1400 HRS

10th April, 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• India to seek greater trade and investment ties with Germany to boost domestic investment; Prime Minister on a three-day visit to Germany to chair second Inter governmental consultations in Berlin.
• Supreme Court takes suo motu cognizance of media reports about detention of a minor rape victim by police in Bulandshahr; Issues notice to Uttar Pradesh government.
• In Iran, Death toll in earthquake that struck Bushehr rises to 37; More than 850 people injured.
• Pakistan test-fires nuclear-capable ballistic missile Hatf-IV.
• Sensex flat in volatile afternoon trade; Rupee gains 14 paise to 54.44 against the dollar.
• Madhya Pradesh government decides to declare Malkhamb as State Sport.

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India will seek greater trade and investment ties with Germany to boost domestic investment . The Prime Minister, who left for a three-day visit to Germany this morning, said in his departure statement that Germany is a key partner for India in areas like infrastructure, manufacturing, Science and technology, higher education, vocational training and clean and renewable energy. He will co-chair inter-governmental consultations and witness the signing of a series of agreements and MoUs in these areas. During his discussions with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Dr Singh will seek Germany's support for an early conclusion of balanced India-EU broad-based trade and investment agreement. He will also propose that Europekeeps its doors open to Indian investors and professionals.

Talking to AIR correspondent in Berlin , Indian ambassador in Germany Sujata Singh said the Prime minister will hold bilateral talks with German chancellor Angela Merkel on a whole range of issues with an aim to reinforce the strategic relationship between the two countries.

"The Prime Minister and his Cabinet Ministers will be discussing with Chancellor Angela Merkel and their counterparts the whole range of issues related to the strategic partnership. The areas that are important are several, they are diverse. Germany is India's most important trading partner in Europe"

Our correspondent covering the Prime Minister's visit has filed this report;

"Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s visit is expected to take Indo German relations to a higher level with both countries determined to take forward the collaboration in various sectors. In fact, India is the first country in Asia, besides Israel, and the only country outside Europe to have Intergovernmental Consultations with Germany. India’s negotiations with the European Union on Free Trade Agreement which are in crucial stage now will come up for discussion during bilateral talks. India is keen to complete this agreement at the earliest with an aim to attract foreign investors and in turn to boost the economy. It expects Germany to extend its support for early conclusion of this agreement. Suprasanthi Devi for AIR News fromBerlin."

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The Prime Minister has expressed anguish over the killing of five Indian army personnel during a UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. In his condolence message to the bereaved families, Dr Manmohan Singh said he pays tributes to the brave soldiers. A Lt Colonel was among the five army personnel killed yesterday when their 32-member convoy came under attack in Gurmuck in the volatile state of Jonglei, South Sudan. Four others were injured in the attack.

There are around 2,200 Indian army personnel comprising two battalions, one based in Jonglei and the other in Malakkal, Upper Nile, on the border with Sudan.

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Taking suo motu cognizance of media reports about detention of a 10-year-old rape victim by police in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh ,the Supreme Court today issued notice to the state government.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir expressed its displeasure over the incident in which the girl was detained by Bulandshahr police when she went to the police station with her parents to lodge a complaint.

The bench has sought an explanation from the state government and asked it to respond on Monday, when it will take up the matter for further hearing. The incident took place on Sunday when the girl had gone to a general store close to her house to buy some essentials.

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Train services have been disrupted on the Arakkonam sector following derailment of the Muzaffarpur- Yesvantpur Express in Tamil Nadu this morning. All trains passing through Arakkonam have been diverted. Seven trains originating from Chennai and going to Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram and Coimbatore have been cancelled.

One person was killed and 28 injured in the incident which occurred at Chitheri near Arakkonam. Relief work is on at the accident site. Three injured have been brought to the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital Chennai and others have been admitted at the Arakkonam and Chitheri Government Hospitals.

Railway has set a helpline. Numbers are 9244919572, 044-25357398, 044-25330823.

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The Centre has called for re-energizing investments in the Power sector for its sustainable growth. Power Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said in New Delhi that weakening of the rupee in international market is a cause of concern as its affects the import of natural gas and other important things which impact generation of power directly. Mr Scindia said fragile health of state power distribution companies, discoms, are also affecting growth in the sector and asked States to ensure continuous revision of tariff. The Power Minister added that transparency and accountability in the rating system for discoms is necessary to boost lending to them and also help improve their performance. On priority status to power projects on par with fertilizers for gas allocation, Mr Scindia said he is seeking a date for the meeting of high level inter-ministerial panel in this regard.

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Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath has said the government is looking at the setting up of an Urban Institute in the country for skill development, particularly in the real estate sector. He also said the government attaches great importance for the proper and efficient usage of land. Mr Nath was speaking at an international conference -- Global Real Estate and Infrastructure 2020, Destination India in New Delhi today. Stating that the country is facing the biggest challenge of skill deficit, Mr. Nath called for India-specific best practices in the land economics.

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In West Bengal, ruling Trinamool Congress is observing protest day throughout the state today condemning the attack on State Finance Minister Dr. Amit Mitra by SFI supporters in New Delhi yesterday. Trinamool Congress supporters staged road blockade in various parts of the state protesting the incident. Our Kolkata correspondent reports that ransacking of CPIM party offices was also reported from different places.

