Author: manipurmail

Mail News Service
Imphal, Feb 23: A National level Consultation on Fire Services-cum-Second Meeting of the High Level Empowered Committee for the scheme of strengthening of Fire & Emergency Services was inaugurated by Sh. Mullappally Ramachandran, Minister of State for Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India at, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala today. Shri A. E. Ahmad, Secretary (Border Management) MHA, Sh. K. Jayakumar, Addl. Chief Secretary, Home Department, Govt. of Kerala, Sh. R.K. Srivastava, Joint Secretary (Disaster Management), Sh. Mukul Goyal, IG(NDRF &Civil Defence), Sh. S.Pulikeshi, DGP, Commandant General, Kerala Fire Services, Dr. J.Radhakrishnan, Assistant Country Director, UNDP and Senior Government officials of various States/UTs attended the workshop.
Shri Mullapally Ramachandran, in his inaugural address highlighted the issue of increasing industrialisation and technological advancements making the country far more vulnerable to big fire incidences. Government of India is particularly concerned about the increasing loss of life and any property due to fire and related accidents. He indicated that the role of fire services has dramatically changed and now fire services respond to all emergent situations such as terrorist attacks, hazardous material incidents, advanced emergency medical situations, urban search & rescue and much more in addition to their conventional role to fire fighting and rescue.
Shri A.E.Ahmad, Secretary (Border Management) in his keynote address focused on need of systematic and comprehensive institutional setup for fire services in the country. He stated that recent hospital fire tragedy in Kolkata has given us warning call to take effective and better preparedness measures on priority basis. He further emphasised that there is a dire need to legislate on fire safety measure empower the district and state level fire services for not only carrying out search &rescue operations immediately after a disaster but also for fire prevention and making them self relevant on resource generation for fire-fighting equipments. He informed that for the first time, Fire Hazard & Risk Analysis for all the States/UTs is being conducted in the country, which will identify the gaps in existing fire services and evolving strategies for bridging the gap of fire in the area preparedness across the country. He exhorted the States to use funds made available under the 13th Finance Commission for modernisation of their fire services.
The deliberations during the meeting focussed on finding solutions for various challenges faced by states in developing fire services as multi-hazard disaster response units.
Shri. K. Jayakumar, Addl. Chief Secretary, Home Department, Govt. of Kerala, Sh. R.K. Srivastava, Joint Secretary (Disaster Management), Sh. Mukul Goyal, IG(NDRF &Civil Defence), Sh. S.Pulikeshi, DGP, Commandant General, Kerala Fire Services, Dr. J.Radhakrishnan, Assistant Country Director, UNDP and Senior Government officials of various States/UTs attended the workshop.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/national-consultation-on-fire-services-cum-meeting/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, Feb 23: The Union Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee said that Aadhaar-Enabled E-payment system would help not only in ensuring the timely payments directly to the intended beneficiaries but would also help in reducing the time taken, transaction costs and the leakages among others. The Finance Minister said that this would also help in bringing transparency in the system and reducing avoidable delays. The Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee was speaking after receiving the Final Report of the Task Force on Aaadhar-Enabled Unified Payment Infrastructure presented to him by Shri Nandan Nilekan, Chairman UIDAI and the Task Force, here today. The Finance Minister Shri Mukherjee further said that pilot projects be upscaled and implemented in more areas and in more States. So far pilot projects are mainly implemented in the areas of LPG, kerosene, fertilizers and MGNREGS which can be further expanded, the Minister added. Today’s meeting was also attended among others by the Union Agriculture Minister, Shri Shard Pawar, Rural Development Minister, Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State (Independent charge) for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri K.V. Thomas, the Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Srikant Jena, Secretaries of various Departments/Ministries and senior officials of Ministry of Finance and Planning Commission among others.
Earlier, the Chairman UIDAI and the Task Force, Shri Nandan Nilekani made a presentation highlighting the various recommendations made by the Task Force in its Final Report. Shri Nandan Nilekani said that a strategic transformation of the governance can be brought about by the usage of electronic payments across the board. Shri Nilekani said that the Task Force has recommended a systematic platform based approach for the electronic payments.
The Task Force which was chaired by Chairman, UIDAI, Shri Nandan Nilekani also included Secretaries of the Departments of Expenditure, Financial Services, Fertilisers, Petroleum, Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Consumer Affairs among others. The members also included DG, UIDAI, Controller General of Accounts (CGA), representatives from the NIC, RBI, IBA and NPCI. The Task Force was constituted in September 2011 to recommend, inter alia, a detailed solution architecture for direct transfer of subsidy through a payments bridge wherein funds can be transferred into any Aadhaar–enabled bank account on the basis of the Aadhaar number.
The salient recommendations of the Task Force include that beneficiaries of all social safety net programs (MGNREGS, SSP, JSY, IAY, scholarships, etc.) and recipients of direct subsidy transfer payments (LPG, Fertilisers, kerosene, etc.) can greatly benefit by receiving their payments electronically, directly into accounts of their choice at either banks or post offices. The Task Force recommends that frontline development workers such as school teachers, Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, etc. who often do not receive their salaries on time, can also receive their salaries by direct deposit into their accounts at banks and post offices. It also recommends that a network of 10,00,000 interoperable microATMs operated by Business Correspondents will have to be set-up across the country for people to access their accounts at their own convenience. In order to set-up this network quickly, the Task Force has recommended that a last mile transaction fee of 3.14% with a cap of Rs.20 per transaction be paid by Government to banks for Government payments. This will also lead to positive network externalities such as reduction in leakages and achieving financial inclusion. In order to reduce the use of cash in the economy, the Task Force also recommends that Government and Government owned institutions accept electronic payments at all locations where they collect payments from citizens, without any additional surcharge. The Task Force also recommends that over a period of time, all payments of Government over the sum of Rs.1,000 should be made or received electronically. Transacting all Government business using electronic payments will help reduce graft, and bring about greater transparency and accountability. This reform will require a systematic platform-based approach to payments. For this the Task Force has recommended the adoption of the following:
1. Government e-Payments Gateway (CGA): Enable straight-through processing and release of funds from Ministry of Finance to the Line Ministries;
2. Aadhaar account opening and authentication platform (UIDAI): Provides electronic account opening capability along with real-time authentication of residents;
3. Aadhaar Payments Bridge (NPCI): An interoperable system operated by NPCI for transferring funds into accounts at banks and post offices on the basis of Aadhaar number;
4. MicroATM network (Banks and India Post): An interoperable network of Business Correspondents deploying MicroATMs for balance query, deposits, withdrawals, and remittances; and
5. Mobile banking: Provide self-service banking capabilities through mobile phones for everyone. The Union Finance Minister accepted the Task Force Report in-principle and stated that necessary steps would be taken to implement the recommendations of the Report. The Task Force report is available on the Ministry of Finance website i.e. www.finmin.nic.in

