Tag: National

New Delhi, June 19 (ANI): With the Karnataka Police arresting French consulate official, Pascal Mazurier, accused of raping his three-and-a-half-year-old daughter,Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur on Tuesday said this is the worst kind of crime that can be committed, and added that the guilty will get due punishment through the courts.
“This is the worst kind of crime that can be committed. We deeply abhor this crime. The law has its course, he has been arrested. The process will be on and he will get his due punishment through the courts,” said Kaur.
“No, he is an official and he does not have diplomatic immunity,” she added, when asked whether the arrested French consulate official is getting diplomatic immunity.
The arrest of Mazurier, Deputy Head of Chancery at the French Consulate in Bangalore, comes a day after the Ministry of Home Affairs clarified to the city police that the accused did not enjoy any diplomatic immunity and action can be taken as per law.
Mazurier was taken into custody in connection with the complaint foled by his wife Suja Jones.
Jones, an Indian citizen, has accused Mazurier of raping their daughter and has requested that he be restrained from leaving the country till legal proceedings are completed, and added that under no circumstance should he be allowed custody of their three children, all of whom are French nationals.
She has also appealed to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna to intervene in the matter.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/accused-french-consulate-official-will-get-due-punishment-through-courts/

Poonch (J-K), June 19 (ANI): The Indian Government on Tuesday protested against the Pakistan Army violating cease-fire obligations by firing on army posts in the border district of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistani troops reportedly fired grenades, bombs and mortar shells. The Indian side retaliated with gunshots. The exchange continued till the wee hours of Tuesday.
Locals urged the authorities to investigate the matter.
“This firing has been continuing for the last five days and there is so much fear that we stay inside our houses from 10 am to 2 am in the morning. We did not eat anything and we want that there should be investigations as to why this is happening. Pakistan has really troubled us and they are not letting us eat food without any cause. They throw bombs and are constantly firing and we are very troubled,” said Shah Mohammad, a local.
Several officers have sustained minor injuries and this was the fourth incident of firing that took place in a row.
“There has been a lot of firing since the last few days. There are so many bomb blasts that the walls of our house vibrate and when we sleep, we feel that our house is going to collapse. We are facing so many problems and we can’t even sleep peacefully. In 2002, we had migrated and I feel we will have to again resort to migration once again,” said Arvind, a local.

Meanwhile, the Rawalkot-Poonch bus service has been suspended because of heavy firing.

“Yes, there has been ceasefire violation. Such incidents are common and happen every now and then, but
this time it has taken a serious turn. This is because there have been several casualties, which is why trade
is halted. So, we are waiting for the authorities to hold a meeting and resolve the issue, so that we can
resume the services,” said Ajit Kumar Sahu, Development Commissioner, Poonch.

The restive region of Kashmir has witnessed numerous militant attacks, insurgency, and infiltration
attempts from across the border in the last two decades.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/india-protests-ceasefire-violation/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, June 18 : The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Shri Paban Singh Ghatowar has said that in the north east there are 7.41 lakh persons with disabilities which constitute 1.9% of the population of the region. Addressing a two-days regional symposium on disability scenario in North-East India in Guwahati recently, he said this is figure is only slightly less as compared to the percentage population of the all – India figure of persons with Disabilities which is 2.1%. He said, as per the census 2001, 75% of persons with disabilities live in the rural areas, 49% are literate and only 34% are employed. The census figure also says that 28% suffer from locomotor disability, 49% from visual, 6% from hearing, 7% from speech and 10% from speech disability. He stated that this broad idea of the pattern of disability nationwide may also be applicable to the states of North- East.
The Minister said that various schemes have been undertaken by the Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment in active cooperation from the Ministry of DoNER and recently a few days back, a meeting of the all ministers of Welfare/Social Justice of North Eastern states was held for have a look at the pace of implementation of such welfare schemes. He added that the schemes of Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region pertain, mainly, to investment in physical infrastructure and under major scheme of NLCPR, till date,1393 projects worth Rs. 11529.17 crore in sectors such as roads & bridges, education, health, power, irrigation & flood control, water supply, sports etc have been taken. He informed that under North Eastern Council (NEC), following social welfare related projects and programmes have been funded:-
(i) National Tournament on Cricket for Physically Challenged Players in Manipur during 2010-12;
(ii) Construction of School Building and Hostel at Lyntijam Welfare Development Association, Mawtnum, Ri Bhoi District, Meghalaya for the benefit of physically challenged students;
(iii) Part-funding of construction of De-addiction Centres;
(iv) Training Programme on Hearing Disability Sector organized by IGNOU at Shillong for disabled persons and teachers of North East;
The Minister expressed hope that the symposium would voice the concerns and issues affecting persons with disabilities, which in turn will reflect the ground reality vis-à-vis the rights of persons with disabilities and will indicate strategies for meaningful interactions between governmental and non-governmental organizations working in the sector. Some of the areas that are expected to be covered would include accessibility, education, health, employment and social security for the persons with disabilities. The Minister exuded confidence that the outcome of this symposium will help the Government as well as Ministry of DoNER to fine tune their schemes so that they can address the concerns and needs of the persons with disabilities and also that this symposium will prove to be an important milestone .
in journey towards a achieving a just and equitable growth leading to all-round development of the nation as a whole and North Eastern States, in particular.
The symposium was organized by Shishu Sarothi, which is a renowned Centre for Rehabilitation and Training for Multiple Disability.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/ghatowar-addresses-on-disability-scenario-in-north-east/

