0815 HRS  

2nd January , 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• Government constitutes Special Task Force to look into women's safety in Delhi; Justice Usha Mehra Commission invites complaints and suggestions on Delhi gangrape incident.

• Maharashtra government announces Special Investigation Team to probe into the irrigation scam.

• Aadhar card mandatory to access various services provided by DelhiGovernment.

• CBSE class 10 and 12 exams to begin from March the 1st.

• Severe cold wave continues to disrupt normal life in North India; Indian Air Force airlifts 203 stranded passengers from Leh town to Jammu.

• Somdev Devvarman advances to second round of Men's Singles in the Chennai Open tournament.

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The Government has constituted a 13 member Special Task Force headed by Union Home Secretary to look into the safety issues of women in Delhi. The Home Ministry said that it will continuously review action taken by the police and the Delhigovernment regarding safety issues of women, on an ongoing basis. The Task Force will also take into consideration the suggestions made by the Members of the Parliament during the debate on the issue.

Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has asked all political parties to give their views on reviewing rape laws to the Justice J S Verma Committee. The Committee has been set up to suggest amendments in the statute to provide speedier justice and enhanced punishment in cases of sexual assault against women.

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Justice Usha Mehra Commission, set up to inquire into various aspects of the Delhigangrape incident, has invited complaints and suggestions on the shocking incident. A Home Ministry statement said the Commission, headed by Justice Mehra, will function from its office at Vigyan Bhawan Annexe in New Delhi.

Complaints and suggestions may be sent to the Commission by e-mail at : usha.mehracommission@nic.in. The commission's telephone number is 011-23022365 and Fax No. 011-23022364. The Commission will suggest measures to improve the safety and security of women, particularly in NCT of Delhi and National Capital Region. The panel, set up on December the 26th, will submit within three months its report which will be tabled in Parliament along with action taken by the government.

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Police have filed a case of cheating against the owner of the bus in which a 23-year-old girl was gangraped by his employees and their friends in Delhi a fortnight ago. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (North), said that Police has registered the case under sections 420 (cheating) and 181 (false statement on oath to public servant) of IPC against the owner of the bus after the anomaly came to light during investigations. The Owner is accused of submitting false information with the State Transport Department to get the registration certificate and the permit for the bus.

The girl was gangraped allegedly by six persons in the moving bus on December 16 and thereafter brutally assaulted, resulting in severe injuries to her.

After initial treatment at the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, she was shifted to MountElizabeth Hospital in Singapore where she succumbed to death last Saturday. The incident has drawn an unprecedented nationwide outrage.

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The Maharashtra government has announced a Special Investigation Team, SIT headed by leading water expert Madhav Chitale to probe into the irrigation scam. The officials said in Mumbai yesterday that the committee will also comprise of three retired bureaucrats. They said that the terms of reference of the SIT and the appointment of members were finalized on Monday. Our correspondent has filed this report:

Headquartered at Aurangabad, the SIT has been asked to submit its report within six months. The announcement of the SIT probe into the alleged multi-crore irrigation scam in the State Irrigation Department was made in the recently concluded winter session of the Maharashtra Legislature by Water Resources Minister Sunil Tatkare. The alleged multi-crore irrigation scam was unearthed in 2012 following irregularities in awarding contracts leading to cost and time escalation during the tenure of the then Water Resources Minister and present Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar. Abhishek Kumar, AIR News, Mumbai

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The Aadhaar card will be compulsory for accessing various services provided byDelhi government like marriage registration, property registration and issuance of domicile certificate. The Revenue Department has issued a notification making it mandatory for all citizens to have Aadhaar card for accessing government services.

The official said if somebody has enrolled for National Population Registrar, NPR, then he or she can access the services producing the NPR details.

He said people not having Aadhaar number at present will be able to access government services on enrollment of the same at designated Aadhaar registration centres. Our Correspondent reports with the enrollment details, government will provide the services to the applicants.

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The class 10th and 12th examinations of CBSE schools will begin from March the 1st. The schedule can be accessed from the CBSE website. The board has advised schools to conduct the school based assessment between March the 16th to March the 31st, 2013. CBSE sources said about 10 lakh students across the country had appeared in the examination last year and a further rise is expected this year.

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Severe cold wave continues to disrupt normal life in North India. Jammu and Kashmirshivered with the minimum temperature across the valley staying much below the freezing point. Coming to the rescue of stranded passengers in Jammu and Ladakh regions, the India Air Force airlifted 203 stranded people from Leh town to Jammuyesterday. Our correspondent has filed this report:

Indian Air Force was pressed into service yesterday to airlift stranded passengers from Ladakh region. A special Indian Air Force flight, IL-76 yesterday airlifted 203 stranded passengers from Leh, mostly from Kargil district. They were carried from Kargil to Leh and then ferried to Jammu. With R.K.Raina, this is Chanderkant Sharma, AIR News, Jammu.

