Six
portfolios allocated, SM Krishna is External Affairs Minister
New
Delhi: A day after government formation at the Centre by the United Progressive
Alliance, the Government on Saturday announced portfolios of six ministers on
Saturday. P Chidambaram gets Home Ministry, A.K.Antony the Defense Ministry, Pranab
Mukherjee Finance Ministry, SM. Krishna External Affairs ministry, Mamata Banerjee
Railways, and Sharad Pawar Agriculture, Food and Civil Supplies, Consumers Affairs.
On Friday evening, Dr. Manmohan Singh was sworn in as the Prime Minister for a
second successive term along with 19 Cabinet colleagues as part of the first phase
of government formation. A majority of the new Ministers belonged to the Congress
party, with only Sharad Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party and Mamata Banerjee
of the Trinamool Congress making it to the first list. The portfolios of the Cabinet
Ministers are expected to be announced later.
Union
budget will be passed by July 31: Chidambaram Top
New
Delhi: After the first meeting of the Union Cabinet here today, Home Minister
P Chidambaram conveyed that it was decided to get the budget for 2009-10 approved
by Parliament by July 31. "We hope we will be able to pass the Budget by July
31," Home Minister P Chidambaram said, adding if it was not done then the Government
will have to seek another vote-on-account for a short period. The Congress in
its manifesto had promised to bring the Budget within 45 days of the creation
of the new Government. Finance Secretary Ashok Chawala had earlier said that "the
interim Budget as has been approved by Parliament operates till the end of July.
So, the Government has the ability to carry on expenditure and its functioning
till then. If, after that from the first of August, it is not possible to pass
full Budget we need vote-on-account for another short period beyond that," Chidambaram
further said that a decision to convene the first session of the 15th Lok Sabha
from June 1- 9 was taken at the meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
15th Lok Sabha's
first session to begin on June 1: Govt Top
New
Delhi: The first meeting of the Union Cabinet has decided to hold the first
session of the 15th Lok Sabha between June 1 and 9. Union Minister P Chidambaram
here told reporters on Saturday that the decision in this regard was taken at
the first meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
President Pratibha Patil will address the joint sitting of Parliament on June
4, the day when Rajya Sabha will commence its session on the same day. During
the Cabinet meet, Prime Minister Dr. Singh said that the UPA has made a number
of promises and "we have promises to keep." Meanwhile, the newly-elected members
will take oath on June 1 and 2 and the election for the Lok Sabha Speaker's post
will be held on June 3. There will be a discussion on Motion of Thanks to President's
address on June 5, 8 and 9, Chidambaram said adding that there would be a short
break after that. Chidambaram also informed that the process of passing the General
Budget has to be completed by July 31 failing which a Vote on Account will be
approved. A day after taking the oath of office and secrecy as Prime Minister
of the country, Dr. Singh visited Mahatma Gandhi's memorial at Rajghat and those
of other departed leaders and placed a wreath on them on Saturday morning. Dr.
Singh was sworn-in as Prime Minister for a second term along with 19 other Cabinet
ministers including new entrants S M Krishna and Mamata Banerjee. The 76-year-old
economist-politician was sworn in along with senior members of his previous team,
Pranab Mukherjee, P Chidambaram, Sharad Pawar and A K Antony. The 19 ministers,
all of Cabinet rank, include Ghulam Nabi Azad, Veerappa Moily, new entrant Rajasthan
PCC chief C P Joshi and Anand Sharma and B K Handique, who were promoted from
the previous ministry. Others inducted were S Jaipal Reddy, Kamal Nath, Vayalar
Ravi, Meira Kumar, Murli Deora, Kapil Sibal, Ambika Soni and Sushil Kumar Shinde.
Another group of ministers is expected to be sworn-in on coming Tuesday. On Saturday,
the new Government at the Centre announced portfolios of six ministers. Under
the latest scheme of things, P. Chidambaram gets Home Ministry, A.K.Antony; the
Defense Ministry, Pranab Mukherjee; the Finance Ministry, S.M. Krishna; the External
Affairs ministry, Mamta Banerjee; the Railway Ministry, and Sharad Pawar; the
ministry of Agriculture, Food and Civil Supplies, Consumers Affairs.
Tension
along India-Bangladesh border over barbed wire fencing Top
Tripura:
Tension prevailed along the India-Bangladesh border on the outskirts of Akhwara
region, in Tripura, over the construction of a barbed wire fencing by the Border
Security Force (BSF). The villagers are concerned as the newly constructed barbed
wire fence will block free access to the graveyard, which would now fall on the
other side of the fence. The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), the border guard of Bangladesh,
has raised objection to the move of BSF saying that the treaty signed between
the two nations prohibits construction of the fence within 150 yards from the
border pillar on both sides. A mass protest against the BSF move and people demanded
free access to their burial land. The local councilor gave assurances to the villagers
that their grievances would be addressed with utmost priority. "It (Graveyard)
will not be covered by the fencing. BSF will not erect fencing just in front of
the graveyard. They will be able to use the graveyard freely," said Ratan Das,
local councilor. Villegers complained that the BSF constructed the fence at night
and did not consult them. They now allege that their life is under threat as the
forces may fire at them. Amina Khatun, a local protester said, "BDR (Bangladesh
Rifles) as well as BSF had taken gun positions against each other. BSF instructed
us to move away with our children as there may be firing at any moment. We are
not against fencing but we want the access to burial ground." A meeting at company
commander level on Akhaura border has been organized by BSF and BDR to prevent
further deterioration of the situation. Tension prevails in the area and the villagers
on both sides of the border are reported to be moving to safer places.
Madhav
Kumar Nepal elected as Nepal's new Prime Minister Top
Kathmandu:
Madhav Kumar Nepal, a UML (Unified Marxist Leninist) nominee, was chosen as
the new Prime Minister of Nepal in the Legislature-Parliamentary session of the
Constituent Assembly (CA) on Saturday. Madhav, in the absence of any challenger,
was chosen unopposed. He enjoys the support of 22 other parties. Fifty six-year-old
Madhav, alumni of Bihar's Goenka College, received the support of around 360 legislators
of 22 political parties, excluding 238 legislators from Maoists and two from the
Communist Party of Nepal (United). The Unified CPN (Maoist) that stepped down
from the government stayed away from election procedure, and said they would boycott
the new government. Madhav Kumar Nepal has been the Deputy Prime Minister in the
Nepalese government during the CPN (UML) minority government as well as the leader
of the opposition in the National Assembly. Besides, Madhav campaigned for the
solution of Nepal Civil War through talks and did not believe that mobilization
of the army was the solution.
