NEWS
2nd February,
2014
THE HEADLINES:
- Jammu
and Kashmir Cabinet approves setting up of new
administrative units in the state.
- Assam
government recommends CBI probe into killing of 10 people by miscreants from
Arunachal Pradesh; A top militant killed.
- VAT payment procedures simplified for Delhi traders.
- Around 12 Indian sailors missing as a cargo ship
sinks in Yemen.
- Thailand
goes to polls today to elect a new Parliament, amidst protests by opposition.
- Former world champion Viswanathan Anand suffers
second consecutive defeat in the Zurich Chess Challenge.
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Jammu
and Kashmir Cabinet has approved the setting-up of
659 new Administrative Units in the State. Addressing news persons in Jammu yesterday, Chief
Minister Omar Abdullah said that the Cabinet has directed Finance and Revenue
Departments to prepare a roadmap for implementation of these new units.
Describing the decision as historic, the Chief Minister said, this will benefit
a large number of people in the State.
Giving details, he said as many as 46
sub-divisions and 135 tehsils, 177 CD blocks, 301 niabats, has been recommended
by the concerned Cabinet Sub Committee. The CSC has also given their opinion on
converting Patwar Halqas into Panchayats in the state. A political storm brewed
in Jammu and Kashmir in the past few weeks over the proposal to create new
administrative units with National Conference refusing to budge from its stand
in its favour while coalition partner Congress and some others were opposing it.
Yogesh Sharrma, AIR Jammu.
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In Assam, security forces have gunned
down a most wanted cadre of militant outfit Kamatapur Liberation Organization,
KLO in Kokrajhar district last night following an encounter. Kokrajhar SP,
Sunil Kumar said that the slain cadre was identified as Brindaban Rajbonshi.
Meanwhile, the Assam
government has recommended a CBI probe into the killing of 10 persons in
Sonitpur district on
Wednesday by the miscreants from Arunachal Pradesh.
Commissioner- Secretary
of Home department G D Tripathi said that the Assam government has recommended
CBI probe. Earlier, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi also condemned the incident and
announced to ask the Centre for an inquiry. Meanwhile, vehicles between
Sonitpur and Arunachal Pradesh are plying amidst tight security. Several
organization blocked movement of vehicles at national highway after Arunachali
miscreant killed 10 persons at Chaudhua area under Behali reserve forest in
Sonitpur district on
Wednesday. Security has been deployed at Chauldhua after this
incident. Manas Pratim Sarma, AIR News, Guwahati.
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Senior Congress Leader and former Union Minister
Harish Rawat has taken over as the 8th Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. Governor
Aziz Qureshi administered him the oath of office and secrecy along with 11
Cabinet colleagues at Raj Bhawan in Dehradun yesterday.
Our government has taken up the work of
reconstruction and rehabilitation of Uttarakhand at first and I will carry it
forward with more promptness and speed. My second step will be to decide the
priorities for the development of the state in consultation with others.
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VAT payment procedures have been simplified for
traders in Delhi.
This will help them to pay tax regularly and in a hassle free manner. Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwal made the announcements while interacting with various
traders and markets organisations of the city at Delhi Secretariat. He said the
government has also decided to scrap Audit Report 1 which was mandatory for
traders with an annual turnover exceeding 10 crore rupees. An official release
said, the government has raised the ceiling limit of composition scheme from 50
lakh to 1 crore rupees for availing a simplified VAT procedure by small
dealers. The simplified procedure allows small traders to pay one per cent tax
on their turnover.
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The Election Commission has circulated draft
guidelines on election manifestos to all the National and State Parties
requesting them to offer their comments by the 7th of this month. The
Commission will incorporate these suggestions into the guidelines which will
then become part of the Model Code of Conduct and will be applicable to all
elections in future.
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The Election Commission will carry out
vulnerability mapping in Gujarat before the Lok Sabha polls, based on which the
deployment of security forces during the elections would be strategised. This
was stated by the Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi in Ahmedabad while
reviewing poll preparedness in the state. Our correspondent has the details:
After meeting the district electoral
officers, superintendent of Police and other top officials, Mr. Zutshi
expressed satisfaction over the poll preparedness in Gujarat.
Mr.Zutshi also suggested to hold district and state level workshop of political
parties to brief them about the new guidelines of the commission for the coming
Lok Sabha elections. He also instructed the chief electoral officer of state to
start voter help line in all districts within a week time to facilitate the
voters. Yogesh Pandya, AIR News, Ahmedabad.
