UP Govt merges MTU, GBTU to form UPTU

Jan 6
In Uttar Pradesh the government has decided to revive Uttar Pradesh Technical University merging Gautam Buddha Technical University and Mahamaya Technical University. It has been decided in the state cabinet chaired by the Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

An official spokesman has said to our correspondent that the decision has been taken in the interest of students and to bring uniformity on technical education. The spokesman said all institutes affiliated with the two universities will automatically deem to be affiliated with UPTU.

AIR Allahabad correspondent reports that the previous Mayawati government had split the UP Technical University. Mahamaya Technical University was formed on 1 May 2010 by the then BSP Government and the university affiliates the colleges lying in the 21 district from Meerut, Saharanpur, Agra and Moradabad divisions.

The government has also approved a proposal to set up a special tiger protection force for Duwdhwa Tiger Reserve at Lakhimpur Kheri district. The official spokesman has said that the proposed force, intended to check poaching, will have 112 personnel.

Congress suggests imprisonment up to 30 years for rape to Justice JS Verma committee

Jan 6
Congress has submitted its suggestions on stringent laws for crimes against women to Justice J S Verma Committee.

While details of the suggestions given to the committee were not immediately known, the party has been favouring imprisonment up to 30 years for rapists and setting up of fast-track courts as also redefining the juvenile act by reducing the age limit.

Party General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi said the suggestions have been given to the panel set up in the wake of the gang-rape incident in Delhi that led to outrage across the country.

80,000 youth to be recruited in govt service soon in J&K: Omar

Jan 6 In Jammu and Kashmir, 80 thousand youth are to be recruited in government service in the coming months . State Chief Minster Omar Abdullah announced fast track recruitment of the educated youth in government service in the coming months. He was addressing a rally of panches and sarpanches in Srinagar yesterday. SC judge to inaugurate 1st fast-track court in Jharkhand Jan 6 In Jharkhand, a special fast-track court for cases related to crime against women has been inaugurated in capital Ranchi by Supreme Court Judge Justice M Y Eqbal. This is the second such fast track court in the country after the one recently opened in Delhi. BJP slams Delhi police for filing case against news channel Jan 6 The BJP has criticised the Delhi Police for filing a case against a news channel which aired the interview of the 23-year-old gangrape victim's friend. Party General Secretary Ravi Shankar Prasad said this is unacceptable and an attack on press freedom. Reacting to the new revelations, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said that he will comment only after gathering more information about the TV channel report. Chhattisgarh police register charge of rape against teacher, watchman Jan 6 In Chhattisgarh, police in Kanker district has registered a case on the charge of rape against a teacher and the watchman of a tribal girls hostel following complaints that they used to sexually exploit the school girls. AIR correspondent Vikalp Shukla reports that the matter came to light after 11 girls brought this to the notice of an official of the Woman and Child Development department, who visited the hostel located in Narharpur block. Confirming the incident, the Kanker District Collector and Superintendent of Police said that a three member committee, headed by a women IPS officer has been constituted to probe into the incident. The watchman has already been arrested while the teacher is reported absconding. Punjab to increase number of women in state police force Jan 6 Punjab Government has decided to increase the number of women in state police force and one woman sub inspector will be posted in each of the 380 police stations of the state. Punjab Government would also launch a helpline exclusively for women in distress. The helpline would be run by women cops. AIR Chandigarh correspondent reports that Chief Minister has desired to give preference to graduates, preferably in law and science, in the recruitment of new women Sub-Inspectors to facilitate proper counselling of victims besides undertaking investigations of cases pertaining to crime against women. Punjab Chief Minister had also written to the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana government to set up special fast track courts for the cases relating to women.

PM to lay foundation stone of IREP tomorrow

Jan 6,  2:39 PM The Prime Minister will lay the foundation for the 20,000 crore rupees BPCL Kochi Refinery expansion project at Ambalamugal tomorrow. He will arrive in Kochi tomorrow on a two days visit to Kerala. The Project envisages increasing the refining capacity of the Refinery from the current level of 9.5 million metric tonnes to 16.5 million metric tonnes per annum, at a cost of 14000 crore rupees. It also involves a 6000 crore rupees diversification project of the Refinery into the petrochemical field. On Tuesday, Dr. Manmohan Singh will formally inaugurate the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Kochi. Over 2000 delegates from different parts of the world, are participating in the three day meet. A seminar on NRls in the Gulf region, will be held as part of the event, which will be inaugurated by Union Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, Vayalar Ravi. Six people killed in a residential building fire in West Bengal Jan 6,  2:39 PM In West Bengal, six persons, including a 7-month old baby, were burnt to death at Jhargram in West Midnapur District this morning. The Superintendent of Police of Jhargram told AIR that the incident occurred when a fire broke out in a double-storied building. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the electric short-circuit could be the cause of the fire. Police has started an inquiry into the incident. Meanwhile, in Gujarat, the major fire that broke out in a diesel storage tank at Hazira terminal of Indian Oil Corporation near Surat, has been brought under control. Fire had broken out after an explosion at tank number four of the diesel storage yesterday. Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily has reached the spot to take stock of the situation. Surat District Collector has confirmed that two dead bodies have been recovered from the incident site. Quoting IOC sources, Our Correspondent reports that a leakage had developed at tank number 4 three days ago and welding work was going on there. North India shivers as mercury plummets to new low Jan 6,  6:51 PM Mercury touched a new low in Rajasthan claiming two lives in Bundi even as temperature in Churu dipped below zero for the first time this season. A Met department report said Pilani, recorded a minimum of minus 0.8 Celsius while in hilly region, Mount Abu continued to reel in zero degree Celsius. In the national capital, people continued to shiver as mercury fell to the season's lowest of 1.9 degree Celsius, five notches below normal. Meanwhile, foggy weather continues to hamper road and rail traffic in the city. More than 13 Delhi-bound trains have been cancelled whereas 40 are delayed by several hours. Meanwhile, the neighbouring Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh witnessed aggravated intense cold wave conditions in many areas with minimum temperatures plunging below zero degree Celsius in Hisar and Narnaul, claiming six lives. Thick blanket of fog continued to play havoc with normal life in the entire region, reducing visibility to just few metres even as the MeT forecast further drop in minimum temperature.