Tag: National

Bangalore, June 30 (ANI): In an endeavor to bring an end to the ongoing political turmoil in Karnataka and to find a way forward, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has requested all the ministers to withdraw their resignations.
“We have requested them to take back their resignations. I hope they will do,” BJP national general secretary in-charge for Karnataka, Dharmendra Pradhan, told the media here.
Pradhan further expressed the hope that the ongoing problem will be solved positively. He said that after listening to the dissidents he will go back to Delhi to brief the BJP Parliamentary Board and the High Command who will take a decision.
Karnataka BJP strongman B.S. Yeddyurappa’s loyalists today hit out at Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, and charged him of running the administration on the diktat of the Janata Dal Secular and not taking his Cabinet colleagues into confidence.
The nine Karnataka Ministers, who tendered their resignations on Friday, ruled out any compromise and reiterated their demand that Jagadish Shettar should be appointed as chief minister of the state with immediate effect.
C M Udasi, who held the PWD Ministry portfolio prior to his resignation, said: “The Chief Minister is mostly running the administration on the diktat of JDS (of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda) whether it’s issue of development, constituencies and Ministers portfolios.”
He further reiterated that there is a trust deficit and bonding between the Ministers and the Chief Minister and their relations had strained in the last three-four months.
“I can give many examples,” he said.
Udasi recalled that in March this year, Sadananda Gowda had written to BJP President Nitin Gadkari and complained against six ministers.
“The way he (Sadananda Gowda) conducted himself, it’s clear that he does not have confidence in us. We also have trust deficit in him,” he said.
Sadananda Gowda earlier today said that he has been assured by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership that the ongoing political turmoil in the state will be resolved smoothly.
Gowda, who met Karnataka Governor H.R. Bharadwaj at the Raj Bhavan here today, discussed the fresh crisis in his government.
“I also discussed with him the present political scenario, wherein I received nine resignations from my Cabinet colleagues. And yesterday night, I had a detailed discussion with the party president and our state in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan. They have expressed that everything will be resolved smoothly,” he said.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/bjp-hopes-to-solve-karnataka-political-crisis-mlas-adamant/

Mumbai, June 30 (ANI): Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Saturday appeared before the two member judicial commission probing the Adarsh Housing Society scam in Mumbai.
Chavan, who had to step down as Chief Minister soon after the alleged scam surfaced in November 2010, is one of the 14 accused in the case by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The CBI, which is probing various irregularities and violation of rules in the construction of the Adarsh Housing Society in South Mumbai, has in its FIR
alleged that Chavan as revenue minister of Maharashtra between 1999 and 2003 had given his consent to the inclusion of civilians in the Adarsh Society which was meant for defense personnel.
Former Maharashtra Chief Ministers Vilasrao Deshmukh and Sushilkumar Shinde had earlier appeared before the commission.
The 31-storey Adarsh Housing Society, claimed to be meant for Kargil war heroes, landed in controversy after media reports said that several politicians, bureaucrats and defence personnel owned flats there.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/adarsh-scam-ashok-chavan-appears-before-judicial-commission/

Guwahati, July 1 NNN : The Paresh Barua faction of United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) will stand oppose to the visit of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA chief Sonia Gandhi to Assam on Monday to take the first hand knowledge of flood situation.
However, the anti-talk faction of ULFA will not call bandh this time taking the immense hardship faced by the flood affected people.
It is still unclear what mode of protest the ULFA may carry out if it is not going to be a shutdown.
It can be noted that 22 of Assam’s 27 districts have been under flood. However, the Prime Minister and the UPA chairman will only visit the two worst affected districts, i.e.Tinsukia and Sonitpur.
“As always, we oppose the visit of the rulers of colonial India,” ULFA publicity secretary Arunodoy Dohotia said in an emailed statement. “But we have decided not to enforce a shutdown owing to the critical situation arising out of the devastating floods.”
The worst since 1998, the floods across Assam have claimed 61 lives in the second wave from mid-June.
The Assam government has opened 768 relief camps for thousands of flood affected people. Army and National Disaster Relief Force personnel have since June 27 rescued more than 8,000 marooned people.
In some areas of Tinsukia and Sonitpur districts, the flood-affected people had to be airlifted.
The floods have also been cruel to the 860 sq km Kaziranga National Park with more than 50 animals including four rhinos having either drowned in the submerged park or run over by vehicles while trying to cross over to higher grounds beyond an adjacent highway.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/ulfa-opposes-pms-visit/

