1400 HRS
31st March, 2013
THE HEADLINES:
- BJP announces its new Parliamentary Board with reinduction of Gujarat CM Narendra Modi.
- In Assam, curfew relaxed from 1 to 4 pm at Sualkuchi town in Kamrup district.
- Striking Rameswaram fishermen to venture out into the sea from tomorrow.
- Easter, marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ, being celebrated across the world.
- World number one Serena Williams clinches the Miami Open title for a record sixth time by beating Maria Sharapova of Russia.
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The BJP has announced its core team of new Parliamentary Board members. Narendra Modi is the only Chief Minister to be included in the Board, which is the highest decision making body of the party. Varun Gandhi, Amit Shah and Rajiv Pratap Rudy have been appointed as General Secretaries of the party. Uma Bharti, Smriti Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Prabhat Jha have been appointed as Vice Presidents.
According to reports, party President Rajnath Singh met senior leader L K Advani to give a final shape to the list ahead of the announcement. Parliamentary Board members will lead the party in the 2014 general elections.
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In Assam, curfew will be relaxed at Sualkuchi town in Kamrup district from 1 to 4 pm today. IGP, L R Bishnoi said that security forces have arrested five persons for their alleged involvement in yesterday’s violent activities. The situation is under control but vigil is being maintained by the security forces. State Home Secretary G D Tripathi said that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered. The administration clamped curfew yesterday after local traders protesting against the selling of imported fabrics in the name of local Mekhela-Chador, clashed with security forces.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has instructed the administration to take all steps to return normalcy at Sualkuchi. The Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup has imposed ban on the selling of imported fabrics in the entire district in the name of local silk fabrics. With the Rongali Bihu round the corner, local traders were expected a boom in sales. But the selling of Benarasi clothes in the name of Sualkuchi Mekehla-Chador created furore among them. The weaving village provides employment to more than 25 thousand people. MANAS PRATIM SARMA/ AIR NEWS/GUWAHATI
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In Jammu and Kashmir, the prestigious rail link between Qazigund in the Kashmir valley and Banihal in Jammu division is being commissioned by May this year. A report from our Srinagar Correspondent:-
Within a month the existing railservice from Baramula in north Kashmir to Qazigund in South Kashmir will be extended upto Banihal in Jammu Division. This rail link is of vital strategic and economic significance and it reflects technological excellence. It includes 11.25 km long tunnel the longest rail tunnel in India constructed with a whopping sum of Rs. 650 crore the tunnel has reduced distance between Qazigun and Banihal by 17kms . This rail link is likely to boost tourism and trade in a big way in the valley. MUSHTAQ TANTRAY/AIR NEWS/SRINAGAR
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Madhya Pradesh leads major states of the country in respect of growth rate in the year 2012-13. As per the provisional data released by the Central Statistical Organization, CSO, for 2012-13 for the states, Madhya Pradesh’s Gross State Domestic Product, GSDP, for 2012-13 is likely to be 14.28 percent and agriculture growth rate about 10.02 percent.
An important feature of these statistics is that this year Madhya Pradesh has occupied the top position in respect of GSDP by dislodging Bihar. Last year Bihar was on the top with 13.26 percent GSDP followed by Madhya Pradesh with 11.81 percent.
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The country is gearing up for another phase of technological revolution. The 20 thousand crore rupee super optic highway by National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) will connect all the 2.5 lakh panchayats in the country and last mile connectivity will be given through mobile-wireless broadband. Our Correspondent has filed this report:-
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The Rameswaram fishermen who are on continuous strike for more than a fortnight urging the release of 19 Tamil fishermen lodged in Lankan jail, have decided to venture out into the sea from tomorrow. More from our correspondent:
The fishermen association said that the district administration had given them assurance that necessary steps would be taken to ensure release of Tamil fishermen. The association said that they will intensify the stir if no action is taken within three days. The fishermen had to venture out into the sea to sustain their livelihood as the monsoon fishing ban for 45 days will start from 15th of April.
K DEVI PADMANABHAN/AIR NEWS/TRICHPALLI
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The government's stern warning to service tax evaders appears to have yielded results with the collection rising to 10,453 crore rupees in February. Disclosing this, a senior Finance Ministry official said, this is 44 per cent more than collections in the previous month. The revenue department had collected only 7,255 crore rupees as service tax in January.