Lucknow/New Delhi, June 18 (ANI): With former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam finally ruling out that he was not in the race for Raisina Hill, Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday expressed confidence about United Progressive Alliance (UPA) nominee and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee taking charge as the 13th President of India.
“That chapter is closed now. Pranab Mukherjee is UPA’s nominee. Our support is also there. Now, let’s wait for the results,” he told media in Lucknow.
Yadav had earlier on Saturday justified his party’s decision to back Mukherjee, saying the latter was a man of stature and an experienced person, who was capable of taking everybody along.
“Brokers strike a deal. The Samajwadi Party is against brokers. There was no deal. Pranab Mukherjee is a man of stature. He is an experienced person and he is capable of taking everybody along that is why the Samajwadi Party has decided to support Pranab Mukherjee,” said Yadav, while rubbishing reports that he has struck a deal with the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) to support Mukherjee for the coveted post.
“President doesn’t belong to any party. It is not a matter of the Congress Party, it is a matter of the country,” he added.
Dr. Kalam earlier today said he never aspired to serve another term or show interest in contesting the election for the coveted post against UPA nominee and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
“You are aware of the developments in the run up of the presidential election. Though I have never aspired to serve another term or show interest in contesting the election, Madam Mamata Banerjee and other political parties wanted me to be their candidates, many citizens also expressed the same wish. It only reflects their love and affection for me and the aspiration of the people,” said Dr. Kalam in a statement.
“I am really overwhelmed by this support. This being their wish, I respect it. I want to thank them for the trust they have in me. I have considered the totality of the matter and present political situation and decided not to contest the presidential election 2012,” he added.
Dr Kalam has allegedly conveyed this to senior BJP leader LK Advani, who phoned him this morning before sending his emissary Sudheendra Kulkarni to him.
Dr. Kalam had earlier on June 15 said that leaders of various political outfits have asked him to serve as the next President of India, but added that he would take an appropriate decision on this issue at the right time.
“Many political leaders have spoken to me. They want me to serve as the president. They all contacted me. I respect their views. However, I will take the right decision at the right time,” Kalam had told the media in Patna. The support that Pranab Mukherjee’s candidature has received indicated that contesting him would be difficult.
The latest developments have now imposed more pressure on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as they will now either have to back former Lok Sabha speaker and NCP leader P.A. Sangma or come out with a new name for the coveted post after holding due consultations.
Abdul Kalam served as the 11th President of India, succeeding K. R. Narayanan. He won the 2002 presidential election with an electoral vote of 922,884, surpassing 107,366 votes won by Lakshmi Sahgal. He served from July 25, 2002 to July 24, 2007.
Kalam was succeeded by Pratibha Devisingh Patil, whose term as President of India ends on July 24.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/raisina-race-kalam-chapter-closed-now-says-mulayam/

