1400 HRS

12.03.2013

THE HEADLINES

• Cabinet refers Bill for amendments to the Criminal Law on offences against women to a Group of Ministers headed by P. Chidambaram.
• Prime Minister says Italy's refusal to send back two marines charged with killing two Indian fishermen is unacceptable.
• Both the Houses of Parliament adjourned till 2 pm over different issues.
• India and Mauritius sign MoUs on health and tourism.
• Industrial Production up 2.4 per cent in January; Sensex down 100 points in afternoon trade.
• India to clash with Pakistan in their third round-robin match of Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey tournament in Malaysia.

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The proposed amendments to the Criminal Law on offences against women including sexual assault and rape have been referred to a Group of Ministers. Speaking to reporters the Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office V. Narayanasamy said, the Cabinet will meet again in a couple of days to take a final decision. The new proposals aim to toughen anti-rape laws to improve women safety following the Delhi gang-rape incident. The bill, which has to be introduced in Parliament, includes key features like lowering the age of consent for sex from 18 to 16. Our correspondent reports, the group of ministers headed by P. Chidambaram will review the bill. 

The three- member Commission headed by Justice Verma, set up following national outrage over the Delhi gang-rape had recommended strengthening legal frame-work and proper implementation of punishment for crimes against women. This bill will replace the ordinance on crimes against women promulgated last month which had prescribed life imprisonment as the maximum punishment for those committing rape. It will also replace the Criminal Law Amendment Bill, 2012 introduced in the Lok Sabha last December. Talking to reporters outside Parliament, Women and Child Development Minister Mrs Krishna Tirath said that the bill will be passed within the stipulated time frame.

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Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has said that Italy's refusal to send back two marines charged with killing two Indian fishermen is unacceptable. Dr Singh told MPs from Kerala that he will ask External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid to raise the issue with Italy.

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Law Minister Ashwani Kumar said the Law and External Affairs Ministries will hold consultations on how to proceed effectively in the wake of reports the two Italian Marines may not return to face trial in the killing of two Indian fishermen off Kerala coast. Talking to reporters outside parliament, he said the Government will try to ensure that our laws are respected by foreigners suitably. 

"On the matter of Italian Marines, the Ministry and External Affairs and the Ministry of Law will consult each other and make sure that we proceed ahead as effectively as we can. There are complications. We are dealing with a foreign country, we are dealing with foreign diplomats. Within the framework of the established diplomatic conventions and norms, and the need to ensure that our laws and our court processes are respected by foreigners."

Denying the Italian marines’ incident was breach of any agreement between the two governments, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said the marines had returned to Italy as per the Supreme Court order and the Government will pursue the matter. 

"Lets understand their position. What their reasoning is. After all they went last time, came back. They have gone again. They have sent us a letter. Let's read the letter. See what the reasoning is and then we will respond."

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Both the Houses of Parliament today witnessed repeated interruptions and were adjourned till 2 PM following uproar on different issues. In the Lok Sabha, the opposition members displayed newspaper reports on refusal by the Italian government to send back the two marines under trial in the alleged killing of two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast. The Supreme Court had allowed the two marines to go home on parole to cast their votes in their home land on the condition that they would return to face their trial in India.

DMK and AIADMK members trooped into the well alleging atrocities on Tamils in Sri Lanka while BJP members raised the issue of alleged corruption. Following the uproar, Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned the House. In the Rajya Sabha, the BJP members rushed to the well alleging irregularities in the allotment of land in Rajasthan and Haryana. As the din continued, Chairman Hamid Ansari adjourned the House till Noon. The scene was no different when the two Houses reassembled. Amidst the noisy scenes, they were adjourned till 2 PM.

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Wheat and rice production in the country is likely to come down by six per cent by the year 2020. Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar gave this information to the Lok Sabha today in a written answer. He said the production of food grains will considerably come down as the climate change impact studies of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research have predicted. Accordingly, the crop yields of irrigated maize will also come down by 18 per cent. The Minister said the Government has taken several measures to address the impact of climate change on agriculture.

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India’s first new generation sub-sonic cruise missile Nirbhay was test fired from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur in Odisha today. It was test fired from the Launch Complex 3 of the ITR at around 55 minutes past 11 this morning. Out and out a product of indigenous technology, Nirbhay can hit the target within the range of 750 to 1000 kilometers. Confirming the test fire of Nirbhay to AIR News, the Director of the ITR Chandipur Mr. M V K V Prasad said that the details of the test fire will be available only later in the day.

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The Bombay High Court has restrained the Maharashtra Government from allowing excavation of sand in drought-hit villages. The court said, this would cause shortage of potable water for people and animals. The Court was hearing a petition filed by Rajendra Eknath Dhande, who sought a direction to the authorities to disallow sand excavation in drought-hit Khatgaon village of Karmala taluka in Solapur district. Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Anoop Mohta were of the view that sand excavation in drought-hit areas should be banned totally as it deprives the people of their basic requirement of water.