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The Finance Ministry has asked public sector banks to limit the amount of loan write-offs and sought details of recoveries made by them in the six years ending 2011-12 with an aim to improve the finances of PSU lenders. It has also asked the banks to ensure that the amount written off by banks as bad loans does not exceed the cash recovery made during the year. In a recent communication to the heads of all public sector banks, the Finance Ministry said, in case there is more write off than the recovery made by the bank in a given year, the reasons for the same may also be provided to the Ministry.
Concerned over the rising bad loans, Finance Minister P Chidambaram in a review meeting with PSU bank chiefs earlier this month, had asked them to take firm steps against affluent promoters to recover loans from sick companies owned by them.
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The Odisha government has decided to provide safe drinking water to the people, residing within a radius of a maximum 250 metres. Our Correspondent reports that the state government will complete all pipe water supply projects linking the main villages of each of its gram panchayats within two years.
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Easter, marking the resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ on the third day of his crucifixion, is being celebrated by Christians across the world. The day also marks the culmination of the 50-day fasting by the faithful.
In Kerala, devotees in large numbers attended midnight mass and Easter prayers in churches. In the capital Thiruvananthapuram, Head of the Malankara Catholic Church, Cardinal Baselios Mar Cleemis led the midnight mass at St Marys Cathedral, while Dr.M Soosaipakyam, Archbishop of the Thiruvananthapuram ArchDiocese led the Easter Midnight mass at the St Josephs Cathedral. Hundreds of faithful participated.
In Nagaland, the Easter Sunday is being celebrated today with religious solemnity. Nagaland Governor Ashwani Kumar and Chief Minister Niephiu Rio have greeted the people on the occasion, saying that Easter reminds of God's love, sacrifice and forgiveness. A report:
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The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has greeted the people on the occasion of Easter. In his message Dr. Singh said, the eternal significance of Christ's resurrection is that love is stronger than hatred and truth triumphs over evil. He said, Easter celebrates compassion and brotherhood and the renewal of hope in a better tomorrow.
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Pope Francis, leading the world's 1.2 billion Catholics into Easter for the first time, urged those who have strayed from the faith to allow God back into their lives. Francis, who was elected on March 13, presided at a solemn Easter vigil Mass in St Peter' Basilica to usher the Catholic Church into the most important day of its liturgical calendar.
The immense basilica, the largest church in Christendom, was in the dark for the start of the service to signify the darkness in Jesus' tomb before what Christians believe was his resurrection from the dead three days after his crucifixion. Some 10,000 faithful lit candles as Francis walked up the main aisle, and then the basilica's lights were turned on.
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Two persons were killed and six others, including a former provincial legislator, were injured in a bomb blast in Pakistan's restive northwest today. According to police, the blast targeted the motorcade of Awami National Party leader Adnan Wazir in Wali Noor area of Bannu district.
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In the wake of attacks by Buddhist monks on Muslim business establishments in Sri Lanka, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that his government will not allow religious extremism and will protect the non-Buddhist minorities in the country. Speaking at a function in Weherahena, President said that attacks on minorities will help the anti-Sri Lankan forces.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's Minister of National Language and Social Integration Vasudeva Nanayakkara told the local media that he is preparing a Cabinet paper seeking a ban on extremist groups that are creating rifts between the ethnic and religious communities in the island.
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Paris' iconic Eiffel Tower was evacuated yesterday after a bomb scare. Hundreds of people were visiting the site when France's anti-terrorism police made the decision to evacuate it.
The site was evacuated after an anonymous call warned of the attack. However, the security alert was lifted after the tower was thoroughly searched. Security has been stepped up across France amid concerns over the fallout of the military campaign in Mali.
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US officials say, big business and labour have reached an agreement on a low-skilled guest-worker programme, creating a pathway to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants. Under the agreement, a new W visa program would go into effect from April 1, 2015. After a year, W visa holders would be able to seek permanent status and they would be able to change jobs.
In the first year of the program, 20,000 visas would be issued, eventually expanding to a maximum of 200,000 visas that could be granted each year.
In the first year of the program, 20,000 visas would be issued, eventually expanding to a maximum of 200,000 visas that could be granted each year.
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In Tennis, world number one Serena Williams has clinched the Miami Open title for a record sixth time by beating Maria Sharapova of Russia 4-6, 6-3, 6-0. In the women's singles final held at Miami yesterday, Williams fought back from a set down to win the tournament.
In men's singles, Andy Murray of Great Britain will clash against Spain's David Ferrer in the title match today. Earlier yesterday, Murray posted a 6-7, 6-1, 6-2 win over France's Richard Gasquet to make it to the finals.
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