Dhanbad (Jharkhand), July 1 (ANI): Maoists have threatened to blow up the district court complex in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, if the government does not stop “Operation Green Hunt”, the anti-rebel drive immediately.
The Maoist threat was received through posters pasted on the walls of the court complex recently.
The rebels warned that they would blow up the complex within the next month if their warning was not heeded to.
Dhanbad resident R S Goswami said: “Maoists have put up posters on the court wall. The posters have ‘Stop Operation Green Hunt’, ‘Down with the District Administration’ ‘We will blow up the court within one month’ also ‘this is just a trailer, wait for the film.”
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dhanbad) Sanjay Ranjan described it as a mischievous act by local scoundrels.
“There is nothing to worry about; no threat arises simply when some random posters are put up. This might be the handiwork of some local miscreants. There is nothing to panic at the moment,” said Ranjan.
Also known as Naxals, the rebels have fought for decades in a wide swathe of central and eastern India, including many resource-rich regions, where tensions run high between poor farmers and mining barons including industrial entrepreneurs and leading corporate houses keen to set up factories and production plants.
The government calls the Maoists as India’s main internal security threat and an obstacle to higher growth and more jobs in Asia’s third-largest economy.
Hundreds die annually in the conflict, although levels of violence have fallen in recent two years.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/maoists-threaten-to-blow-up-district-court-complex-in-dhanbad/

Dhanbad (Jharkhand), July 1 (ANI): Maoists have threatened to blow up the district court complex in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, if the government does not stop “Operation Green Hunt”, the anti-rebel drive immediately.
The Maoist threat was received through posters pasted on the walls of the court complex recently.
The rebels warned that they would blow up the complex within the next month if their warning was not heeded to.
Dhanbad resident R S Goswami said: “Maoists have put up posters on the court wall. The posters have ‘Stop Operation Green Hunt’, ‘Down with the District Administration’ ‘We will blow up the court within one month’ also ‘this is just a trailer, wait for the film.”
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dhanbad) Sanjay Ranjan described it as a mischievous act by local scoundrels.
“There is nothing to worry about; no threat arises simply when some random posters are put up. This might be the handiwork of some local miscreants. There is nothing to panic at the moment,” said Ranjan.
Also known as Naxals, the rebels have fought for decades in a wide swathe of central and eastern India, including many resource-rich regions, where tensions run high between poor farmers and mining barons including industrial entrepreneurs and leading corporate houses keen to set up factories and production plants.
The government calls the Maoists as India’s main internal security threat and an obstacle to higher growth and more jobs in Asia’s third-largest economy.
Hundreds die annually in the conflict, although levels of violence have fallen in recent two years.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/maoists-threaten-to-blow-up-district-court-complex-in-dhanbad/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, July 1 : The Central Bureau Of Investigation has arrested a Joint General Manager, CSD (under Ministry Of Defence), Head Office, Mumbai; a Director of a Mumbai based private firm supplying consumers products and two other private persons yesterday in an alleged bribery case.
The arrested accused were produced today in the Court at Mumbai and were remanded to police custody.
CBI busted a corruption racket involving officials of Canteen Stores Department (CSD) and a private firm supplying consumer products after registering a case for the offences under Prevention of Corruption Act, Criminal Conspiracy and Abetment.
It is alleged that CSD operates from its Head Office at Mumbai and has depots all over India to provide consumer goods to the serving and retired personnel of Army, Navy and Air Force. Such goods are made available at uniform and concessional price throughout India.
The case was registered on the information that the said private firm allegedly acted as marketing arm and representative of number of companies against the policy laid by CSD. The firm through its Director & officials of CSD entered into criminal conspiracy with each other and in furtherance of the said conspiracy manipulated various demands of CSD items of firm in favour of the clients. The CSD officials allegedly favoured the firm at various stages in CSD such as Introduction of items, price revision, delayed & excess supply, demand creation, budget allocation etc. In lieu of favourable decisions, the firm through it Director had allegedly paid huge illegal gratification regularly to officials of CSD.
The Joint General Manager, CSD demanded and accepted an amount of Rs.1.25 lakh as illegal gratification from the Director of said private firm. Both were caught red-handed at the residence of Joint GM at Napeansea Road while indulging in this transaction.
Searches were conducted at 20 places in Mumbai, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh & Delhi at the official & residential premises of the accused persons and the suspected officials. During the search, incriminating documents, huge cash and jewellery were recovered.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/cbi-arrests-gm-of-csd/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, July 1 : The Central Bureau Of Investigation has arrested a Joint General Manager, CSD (under Ministry Of Defence), Head Office, Mumbai; a Director of a Mumbai based private firm supplying consumers products and two other private persons yesterday in an alleged bribery case.
The arrested accused were produced today in the Court at Mumbai and were remanded to police custody.
CBI busted a corruption racket involving officials of Canteen Stores Department (CSD) and a private firm supplying consumer products after registering a case for the offences under Prevention of Corruption Act, Criminal Conspiracy and Abetment.
It is alleged that CSD operates from its Head Office at Mumbai and has depots all over India to provide consumer goods to the serving and retired personnel of Army, Navy and Air Force. Such goods are made available at uniform and concessional price throughout India.
The case was registered on the information that the said private firm allegedly acted as marketing arm and representative of number of companies against the policy laid by CSD. The firm through its Director & officials of CSD entered into criminal conspiracy with each other and in furtherance of the said conspiracy manipulated various demands of CSD items of firm in favour of the clients. The CSD officials allegedly favoured the firm at various stages in CSD such as Introduction of items, price revision, delayed & excess supply, demand creation, budget allocation etc. In lieu of favourable decisions, the firm through it Director had allegedly paid huge illegal gratification regularly to officials of CSD.
The Joint General Manager, CSD demanded and accepted an amount of Rs.1.25 lakh as illegal gratification from the Director of said private firm. Both were caught red-handed at the residence of Joint GM at Napeansea Road while indulging in this transaction.
Searches were conducted at 20 places in Mumbai, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh & Delhi at the official & residential premises of the accused persons and the suspected officials. During the search, incriminating documents, huge cash and jewellery were recovered.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/cbi-arrests-gm-of-csd/

