Day: March 14, 2012

New Delhi/Dehradun, Mar 14 (ANI): Congress Party on Wednesday defended its decision to select Vijay Bahuguna as Uttarakhand Chief Minister instead of senior leader Harish Rawat, saying there is no difference within the party and the matter will be solved after due consultations.
Terming the ongoing row over the appointment of Bahuguna as hype created by the media, Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said: “There is no difference within the party of any kind. This is an internal matter of the party. It is not necessary for the MLAs to be present there. It never happens that all the MLAs are present during the swearing-in-ceremony of the chief minister. This is media hype. The matter will be solved after due consultations within the party.
“I assure you everything will be normal. Vijay Bahugunaji is the new chief minister of Uttarakhand, he has taken the oath of office. The party is committed to solve the problems the people of the state faced in the last five years,” he added.
Alvi further said Harish Rawat will surely attend the Parliament session.
“There is no rebellion within the party. This is media hype. He (Harish Rawat) will surely come to the Parliament,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rawat, the Congress MP from Haridwar and Minister in the union Government, appeared to be deeply hurt for not being given the top post in Uttarakhand, and said that he always believed in the party.
“I would not say anything. Party is also important and I always believed in the party. It’s been so many years since I’m working for Congress,” said Rawat.
Harish Rawat, who was seen as a frontrunner for the Uttarakhand chief minister’s post, had earlier offered to resign from the cabinet following Bahuguna’s selection for the top post.
Rawat sent his resignation to Manmohan Singh. He had also written to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, saying that he would prefer to work as a party worker. In the 70-member Assembly, Congress had emerged as the largest party with 32 MLAs and has the support of three independent MLAs and one from UKD. The Bahujan Samaj Party, having strength of three members, has pledged its unconditional support to Congress, raising its tally to 39.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/bahugunas-appointment-as-u-khand-cm-sparks-row-congress-says-all-is-well/

New Delhi/Dehradun, Mar 14 (ANI): Congress Party on Wednesday defended its decision to select Vijay Bahuguna as Uttarakhand Chief Minister instead of senior leader Harish Rawat, saying there is no difference within the party and the matter will be solved after due consultations.
Terming the ongoing row over the appointment of Bahuguna as hype created by the media, Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said: “There is no difference within the party of any kind. This is an internal matter of the party. It is not necessary for the MLAs to be present there. It never happens that all the MLAs are present during the swearing-in-ceremony of the chief minister. This is media hype. The matter will be solved after due consultations within the party.
“I assure you everything will be normal. Vijay Bahugunaji is the new chief minister of Uttarakhand, he has taken the oath of office. The party is committed to solve the problems the people of the state faced in the last five years,” he added.
Alvi further said Harish Rawat will surely attend the Parliament session.
“There is no rebellion within the party. This is media hype. He (Harish Rawat) will surely come to the Parliament,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rawat, the Congress MP from Haridwar and Minister in the union Government, appeared to be deeply hurt for not being given the top post in Uttarakhand, and said that he always believed in the party.
“I would not say anything. Party is also important and I always believed in the party. It’s been so many years since I’m working for Congress,” said Rawat.
Harish Rawat, who was seen as a frontrunner for the Uttarakhand chief minister’s post, had earlier offered to resign from the cabinet following Bahuguna’s selection for the top post.
Rawat sent his resignation to Manmohan Singh. He had also written to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, saying that he would prefer to work as a party worker. In the 70-member Assembly, Congress had emerged as the largest party with 32 MLAs and has the support of three independent MLAs and one from UKD. The Bahujan Samaj Party, having strength of three members, has pledged its unconditional support to Congress, raising its tally to 39.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/bahugunas-appointment-as-u-khand-cm-sparks-row-congress-says-all-is-well/

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) stalwart Parkash Singh Badal was sworn-in as the chief minister of Punjab for a record fifth time on Wednesday.
Punjab Governor Shivraj V. Patil administered the oath of office to Badal at the historic Chapar Chiri Banda Bahadur Memorial in Fatehgarh Sahab District. Eighty-five-year-old Badal, who led the SAD-BJP combine to a thumping win in the Punjab assembly polls, had earlier headed two full five-year terms from 1997 and 2007. His other terms were in 1977-1980 and 1970-71. The SAD-BJP combine returned to power by defying the expected anti-incumbency factor.
The SAD-BJP combine won 68 of the 117 seats with the SAD securing 56 seats and the BJP 12 seats. The Congress won 46 seats, while others won three.
Badal entered politics in 1947 and was first elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in 1957. He was re-elected in 1969 serving as Minister for Community Development, Panchayati Raj, Animal Husbandry,