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/fm-calls-for-upscaling-and-implementation-of-pilot-projects-in-more-areas/

Mail News Service
Imphal, Feb 23: The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, will inaugurate the two-day ‘Polio summit 2012’ on 25th February 2012 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. India completed a year without reporting any case of polio in January 2012, a major achievement and unprecedented progress which needs to be sustained with continued intensive efforts until polio is eradicated. To commemorate India’s trailblazing effort and focus on the risks and way forward, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Rotary International are organizing the ‘Polio Summit 2012’. The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad will preside while the Ministers of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Shri S Gandhiselvan; Rotary International President Mr. Kalyan Banerjee and The Rotary Foundation Chairman Mr. William Boyd will be the guests of hounour at the Summit.
The Health Ministers of polio endemic countries Pakistan and Nigeria and neighbouring Sri Lanka and Nepal, and Rotarians from across the world are expected to attend the global summit. Senior health officials from various States, Principal Secretaries, Mission Directors NRHM and State Immunization Officers, heads and representatives of key partner organisations – Rotary International, the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization- National Polio Surveillance Project and UNICEF will participate in the Summit. Representatives of the huge polio workforce are among the nearly 1,200 participants expected at the Summit.
Over the two days, the Summit will deliberate on how to build synergies to ensure that the present momentum against polio is maintained until the disease is eradicated. The last bastions of polio in India – Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal – are expected to present their efforts and challenges. The Summit is expected to provide a platform for sharing and learning lessons. The World Health Organizations’ Assistant Director-General for Polio, Emergencies, Dr Bruce Aylward, will present the global scenario and China’s response to the recent poliovirus importation as a case study of emergency response, which would be a key strategy for India in the years ahead. WHO’s South East Asia Regional Office will lead the discussions around the challenges and way forward for polio free certification of the region.
Polio Summit 2012 will be a platform for all the key players in the end game strategy for polio eradication – government, partners, donors and frontline workers – to renew and reinforce their commitment to eradicate polio in India.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/pm-to-inaugurate-2-day-polio-summit-2012/