Guwahati, June 30 NNN : The people of Barak Valley in Assam relieved off themselves from the long accumulated anger by beating up their woman MLA who got eloped two months ago with another man leaving behind her husband and a two year old daughter.
On learning that Congress legislator Rumi Nath and her second husband Jackie Zakier were in a hotel in sothern Assam’s Karimganj town last night, around 700 people barged into the hotel and thrashed them.
The MLA is already pregnant now with her second husband. She had eloped with Jackie Zakir without divorcing her first husband.
The police in Karimganj said the attack was unexpected, though the trigger was believed to be the fiery speeches of senior Assam minister Gautam Roy who was caught on camera urging people to oppose inter-religion marriages.
“We have identified the leaders who mobilised the people. They are absconding but will be caught soon,” said superintendent of police Pradip Pujari. He added that the mob had first shouted slogans and pelted stones at the hotel after Nath and Zakir checked in.
“We could have averted the incident if we had prior information about their visiting the town,” Pujari said.
Nath and Zakir had locked themselves up in the bathroom of their hotel room, but the mob barged in, slapped and kicked them. Police arrived on the scene an hour later and rushed the profusely bleeding duo to a local hospital. Around 1:40am, the duo was put on an ambulance and brought to Guwahati with CRPF escort.
Locals said many in Barak Valley – it comprised three districts including Karimganj – had been incensed ever since Nath, 33, ‘hurt religious sentiments’ by marrying Zakir, a social welfare department employee three years younger.
The controversial Nath, representing Borkhola assembly constituency, had rubbed many the wrong way after admitting this May to having married Zakir without divorcing first husband Rakesh Singh. She has a two-year-old daughter from Singh.
Rumi Nath had earlier raised a storm by defecting to the Congress before the 2011 elections. She was elected to the assembly for the first time in 2006 on a BJP ticket.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/woman-mla-beaten-up/