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In Thailand, voting to elect a new
Parliament is underway, with anti-government protesters forcing the closure of
more than 10 per cent of constituency polling stations. Election Commission
Secretary General Puchong Nutrawong said protesters prevented voting across 12
southern provinces and in at least two Bangkok
constituencies. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra voted soon after polls
opened near her Bangkok
home. Anti-government protesters say they will disrupt voting across Thailand and
continue their campaign to force Ms Yingluck to quit.
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In Syria,
at least 46 civilians were killed yesterday, after the Syrian regime
helicopters dropped explosive-packed barrels on rebel-held areas of the
northern city of Aleppo.
The latest bombing comes as UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the
Syrian situation the most urgent security challenge in the world today. Ban Ki
Moon met the US Secretary of
State John Kerry and the Russian Foreign Minster Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines
of an international security conference in Munich
and requested them to use their influence to ensure the early resumption of
peace talks aimed at finding a comprehensive political solution to the crisis
in Syria.
Ban Ki Moon appealed to the Syrian
Government and the opposition to come back for the peace talks scheduled for February 10
in Geneva with
a more constructive approach. The UN Chief called for unfettered access of relief
materials and aid to the Syrian people in the besieged city of Homs. The Syrian Government has dismissed
this idea and said focus has to be on wiping out terrorism. Atul K Tiwary, AIR
News.
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About 12 Indian sailors went missing after their
cargo ship sank off the coast of southeast Yemen's Hadramout province
yesterday. Yemeni authorities said, the merchant ship fell while transporting
car tyres and car parts near Hadramout’s coast. Rescue boats have been sent and
Coast Guards in the area have been alerted to help in the search for the
missing Indian sailors. Indian Embassy in Sanaa is working closely with the
Yemeni authorities.
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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the
Bi-Centenary celebrations of the Indian
Museum in Kolkata today.
Dr. Singh will unveil the modernized Indian
Museum and will release a monograph on
the history of 200 years of Indian
Museum.
On this day in 1814 the Indian Museum
was established. The Museum was housed at the Asiatic Society in Kolkata from
1814 to 1878. Initially it was known as the ‘Asiatic Society museum`,
subsequently known as ‘Imperial Museum` and later as the ‘Indian Museum`.
This Museum is the largest Museum in the country, which occupies a resplendent
mansion and exhibits an Egyptian Mummy, the Buddhist Stupa from Bharut, the
Buddha’s ashes, the ‘Ashoka Pillar besides rare collection of antiques, amour
and ornaments, fossils, skeletons and Mughal paintings. Arijit Chakraborty, AIR
News, Kolkata.
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IN SPORTS;
Former world champion Viswanathan Anand has
suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura of United States
in the Zurich Chess Challenge tournament. The defeat came in the second round
of the event which is being held in Zurich.
Having lost to Levon Aronian of Armenia
in the first round, Anand now finds himself at the last spot in the highest
category event.
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In Tennis, India has gained an unassailable 3-0
lead over Chinese Taipei in the Asia-Oceania Group-I Davis Cup tie at Indore.
In the Doubles rubber, the duo of Rohan Bopanna and Saketh Myneni sailed past the
pair of Hsin-Han Lee and Hsien-Yin Peng, to win the tie.
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NEWSPAPERS
HEADLINES
- Most papers have reported about protests by
students from the North East over Nido Taniam's death in Delhi. The Hindustan Times, The Statesman and
The Tribune show these students holding a candle light vigil. "No arrest
yet for Jan 25 attack in city" writes The Times of India. The paper
reports of two Manipuri women thrashed in full public view, just 4 days after
the earlier incident.
- There's new twist in the VVIP chopper case.
Papers write of middle man Christian Michel telling Augusta West land officials
to contact close advisors of Sonia Gandhi to clinch the 3600 crore rupee deal.
"Copter scam throws muck at Congress brass", writes Mail Today.
- "A viable alternative" writes the
Hindu, of several parties, which are meeting in Delhi, on the 5th of February to discuss a non Congress, non BJP
alternative.
- The Tribune has a picture of Harish Rawat taking
oath as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand.
- 'NTPC gives ultimatum to BSES - Power play - 10
days reprieve for Delhites" writes The Pioneer. The Hindustan Times puts
it as 'No outages till Feb 10, discoms get time to pay".
- 'DD won't blush at 'A' movies anymore' writes the
Asian Age, on its front page. The paper adds that the I&B ministry is now
taking a favourable view of airing shows with adult content for mature
audiences.
- Would you like to shop at Harrods, Macys or
Selfridges, in the comfort of your own home? Its possible now, says the Times
of India, as these upscale stores are delivering to online orders from India.
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