New Delhi, June 17 (ANI): The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has asked former Lok Sabha speaker and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader P.A. Sangma to withdraw his nomination from the presidential election.
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee has been strongly pitching for former president Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam’s return to the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Banerjee, who has been rejected by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and snubbed by Samajawadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav with regard to the presidential candidate, has launched a campaign on Facebook to bolster support for Trinamool Congress’s presidential candidate Dr. Kalam.
Sangma earlier today reiterated that he was still in the fray for the presidential poll as a tribal candidate, and said that he would appeal to his party boss Sharad Pawar to back him in the race for Raisina Hill.
“I have maintained right from the beginning that I am a candidate of the Tribal Forum of India, which is nothing to do with any political party. I am a candidate of the Tribal Forum of India. And, as a candidate of the Tribal Forum of India, I have gone across to all political parties appealing for support. This is the position. Therefore, it is very clear that I am not an NCP candidate,” said Sangma.
“Sharad Pawar is saying that he will appeal to me to withdraw. And I can tell you, I will appeal to him to support me,” he added.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar had earlier said that he would persuade Sangma to withdraw his candidature for the presidential poll.
The NCP has decided to back UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee for the prestigious post.
When asked whether he had also spoken to West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee with regard to his candidature, Sangma said: “I have talked to Mamata Banerjee day before yesterday late in the evening and I have appealed to her also to support my candidature. She was insisting on Dr. Kalam. I said Dr. Kalam had opted out of the race, therefore you should support (me).”
Sangma further said that he has made an appeal to all political parties to support his candidature for the coveted post.
“Since NDA meeting was scheduled for today, I spoke to many of the NDA leaders yesterday till late in the evening appealing them that they should extend their support to my candidature. Now, I have come to understand that the meeting has ended, but it has been inconclusive,” said Sangma.
“There have been little differences, which is quite natural in a democracy. They are still to sort out few things. They have to consult few chief ministers. So, I have nothing more to add as of now, except to say that I am still in the race,” he added.
Sangma, who has been campaigning on the ground that the country should have a tribal president, has so far met various political leaders including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran Lal Krishna Advani.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which met here today to decide on the presidential candidate, to firm up a position on the presidential poll as it was divided over opposing UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee and there was lack of clarity on extending support to P A Sangma.
“We will consult and deliberate with the chief minister of NDA-ruled states and leaders of other parties and would take final decision in next meeting,” Janata Dal-United (JD-U) chief and NDA convener Sharad Yadav told media here after the nearly-two-hour long meeting at Advani’s residence.
The presidential elections will be held on July 19. The vote count will take place on July 22.
Pratibha Devisingh Patil’s term as President ends on July 24.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/tmc-asks-defiant-sangma-to-withdraw-candidature/

Guwahati, June 17 NNN: After four years from now killings of animals by running trains in India may become a thing of the past.
On Sunday, Amruta Ubale who is India’s representative of Animal Equality said in Guwahati that this is possible due to a technology developed by Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi which will be in operation in 2016.
Animals mostly jumbos who are at risk of being run over by trains will be safe.
According to Amruta Ubale four-year timeframe set by two ministries to implement a wireless sensor device developed by Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
Wild Animal Protection System is a device that works by detecting the presence of elephants and other animals on railway tracks and activating a signal to a station master for warning trains to slow down or stop.
The project to install this sensor device has been undertaken jointly by the ministries of Railway and Environment and Forests. This is the outcome of a campaign by Animal Equality, a global animal rights organization, which advocated the use of foolproof technology to save animals from being run over.
Amruta said his organisation had asked for the installation of radar sensors in trains for detecting animals in front of the train and on tracks. The organisation also had sought an auto-brake function that can be used to avoid any train accident.
The Animal Equality member then said sensor device is used by international car companies and is also used in some trains and ships. Such devices have proved useful in avoiding collisions. The pilot project of the sensor device specifically for wild animals is expected to be in place by 2016.
A report of August 2010 of Elephant Task Force said that 150 elephants were killed in train collisions since 1987. Assam tops the list with 36% of the total jumbo casualties followed by West Bengal with 26% and Uttarakhand with 14%. Most of these hits occurred during a 12-hour span between 6pm and 6 am.
Banarhat area of West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district earned the dubious distinction of killing the most elephants – seven – in a single hit (2010). Five elephants died in the following year.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/trains-killing-animals-a-thing-of-the-past/

