0815 HRS  

1st January , 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• Government to roll out Direct Cash Transfer scheme in 20 districts today;  Initially 7 schemes to be covered.
• New Year celebrations on low key as a mark of respect to Delhi gang rape victim; 2013 to be dedicated to safety of women, says the President.
• Severe Cold wave continues in north India; claims 97 lives in Uttar Pradesh this season.
• Pakistan  releases eight more Taliban prisoners to give impetus to the reconciliation process in Afghanistan.
• In the 33rd Senior National Archery Championship Deepika Kumari bags 7 medals while Dola Banerjee wins 6 in Women's category.

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The government will today roll out the Direct Transfer of Benefits into beneficiaries accounts in 20 districts. The scheme will begin in 11 more districts from the 1st of next month and in another 12  districts from the 1st of March this year. In a joint press conference with Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari in New Delhi yesterday, Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram said initially there will be a direct benefit transfer in 7 schemes.
 

There are seven schemes in which the payment is due on the first of January. These are post-matric scholarship for Scheduled Caste Students, Pre-matric scholarship for Scheduled Caste students, Post-matric scholarship for OBC students, Post matric scholarship for Scheduled Tribe students. Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahayata Yojna, Dhan Laxmi Scheme and Stipend to trainees under the scheme of welfare of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe job seekers through Coaching-cum-Guidance on Vocational Training.

 On a query, the Finance Minister clarified that credit and withdrawal from all accounts will take place irrespective of the fact whether they have AADHAR card or not. Mr Chidambaram said, the scheme will be rolled out in phases in other parts of the country during 2013 after it has stabilised in these 43 districts. In reply to a question, he clarified that food, fertiliser, diesel and kerosene subsidies will not be transferred in cash to beneficiaries under the scheme.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Tewari said, the scheme will benefit around two lakh people in the country.


Forty-three districts spread over 16 states have been identified for the scheme in the first phase. The benefit of 26 government schemes will reach the beneficiaries in this phase. 

Our correspondent reports that the scheme aims at providing benefits of several government welfare schemes directly to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts to plug leakages and reduce delays in their transfer.  

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A subdued atmosphere greeted the new year in India following the death of 23-year-old victim of the brutal gang rape. Three wings of armed forces, state governments like Punjab and Haryana and some political parties and clubs cancelled their celebrations across the country. In New Delhi, new year celebrations were either called off or toned down by individuals, clubs and hotels.
The President Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Mohd. Hamid Ansari have conveyed their best wishes to people for a prosperous New Year. In his message, Mr Mukherjee called upon people to dedicate 2013 to improve the security and welfare of women in the country. He also urged the people to introspect and earnestly seek ways to address the mindset which lies at the root of the incidents like what happened against the 23 year old girl in Delhi. In his message, Mr Ansari called upon the people to dedicate themselves to build a peaceful, harmonious, and just society.
 People in the rest of the world welcomed the New Year with spectacular fireworks, music and street parties. In New Zealand, fireworks over Auckland welcomed the new year. In Australia, more than 1.5 million people gathered around Sydney harbour to watch the city's famous firework display.
Our West Asia correspondent reports that Dubai celebrated the arrival of the new year with a dazzling display of fireworks atop the world’s tallest tower, the Burz Khalifa. 

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Flying out of Delhi will become cheaper from today, with the development fee charged by the operator of Indira Gandhi International airport being reduced by 100 rupees for domestic and by 700 rupees for international passengers. The decision of Delhi International Airport Limited, DIAL to slash the charges followed a directive by Airports Economic Regulatory Authority. Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh had earlier directed the Delhi International Airport Limited and Mumbai International Airport Limited to abolish development fee at the two airports from the 1st of January. The new rate will remain effective till April 2016.  

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Air travellers can now enter airports by showing a soft display of air tickets on their smart-phones, tablets and laptops. An official spokesperson said in New Delhi yesterday that the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, which is the nodal agency for civil aviation security, has issued orders for acceptability of soft display of tickets at the entry point of airport.  

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The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC has issued notice to the  Chief Secretary of Maharashtra on a report  of killing of  13 labourers in  a roof crash at an under construction hospital site in Kesnand, near  Pune-Ahmednagar highway. Taking suo motu cognizance of media reports,  the Commission has asked the Chief Secretary to submit a  report within  four weeks. The NHRC has observed that the contents of the  press report, if true, is a serious issue of violation of human rights of  the labourers. 

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In the wake of the  gang rape of a 23-year-old girl in the national capital, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde is writing to all political parties seeking their suggestions on the issue of changing the law pertaining to rape. Official sources said that Mr. Shinde will ask the political parties to send their suggestions on the matter to  Justice J S Verma Committee, which has been constituted for reviewing the present statute so as to provide for speedier justice and enhanced punishment in cases of aggravated sexual assault.

