Ministry of Labour has sent an arbitration team to talk to both workers and management to resolve the crisis even if it warned that the protest was illegal. The workers have presented a list of 13 demands to the management, that include better air conditioning, toilet facilities and a safer working environment.

RBI keeps all key rates unchanged (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: Amid high speculation on tinkering with cash reserve ratio and bank rate in view of the cash crunch in the economy, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its annual credit policy announced here on Tuesday left all key rates unchanged. Announcing the Annual Credit policy for fiscal 2006-07, RBI Governor Y V Reddy said that the Bank Rate, reverse repo rate and cash reserve ratio (CRR) would remain unchanged at six percent, 5.5 percent and five percent, respectively. However, personal loans, commercial loans and loans against shares will now be a bit more expensive. Reddy said that the monetary policy would aim to ensure a monetary and interest rate environment that enables continuation of growth momentum consistent with price stability. The annual policy projected the economic growth at 7.5 to eight percent for fiscal 2006-07 and inflation to remain contained within five to 5.5 per cent. "GDP growth may be placed in the range of 7.5-8 per cent during 2006-07 assuming accelerated growth in agriculture under normal monsoon conditions and barring domestic or external shocks," RBI said in its Annual Policy Statement for 2006-07. It says that the forecast of 7.5 to eight percent GDP growth is in line with the advanced estimate of Central Statistical Organisation, which has pegged economy to grow by 8.1 per cent in 2005-06, up from 7.5 per cent in 2004-05. It said that the money supply in the economy in fiscal 2006-07 was expected to expand by 15 per cent and there would be no liquidity crunch for legitimate credit requirements consistent with price and financial stability. It also states that the deposits of commercial banks would grow by around Rs 3,30,000 crore for 2006-07. To boost agriculture credit, RBI simplified and liberalised branch-licensing policies for rural banks. It also set up a working group to address various issues faced by distressed farmers, including review of legal framework for money lending. The RBI will announce the First Quarter Review of the annual policy on July 25, 2006.

Highlights of RBI's Credit Policy Mumbai

     The following are the highlights of the Reserve Bank of India's Credit Policy for the year 2006-07:

    RBI keeps CRR unchanged at 5%; RBI keeps RRR unchanged at 5.5%; RBI keeps bank rates unchanged at 6%; RBI leaves savings bank rate unchanged at 3.5%; RBI forecasts GDP growth for FY-07 at 7.5%-8%; RBI`s outlook on inflation remains `clouded`; Govt planning amendment to Reserve Bank laws; To pursue medium term goal to cut CRR to 3%; Policy stance to ensure rate environment for growth: RBI; RBI to provide liquidity to meet credit demand; Current account deficit largely 'sustainable': RBI; RBI projects money supply to expand by 15% for 2006-07; Deposits of commercial banks to grow by around Rs 3,30,000 crore for 2006-07 .

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