New Delhi, June 17 (ANI): With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) deferring the decision on their presidential candidate, the Congress Party on Sunday expressed hope that leaders of various political outfits would back UPA nominee for the coveted post of President of India.
“NDA have the right to hold consultations with their allies. Sonia Gandhi has appealed to the leaders of various political outfits to back UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee. He is a very capable and competent candidate for the president’s post,” said Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi.
“We expect that all the political parties will take all these into account and support Pranab Mukherjee for the president’s post,” he added.
The rift within the NDA over the presidential candidate emerged clearly on Sunday, after they failed to arrive at a consensus on their candidate for the July 19 presidential polls.
“NDA will meet again to zero in on a presidential candidate,” Janata Dal-United (JD-U) chief Sharad Yadav told media here after the nearly-two-hour long meeting at BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani’s residence.
Yadav said that Advani would be holding parleys with the NDA leaders once again on the issue.
Advani is expected to hold consultations with the chief ministers of NDA-ruled states to discuss the apt candidate for the presidential poll.
He further said that right now the focus of the NDA was on the presidential poll and not on the election for the post of vice president.
Leaders of the Shiv Sena were not present in the meeting that was held now.
Top BJP leaders Lal Krishna Advani, Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj and Ananth Kumar had met here earlier last night to decide on the party’s stand on the presidential candidate.
Moreover, BJP MP Ram Jethmalani has expressed his eagerness to contest against Mukherjee. The noted criminal lawyer has said that he will not let the UPA nominee become the President unopposed for he has failed to disclose the names of those having black money stashed abroad.
The backing of former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma has also left the NDA in a tizzy, as it does not want to lose its ties with the allies. Sangma, who has so far been urging the leaders of various political outfits to back his candidature for the coveted post, has been campaigning on the ground that the country should have a tribal president.
“Our leaders such as Advani, Sushma and Gadkari talked to NDA leaders on telephone and talks are going on. We will take final decision after consulting everybody in the meeting that will be held tomorrow at 11 (a.m.),” BJP leader Ananth Kumar told media after the party’s Core Group meeting here last evening.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/congress-hopeful-of-pranab-getting-support-from-all/

Aizawl, June 17 NNN: Mizo National Front (MNF), the main opposition party of Mizoram, accused the Congress government in the state of giving order to primary and middle schools to furnish a false report as receiving two uniform sets by each student in the state.
The MNF, in a press communique alleged that recently the Congress government issued an order to all the primary and middle schools to prepare a false report in which they should mention that all the students of their respective schools got two school uniform sets each. The MNF said that the students did not get two sets of school uniforms. The government is trying to act with false means is abominating and unacceptable, the MNF said.
The MNF said that when chief minister Lal Thanhawla went to Delhi for Annual Plan discussion, he took the Education Minister Lalsawta along with him and when they returned to Mizoram they had immediately instructed the primary and middle schools to prepare the false report. “This was done because they want to change the response they had given to the Human Resource Ministry who asked through RTI Act about the lapse of fund in SSA”, the MNF claimed.
Further, the MNF said that afraid of the Court’s notice to the Mizoram Government regarding the lapse in SSA fund, following the PIL submitted to the Guwahati High Court by one Rualkhuma Hmar, the Congress Government is using false means, by giving order to the school authorities.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/mnf-accuses-congress-govt-of-preparing-false-report/

Srinagar, June 17 (ANI): The government in Jammu and Kashmir is currently engaged in repairing a damaged stretch of road leading to the Amarnath shrine ahead of the annual pilgrimage.
The construction work on the 15.5 kilometre stretch of road was under progress over the weekend.
The painstaking work has been undertaken to provide a relief to Hindu devotees arriving in the province to be a part of the annual pilgrimage.
Talking to reporters in Srinagar, site engineer Muhammad Amin Rather said that a major portion of the construction work was completed and a stretch of about a kilometre would be completed after the pilgrimage ends.
“The total length of the road is 15.5 kilometres. We have magnified 11 kilometres of the entire stretch since last year. Out of the remaining 4.5 kilometres, three kilometres of the under constructed stretch would be completed before the commencement of the Amarnath Yatra. The left one kilometre are few spots like a portion, which needs to be rectified as the drivers face problem in turning their vehicles. We cannot begin the construction work now, as the Amarnath Yatra is soon to begin. We will resume the construction work after the end of the pilgrimage so that the vehicles can move swiftly on the road,” said Rather.
Thousands of pilgrims undertake this journey to the cave shrine of Amarnath, where the Shivlinga is made of ice and is located at a snow-capped mountainous peak of the Himalayas.
Rather said that the width of the road was increased so that the devotees and vehicles could move safely and swiftly.
“Earlier the width of the road was just 12 feet but now we are maximising the width by 18 feet. Now, the road would be around 24 feet in width. So, the devotees and the vehicles can now move safely on the road,” said Rather.
Such is the faith of the devout Hindus that despite hostile and inclement weather, records are broken year after year as far as the number of pilgrims as evident from the number of pilgrims increasing with each passing year.
This annual pilgrimage commences on June 25 every year and concludes on Raksha Bandhan in August.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/road-construction-in-full-swing-ahead-of-amarnath-yatra/