Aizawl, Feb 22NNN : It just happened that the proprietors of an industry are non-Mizos, an influential youth body in Mizoram has asked the government to cancel the permit allocation for sites to set up the industry.
Lalruatkima, president of Mizo National Youth Front, the youth wing of Mizo National Front (MNF), has asked the Mizoram government to cancel allocation of sites for Mizoram Ispat Industries in Lengte Export Promotional Industrial Park. Mizoram Ispat Industries is planning to set up a New Steel Project at Aizawl in Mizoram .The project involves Manufacturing Of Billets / Bars & Rods & Tmt.
Lalruatkima after visiting the Export Promotional Industrial Park yesterday with some MNF Youth leaders, asked that for what motive the government of Mizoram could make land lease agreement for 99 years covering land measuring 15,000 square metres for establishment of the Steel Re-rolling Plant which practically belonged to non-indigenous traders. He alleged that the Industry is being setup by RK Agarwal, Roshan Agarwal and Pawan Baid who shared 99 percent of the ownership. The fourth person C.Lalduhawma of Chaltlang, working in ABCI Company has only 1 percent of the ownership. It is learnt that the cost of the project is Rs 30 crore 40 lakh. It will require 4 megawatts of power to run the industry. Meanwhile, the Director of Industries asserted the allocation of Industrial site for Mizoram ISPAT Industries for establishment of Steel Re-rolling Plant.
The press release issued in this connection today clarified that go ahead signal was given to the Industry Director by Mizoram Public Investment Board which carefully examined the case. The Mizoram Public Investment Board is headed by the Chief Secretary and the members are Secretaries, the Principal Adviser and Secretary of Mizoram State Planning Board. Further, the ruling Congress party also admitted that the site for establishment of Steel Re-rolling Plant was alloted to Mizoram ISPAT Industries under the new Industrial Policy of Mizoram 2002. The Congress Media Cell leader, Lalrozara further said, under the same Industrial Policy, the Govt. of Mizoram and Venus Bamboo Products Private Limited, W.Bengal and The Bamboo Development Agency Mizoram signed agreement during the term of the previous government.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/business-at-mizoram/

Srinagar , Feb 22 (ANI): In a bid to promote heritage tourism, authorities have begun renovation work of historical shrines and to equip tourists with better facilities in Jammu and Kashmir .
The shrine of Hazrat Sheikh Syed Abdul Qadir Jeelani, also known as the Dastgeer Sahib, which holds immense importance among Muslim devotees as well as other faiths across the country, is getting a face-lift as the renovation work is progress.
The state authorities decided to extend the area of the shrine in order to accommodate large numbers of devotees.
Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Asgar Samoon said every possible effort is being made to provide better facilities to the tourists visiting the shrine and to conserve the heritage sites.
“We are trying to protect our heritage structures, the heritage shrines in the down town areas. There are interventions at the considerable level, like the decongestion plan, second is to improve the infrastructure and to improve the quality of life of people, living in near by areas and to improve the utilities, parking facility, water supply and electricity and to extend accommodation,” said Samoon.
The newly constructed walls of shrine and traditional walnut wood carving on the windows and doors have added to the elegance and grace of the edifice.
Appreciating the step taken by the state government, residents said this would help generate business opportunities for them.
“This will benefit us; people from different religions, Hindu and Muslim visit the place, so they will get facilities. The government has taken good steps by initiating the construction work and every year, devotees throng this place in huge numbers and they go back disappointed. So, this is a good step and beneficial for us,” said Muzzaffer Ahmad, a resident. The authorities would try to provide basic civic amenities like toilets and better parking facilities, at every historical site for the convenience of the visitors. Brochures and booklets with historical background of the monuments would also be made available to the visitors, which would serve as a source of knowledge.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/renovation-work-of-historical-shrines-begins-in-kashmir-valley/

