2100 HRS

03rd April, 2013

THE HEADLINES

• Prime Minister rejects BJP leader Yashwant Sinha's demand for appearing before JPC on 2G scam.
• Dr. Manmohan Singh urges the corporate sector to join hands with the government to boost economic growth.
• President gives assent to the Criminal Law Amendment Bill providing for stringent punishment for crimes against women.
• In Afghanistan, more than 30 people killed in a militant attack in Farah province.
• Sensex declines 239 points, to close at 18,802.
• In Sports: R M V Gurusaidutt enters the third round of men's singles at the Australian Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament.

 <><><> 

The Prime Minister has rejected BJP leader Yashwant Sinha's demand for appearing before Joint Parliamentary Committee, JPC. Mr Sinha had written a letter to Dr Manmohan Singh to appear before the JPC, probing 2G spectrum scam. In response to Sinha's letter, Dr. Singh said, the power to call any person before the JPC rests with the Committee and its Chairman. Mr Singh reiterated that all pertinent records and documents available with the government have already been placed with the JPC looking into the matter.

JPC Chairman P C Chacko also rejected Sinha's demand for Prime Minister Singh's appearance before the panel. Mr. Chacko who is also a Congress spokesperson, said at the AICC briefing in New Delhi today that in the 56 meetings of the JPC, nobbody gave a suggestion for calling the Prime Minister or any other Minister. He added, there is a rule that no minister can be called before the JPC. He said, if at all JPC wants to call a Minister, it has to take a unanimous decision first and then send the request to Lok Sabha Speaker. Mr. Chacko said, any Minister can be called before a Parliamentary panel only after the permission of the Speaker.

We do not take any decision , you know like the some body is projecting somebody we do not do that. The Parliamentary board takes the decision.

The fifth JPC was constituted in February 2011 to probe 2G scam.

<><><> 

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today strongly advocated for taking corrective steps to super-economic growth and reduce fiscal deficit. This, he said, will help in reversing the decline in investments. He was addressing the Annual General Meeting of Confederation of Indian Industry in New Delhi. Dr. Singh said, there is a need to create a growth process that is truly inclusive. He asserted that the downturn in economy is temporary and average growth rate of above eight per cent is possible in the medium term. Describing the business sentiment as unduly pessimistic, the Prime Minister said that the Government and the industry will have to work together to push growth. He pledged to speed up infrastructure projects. Dr. Singh expressed hope that current account deficit will come down in this fiscal as Government will do everything possible to ensure strong foreign investment in the next two years.

The growth rate of the economy is strongly correlated with investment rate. The private sector is the major source of investment in India. But both public and private investment declined in 2011-12 as a share of our GDP. This decline in investment must be reversed.

Addressing the meeting, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said that Government will come out with a pragmatic foreign trade policy which will help push shipments. The policy is scheduled to be announced on the 18th of this month.

<><><> 

Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal today called for a collaborative vision to ensure good governance with transparency and accountability. Addressing the annual CII meet in New Delhi today, Mr Sibal suggested that the collaborative vision is possible only in close coordination between the political parties and the society. He insisted that there should be no competitive politics in the implementation of the policies on key sectors of power, telecom and natural resources like coal. The Minister said the priority must be to instill confidence among the people as democracy is the best form of governance.

We have the nation sit down together and decide on our priorities. And I think our priority has to be in still confidence in our people. This democracy works that we are passionate about taking a nation forward.

<><><> 

The country today got a new law ensuring a stringent punishment for crimes against women with the President giving his assent to the Criminal Law Amendment Bill, 2013. The Bill was passed by the Parliament in the current Budget Session. The Bill encompasses features that will provide stringent punishment for crimes such as rape, acid attacks, voyeurism and stalking. The punishments range from life term to death penalty for the repeated offenders.

<><><> 

The Centre today dismissed the allegation of misusing of Central Bureau of Investigation-CBI and said that the reputation and independant functioning of the agency are intact. Replying to a question on Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav's remark of misuse of CBI, the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Mr V.Narayansamy told reporters in New Delhi, that Centre has never misused its authority to arm twist its allies. He said that the Supreme Court and High Courts order CBI inquiry in any matter apart from Central government and State governments also demands inquiry by this agency on certain matters.

 <><><> 

Government today released five Documentary Films reflecting the good governance initiatives taken in various parts of the country. The CDs on films were released at a function in New Delhi jointly by Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Mr V.Narayansamy and Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari. Later, briefing reporters, Mr Narayansamy said that the objective of these films is to disseminate information among the people about the end-results of the initiatives taken in various fields including health, education, water conservation and plastic waste management others.

<><><> 

The Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari today said that Congress led UPA government has proved in the past nine years that it has successfully discharged the Coalition-Dharma and run the Coalition government. Mr Tewari told this to reporters in New Delhi while replying to a question on the issue.