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/parkash-singh-badal-takes-oath-as-punjab-cm/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, Mar 14 : The number of Broadband connections provided by the end of December 2011 are 13.35 million. As per the objectives contained in draft National Telecom Policy 2012, it is proposed to
Provide affordable and reliable broadband on demand by the year 2015 and to achieve 175 million broadband connections by the year 2017 and 600 million by the year 2020 at minimum 2 Mbps download speed and making available higher speeds of at least 100 Mbps on demand.
Following schemes being implemented under Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), will further increase the broadband internet penetration in rural areas:
BSNL will provide 8, 88,832 wire-line Broadband connections to individual users and Government Institutions over a period of 5-years in this scheme.
As on February 2012, a total of 3,54,595
broadband connections have been provided.
a) “Optical Fibre Network Augmentation, Creation and Management of Intra-District SDHQ-DHQ OFC Network in ASSAM”
This OFC Scheme would connect 354 locations in 27 Districts of Assam within 18 months from 12/2/2010. As of February 2012, about 177 nodes have been installed.
b) “Optical Fibre Network Augmentation, Creation and Management of Intra-District SDHQ-DHQ OFC Network in NE-I Circle (comprising states of Meghalaya, Mizoram & Tripura),”
The States of Meghalaya, Mizoram & Tripura have been taken up for OFC augmentation in this scheme. This OFC Scheme would connect 188 locations in 19 Districts within 24 months from the
date of signing of the Agreement.
c) “Optical Fibre Network Augmentation, Creation and Management of Intra-District SDHQ-DHQ OFC Network in NE-II Circle (comprising states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur & Nagaland),”
The States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur & Nagaland have been taken up for OFC augmentation in this scheme. This OFC Scheme would connect 407 locations in 30 Districts within 30 months from the date of signing of the Agreement.
The scheme of National Optical Fiber Network (NOFN) is being implemented, for providing Broadband connectivity to Panchayats. The objective is to extend the existing optical fiber network to
Panchayats by utilizing the Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF).
This information was given in Lok Sabha today by Shri Milind Deora, the Minister of State, Communication and Information Technology in response to a question.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/internet-broadband-facilities/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, Mar 14 : Many women CPI (Maoist) cadres of Odisha, Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand and other States, who have surrendered, have disclosed several instances of sexual exploitation in Maoist camps. Such
instances of sexual exploitation include rape, forced marriage and molestation by senior male CPI (Maoist) cadres. Recently in Chhattisgarh, some surrendered CPI (Maoist) male cadres disclosed
that they were forced by the senior leadership to undergo vasectomy operation as a pre-condition for marriage with women cadres.
During an operation launched by the Border Security Force (BSF) in January, 2012 at a naxal hideout in Niliguda forest, PS Podia, District Malakangiri, Odisha, a large number of pregnancy test
kits, condoms, contraceptive pills, etc. were recovered. Such recoveries have also been made in other States. There are allegations that women cadres of CPI (Maoist), who become pregnant, are forced to undergo abortion against their will. The surrendered women cadres have also disclosed that even if they are married to male cadres, they are not allowed to give birth to children since the senior leadership of CPI (Maoist) feel that it impairs their fighting capability and mobility.
This problem has to be seen in the overall context of LWE menace.
This was stated by Shri Jitendra Singh, Minister of State of Home Affairs in a statement laid in the Rajya Sabha today. Police and public order being State subjects, action with regard to the law and order lies primarily in the domain of State Governments concerned. However, the Central Government closely monitors the situation and supplements the efforts of State Governments over a wide range of issues, both on security and development fronts. This includes deployment of Central Armed Police Forces
(CAPFs), help to State Governments towards capacity building of State Forces and implementation of wide range of development schemes in Left Wing Extremism (LWE ) affected States. The State Governments initiate legal action when they receive complaints of sexual exploitation of women Maoist cadres, under the relevant provisions of law.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/sexual-exploitation-in-naxalite-camps/

