2100 HRS

23rd April, 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• Coal blocks allocation and other issues force adjournment of both Houses of Parliament.

• Election Commission reprimands Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister  K.S. Ishwarappa for violating model code of conduct.

• CBI freezes bank accounts of former Indian Air Force Chief  S.P. Tyagi and other co-accused in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.

• India asks China to maintain status quo in Ladakh as it was before the intrusion.

• IN SPORTS: Chris Gayle smashes fastest ever century in cricket.

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The coal blocks allocation and other issues forced adjournment of both the Houses of Parliament for the day today. The Lok Sabha was adjourned at noon as the BJP members rushed to the well of the House, demanding the Prime Minister's resignation and sacking of the Law Minister . The Trinamool Congress members demanded a financial package for West Bengal while the Samajwadi Party members tried to raise the issue of Chinese intrusion in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. Following uproar, the House was adjourned for the day.

The situation was no different in the Rajya Sabha, which witnessed altogether three adjournments before being finally adjourned for the day. Our Correspondent reports this is for the second day today the two Houses could not transact any tangible business. Now, both the Houses will meet on Thursday, tomorrow being a Public holiday on account of Mahavir Jayanti.

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A parliament panel has recommended comprehensive review of all coal blocks allocated during 2004-2009. Standing Committee on Coal and Steel in its report tabled in Parliament today disagreed with the government's contention that screening committee acted in a fair and transparent manner for allocation of coal blocks. The Chairman of the Committee Kalyan Banerjee said that failure on the part of coal block allottees to start production within the stipulated time raises apprehension that the companies were considered without taking into account their techno-economic feasibility, fast track records in execution of projects and technical and financial capabilities.

The Committee observe that most non transparent procedure was adopted from 1993 to 2004 for allocation and supply of coal blocks.  Several coal block were allocated to few fortunate without disclosing the same to the public at large.

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The Comptroller and Auditor General has asked the Centre to ensure proper implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, MGNREGA and put in place effective monitoring and evaluation system. The CAG has pointed out shortcomings in the implementation of the Centrally funded flagship scheme. The CAG performance audit of MGNREGA tabled in Parliament today stated that only 30 per cent of works approved in 14 states were completed. It also said rural household employment declined from 54 days in 2009-10 to 43 days in 2011-12. The report said Bihar, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh used only 20 per cent of the MGNREGA funds.

Reacting to the report, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said that it is a performance and not a financial audit.

CAG audit which is mostly done at district and State level should be carried out at Panchayat Gram level also. We  will get the Audit done at the Gram Panchayat level this year also.  The major funding of the Gram Panchayat Audit which was done this year, shows that there is no record keeping system there.

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The  Election Commission has reprimanded Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister K S Eswharappa for his provocative remarks  leading to  the  violation of model code of conduct in the poll bound state. In its order, the Commission has also cautioned him  to  be careful in future.

Earlier, the Commission had issued a notice to  Mr. Eswharappa for his provocative remarks while campaigning in Shimoga Assembly Constituency  on the 9th of this month and asked him to  submit his reply in this  regard.  The commission observed that the speech  of Mr. Eswharappa was provocative and it has the effect of inciting communal feelings and promoting hatred and  ill  will between citizens of the country in surcharged election atmosphere which is prohibited under the model code of conduct.

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The CBI has frozen the  bank accounts of former chief of Indian Air Force,  S.P. Tyagi and some other co accused in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal scam, for allegedly receiving kickbacks in the 3,600 crore rupee VVIP helicopter deal.  Agency sources said in New Delhi today that  the bank accounts of Tyagi's cousins-- Sanjeev alias Julie, Rajeev alias Docsa and Sandeep--have also been frozen as part of the investigation. Other Indians named in the FIR whose accounts have been frozen by the agency include former Union Minister Santosh Bagrodia's brother Satish Bagrodia, who is also Chairman of IDS Infotech, the company's Managing Director Pratap Aggarwal, Aeromatrix CEO Praveen Bakshi and legal advisor Gautam Khaitan.

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Pradeep Kumar, the second accused in the alleged gangrape of a five-year-old girl in Delhi was today sent to four-day police custody by a city court. Delhi Police told the court that both he and the his accomplice Manoj had raped the minor. Additional Sessions Judge remanded 19-year- old to police custody till April 27 after the police said he had to be interrogated to unearth the sequence of events.

The court also issued a production warrant for Manoj for tomorrow as the police said it needed to confront him with Pradeep.

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THIS IS ALL INDIA RADIO, GIVING YOU THE NEWS For news updates, follow us on Twitter @ airnewsalerts.  For regional and national news of AIR download All India Radio News app on any android based mobile phone".