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Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari has termed yesterday's heckling incident of the West Bengal Finance Minister in New Delhi, as extremely unfortunate. Replying to a media query on the sidelines of a function in New Delhi today, Mr Tewari urged all political parties to maintain a restraint saying that there is no place for violence either in language or action in politics. He said violence is not a way to express one's opinion or views.

Earlier, addressing a function, the minister said that government is going to notify soon the setting up of an inter-ministerial committee for single window clearance for permissions for film - shooting. Mr. Tewari also said that the Mudagal Committee report, constituted to look into the entire gamut of the Cinematographic Act, is expected to submit its report soon.

Our Correspondent reports that the Committee was set up in the wake of controversy over the release of Kamal Hasan’s film Viswaroopam, in which the Central Board of Film Certification, had allowed screening but the Tamil Nadu government had put a ban.

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In the high-profile refund case involving an estimated 24,000 crore rupees payment to over three crore investors, Sahara group chief Subrata Roy and other top executives have been summoned for personal appearance today before the market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India- Sebi. More from our correspondent;

"Sahara group chief Subrata Roy and other top executives have to appear today before market regulator Sebi in the high-profile refund case. Sebi had ordered their personal appearance in an order dated March 26. Roy and others- Ashok Roy Choudhary, Ravi Shankar Dubey and Vandana Bhargava- have been ordered to appear before Sebi's whole-time member Prashant Saran. If these persons fail to appear before Sebi as ordered, the regulator has said it would ex parte settle the terms of proclamation of sale of their and the companies' assets. Lubna Yusuf Moosa, AIR NEWS, MUMBAI."

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Giving up most of its initial gains, the Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange stood 32 points, or 0.2 percent in positive territory, at 18,259 in volatile afternoon trade, a short while ago. Earlier in the morning, the Sensex had opened with a gain of 93 points, or 0.5 per cent, at 18,320, on fresh buying by funds and retail investors. The Sensex had lost over 810 points in the previous five trading sessions.

Other Asian markets in Japan, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia andSingapore were trading mixed, today. But the US Dow Jones Industrial Average had climbed 0.4 per cent, to close at a fresh record high in yesterday's trade.

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The rupee today rose by 14 paise to 54.44 against the dollar at the Interbank Foreign Exchange market on selling of the US currency by exporters and banks. Forex dealers said a higher opening in the domestic equity market and strengthening of the euro and yen against the dollar overseas, supported the rupee.

The rupee had weakened by two paise to close at 54.58 yesterday on renewed demand for the US currency from importers and continued capital outflows.

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Oil prices were down in Asia today as caution set into the market ahead of a UScrude inventory report. New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in May dropped 24 cents to 93.96 US Dollars a barrel and Brent North Sea crude for May delivery shed 12 cents to 106.11 US Dollars. Analysts expect the US Department of Energy's weekly petroleum stockpiles report to show another increase in supplies which would mirror weaker demand in the world's biggest economy and put downward pressure on prices.

Prices had risen at the start of the week driven by strong Japanese equities, a subdued inflation report from China and a weaker dollar.

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The death toll in yesterday's earthquake in Iran has risen to 37. More than 850 persons have been injured in the incident. Two more quakes of lesser intensity hit the country this morning. The quake measuring 3.9 on Richter scale was reported in Kiyaser city of Iran's Mazandaran province near the Caspian Sea while the other one with an intensity of 4 on Richter scale hit Abadan city in Khuzestan province. Earlier, the quake hit Bushehr province was hit by another quake measuring 5.6 on Richter scale this morning around 6.28 am at the same site in Kaki. The relief operations are in full swing at the quake affected areas.

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Pakistan today test-fired nuclear-capable Hatf-IV ballistic missile with a range of 900 km. The military said in a statement, the missile incorporates a series of improvements in range and technical parameters of the existing missile. The Hatf-IV is capable of carrying nuclear and conventional warheads. The "impact point"of the launch was at sea.

Since last year, Pakistan has tested a wide array of missiles, from the Hatf-IX tactical missile with a range of 60 km to the Hatf-V ballistic missile with a reach of 1,300 km.

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The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to declare Malkhamb as the State Sport. It has also decided to start a new scheme called Mission Olympics 2020 for special coaching to selected sports persons so that they could represent the country in 2020 Olympics. More from our correspondent:

"Malkhamb is one of the most ancient sports of India. It ensures exercise of every part of body in minimum time. In view of this the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to declare it as State Sport. Under MissionOlympics-2020 scheme, talented players selected at minimum 9 years of age will be coached. Services of players of international repute will be availed for each sport. Final selection of 4 male and 4 female players will be made in each sport. A total of 76 players will be imparted coaching. The selected players will be sent for two months in selected foreign coaching institutions. They will also be sent to selected coaching institutions in the country for one month for high-level coaching." Shariq Noor, AIR News, Bhopal.

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The notification for the Assembly Elections in Karnataka was issued today. The state will go to polls on the 5th of next month to elect a new assembly