New Delhi, June 30 (ANI): Congress Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday took potshots at each other over former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s latest book in which he dismissed speculations of being reluctant to appoint Sonia Gandhi as the Prime Minister in 2004.
“As per his (Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s) words, we can clearly make out that he indicated towards the leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party, who never wanted to see Sonia Gandhi as the Prime Minister of the country and he hinted that these people had come to pressurize him that if the Congress Party or the UPA wishes to make Sonia Gandhi as the Prime Minister, then Abdul Kalam should not accept it,” said Chaturvedi.
Chaturvedi further said that Sonia Gandhi did not accept the top post despite having the constitutional right of becoming the Prime Minister.
“With such remarks, Sonia Gandhi does not gain the image of mother India, even today she is playing the role of super Prime Minister and she holds power without accountability. Therefore, it would be shocking, if the Congress Party calls it a big sacrifice,” said BJP spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
Dr. Kalam states in his soon-to-be-released book named Turning Points, A Journey Through Challenges, in the chapter titled Controversial Decisions that if Gandhi wanted to become PM in 2004, that he would have had ‘no option but to appoint her’.
He discloses that his office had readied a letter inviting Ms. Gandhi to form the government as Prime Minister but that she surprised him by nominating Manmohan Singh in her place.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/kalams-book/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, June 30 : The Central Bureau of Investigation has today filed a charge sheet against the then Chairman; the then Member; the then Secretary, all of Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP) and a New Mumbai based private International Container Firm U/s 120-B of IPC and 13(2) r/w 13(1) (d) of PC Act, 1988 in the court of Special Judge for CBI cases, Mumbai.
The investigation was taken up in December 2010 after registering a case against the then Chairman and Members, all of TAMP (Tariff Authority for Major Ports) under the Ministry of Shipping and others for showing favour to a private International Container terminal of Nava Sheva, New Mumbai
on the allegations of delaying the Tariff review for a period of five years from 2000 to 2005 & allowing the said private firm to accumulate huge profits by way of tariff collection from port users on old rates & increased traffic inflow; allowing the said firm to retain 50% of the surplus accumulated for the period 2000 to 2005 which was Rs.472 crores(approx) in the tariff order of July 2005 by retrospective application of the tariff guidelines issued by the Ministry of Shipping on 31st March, 2005 and allowing the entire royalty running around Rs. 116 crores(approx) as a cost item for the period 2000 to 2005 in the July 2005 tariff order without looking into if the operator was making a profit or was running in loss & also not following the guidelines of Ministry of Shipping.
The said firm was also allowed to retain an amount of Rs.236 crores(approx) which was collected from the port users in an illegal manner & also gained a benefit of Rs. 116 crores(approx) by treating royalty as a cost item and recovering the same from the port users for the period 2000 to 2005.
The investigation revealed the involvement of the then Chairman and other officials of TAMP for showing favour to said firm in terms of treatment of surplus and royalty. By the actions of TAMP, the said firm stood to again Rs. 236 crores(approx) in the surplus adjusted & another Rs. 236 crores(approx) as an interest free resource for a period of five years and also the entire royalty paid to landlord port as an item of cost totalling to Rs.116 crores (approx). It was also revealed that the said firm further got an additional benefit of Rs.265 crores (approx) due to the incorrect computation of surplus by the officials of TAMP for this period.
After thorough investigation, CBI filed a charge sheet.
The public is reminded that the above findings are based on the investigation done by CBI and evidence collected by it. Under the Indian Law, the accused are presumed to be innocent till their guilt is finally established after a fair trial.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/cbi-files-chargesheet-2/

Dimapur, June 29: NNN The NSCN-IM has taken strong exception over the Haochong incident where villagers were reportedly thrashed by the cadres of NSCN-K and Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF).
Some of the victims are currently being hospitalised in Imphal.
According to the NSCN-IM, cadres of ZUF and NSCN-Khaplang (NSCN-K) tortured some villagers very badly for supporting the NSCN-IM.
“Bewildering was the action of ZUF-Khaplang combine forces that tortured innocent public leaders and we bewail such brutality meted out against the Haochong village public leaders on 28th June, 2012 at Tamenlong district.
The ZUF-Khaplang forces called out the Haochong public leaders for a meeting and apprehending something fishy the villagers responded with huge turn out but seven public leaders were selected and taken to a particular place at Nagaching. Giving the reason for supporting NSCN they were beaten black and blue and heavily tortured and throwing at them filthy words for supporting NSCN. They were so badly tortured that they were immediately shifted to Imphal for further treatment,” the NSCN-IM said on Friday.
The victims are BT.Baram,Vice Chairman Village Authority,Haochong village,Nambi Khumba, Secretary,Village Authority,Baku Inka, Chairman,Village Authority,BT.Guanjan,Youth Club President,Haochong village,Laban Khumba,General Secretary,Youth Club and Arei Khumba,President,Inpui Naga Union.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/nscn-im-on-haochong-incident/

