2100 HRS
24th January, 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• Centre approves extradition treaty with Bangladesh; also decides to set up one member committee to look into Walmart lobbying issue.

• A Special fast track court in New Delhi sentences a man to 10 years rigorous imprisonment for raping his minor daughter.

• Juvenile justice board dismisses plea seeking trial of the minor accused in Delhi gangrape case, alongwith other adult accused.

• A national action plan to address the constantly declining child sex ratio on the anvil.

• Sensex sheds 103 points to close below the 20,000.

• Serbia's Novak Djokovic storms into Men's Singles final.

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The Cabinet today gave its nod to an extradition treaty with Bangladesh. The treaty is likely to be signed during the visit of Home Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde to Dhaka beginning 28th of this month.The treaty is expected to pave the way for deportation of jailed ULFA general secretary, Anup Chetia and other northeast insurgents who have been hiding in Bangladesh.

It also approved setting up of a one member committee to look into the allegations of lobbying by Walmart to gain entry into Indian retail market. The committee will be headed by either a retired Judge of Supreme Court or Chief Justice of High Court and it will submit its report within three months. The Cabinet committee on Economic Affairs gave its nod to modification in special industry initiative scheme UDAAN in Jammu and Kashmir to make it more flexible and relevant.

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A special fast track court, set up in New Delhi to try exclusively the cases of sexual offences against women, today sentenced a man to rigorous imprisonment of 10 years for raping his minor daughter in 2011. Additional Sessions Judge T R Naval awarded the jail term to Tilak Raj relying on statements of the victim, and her brother, who was the sole eye witness in the case. According to the police, on November 25, 2011, mother of the 14-year-old victim had lodged a complaint saying her minor daughter was missing from her house since November 25.

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A Plea seeking trial of juvenile accused in December 16 gangrape case along with the adult accused was today dismissed byJuvenile Justice Board.The Board, presided over by Principal Magistrate Geetanjali Goel, had yesterday reserved its order on Mr Swamy's petition.

M. Swamy had filed a petition yesterday that no leniency be shown towards the accused, who claims to be a juvenile, because of the brutal nature of the crime.
The accused, who claims to be a juvenile, produced his school certificate as proof that he is a minor. The school principal's statement has also been recorded.

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The Government will soon send the recommendations of Justice Verma Committee to a Parliamentary panel for consideration. The three member committee in its report submitted yesterday to the government has prescribed comprehensive changes in criminal laws to check crime against women. According to official sources, many of the suggestions on crime against women given by the committee had already been incorporated in Criminal Law Amendment Bill, 2012, which was introduced in Parliament during the winter session.

Sources said, the Home Ministry is studying the report and the fresh recommendations would be forwarded to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs for consideration.

The Standing Committee, headed by BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu, last week had requested the Home Ministry to send Verma panel's report to it to see whether the fresh suggestions could be incorporated in the Criminal Law Amendment Bill, 2012, which it is currently examining.

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The Supreme Court today questioned Centre's power to allocate coal blocks to companies. The Court said it has a lot of legal explanation to do as the statutory Act empowers only the states to undertake this task.

The apex court said that the Centre cannot undermine the Mines and Minerals Act which has given no power to it to allocate coal block to companies.

A bench of Justices R.M. Lodha and J.Chelameswar asked the government to go through other legislations particularly the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, to find out whether it is empowered to allocate the resources.

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The Parliamentary Standing committee on Coal and Steel has invited suggestions and views on coal mines conservation and development amendment Bill, 2012. The views or memoranda should be sent to Director (GW&CS), Lok Sabha Secretariat, Room No. G1, Ground Floor, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi within 15 days.

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The Madras High Court today restricted the release of Kamal Hasan's film 'Vishwaroopam' till 28th of this month. The court has decided to watch the film on 26th. The film has come in for criticism from various organisations .There was a demand to ban the film. The actor finally sought legal remedy for the release of the film and has filed a case in the High Court for the release of the film. There was objection by muslim community on remarks allegedly against them.

The Centre today asked Tamil Nadu government to reconsider its decisions to ban the screening of the film. Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said in New Delhi that Supreme Court ruling on the issue is clear that censor board's view on such matters is binding on all.