In Himachal Pradesh, higher reaches of Dhauladhar ranges in Kangra and Kinnaur district are experiencing snowfall.

In Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, a thick blanket of fog enveloped the entire region, affecting all modes of traffic due to reduced visibility.

Mercury plummeted in parts of Rajasthan with Churu recording a freezing minimum of 0.7 degree Celsius.

In Uttar Pradesh, at least 100 people have lost their lives in current spell of cold wave. Our correspondent reports that arrangement of bonfire has been made at public places for poor people.

The government has speeded up distribution of blankets to poor and needy people. The government has opened more night shelters in western UP, where the night temperature has further dropped. Agra remained coldest place during past twenty four hours where the minimum temperature was recorded zero point nine degree Celsius, six notches below normal. The met office has predicted dry weather across the state during next 24 hours. Salman Haider, AIR News, Gorakhpur.

A severe coldwave with dense fog also continued to sweep across the national capital Delhi. Airport officials said that due to the poor visibility at Indira GandhiInternational Airport, about 60 flights were delayed and 38 cancelled yesterday. Northern Railway spokesperson said that due to the late arrival of several trains, their departure timings have been rescheduled.

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A low intensity tremor struck Karbi Anglong district of Assam last night. Official reports said that the quake, measuring 3 point 5 on the Richter Scale recorded at 8.15 p m. No casualty or damage has been reported in the district due to the earthquake.

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After days of intense bargaining and a last minute senate vote, the deal to avert swinging tax hikes and spending cuts, has moved to the US House of Representatives. President Obama has urged the Republican dominated House to pass the agreement without delay, but many Republican leaders have expressed serious doubts about the deal. The fiscal cliff measures - cutting spending and increasing taxes dramatically - came into effect at midnight on Monday when the George W Bush-era tax cuts expired. The 1st January deadline triggered tax increases of about 536 billion Dollars and spending cuts of 109 billion Dollars from domestic and military programmes.

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The European Union's new fiscal treaty for tighter budget coordination has came into force. 25 EU countries signed the treaty in March to prevent the recurrence of credit woes triggered by the fiscal crisis in Greece. Britain and the Czech Republicopted out. The treaty came into effect in the eurozone after it was ratified by 12 of the 17 eurozone members, including Germany and France. The treaty obliges signatories to keep their fiscal deficits below 0.5 percent of GDP. They have to incorporate the rule into national legal systems, preferably in constitutions.

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Somdev Devvarman cruised past higher-ranked Czech opponent Jan Hajek in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 in only 69 minutes and advanced to the second round of Men's Singles in the Chennai Open Tennis tournament.

Former India Davis Cupper Prakash Amritraj also won his match 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-2 against Rufin Guillaume of France.

In Men's doubles, Thai brothers Sanchai Ratiwana and Sonchat Ratiwana dashed the hopes of defending champion Leander Paes and Edouard Roger Vasselin of France 7-6 (7) 6-1 to breeze into the quarterfinal.

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NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES

• As the country continues to mourn the death of the Delhi rape victim, The Indian Express reports that the bus driver tried to run the victim over as her friend pulled her away just in time. The Hindu reports, "Special Court to hearDelhi gang-rape case opens today".
• Reporting on the deal arrived at in the US to avert the Fiscal Cliff, The Economic Times reports, "Sensex at 20-month high of 19,581 - Markets at a peak as US comes down fiscal cliff". The Times of India adds "World breathes easy as US avoids fiscal cliff for now".
• Hindustan Times reports that in news that could come as "Sweet relief", to diabetics, there has been a 20 to 40 per cent cut in insulin prices, on the orders of the pricing regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority.
• If property or marriage is to be registered in the national Capital, biometric identity proof will be mandatory from now on, reports The Times of India.
• Delays in clearances that have been made mandatory to mine common soil, have put brakes on road projects worth over 50 thousand crore rupees, reports The Indian Express.
• Reporting on the weather The Tribune writes, "Icy winds lash North, but respite could be round the corner." The Times of India cautions, "Mercury dips to 4 degree Celsius, could be 2 degree Celsius on Sunday".
• In an alarming indictment of the quality of training given to prospective school teachers, over 99 per cent aspirants failed to clear the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) 2012, says the Times of India.
• And finally, the urge to overeat is a hormonal issue triggered by eating too much sugar, reports The Times of India citing a study by a US obesity expert.