2100 HRS
22nd October, 2013
THE HEADLINES:- Border Defence Cooperation Agreement and other bilateral matters to be discussed during Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's three-day visit to China.
- Director General of Military Operations calls up his Pakistani counterpart in the wake of repeated ceasefire violations along LoC and International Border.
- CBI files fresh status report in Supreme Court on coal block allocation scam.
- First unit of Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu synchronised with southern power grid.
- Ten thousand new branches of public sector banks to come up during current financial year, says Finance Minister.
- Three more Indian Boxers enter quarter-finals of World Championship at Almaty, Kazakhstan.
- India take on Australia in the fourth one-dayer at Ranchi tomorrow.
[]><><><[]
The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said this evening that he was looking forward to promote further cooperation between India and visiting country China and between leadership of both the countries. The Prime Minister reached Beijing this evening on his three day official tour after completing his two day successful visit to Moscow. He was received by the Vice foreign Minister of China Zhai Zun at the airport.
Our correspondent reports that the Prime Minister will be accorded ceremonial welcome tomorrow at Great Hall of the People.
The Prime Minister Dr. Man Mohan Singh will be accorded ceremonial welcome tomorrow at Chinese Parliament, the Great Hall of the People. Summit and delegation level talks and signing of agreements will also take place tomorrow at the Great Hall. Stapled visa to two archers from Arunachal Pradesh by China and maintenance of peace and tranquillity on the borders are expected to come up for discussion. Both sides are negotiating a Border Defence Cooperation Agreement to avoid standoff like situation Line of Actual Control. The adverse trade issue would also figure in the talks. With Sunil Shukla, Sant Bahadur, reporting from Beijing.
[]><><><[]
Director General of Military Operation- DGMO of India, Lt. General Vinod Bhatia today called up his Pakistani counterpart in the wake of the repeated ceasefire violations along the LoC and the International Border. Official sources said, as per the existing arrangement between the two countries, their DGMOs talk over hotline to discuss issues on the LoC and the International Border.
[]><><><[]
Union Home Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde concluded his day long tour of Jammu during which he visited Samba, Hira Nagar and reviewed the situation along the International Border in the wake of unprovoked firing and shelling by Pakistani troops. He was accompanied by J&K Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, Union Home Secretary, Anil Goswami, Director Generals of J&K Police, BSF and CRPF. Earlier, BSF officers briefed Shinde at Samba about the prevailing situation in the border areas.
In the high level security review meeting, the top brass of Army, BSF, CRPF, J&K Police and representatives of other agencies related to the security gave detailed account of the prevailing security scenario on the borders in the wake of heavy firing by Pakistan and the general law and order situation in the State. Matters relating to violation of ceasefire by Pakistani Rangers and the difficulties caused to civilians by the shelling in border and areas along the Line of Control were also discussed in the meeting in detail. R.K.Raina, AIR News, Jammu.
[]><><><[]
In Jammu and Kashmir Pakistani troops today opened fire and pounded several Indian posts with mortar shells in Poonch district. According to Defence Spokesperson Col. R.K.Palta the Pakistani troops shelled several Indian posts along the Line of Control in Hamirpur and Bhimber Gali sub-sectors of Poonch district. Pak troops resorted to firing and shelling from 1035 am to 1115 am. Indian troops guarding the border retaliated resulting in exchange of fire between the two armies. There was no casualty or injury to anyone in the firing exchanges.
[]><><><[]
CBI today filed fresh status report in a sealed envelop in the Supreme Court on coal block allocation scam. The report gives details of the ongoing probe into the scam in which companies, business tycoons and bureaucrats have come under its scanner. The apex court had directed CBI to conclude the probe against all companies, which were allocated coal blocks, by December this year.
After the last hearing a fresh FIR has been filed by the agency against industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, his company Hindalco and former coal secretary P C Parakh.
[]><><><[]
The apex Investigation agency today also wrote to Prime Minister's Office seeking all the records related to allocation of coal block to Hindalco.
Meanwhile, reacting to CBI's action, Minister of State for Prime Minister Office, V Narayanasamy said, the government has nothing to hide and will give all cooperation in the investigations.
Let CBI independently investigate the matter. As far as, government is concerned if government will facilitate and support the CBI relating to whatever documents required for them for the purpose of investigation.
[]><><><[]
The BJP today demanded that the Prime Minister should clarify his stand on issues of alleged irregularities in the allocations of all coal blocks. Talking to reporters in New Delhi, party Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, the alleged irregularities in the allocation took place at time when Dr Manmohan Singh was holding the charge of Coal Ministry. Mr Naqvi said the Prime Minister has only responded on a selective case of coal block allocated to Hindalco.
[]><><><[]
The first reactor of Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu, has been synchronised with southern power grid early today. Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is the 20th Nuclear Power Station of Nuclear Power Corporation of India connected to Power Grid in our country according to its Site Director R S Sundar.