Guwahati, June 29 NNN: Human and animal casualties are rising as Assam experiences one of the worst floods in over a decade.
Till Friday, the flood has already claimed 27 persons and dozens of animals mostly from Kaziranga National Park.
According to a data, this is the worst calamity since 1998 in Assam.
Officials said about 75% of Kaziranga National Park has been submerged. The source added that the water level receded a bit on Friday, but not before drowning 22 hog deer and two rhinos including a calf.
With another old rhino having drowned on Thursday, the toll due to drowning rose to 25. The park authorities, however, were more concerned by 17 animals having been run over by speeding vehicles on National Highway 37 (kissing the southern edge of KNP) while trying to cross over to higher grounds.
SK Bora who is the director of Kaziranga National Park said the park requires the annual floods to cleanse numerous water bodies within. “Kaziranga is primarily a mix of wetland and grassland with a bit of woodland thrown in. Though animals are used to flooding every year, it has been a bit too much this year,” he said, adding more than 30 animals have been rescued so far.
The main challenge for the park authorities has been to regulate the speed of vehicles on a 45km stretch of NH37 from Haldibari in the east and Amguri in the west. “We have started issuing time cards to vehicles to move at a maximum speed of 40 kmph and cover the stretch in 40 minutes,” he said.
Meanwhile, the authorities in 22 flood-hit districts have stepped up rescue and relief operations with help from the army and National Disaster Relief Force. Army and NDRF personnel have rescued more than 6,000 people since Wednesday with the latter having pressed an unprecedented 14 teams comprising 675 personnel in eight districts.
Adding to the complications has been a series of landslides. While nine people have died in landslips in Guwahati – a few hill ranges criss-cross the city – two children were swept away by an avalanche of loose earth in Dima Hasao, one of Assam’s two hill districts on Friday.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/assam-flood-death-toll-rises/

New Delhi, June 29 (ANI): Union Home Secretary R K Singh, who held talks with the ULFA delegation, led by its chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, here on Friday said the main issue concerning them is of illegal immigration. Asserting that talks with the ULFA delegation was fruitful, he said: “It was constructive. It went well. The basic issue about which they are concerned is illegal immigration. We discussed ways and means to tackle that problem.”
Singh further mentioned that the ULFA delegation also raised concerns about the flood situation in Assam.
“They mentioned the flood situation. We have given 16 teams. They are working there. We have given helicopters. I have also been in touch with the Chief Secretary. I have told the Chief Secretary that any additional assistance, which he wants, will be given,” said Singh.
“One member from the National Disaster Management Authority will be visiting tomorrow and then I will be sending another team. But we have told the state government that anything else, which they want, will be given,” he added.
Rajkhowa also echoed similar sentiments after raising their issues before the Union Home Secretary, and said the talks have moved ahead in a positive direction.
“Through the media, we want to inform that the talks went very well, satisfactorily and issues regarding cultural identity was discussed. The talks have moved in a positive direction and were fruitful,” he said.
Rajkhowa further said the Centre has also taken into consideration their apprehension on the Assam floods, and directed the Assam Government to take necessary measures.
“We also discussed the devastating floods in Assam. The Central Government is in the process of facilitating immediate relief, and has directed the Assam Government to take the necessary measures.
We are hopeful that their efforts would bring some relief to the flood victims,” he said.
To give fresh impetus to the ongoing peace process, the Centre held dialogue with the ULFA delegation today and discussed the group’s demands to find a lasting solution to the three-decade-old insurgency in Assam.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/ulfa-concerned-about-illegal-immigration/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, June 28 : The north-eastern states of the country are getting Rs. 100 crore this year from the Agriculture Ministry for supporting various activities relating to rice cultivation, under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM).
All the eight north-eastern States, including Sikkim, are being covered under NFSM-rice this year. Till last year, only Assam was covered under NFSM-rice.
Under NFSM-rice, States are given assistance for a large number of activities including seed distribution, soil management, pest control, machines & tools, training and field demonstrations.
The interventions planned under NFSM are likely to improve rice yield, which is low in the northern-eastern states. It will also help the States in becoming self-sufficient in rice production.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/north-eastern-states-to-get-rs-100-crore-for-promotion-of-rice-cultivation/