New Delhi , June 16 (ANI): Congress spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi has hailed the decision of choosing Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as presidential candidate, saying he is the ideal choice for the coveted post.
“Pranab Mukherjee’s name has been declared as the UPA candidate. We are very happy about it because his experience, his knowledge, his role in the past and his acceptance is unparallel and almost leaders of all the political parties have from time to time praised it, accepted it and lauded his role. So, I think he is the best candidate,” Dwivedi told media here.
However, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain slammed the Congress party for declaring the candidate’s name without developing an all-party consensus on Mukherjee.
“The UPA has informed about their presidential candidate after discussing it with its allies parties but they should have tried to reach on a consensus with the NDA, BJP and other non-UPA parties. The UPA has taken a one sided decision. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called up opposition leader Sushma Swaraj and told her that they had zeroed in Mukherjee’s name but we will take our decision after the NDA meeting,” said Hussain.
Sonia Gandhi formally announced Mukherjee as the ruling alliance’s presidential candidate, which the latter accepted with humility.
Coalition partners also congratulated Mukherjee on his nomination, presenting him, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi with shawls.
The presidential elections will be held on July 19. The vote count will take place on July 22.
If he wins, Mukherjee will become the nation’s 13th president on July 25.
Mukherjee has served as Finance Minister, Foreign Minister and Commerce Minister twice and also as Defence Minister. He chairs most of the cabinet committees tasked with making recommendations on important issues.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/mukherjee-ideal-candidate-for-presidents-post-cong/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, June 15 : The Special Judge for CBI Cases, Bhopal has convicted S.A.Gani, the then Branch Manager & Suman Babu, the then Assistant Manager, both of Central Bank of India, Lahar(MP) and Pratibha Sharma (Private person) in two cases. In one of two cases, S.A.Gani & Suman Babu, both of Central Bank of India were sentenced to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment with fine of Rs.3,00,000/- While Pratibha Sharma was sentenced to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment with fine of Rs.2,00,000/-. In another case, both the Bank officials were sentenced to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment with fine of Rs.3,00,000/-
CBI had registered a case on 27.03.2006 against Sheikh Abdul Gani, the then Branch Manager of Central Bank of India Lahar & others u/s 120-B r/w 420, 419, 467, 471 r/w 468 of IPC and Sec. 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d) of PC Act, 1988 on the allegations that he had entered into criminal conspiracy with private persons and dishonestly & fraudulently sanctioned 5 CC limit loans to five private firms and 2 Over Draft limit loans to two private firms in utter violation of the instruction of the Regional Office and norms & procedures laid down by the bank. A loss of Rs.31.90 lakhs(approx) was caused to the bank.
Seven chargesheets were filed by CBI on 30.06.2007 in the Court of Special Judge for CBI Cases, Bhopal against Sheikh Abdul Gani, the then Branch Manager of Central Bank of India Lahar & others.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/two-officials-of-central-bank-sentenced/