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News Just in, Both the Houses of Parliament have been adjourned for the day. As the Houses reassembled at 2 pm, noisy scenes continued forcing the chair to adjourn the Houses for the day.

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The second day of President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to Mauritius resulted in bilateral MOUs in diverse areas such as health and medicine, tourism and co-operation in the areas of senior citizens and persons with disabilities. The two countries are further evolving ways and means to further stimulate trade and investment. Our special correspondent also reports on the World Heritage Site, the Apravasi Ghat which the President visited today:-

 "The History of the Apravasi Ghat is a story worth telling. Nearly 70 percent of Mauritions trace their roots to India through an ancestor that entered Mauritius through the Apravasi Ghat. The footfalls of this migrant labour from India led to the confident footprint of a resurgent Mauritius. As Mauritius celebrates its 45th Independence Day the deep affection for India is palpable and one can also sense the confidence of a nation which has transformed itself from a single crop economy to being one of the developed nations in Africa. Alpana Pant Sharma form Port Louis Mauritius for AIR News."

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Showing green shoots of recovery, industrial production inched up 2.4 per cent in January mainly due to perk up in manufacturing output and enhanced power generation. The factory output, as measured by the Index of Industrial Production or IIP had grown by 1 per cent in January, 2012. For the April-January period of 2012-13 fiscal, the industrial production growth is at 1 per cent, down from 3.4 per cent in the same period of 2011-12. Meanwhile, the decline in industrial output for December 2012 has been revised slightly upward to 0.5 per cent from a contraction of 0.6 per cent as per provisional estimates released last month. The manufacturing sector, which constitutes over 75 per cent of the index, grew by 2.7 per cent in January, as against 1.1 per cent in the same month of 2012.

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Retail inflation moved up for the fifth consecutive month to 10.91 per cent in February. The rise is attributed to higher prices of vegetables, edible oil, cereals and protein-based items. It was 10.79 per cent in January. The inflation crossed the double digit mark in December at 10.56 per cent, against 9.90 per cent in November. The vegetable basket in February recorded the highest inflation of 21.29 per cent among all the constituents that make the Consumer Price Index.

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The rupee today strengthened by 16 paise to 54.25 against the dollar in early trade. This follows fresh selling of the US currency by exporters, amid sustained foreign capital inflows. Besides a higher opening in the domestic equity market also aided the local currency. The rupee had lost 13 paise to close at 54.41 against the dollar yesterday.

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The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange rose 36 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 19,682 in opening trade, this morning, on fresh buying by funds and retail investors, ahead of industrial output and inflation data. But later, after the release of the inflation numbers, the Sensex gave up all its initial gains, to stand 105 points, or 0.5 per cent in negative territory, at 19,541 in afternoon trade, a short while ago. Stock markets in China, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan had lost between 0.2 percent and 0.9 percent, today. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average had ended 0.4 per cent higher yesterday.

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Dr. Jim Yong Kim, President World Bank group met Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow today. They discussed about the projects and poverty alleviation programmes which are to be taken up or underway with the help of the World Bank. Dr Kim is on a day long visit to Uttar Pradesh. Speaking to media Dr Kim said that UP has sought 1.5 billion US dollar for its roads in three phases of 500 million dollars each, besides, one billion US dollar for strengthening and re-structuring of urban systems.

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India will clash with Pakistan in their third round-robin match of the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey tournament at Ipoh in Malaysia today. The match will begin at 3:35 PM (Indian Standard Time). India had lost both the matches played in the tournament so far and they will have to beat Pakistan today, if they wish to stay in the race for either of the top two slots. The top two teams at the end of the round-robin stage will play each other for the title. Defending Champions Australia, New Zealand, Korea and Malaysia are the other teams participating in the tournament. In today's other fixtures, Korea will take on New Zealand, while Malaysia will meet Australia.

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The Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold Badminton tournament kicks off in Basel today. Olympian and defending champion Saina Nehwal, who has been given a top billing in the Women's Singles category, is leading the Indian contingent. Besides Saina, PV Sindhu and P. Kashyap are the other top shot Indian shuttlers, who are participating in this 6-day event. London Olympics quarterfinalist P. Kashyap will clash with Hsuan Yi Hsueh of Chinese Taipei in the Men's Singles opening round today. 

Besides, Sourabh Verma, Srikanth K. and HS Prannoy will also be seen in action in the Men's Singles first round today. Saina Nehwal will begin her campaign from tomorrow, when she will take on Sashina Vignes Waran of France in the opening round. PV Sindhu will meet third seeded Korean Ji Hyun Sung in the Women's Singles opening round. The tournament will see India's participation in the Men's Doubles category as well