New Delhi: United Progressive Alliance (UPA) presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee Thursday filed his nomination Thursday for the July 19 presidential election, said he will start his campaign from June 30 and it will continue till July 15.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Yadav and others accompanied him.
“I was fortunate, honoured and humbled to be nominated by UPA as the candidate to the 14th presidential election. The UPA nomination was endorsed by a large number of political parties. I seek support of all those, including Trinamool, who have not yet decided (on whom to support),” Mukherjee told reporters after filing his nomination. He said the parties that have decided to oppose him have every right to do so in a democracy but those who have not yet made up their minds, should support him to serve the nation.
The Trinamool Congress, a major constituent of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA), has said it will not support Mukherjee’s candidature. However, it has not announced support for the other candidate, PA Sangma, who is contesting with support from the BJP, some constituents of the NDA, the Biju Janata Dal and the AIADMK.
Mukherjee clarified that it’s the 14th presidential election to elect the 13th president of the country as the first president, Rajendra Prasad was elected twice to the country’s highest office. PA Sangma on Thursday also filed his nomination papers for the office of the President of India.
BJP veteran LK Advani, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, H Ananth Kumar, Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu, Vasundhara Raje, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Janta Party chief Subramaniyan Swamy and Thambidurai of AIADMK accompanied Sangma. Among others who graced the occasion were Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Goa. Ahead of filing the papers, Sangma said that it is a victory of tribal people of the country and the Congress will pay a price for having for opposed his candidature.
“My candidature was sponPranab , Sangma file nomination papers
New Delhi: United Progressive Alliance (UPA) presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee Thursday filed his nomination Thursday for the July 19 presidential election, said he will start his campaign from June 30 and it will continue till July 15.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Yadav and others accompanied him.
“I was fortunate, honoured and humbled to be nominated by UPA as the candidate to the 14th presidential election. The UPA nomination was endorsed by a large number of political parties. I seek support of all those, including Trinamool, who have not yet decided (on whom to support),” Mukherjee told reporters after filing his nomination. He said the parties that have decided to oppose him have every right to do so in a democracy but those who have not yet made up their minds, should support him to serve the nation.
The Trinamool Congress, a major constituent of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA), has said it will not support Mukherjee’s candidature. However, it has not announced support for the other candidate, PA Sangma, who is contesting with support from the BJP, some constituents of the NDA, the Biju Janata Dal and the AIADMK.
Mukherjee clarified that it’s the 14th presidential election to elect the 13th president of the country as the first president, Rajendra Prasad was elected twice to the country’s highest office. PA Sangma on Thursday also filed his nomination papers for the office of the President of India.
BJP veteran LK Advani, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, H Ananth Kumar, Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu, Vasundhara Raje, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Janta Party chief Subramaniyan Swamy and Thambidurai of AIADMK accompanied Sangma. Among others who graced the occasion were Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Goa. Ahead of filing the papers, Sangma said that it is a victory of tribal people of the country and the Congress will pay a price for having for opposed his candidature.
“My candidature was sponsored by the tribal forum of India, nominated by chief ministers of Orrissa and Tamil Nadu and backed by BJP and other NDA allies, I thank them for their support,” he said.
Taking on the Congress, Sangma said, “Tribal people of India have all along stood by the Indian National Congress, we expected that Congress will support (his candidature) but they did not support… they will know the effect of this action. Tribals in India are united and we will move together in future with a unity which was never seen in this country.”“Today is the victory of tribals,” Sangma stressed. sored by the tribal forum of India, nominated by chief ministers of Orrissa and Tamil Nadu and backed by BJP and other NDA allies, I thank them for their support,” he said.
Taking on the Congress, Sangma said, “Tribal people of India have all along stood by the Indian National Congress, we expected that Congress will support (his candidature) but they did not support… they will know the effect of this action. Tribals in India are united and we will move together in future with a unity which was never seen in this country.”“Today is the victory of tribals,” Sangma stressed.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/pranab-sangma-file-nomination-papers/

MNS: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has assured the Assam government of all help to deal with the flood situation in the state. The Prime Minister called the Health Minister Mr. Hemanta Biswa Sarma to enquire about the condition in the state. Dr. Manmohan Singh has also spoken to the Defence Minister Mr. A. K. Antony urging full Army assistance for the rescue and relief operations in the affected areas .
A total of 21 districts of Assam have been affected due to flood in the rivers of Brahamputra, Puthumari, Jiabharali, Burhidihing, Dhansiri, Beki and Manas.
Rescue and relief operations are continuing in the flood affected areas. Govt of India has deployed 15 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel (548 men along with 60 boats and flood rescue equipment etc) who are carrying out rescue and relief operations.
An IAF helicopter has been deployed for air dropping of the food packets and rescue operations. The Government is closely monitoring the situation and is in constant touch with the State Government for extending the required support and assistance.