Once the Central Board of Film Certification has taken a particular view, it binds all other instrumentalities of the state. I suggest that the state government of Tamil Nadu peruse that judgement of the Supreme Court in Prakash Jha case, before coming to any conclusions, which may fall foul of the very clear directive, which the court had given.

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A National Action Plan to address the constantly declining child sex ratio is on the anvil. Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath who was addressing a function on National Girl Child Day said this in New Delhi today. She said sex ratio in the country is 914 girls for 1000 boys and the states have been asked to put in place concrete plans to tackle it.

Addressing the gathering, which had representatives from UN Fund for Population Activities, UNICEF and UNDP, former President Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam described girl child and women as an asset to the society. He stressed upon the need for better education for women.

Nothing but education, education, education. Education will empower the children, education will empower the womanhood.

In view of skewed sex ratio, the government is reaching out to women, especially those living in highly vulnerable conditions to save the girl child. Vigorous efforts are also on to change people's mindset towards the girl child. Enrollment of girls in schools is also of paramount importance to increase their proportion in education. This becomes even more important as seven out of ten girls in India drop out before they reach 10th standard. Access to health, drinking water, sanitation and hygiene are listed as the top most priority of the government for the empowerment of women. Zakir Malik, AIR News, Delhi

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Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today presented the National Bravery Awards to 22 children from across the country at his residence in New Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Singh said the examples of bravery set by the award winning children is an inspiration for all people to help one another.

This day reminds us of our responsibility to take proper care of children of the country, give them good education and provide better health facilities, without which it is not possible to make the country stronger.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath were also present during the function.

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The Government today criticized BJP for protesting over Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde's remarks on saffron terror. Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office V Narayanasamy said the protests were unnecessary and unwarranted.

The BJP today held nationwide protests demanding resignation of Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde for his saffron terror remarks.

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The Karnataka Governor has given consent to summon the state assembly from 4th of next month. This assumes importance as Jagdish Shettar government is facing a political crisis. 14 MLAs have already announced withdrawal of support to the government to join Karnataka Janata Party headed by B.S. Yeddiyurappa.

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President, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee will address the nation tomorrow on the eve of 64th Republic Day. All India Radio will broadcast the speech in English from 7 p.m. This will be followed by its Hindi translation.

The address will also be broadcast over all AIR stations. The regional version of President's broadcast will be originated by the respective capital AIR and regional stations from 2130 hrs.

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India today said it is working on a framework to provide incentives to domestic as well as foreign companies for setting up vocational centres to train the youth for jobs in the manufacturing sector. Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, who is Davos for the annual World Economic Forum meeting, said creation of jobs is a major challenge in the 21st century.

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India has asked Israel to end its settlement activity in West Bank and East Jerusalem. It said the move is threatening the very premise of a two-state solution with Palestine. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Hardeep Singh Puri said this at a Security Council open debate on the situation in the West Asia , including the Palestinian question.

Puri expressed concern that no direct talks have taken place between Israel and Palestine for more than two years and said the continuing stalemate in the West Asia peace process is not in the interest of the region.

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THE WORLD OF BUSINESS

The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange declined 103 points, or 0.5 percent, to again close below the 20,000 mark, at 19,924, on profit-booking by investors, today. The Nifty fell 35 points, to 6,019. Stock markets in Japan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore again ended mixed. The rupee ended almost unchanged, at 53.68 against the dollar. Gold fell 95 rupees, to 31,290 rupees per ten grams in Delhi. Silver lost 350 rupees, to 59,400 rupees per kilo. And Brent crude oil futures dropped toward 112 dollars a barrel, but US crude rose 37 cents, to 95.60 dollars a barrel. Pradeep Kumar, AIR News

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In Australian Open Tennis, World Number One Novak Djokovic of Serbia today stormed into the finals of the Men's Singles category. In the first semi-final, Djokovic defeated Spaniard David Ferrer, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1, making to the final. In the title clash, Djokovic will face the winner of tomorrow's second semi-final match between World Number Two Roger Federer of Switzerland and Briton Andy Murray.

In the Women's Singles, World Number One Victoria Azarenka of Belarus today waltzed into the finals. In the semi-final, a little unfit Azarenka beat Sloane Stephens of the United States, in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4.