New Delhi , Feb.22 (ANI): The Indian Government has reportedly decided to withdraw additional charges slapped by a TADA court against underworld don Abu Salem.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) decided to withdraw the charges after holding consultations with home ministry and external affairs ministry officials. The charges are expected to be withdrawn in about a week.
The charges go against the terms and conditions under which the underworld don was extradited from Portugal .
The government, however, said it will continue to oppose Salem ’s extradition to Portugal . The Supreme Court had while staying the TADA proceedings had observed that the Portugal court’s order has to be respected. Out of the two TADA cases, one is related to 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.
The court has refused to stay proceedings in other five cases and issued notices to the CBI and the government on Salem ‘s plea to quash all criminal cases against him.The apex court bench has asked the CBI and the Ministry of External Affairs to file their replies within a month. It also asked Attorney General G E Vahanwati to assist it in deciding Salem ‘s plea.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/india-to-withdraw-additional-tada-charges-against-ex-don-abu-salem/

Aizawl, Feb 21 NNN: Elections for 81 local councils in Aizawl and 493 village councils in 6 districts of Mizoram will be held on Wednesday from 7 am onwards, an official source from the State Election Commission informed NNN today.
Meanwhile, political parties and their candidates continue the last ditch effort to woo the voters by house to house campaign till Tuesday. The State Election Commission explained the new voting procedures to be adopted in this village councils and local councils elections.
In a press release, the State Election Commission said, common ballot boxes and common ballot papers will be introduced in this elections. The voters are to choose the names and symbols of the candidates they wanted to vote from the common ballot papers which will indicate the names and symbols of the candidates. To make clear their choice they are to mark on the names or symbols of the candidates with the arrow cross mark seal. The Election Commission also advised the voters not to put marks on more candidates than the seats in the village councils or the local councils. The Commission also said, the lists of candidates in the ballot papers will be arranged in alphabetical order of the party they belong and independent candidates’ names will come last.
Counting will be taken up by all the Returning Officers immediately after the completion of the polling on the polling day and announce the results thereafter. If necessity arises, re-polled will be held on February 24 and the entire process of the election is to be completed by February 27.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/mizoram-local-body-elections/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, Feb 21: The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Superintendent, Service Tax, IAP-X, Bangalore for demanding & accepting a bribe of Rs.25,000/-from the complainant.
A case was registered against him U/s 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 on the allegation of demanding a bribe from the complainant as a motive or reward for not imposing heavy service tax penalty and also to allegedly close the file.
The Superintendent was caught red handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs.25,000/- from the complainant Search was conducted at the residential premises of the accused.
The arrested accused was produced before the Special Judge for CBI Cases, Bangalore who remanded the accused person to Judicial Custody.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Head Constable of Railway Protection Force, Southern Railway, Chennai for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs.20,000/- from the complainant.
A complaint was received by CBI from Proprietor of Chennai based Cargo Movers stating that Head Constable, Railway Protection Force (RPF) attached to Central Railway Station, Chennai demanded a bribe of Rs. 20,000/- from him for smooth dispatching parcels to various places through Wagons. He also threatened the complainant that if the bribe amount was not handed over to him, he would detain the parcels tomorrow onwards on security/ Safety grounds.
Based on the complaint a case was registered against the accused U/s 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988. A trap was laid and the Head Constable was caught red handed while demanding and accepting the bribe Rs. 20,000/- from the complainant.
The accused was produced before the Special Judge for CBI Cases, Chennai and was remanded to judicial custody.
In another case, the CBI has arrested an Inspector and LDC both of Employee’s State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), Marol, Andheri (East), Mumbai for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs.5,000/- from the complainant for registration of company employees insurance.
A trap was laid by CBI at the office premises of the complainant where the duos have come to collect the bribe. Both were caught red handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs.5,000/- from the complainant.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/cbi-arrests-a-superintendent-of-service-tax-in-a-bribery-case/

Shillong, Feb 21 NNN : A plan to ambush vulnerable vehicle convoys of officials and police patrolling teams by a 12 member group of Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) cadres was foiled by the Speacial Weapon and Tactics team (SWAT) and CRPF Cobra forces in Bansambagre village near Williamnagar town of East Garo Hills in Meghalaya on Tuesday afternoon.
Acting on specific tip off about the presence of heavily armed GNLA cadres in the village , the SWAT and COBRA teams from Williamnagar cordoned off the village and before they could reach an isolate the house where the militants were camping , they were greeted with a volley of fire. Superintendent of police, East Garo Hills J F K Marak confirmed the incident, saying that there were heavy exchange of fire between the police and the militants.
“There was no casualty on both sides and the militants managed to escape using the thick forest cover”, stated Marak.
Informing that the 12 heavily armed militants were under the direct supervision of the outfit’s commander-in- chief Sohan D Shira and were planning for an ambush, Marak added that there is a strong possibility of Shira’s presence in the place of occurrence.
Going by the words of the police officer, this is the second time in three months that the dreaded commander-in0chief of the GNLA has escaped from the cordoning team of the security forces.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/ambush-bid-foiled/