<><><> 

Mr. Tewari today ruled out extension of deadline in the second phase of digitisation in 38 cities. In reply to a question in New Delhi , Mr. Tewari said that the government planned to implement the transition from analogue to digital cable in a sensitive manner.

The deadline for the second phase of digitisation had passed on first of this month. He said digitisation is a hugely ambitious project and the government decided to do it as there is a win-win situation for all the stakeholders.

<><><> 

For news updates, follow us on Twitter @ airnewsalerts. You can also visit our facebook page All India Radio News for more news and events. For news updates on mobile, SMS AIRNEWS to 56060."

 <><><> 

The West Bengal Human Rights Commission today initiated a probe over the death of SFI leader Sudipta Gupta in Kolkata yesterday. In a suo motu cognisance of the student’s death, the Chairman of the Commission, Justice Ashoke Ganguly also directed the Kolkata police to investigate the matter separately and submit a report within a week. Sudipta died while he was being taken to the jail after a law violation programme organised by the Left student wings demanding timely election of student bodies in colleges and restoration of peace in educational Institutions in the State.

The police said that Sudipta Gupta, a 22 year old SFI leader and MA student of Rabindra Bharati University, fell from a bus and his head hit a lamp-post on way to jail after arrest. However, Left leaders have claimed that Sudipta succumbed to injuries after lathicharge by police. Our Kolkata Correspondent reports that hundreds of students and common men joined in the last journey of the victim. The opposition left front has demanded a judicial probe into the incident.

<><><> 

In Afghanistan, more than 30 people were killed in a fighting between Afghan security forces and militants who launched a multiple attack on government installations in the western Farah province. Four militants are among the dead. Nearly 40 persons were injured in the gunbattle on a Court house. Officials said, the vast majority of those wounded were civilians. Taliban insurgents claim they were behind the attack in the strategic province, which borders Iran.

<><><> 

The Indian Ambassador to Rome, Mr. Basant Gupta will assume office this month. Mr. Gupta's taking charge of office was put on hold last month following Italian government's refusal to sent back the two marines standing trial in India for allegedly killing two fishermen off the coast of Kerala. Speaking to the media, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said, the decision follows to take forward the bilateral relations on diplomatic front.

<><><> 

India today hoped the issue of the detention of 16 Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities will soon be resolved amicably. The Ministry of External Affairs is in active touch with the local authorities in Lanka. External Affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said, Indian mission officials are in discussions with the legal officials to resolve the situation. Our correspondent reports, nineteen Indian fishermen are currently in the custody of Lankan authorities for allegedly crossing into the Lankan waters. Sri Lanka had on 15th of last month released 34 of the 53 Indian fishermen arrested by its Navy. The release came a day after India summoned Sri Lanka's Deputy High Commissioner and lodged strong protest over the arrests.

<><><> 

Army Chief, General Bikram Singh today flagged off a joint Indo-Nepal Army Mountaineering Expedition to Mount Everest at a function in the national capital today. The expedition team consists of 20 members from Indian Army and 12 from the Nepalese Army. The team will attempt to summit the peak in the month of May this year. Our correspondent reports that this is the fourth joint Indo-Nepal Army mountaineering expedition.

<><><> 

NEWS FROM THE BUSINESS WORLD

Snapping four days of gains, the Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange declined 239 points, or 1.3 percent, to close below the 19,000 mark, at a one-week low of 18,802, today, on fag-end selling by investors, amid concerns about corporate earnings. The Nifty dropped 75 points, to 5,673.The rupee weakened 17 paise, to an over three-week closing low of 54.43 against the dollar. Gold plunged 500 rupees, to drop below 30,000 rupees, to a nine-month low of 29,600 rupees per ten grams in Delhi. Silver declined 1,950 rupees, to a 15-month low of 51,250 rupees per kilo. AIR News

<><><> 

Indian shuttlers R M V Gurusaidutt and Anand Pawar have sealed their places in the pre-quarterfinals of the men's singles event at the Australian Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament. 

Ninth seeded Ajay Jayaram, however, failed to cross the second-round hurdle in the men's singles. He went down to unseeded Dong Keun Lee of South Korea.

India's campaign also ended in the women's singles category with upcoming shuttler Sarada Jasti losing to Yui Hashimoto of Japan in the first round in just 26 minutes.

<><><> 

In the inaugural match of the Sixth edition of the IPL tournament in Kolkata today, Delhi Daredevils were 92 for 5 in 14 overs, against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders, a short while ago.

Earlier, Knight Riders' skipper Gautam Gambhir won the toss and elected to bowl.

In the second match of the nine-team T20 tournament, Royal Challengers Bangalore will take on Mumbai Indians in Bengaluru tomorrow