The power generation in Kudankulam nuclear power plant and its synchronisation with southern power grid is a major mile stone in the annals of nuclear power history in our country. The power generation was increased to 160 Mega watt and generation has been stopped now for checking the generator. Power generation will be started again from tomorrow. The officials are in touch with Southern Region Load Despatch centre at Bangalore and Power grid corporation centre at Abhishekapatti in Tirunelveli. The power generation in the nuclear reactor will be increased in stages to attain full capacity of 1000 MW by year end. With the addition of 1000 Mega watt capacity of Kudankulam Nuclear Power plant, the power generated from nuclear energy will rise to 5780 Mega watt in the country .K DEVI PADMANABHAN, AIR NEWS, TIRUCHIRAPALLI
[]><><><[]
Finance Minister has said that PSU banks will open 10,000 new branches and set up 34,668 on-site ATMs during the current financial year. Addressing a news conference in New Delhi this afternoon, Mr P Chidambaram said the government has allocated 14 thousand crore rupees additional capital to the public sector banks and assured more if they needed. Mr Chidambaram expressed serious concern over the recovery of Non-Performance Assets (NPA) and directed the Public Sector Undertaking Banks to speed up their realization. He said Each NPA account with more than one crore rupees will be under watch, particularly those written off. Earlier, Mr Chidambaram reviewed the performance of the banks with the Chief Executives. He said the ban on the import of gold coins and medallions to continue and asked the banks to strictly check gold imports.
I have told banks to be very strict in Gold imports. They have to scrupulously follow the RBI and government guidelines on this behalf. No violations will be permitted.
[]><><><[]
THE BUSINESS WORLD
The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange fell 29 points, or 0.1 percent, to close at 20,865, amid weak global cues, ahead of key US jobs data, today. The Nifty lost 2 points, to 6,203. Stock markets in Japan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore ended mixed. The rupee dropped 13 paise, to 61.65 against the dollar. Gold declined 265 rupees, to 31,625 rupees per ten grams in Delhi. Silver dropped 340 rupees, to 49,010 rupees per kilo and Brent crude oil futures climbed above 110 dollars a barrel, but US crude fell 30 cents, to 98.92 dollars a barrel. Pradeep Kumar, AIR News
[]><><><[]
Managing Director of NK Proteins Ltd, one of the biggest defaulters of the beleaguered National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL) was arrested today in Mumbai.
Speaking to media persons in Mumbai today Additional Police Commissioner of Economic Offences Wing Rajvardhan Sinha said that NK Proteins was the first company that had borrowed 350 crore Rupees from the NSEL.He stated that the company owes the spot exchange about 850 crore to 900 crore Rupees that includes the principal amount of Rs 350 crore, interest as well as other payable amount.
[]><><><[]
The Centre has said the increase in the price of onions is due to artificial scarcity as the country has enough onion stock. Talking to reporters in New Delhi today, Commerce Minister, Anand Sharma asked the state governments to take firm action against hoarders. He said, the Onion prices are expected to stabilize with arrival of kharif crop in the coming days and late kharif crop in December.
Inflation is a matter of concern. It is temporary, it is seasonal and it will settle down in particular the onions.
[]><><><[]
Mother Dairy has decided to increase milk prices by two rupees per litre from tomorrow in the National Capital Region. Now, the customers will have to pay 44 rupees for a litre of full cream milk, 34 rupees for toned milk and 30 rupees for double-toned milk.
[]><><><[]
In Assam, six oil tanker bogies of a goods train derailed between Harengajao and Migrandisa in Dima Hasao district today disrupting rail traffic movement. Northeast Frontier Railway officials said the derailment disrupted movement of trains, including Agartala-Lumding Express, Barak Valley Express and other local trains at different places. According to the railway officials the train services are expected to be restored tonight .
[]><><><[]
President Pranab Mukherjee emphasized that there is urgent need to reform the judicial systems in order to provide speedy and quality justice. The President said that affective justice delivery system requires the justice should be accessible to the marginalized people. President Mukherjee said this in a national seminar in Guwahati today organized by Bar Council of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim in association with Bar Council of India and Bar Council of India Trust. He said that the future of our nation depends on the properly bringing up of children.
[]><><><[]
The Second Bi-Annual Air Force Commanders Conference began today in New Delhi. Addressing the four day Conference Mr. Browne complemented the commanders for illustrating professional competence and teamwork during Exercise Iron Fist and Exercise Live Wire. He lauded the officers for their service during Operation Rahat in Uttarakhand.
[]><><><[]
The European Commission has allocated 96,748 Euros to the disaster relief emergency fund of the Red Cross International to "urgently respond" to the needs of almost 15,000 vulnerable families affected by cyclone Phailin.
The European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department allocated the amount after the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent appealed for funds to carry out relief operations.
[]><><><[]
Three Indian boxers entered the quarterfinals of the World Championships at Almaty, Kazakhstan, today. The boxers who made it were: Vikash Malik (60kg), Sumit Sangwan (81kg) and Satish Kumar (+91kg). The three joined two other Indians, Shiva Thapa (56kg) and Manoj Kumar (64kg) in the last eight stage. India now have an unprecedented five boxers in the last eight stage which is one better than the previous best achieved in the 2011 edition in Azerbaijan.
[]><><><[]
The fourth Cricket One-Dayer between India and Australia will be played at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi tomorrow. All India Radio will broadcast live commentary of the match. The commentary, alternately in Hindi and English, can be heard from 1 P.M. onwards. At present, Australia are leading the seven-match series 2-1.
No comments:
Post a Comment