PM assures help to Assam to tackle flood
MNS: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has assured the Assam government of all help to deal with the flood situation in the state. The Prime Minister called the Health Minister Mr. Hemanta Biswa Sarma to enquire about the condition in the state. Dr. Manmohan Singh has also spoken to the Defence Minister Mr. A. K. Antony urging full Army assistance for the rescue and relief operations in the affected areas .
A total of 21 districts of Assam have been affected due to flood in the rivers of Brahamputra, Puthumari, Jiabharali, Burhidihing, Dhansiri, Beki and Manas.
Rescue and relief operations are continuing in the flood affected areas. Govt of India has deployed 15 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel (548 men along with 60 boats and flood rescue equipment etc) who are carrying out rescue and relief opPM assures help to Assam to tackle flood
MNS: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has assured the Assam government of all help to deal with the flood situation in the state. The Prime Minister called the Health Minister Mr. Hemanta Biswa Sarma to enquire about the condition in the state. Dr. Manmohan Singh has also spoken to the Defence Minister Mr. A. K. Antony urging full Army assistance for the rescue and relief operations in the affected areas .
A total of 21 districts of Assam have been affected due to flood in the rivers of Brahamputra, Puthumari, Jiabharali, Burhidihing, Dhansiri, Beki and Manas.
Rescue and relief operations are continuing in the flood affected areas. Govt of India has deployed 15 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel (548 men along with 60 boats and flood rescue equipment etc) who are carrying out rescue and relief operations.
An IAF helicopter has been deployed for air dropping of the food packets and rescue operations. The Government is closely monitoring the situation and is in constant touch with the State Government for extending the required support and assistance.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/pm-assures-help-to-assam-to-tackle-flood/