Guwahati, June 15 NNN: In a tragic incident a boat carrying dozens of people capsized in Bongaigaon district of western Assam this evening.
Reports said around 20 people are still missing while around 15 of them have been rescued by the local people.
Though the police said around 25 people were on board in the boat but locals said there were around 40 occupants in the boat.
Reports further said that majority of the occupants of the ill fated boat were small time business people who were traveling upstream of river Brahmaputra from Chapar in Dhubri district. The accident happened soon after the boat sailed into Champa, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, a little before 6 pm.
Nitul Gogoi who is the superintendent of police of Bongaigaon district said the cause of the incident is still unclear.
This is the second boat mishap in a little over a month in western Assam. Last month, 45 people died when a ferry capsized near Medartari in Dhubri district. The ferry had caught a storm and overturned with more than 200 people on board.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/boat-capsizes-at-assam/

Hyderabad , June 15 (ANI): The Y S R Congress party bagged the Nellore Lok Sabha Constituency and 15 of the 18 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh on Friday, while Congress won two assembly Constituencies in the bye-polls.
YSR Congress party candidate Rajamohan Reddy retained the seat by over 291000 votes, establishing a majority over his nearest rival T Subbarami Reddy. Rajamohan Reddy, who was elected on the Congress ticket last time, had resigned in support of Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.
Among the assembly constituencies won were Narsannapet, Payakaraopet, Polavaram, Prathipadu, Macherla, Ongole, Udayagiri, Rajampet, Kodur, Rayachoty, Allagadda, Yemmiganur, Rayadurg, Ananthapur, and Tirupati.
The Congress won Ramachandrapuram and Narsapuram assembly seats. The Telugu Rashtriya Samiti emerged victorious in Parkal, the only constituency where by poll was held in Telangana region, by a majority of over 17900 votes.
State Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwarlal said the counting of votes was done peacefully.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/ap-bye-polls-ysr-congress-bags-15-assembly-seats-onelok-sabha/

Aizawl, June 14 NNN : Dean R. Thompson, the United States’ Consul General, Kolkata one of the most important elements in the U.S-India relation is due to the growing importance of eastern India.
Dean R Thompson said this while making his first trip to Mizoram today. The U.S diplomat met Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla upon his arrival in Aizawl.
Dean R Thompson said the geographical importance is being increasingly recognized as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had highlighted in her recent visit to India, “we look forward towards the setting up of the New Silk Road, where the Northeast plays an important role as the region that connects India with neighbours in the East”.
The Consul General was visiting Mizoram as part of the strategic drive to improve U.S -India bi-lateral relations.
Dean Thompson then highlighted higher education opportunities in the U.S. for Indian students.
On his arrival, the Consul General visited the Vice Chancellor of Mizoram University, Prof. R. Lalthantluanga, after which an interactive session with undergraduate and post graduate students was held at the University’s New Administrative Conference Hall.
The Consul General said that the U.S-India relationship rests on the firm foundation of common ideals and that the strategic dialogue between the two countries is grouped into 5 principal pillars: Strategic Cooperation, Energy and Climate Change, Education and Development, Economics, Trade and Agriculture, Science, Technology, Health and Innovation.
He highlighted that education has become one of the main pillars in the bilateral strategic partnership between the two countries. He stated that there are currently more than 100,000 Indian students studying in the U.S, however, only 2,300 American students currently study in India, hence initiatives are being made such as the passport to India program designed to bring more American students to study in India.
The diplomat also said that the Obama-Singh 21st Century Knowledge Initiative provides $10 million for increased university partnerships and junior faculty development, exchange visits of faculty, administrators, Indian and US students. Then there is the Community College Initiative Program, the Summer Institutes for Scholars and professionals, the Sports Visitor program, and so on, he added. The U.S and Indian Governments have created “Education USA Centres” throughout India to help get clear and accurate information about opportunities to study in the U.S, and also offer individual counseling for interested individuals, Dean Thompson said.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/us-concerned-with-growing-importance-of-eastern-india/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, June 14 : The Special Judge for CBI Cases, Karkardooma Courts, Delhi has convicted 11 accused including one Executive Engineer; three Assistant Engineers; four Junior Engineers, all of Municipal Corporation of Delhi and three Contractors(private persons) for causing loss of Rs.7.70 lakhs(approx) to MCD. The Court sentenced Shri Brij Pal Singh, the then Executive Engineer to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment with fine of Rs.1.25 lakh; Shri Anil Kumar, the then Assistant Engineer to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment with fine of Rs.1.25 lakh; Shri P.K.Sharma, the then Assistant Engineer to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment with fine of Rs.75,000/-; Shri S.S.Arya, the then Assistant Engineer to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment with fine of Rs.75,0000/-; Shri G.P.Sharma, the then Junior Engineer to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment with fine of Rs.1.25 lakh; Shri Rakesh Meena, the then Junior Engineer to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment with fine of Rs.50,000/-; Shri Arun Kumar Sharma, the then Junior Engineer to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment with fine of Rs.75,000/-; Shri A.K.Jain, the then Junior Engineer to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment with fine of Rs.75,000/-; Shri Deepak Goel, the then private person to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment with fine of Rs.50,000/-; Shri Subhash Chand, the then private person to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment with fine of Rs.75,000/-; Shri Ajay Verma, private person to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment with fine of Rs.75,000/-
CBI had registered a case on 01.02.2005 against Shri Brij Pal Singh, Executive Engineer, MCD.
and others U/s 120-B, 420, 468, 471 IPC and 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d) of PC Act, 1988 on the allegations that Shri Brij Pal Singh, while working as Executive Engineer for Division-XXII, MCD, Delhi and others entered into criminal conspiracy with unknown contractors of MCD and awarded tenders to some unknown contractors during the year 2003-04 for providing & fixing inferior/substandard quality retro-reflective signboards falling in the municipal jurisdiction limits of Division-XXII, Delhi. In this way, fraudulent payments worth Rs.7.70,016/-(approx) were made to the contractors.
After investigation, chargesheet was filed on 16.12.2005 in the Court of Special Judge for CBI Cases, Karkardooma, Delhi. Charges were framed on 17.12.2008.
The Trial Court found 11 accused persons guilty and convicted them.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/three-years-rigorous-imprisonment-to-eight-engineers/