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Pakistan has released eight more Taliban prisoners to give impetus to the reconciliation process in Afghanistan. 
Those released yesterday include Former Justice Minister of Afghanistan Nooruddin Turabi, former Communications Minister Maulvi Allah Dad, former Helmand Province Governor Abdul Bari, former Kabul Governor Mullah Daud Jan and former Governor Mir Ahmed Gul. A Pak Foreign Office statement said that 26 Taliban prisoners have been released since November 2012 to facilitate Afghan reconciliation process. The statement said, 18 Taliban prisoners were freed in November on the request of the Afghan High Peace Council.
Diplomatic sources told PTI that Mohammad Azim, a former security guard of Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Omar, was also released yesterday. Prisoner releases were part of an ongoing process that began before a visit to Islamabad by Afghan High Peace Council chief Salahuddin Rabbani in mid-November.  

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America is likely to miss the deadline to resolve the fiscal cliff issue after the US House of Representative said it will not hold a vote on the issue today. Law makers are expected to return to Capitol Hill tomorrow for final talks and possible votes on a compromise bill. The Senate could still vote later today. Senators are said to be very close to a deal on tax rates but remain divided over spending cuts.
President Obama said that his administration is close to arriving on a deal over the issue to avoid steep tax rises and spending cuts.

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Cold wave continue to sweep North India. Biting cold claimed two more lives in Uttar Pradesh during the past 24 hours. With this, the toll in the state has gone up to 97 this season. The day’s maximum temperature remained 2 to 10 degrees below normal in most parts of the state.
Delhiites shivered as mercury plunged to the season's lowest of 4.8 degree Celsius this morning.
Dense fog also affected movement of trains in the northern region. This was disclosed by Neeraj Sharma, Chief Spokesperson of the Northern Railway.
        
Today about 24 trains reaching Delhi are running late and we have to put back about eight trains. These will be leaving late and eleven trains have been cancelled. Trains cancelled from Delhi enclude AP Express, Mahabodhi Express, Jansadharan Express, Lichhabi Express, Jalandhar Intercity, Garwal Express, Agra Intercity, Howrah Janta Express, Toofan Express and three trains reaching Delhi which are Toofan Express, Lalquila Express and Janta Express have been cancelled.

In the plains of Punjab and Haryana, Narnaul braved the lowest temperature with a minimum of 1.9 degree Celsius. Churu in Rajasthan recorded a minimum temperature of 1.9 degree Celsius, 2 degrees below normal.

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State Bank of India has launched 'Mobicash Easy', a mobile wallet in Mumbai and Delhi with service offerings like funds transfer and bill payment among others. The service, which was launched yesterday, will offer services like balance enquiry, mini statement, funds transfer, mobile top-ups, DTH recharge, bill payment among others. Deputy Managing Director (Corporate Strategy and New Business), RK Saraf told reporters that the service will be launched in other centres in near future. He said, the bank will soon launch a KYC or Know Your Customer enabled mobile wallet service with higher transaction limits. The bank said, it will target migrant labourers and youth to use the wallet service.

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In the 33rd Senior National Archery Championships that concluded in Chennai yesterday, Deepika Kumari reigned supreme with seven medals while veteran Dola Banerjee marked her return to form picking up six medals in Women's category.  Representing Steel Plant Sports Board, Deepika won two gold, three silver and two bronze in the women's recurve section.  Railway archer Dola coming back from a long injury lay-off claimed two gold, two silver and two bronze medals. In the Men's section,  Railways archer Kapil won the individual Olympic round, even as Rahul Banerjee had the maximum number of five medals, which included one gold, two silver and two bronze.  

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NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES 
Most newspapers have carried, on the front pages, the story of the subdued new year celebrations in India. Under "Another chance for us to get it right", Hindustan Times writes that 2012 streaked across our collective vision in a gloomy blur with the exceptionally brutal gang rape and death of a 23 year old Delhi girl and the ensuing nationwide protests being the morbid topping to, by and large, a downer of a year. The Asian Age, under the caption, Let 2013 be Year of the Woman", says that crowds braved cold and police and thronged Jantar Mantar to peacefully demand harsh punishment for crimes against women. The Times of India says that the horrific attack on Nirbhaya has led to a spurt in requests for gun licences from women.
Asia's largest Islamic seminary, Darul Uloom Deoband has banned the use of multimedia mobile phones, saying they were acting on complaints that students were using them for morally unacceptable purposes, reports The Times of India.
Hindustan Times like most prominent newspapers reports that schools across Delhi will start selling nursery admission forms from today, adding that there are 100,000 seats and the demand outstrips supply.
The Central Board of Secondary Education has released the date sheets for classes 10 and 12 board examinations for 2013, reports Hindustan Times, adding that though the date sheets are fairly balanced, schools have been training their children to write back-to-back exams and get used to the pace.
Under the caption, "ED all set to tighten noose around Ramdev", The Pioneer writes that the Enforcement Directorate is planning to use a provision under the Indian Passports Act to treat certain portion of the assets acquired by Yog Guru Baba Ramdev's trusts as proceeds of crime.