Shillong, June 27 NNN : Seven people were critically injured in separate road accidents in Meghalaya on Wednesday.
A Mahindra Bolero jeep bearing registration number (AS OI X – 8413) travelling towards Hailakandi from Guwahati was involved in a head on collision with another Mahindra Bolero (ML O5 H – 4291) coming from the opposite direction at Riatiamkynthei (in between Pommura and Mawlyndep) under Mawryngkneng Block, East Khasi Hills district on Wednesday at 10:30 am.
According to sources, the injured has been identified as Babul Barbaiya (35), Sukla Chakraborty (62) and Binoy Chakraborty (60).
The 108 Emergency Service Ambulance based at Mawryngkneng helped in shifting the injured to city civil hospital for medical assistance.
In another incident, in order to make space for another vehicle coming from the opposite direction, an auto rickshaw developed a technical snag and hit a tree on the side of the road at Danakgre under Rongram Block, West Garo Hills district on Tuesday at 4:15 pm.
The 108 Emergency Service Ambulance based at Tura helped in shifting Neno A. Sangma (53) and Paleash N. Sangma (30) to Tura Civil Hospital for medical assistance.
According to sources, the auto rickshaw was travelling towards Tura when the incident happened.
In another accident which happened in the city, a mother and a daughter travelling on a Jeep bearing registration number (ML O5 – 3718) sustained serious injuries when the vehicle hit a wall on the side of the road while it was trying to overtake another vehicle at Fire Brigade near Assam Auto petrol pump on Tuesday night at around 10 pm.
The 108 Emergency Service Ambulance based at Laitumkhrah helped in shifting the Tripsila Kharsyiemiong (47) and Skona Kharsyiemiong (25) to Shillong Civil Hospital for medical treatment.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/seven-injured-in-accident/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, June 27 : The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Shri Paban Singh Ghatowar has launched the Space Based Information Kiosk on North Eastern Region, SBIK-NER, here yesterday.
The main objective of the SBIK-NER is to provide relevant information on each of the eight states of North Eastern Region to the Minister for DoNER, Secretaries and officials as well as the visitors of the region in a touch screen based display panel through user friendly software environment developed by NESAC, North Eastern Space Application Centre. The Phase-I version of SBIK-NER contains state-wise information on land use land cover, wetlands, wastelands, land degradation map, roads and other valuable information. It also contains the state-wise imagery of Advanced Wide Field Sensor of IRS-P6 Satellite.
The Minister informed that the SBIK-NER is also linked with a portal namely-North Eastern District Resource Plans of Meghalaya, which aims to provide space technology inputs for preparing Detailed Project Report for the benefit of district administrations as well as concerned line departments. He also informed that the Phase-II version of SBIK-NER will contain more information at district level to all NER states along with block level details and finer resolution satellite imageries.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/doner-minister-launches-space-based-information-kiosk-on-ne/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, June 27 : The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and the Chairman of North Eastern Council (NEC), Paban Singh Ghatowar has chaired the 61st NEC Plenary Meet here today.
The Members of the Council includes, the Governors and the Chief Ministers of North Eastern States and their representatives had attended the brain storming sessions and the Planery session. Issues pertaining to the North Eastern States such as development of Transport and Communication, Tele-communication, Civil Aviation, Railways, Development of various Sectors that are crucial to the economic progress of the regions were discussed. Special presentations on the Action Plan prepared for North Eastern Region were given by Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and Members present includes Governors of Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Tripura, Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland, Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Chief Secretary of Manipur, Minister Planning of Assam and three members of NEC. 
NEC had performed exceedingly well on many of its slated functions including infra-structure development in the field of Transport & Communication, Power, Health, Education, Sports, Agriculture, etc. For the Financial year 2011-12, NEC had released Rs. 693.00 crs, out of the total budget allocation of Rs. 700.00 crs, accounting for over 99 %.
During each Annual Plan during the currency of the 11th FYP i.e., 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12, the actual budget allocations provided for the NEC were the amounts of Rs. 600 crores, Rs. 624 crores, Rs. 624 crores, Rs. 700 crores and Rs. 700 crores, respectively.
Thus, the actual amount allocated during the Eleventh Five Year Plan comes to Rs.3248.50 crores. During the 10th Five Year Plan, the ratio was Rs. 2,511.50 crores out of an approved outlay of Rs. 3500.00 crores, thus showing 71.76% of outlay as allocation.
As far as the 11th Five Year Plan is concerned, the ratio has come down drastically – Rs. 3248.50 crores of actual allocation in a total of approved outlay of Rs. 7394.00 crores, thus showing 43.93% of outlay as allocation. • NEC had convened a number of Working Groups for the 12th Five Year Plan under Transport and Communication Sector, Power, Health, Agriculture, Science and Technology, Human Resource Development and Employment Sectors.
NEC had also prepared a Comprehensive Tourism Master Plan for the entire North Eastern States identifying tourist circuits and Preparation of Health Workforce Development Plan for the NER. • 9 (Nine) Inter-State tourist circuits have been finalized for taking up in the first phase of the implementation of the Tourism Master Plan. They are: In the Meeting, an in-depth discussion on issues such as following were discussed: 
(i) Air Connectivity for all the region , inter state, intra state as well as outside of the Region. The need to have small helipads for small aircrafts were highlighted by members of the August house as Road connectivity is very poor in hilly regions where there are no PPP mode of investment and acute fund constraint. 
(ii) Agricultural related issues such as provision of Irrigation system across the states of the North Eastern Region for improved agricultural productivities, as to a very large extend, the NER is fully dependent on agricultural products. Soil conservation programme needs to be taken up immediately as top soil are being depleted extensively because of deforestation as well as heavy rain through out the year. The need for Special Agriculture Policy for the region was emphasized. 
(iii) The need for attracting investment, both private and Government, in the North East Region is extremely important in Industry sector for generation of employment. 
(iv) Power supply being extremely important, the need for setting up small, mini and medium power projects were emphasized. An expert committee for studying the safety of dams needs to be constituted. 
(v) Road connectivity between inter state, intra state amongst the rural areas need to be taken on priority. 
(vi) The house was informed that the Churaibai-Agartala of NH-44 which is about 200 kms length and of which 85 km is already 2 laned. 2 laning of 49kms has been included in current Annual Plan. DPR for the Agartala-Sabrooni of about 130 kms is under preparation. 
(vii) There was a need raised to re address many of the requirement under central Govt. policies such as the requirement of 100 mtrs for a bridge to be taken up under PMGSY should be reduced to 50mtrs in North East Region. 
(viii) The house was informed that Railway network of the North East Region as on 1.4.12 is 2497kms Board Gauge, 1324 km Meter Gauge and 87km Narrow Gauge , totaling 3908 kms. The Agartala-Akhaura (Bangladesh) 13 km new line and Lungdim-Hojal-Patch Doubling of 45 kms are being taken up during current Financial Year. Projects already surveyed and pending with Planning Commission for approval include (a) the 58 kms Barpeta Road for Rs. 520 crs.,(b) 344 kms Chaparmukh- Dibrugarh, via Salona, Khumtai, for Rs. 3491 cr.,(c) Dangri-Dhola for 48 cr., (d) 257 kms Dimapur-Tizit for Rs. 4274 cr., (e) 18 kms Dullabchera-Cheragi for Rs. 110 cr., (f) 20 kms Lalabazar-Vairengte for 364 cr., (g) 98 kms Rupai-Parashuramkund via Mahadeva, Namsai, Chingkham for 1289 cr., (h) 9 kms Tuli line- Tuli town for 109crs. 
(ix) Three hubs for parking big aircraft in Guwahati, Imphal, Agartala and Dibrugarh are being taken up. Hub at Guwahati will serve as the regional hub. Hubs include night landing and night parking facilities Expansion of Apron for parking more Aircraft and construction of new building in Gwt Airport under way. Development of Tezu Airport is already started. 

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/doner-minister-chairs-61st-nec-meeting-hub-for-parking-big-aircraft-in-imphal-airport-taken-up/