Shillong, June 12 (NNN): “Meghalaya accounts for 20 per cent of malaria cases of those reported from the north-east states annually,” Meghalaya deputy chief minister informed at an advocacy workshop organized by the Meghalaya State Vector Borne Disease Control Society, in collaboration with the state health department. Inaugurating the workshop, Deputy Chief Minister, in-charge health, Rowell Lyngdoh, emphasized on creating awareness among the people, especially those living in the rural areas on measures to avoid malaria.
With a substantial number of students taking part in the workshop, resource persons, who addressed the gathering, emphasized on involving the student community on spreading awareness on the “dos and don’ts” of malaria. The workshop laid emphasis on the spraying of DDT in households in order to eliminate mosquitoes, the primary carriers of malaria.
“The Garo hill districts in Meghalaya persistently contributed most cases and malaria-attributable deaths, and deserve priority for strengthening interventions. The problem is complex along international borders of the northeast due to poor inter-country coordinated vector control interventions, illiteracy, difficult terrain and poor access to healthcare services,” a health official pointed out. The highest death toll of 98 in 2007 was ascribed to focal disease outbreaks along Indo-Bangla border, and every single death was confirmed to be due to malaria spread by mosquitoes which were believed to be multi-drug resistant.
“Most death cases that were preventable occurred of complications arising due to late reporting and consequent delayed treatment,” a report by an international agency on the malaria scenario in the Northeast read.
With malaria being the number one killer disease in Meghalaya, authorities Tuesday emphasized on spreading awareness on the “dos and don’ts” to control the outbreak of the “deadly disease.” Malaria is endemic in the Garo hills of Meghalaya, and death cases are reported annually. “Plasmodium falciparum, which is the major parasite, is solely responsible for each malaria-attributable death case. The Garo hills are categorized high-risk for drug-resistant malaria,” says an official in the state health department.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/malaria-cases-at-meghalaya/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, June 13 : The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, North East, Karkardooma Courts, New Delhi has convicted accused Alok Kumar and sentenced him to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment with total fine of Rs.6,000/- in a case relating to impersonation in AIIMS examination.
The instant case was registered on the complaint of the Director, AIIMS, New Delhi on the allegations of impersonation in entrance examination for B.Sc (H) Para Medical Courses, conducted by AIIMS on 27.06.2001 at Cambridge School, Sriniwaspuri, Delhi. During counselling, the Counselling Committee of AIIMS observed that one of the successful candidates, namely Rajiv Kumar did not actually appear in the written examination held on 27.06.2001 at Cambridge School, Sriniwaspuri, New Delhi, rather, another person appeared in the exam impersonating himself as Rajiv Kumar.
The investigation revealed that All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi had conducted the entrance exam of B.Sc (Hons.) Para-medical course on 27.06.2001 at Cambridge School, Sriniwaspuri, New Delhi where 8 instances of impersonation were detected by Counselling Committee.
These instances appear to be systematic, pre-planned and organized action on the part of some mischievous persons to obtain admission by unscrupulous means for destroying the sanctity of examination at AIIMS. CBI filed eight chargesheets in different cases.
The investigation of this instance established that one Rajiv Kumar from Bihar had applied for said examination and entered into criminal conspiracy with Alok Kumar and another private person. In furtherance to the said criminal conspiracy, Alok Kumar and another private person visited Delhi from Bihar on 26.06.2001. They stayed in a hotel and visited Cambridge School at New Delhi. Alok Kumar appeared in the examination impersonating himself as Rajiv Kumar. Accused Rajiv Kumar was declared successful and in response to the call letter for counselling, Rajiv Kumar appeared before Counseling Committee of AIIMS. When Rajiv Kumar was asked about the details of examination, Rajiv Kumar confessed before the Counseling Committee that he had not appeared in the examination.
After completion of investigation, a charge-sheet was filed in the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate, Karkardooma, Delhi on 02.01.2003 against Rajiv Kumar and Alok Kumar. The Court framed charges against accused Rajiv Kumar U/s 120-B r/w 419, 420, 468, 471 & 420 r/w 511 IPC and against accused Alok Kumar U/s 419, 420, 468 & 471 IPC.
Earlier, accused Rajiv Kumar pleaded guilty before the Trial Court on 09.09.2010 and was sentenced to undergo imprisonment for two months with fine.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/three-years-ri-for-impersonation-in-aiims-examination/