Passenger fares increased marginally. The increase will be by 2 paise per km for suburban and ordinary second class; 3 paise per km for mail/express second class; 5 paise per km for sleeper class; 10 paise per km for AC Chair Car, AC 3 tier and First Class; 15 paise per km for AC 2 tier and 30 paise per km for AC I.
Minimum fare and platform tickets to cost Rs. 5.
50% concession in fare in AC-2, AC-3, Chair Car & Sleeper classes to patients suffering from ‘Aplastic Anaemia’ and ‘Sickle Cell Anaemia’.
Extending the facility of travel by Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains to Arjuna Awardees.
Travel distance under ‘Izzat Scheme’ to increase from 100 kms to 150 kms.
SMS on passenger mobile phone in case of e-ticket to be accepted as proof of valid reservation.
Introduction of satellite based real time train information system (SIMRAN) to provide train running information to passengers through SMS, internet, etc.
On board passenger displays indicating next halt station and expected arrival time to be introduced.
Installation of 321 escalators at important stations of which 50 will be commissioned in 2012-13.
Introduction of regional cuisine at affordable rates; launching of Book-a-meal scheme to provide multiple choice of meals through SMS or email.
Introduction of coin/currency operated ticket vending machines.
Upgradation of 929 stations as Adarsh Stations including 84 stations proposed in 2012-13; 490 stations have been completed so far.
Specially designed coaches for differently-abled persons to be provided in each Mail/Express trains.
Introduction of Rail Bandhu on-board magazines on Rajdhanis, Shatabdis and Duronto trains.
Setting up of AC Executive lounges at important stations
75 new Express trains to be introduced.
21 new passenger services, 9 DEMU services and 8 MEMU services to be introduced.
Run of 39 trains to be extended.
Frequency of 23 trains to be increased.
75 additional services to run in Mumbai suburban; 44 new suburban services to be introduced in Kolkata area, 50 new services to be introduced in Kolkata Metro; 18 additional services in Chennai area.
725 km new lines, 700 km doubling, 800 km gauge conversion and 1,100 km electrification targeted in 2012-13.
Rs 6,872 cr provided for new lines, Rs 3,393 cr for doubling, Rs 1,950 cr for gauge conversation, Rs 828 cr for electrification
Highest ever plan outlay of Rs. 60,100 cr
Rae Bareli coach factory manufactured 10 coaches in 2011-12; phase-II of the factory would be commissioned in 2012-13.
• A wagon factory to be set up at Sitapali (Ganjam District of Odisha)
• A rail coach factory with the support of Government of Kerala to be set up at Palakkad; two additional new manufacturing units for coaches to be established in the Kutch area in Gujarat and at Kolar in Karnataka with active participation of the State Governments.
• Setting up of a factory at Shyamnagar in West Bengal to manufacture next generation technology propulsion system for use in high power electric locomotives.
• Creating Missions as recommended by Pitroda Committee to implement the modernization programme.
• Setting up of Railway Tariff Regulatory Authority to be considered.
• New Board Members for Safety/Research and PPP/Marketing to be inducted.
• Rail-Road Grade Separation Corporation to be set up to eliminate level crossings.
• Indian Railway Station Development Corporation to be set up to redevelop stations through PPP mode.
• Logistics Corporation to be set up for development & management of existing railway goods sheds and multi-modal logistics parks.
• National High Speed Rail Authority to be set-up.
• Pre-feasibility studies on six high speed corridors already completed; study on Delhi-Jaipur-Ajmer-Jodhpur to be taken up in 2012-13.
• Introduction of a ‘Green Train’ to run through the pristine forests of North Bengal.
• Setting up of 200 remote railway stations as ‘green energy stations’ powered entirely by solar energy.
• Providing solar lighting system at 1,000 manned level crossing gates.
• 2,500 coaches to be equipped with bio toilets.
• Setting up of 72 MW capacity windmill plants in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
• Installation of Integrated Security System at all 202 identified stations to be completed in 2012-13.
• Escorting of trains by RPF/GRP extended to 3,500 trains.
• Integration of RPF helpline with the All India Passenger Helpline.
• Setting up of a Railway Safety Authority as a statutory regulatory body as recommended by Kakodkar Committee
• . Three ‘Safety Villages’ to be set up at Bengaluru, Kharagpur and Lucknow for skill development for disaster management.
• Over one lakh persons to be recruited in 2012-13 – backlog of SC/ST/OBC and other categories to be wiped off.
• Introduction of a wellness programme for railway staff at their work places.
• Ensuring proper rest for skilled and technical staff including the running crew.
• Institution of ‘Rail Khel Ratna’ Award for 10 rail sports-persons every year.
• New coaching terminal at Naihati, the birth place of Rishi Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay commemorating him on 175th Birth Anniversary.
.Project to connect Agartala with Akhaura in Bangladesh to be taken up in 2012-13.
Freight loading of 1,025 MT targeted; 55 MT more than 2011-12
Passenger growth targeted at 5.4 %.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/highlights-of-railway-budget/