Shillong, Feb 21 NNN : Meghalaya deputy chief minister Bindo Lanong categorically blamed the unscientific coal mining for the contamination and pollution of rivers in Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, even as he disagreed to the notion shown by the environmentalists on the catastrophic effects caused by the cement plants in Khliehriat sub division of Jaintia Hills district.
Speaking to newsmen, the Meghalaya deputy chief minister spoke at length about his visit to four cement plants. Stating that he had gone along with thee officials from the Pollution Control Board, department of forest and industries, Lanong said that the inputs received from all sides indicated that the cement plants have nothing to do with the pollution of rivers and streams in the area.
“It is the unscientific coal mining that is the cause of concern”, stated Lanong , adding, “I utter these words on the basis of the technical inputs of the officers who briefed me”.
A senior magistrate to four other officials of the department concern accompanied the deputy chief minister to his visit to four cement plants. These plants belong to Star Cement, Adhunik Cement ,Green Valley Cement and Hills Cement. Giving a clean chit to these four cement plants, Lanong stated, “The discharge of chemicals are treated and I am told that it will not pollute the water bodies”.
Lanong was not hesitant to state that the unscientific mining is the main cause of water contamination in the rich coal belt under khliehriat sub division of Jaintia Hills district.
It can be noted that there were many areas within the sub division that have to buy water as far as from Jowai to meet the demand of water in time of family or community festivities.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/coal-mining-process-unscientific-dy-cm-lanong/

Mainpuri (Uttar Pradesh), Feb.21 (ANI): Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday criticised the party’s political rivals for making false promises to garner votes from people in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.
Gandhi told a rally here that the central government has provided national scheme for providing employment to people in need, but the Mayawati regime was not implementing those schemes and taking away job cards.
“The federal provides the guarantee scheme of giving 100-days employment for 120 rupees per day, which is 12,000 rupees for every family. Anybody who is willing to work, needless of any caste or religion. But Mayawatiji says that nobody will benefit from MNREGA
(Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Generation Act). When Mulayam Singh Yadavji’s government was in power, MNREGA was not implemented, job cards were taken away, ministers stole the money and then three-four months before the election, he assures the public of giving an allowance for the unemployed,” said Gandhi.
Gandhi said the failure of implementing MNREGA, had forced people to migrate to other states to earn their living.
“The strength that lies in Uttar Pradesh is not in any other state. The youth of the state are migrating to Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh in search of jobs. And if you want employment, you have to migrate to other states, because employment is not available for the youth in Uttar Pradesh. Do you think this is right?” said Gandhi.
Gandhi’s campaign speeches and tactics have kept him in the spotlight for a large part of the election in the state, most notably his act of tearing a list representing the promises made by the rival Samajwadi Party.
Gandhi slammed regional Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav for failing to address the problem of electricity in the state since 22 years.
“Now, Mulayam Singh Yadav ji is saying that elect me for the fourth time and I will provide you free electricity. He was not able to provide free electricity during his three terms but now he promises to provide in his fourth term. He visited Bundelkhand and addressed a public rally and said that Bundelkhand would be made at power to Israel. When he was the chief minister, he was unable to provide water, people were crying but you did not visit them, migration was taking place that time he did not felt that he is the chief minister, he should meet the public and talk to them that what could be done,” said Gandhi.
Hitting out at Chief Minister Mayawati, Gandhi said she has petted a magical elephant, which gulps money belonging to the poor.
“You must have seen elephants’ walking on the roads and eating grass and leaves but Mayawati ji has created a magical elephant, a pet elephant, which gulps poor people’s money. Bundelkhand faced drought but she did not notice, gathered votes but did not notice the problems, and as the centre granted 8000 crore rupees and the elephant swallowed the money meant for people of Bundelkhand,” said Gandhi.
Gandhi’s campaign efforts have seen him try to convince potential voters of a stronger mandate than the one in 2007, where the Congress secured just 22 seats in a 403-strong assembly.

The son, grandson and great-grandson of former prime ministers, Gandhi is considered likely to take over as prime minister from Singh,

but the timing is not clear, as he had said earlier that becoming prime minister did not interest him for now.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/rahul-gandhi-targets-opposition-over-failure-to-implement-mnrega-in-up/