New Delhi, June 13 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who met Congress President Sonia Gandhi here on Wednesday to discuss possible candidates for president, said the Congress Party’s first choice for the coveted post is Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
“I had a detailed discussion with her. Sonia Gandhi told that Pranab Mukherjee is first choice for President and the second choice is (Vice-President) Hamid Ansari,” she said.
Banerjee also said that she had told Gandhi that she would go back and discuss with her Trinamool Congress colleagues and revert on the issue.
Banerjee had earlier today rubbished reports that she has been demanding for a financial package for her state in return for joining hands with the UPA over its presidential candidate.
“I am going to meet Sonia Gandhi. Our demand for three years moratorium on debt repayment should not be related to the Presidential polls. Whenever PM or Sonia Gandhi call me I go and meet them. That is the decorum of the system. Every time I come to Delhi someone plants a rumour,” she told the media ahead of her meeting with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
Banerjee, who arrived here on Tuesday for consultations with Gandhi, met Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav here earlier last evening to discuss the presidential polls.
Trinamool Congress, with 19 members in the Lok Sabha, is the largest constituent of UPA after the Congress. On the other hand, the Samajwadi Party, which has 22 members in the Lok Sabha, is an outside supporter of the ruling alliance.
The Congress has so far not named its choice for the top post. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is believed by many to be the front-runner among those vying to be the next President of India.
The cancellation of visits to Afghanistan and London by Mukherjee has fuelled speculation that the UPA would name him as its presidential candidate.
Gandhi has so far held discussions with DMK chief Karunanidhi, NCP leader Sharad Pawar and RLD chief Ajit Singh on the presidential candidate.
A fresh round of consultations on the issue of selection of a presidential nominee is taking place in the UPA, after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) authorised Gandhi to decide on the candidates for the coming presidential and vice presidential elections.
Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath had on Tuesday announced the schedule for the 14th indirect presidential election to elect the 13th President of India.
Sampath said the notification for the presidential poll would be announced on June 16. He further declared that June 30 would be the last day for the filing of the nomination by candidates for the presidential election.
Sampath said that July 2 has been fixed as the day for scrutiny of all nominations, while July 4 would be the last date for candidates to withdraw their nominations.
The presidential poll, he said, would take place on July 19, and the result would be declared on July 22. President Pratibha Devisingh Patil will leave office on July 24.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/sonia-proposes-mukherjee-as-prez-candidate-mamata-demurs/