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India asks China to maintain status quo in Ladakh as it was before the intrusion.  It expressed the hope that differences on perceptions of the line of actual control (LAC) would be resolved peacefully under existing agreements. Replying to questions by newsmen in New Delhi today, External affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbarrudin said, the ongoing incident was a localised one and such face to face situations due to differing perceptions on the LAC have been resolved peacefully in the past. He also said that a flag meeting between the local military commanders was  held today to  resolve the situation.

The India China border areas continue to remain peaceful.  We believe that this ongoing incident can be handled on the basis of agreements between the two countries and through mechnism establish under these agreements to resolve such situations peacefully.

A platoon-strength contingent of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) came 10km inside the Indian territory in DBO sector, which is at an altitude of about 17,000 feet, on the night of April 15 and established a tented post there, according to highly placed sources.

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Bhutan has held elections to the second National Council today to decide the fate of the sixty seven candidates for twenty seats. The Election Office in Thimphu said the polling which began at 9 a.m. went on smoothly with polling closing at 5 p.m.local time.

Counting for the results for the non party National Council began soon after closing of the polling at 5pm local time.  The formal results are to be declared tomorrow. Many voters have travelled across to their villages to vote from where they normally reside . While there were more than three lakh voters registered, the election commission said only after the polling parties return they will know the voter turnout from the 850 polling stations with some in very remote areas with the commission trying to make sure that they are less than two hours walk for the voters in the mountainous country. The twenty five member house is scheduled to take office within this month once the five eminent persons are nominated by the King for a five year term in office. Jane Namchu, air news,KATHMANDU

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NEWS FROM BUSINESS WORLD

Rising for the third straight session, the Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange ended with a small gain of 10 points, or 0.1 percent, at 19,179, amid positive European markets, today. The Sensex has now gained nearly 450 points in three trading sessions. The Nifty rose 3 points, to 5,837. But stock markets in Japan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Singaporedeclined between 0.3 percent and 2.6 percent. The rupee weakened 24 paise, to close at 54.38 against the dollar. Rising for the fourth-straight day, gold added 200 rupees, to 27,600 rupees per ten grams in Delhi. But silver dropped 800 rupees, to 45,000 rupees per kilo. And Brent crude oil futures fell below 99 dollars a barrel, while US crude slipped 1.27 dollars, at 87.92 dollars a barrel. AIR News

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Sudipto Sen, the chairman of Saradha group, the chitfund company which allegedly defrauded thousands of depositors, has been detained in Sonmarg in Jammu and Kashmir along with two other company officials today.

Earlier today the West Bengal cabinet  gave its approval to the setting up of a high-level inquiry into the closure of the chit fund company which has left thousands of investors in the lurch. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier ordered Sen's arrest.

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Indian economy is expected to grow at a relatively high and respectable growth rate of 6.5 per cent in the current fiscal. Releasing the review of the economy for 2012-13, the Chairman of Prime minister's Economic Advisory Council, Dr. C. Rangarajan said, the economy had slowed down but the decline appears to have bottomed out.He said, backed by 3.5 per cent Agriculture growth on expectations of a normal monsoon and 4.9 per cent industrial growth the country is set achieve higher growth than last year.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Pune Warriors by 130 runs in the IPL match inBangalore today.  Chasing a mammoth target of 264,  Team Pune could manage only 133 for 9 in their twenty overs.

Earlier, put in to bat, Royal Challengers made 263 for five in the stipulated twenty overs.   Opener Chris Gayle blasted his way into the record books hitting an unbeaten 175 off only 66 balls.  It was also the highest score in the history of Twenty20 cricket.

Opener Chris Gayle ed a blistering 175 off 66 balls against Pune Warriors. In fact those huge runs were not scored, but was plundered. The gentle West Indian monster literally bludgeoned the helpless Pune Warriors bowlers with his heavy bat. In fact his batting was breathing fire right from the beginning of the match as he hammered four sixes and one boundary in one single over off Mitchell Marsh. Gayle not only scored the fastest century in any form of the game in the history of the cricket but also sent a strong message to the bowlers of international cricket which may not be palatable for them. With Pratyush Kumar Ghosh, this is Abhishek Mukhopadhyay for AIR News.

In the other IPL encounter in Delhi, Delhi Daredevils were 91 for 6 in 15.5 overs against Kings Eleven Punjab a short while ago.

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The Indian Women's Hockey team defeated Hockey Club Rotterdam 4-3 in their first game played in Rottterdam, Netherlands, today.  Ritu Rani scored twice for the winners.  The other two goals for India came through Poonam Rani and Namita Toppo.  The Indian tour is part of the preparations of the Indian team for the FIH Women Hockey World League Round-3(Semi-finals) to be played at Rotterdam,Netherlands from June 13 to 23.  India will now play their next game against the National Team in Utrecht, Netherlands.

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Four-time national champion Chetan Anand led the Indian bandwagon into the main draw of the India Open Super Series badminton tournament on the qualifying day inNew Delhi today.

At the Sri Fort Sports Complex, besides Chetan, the other three male shuttlers to have moved into the main draw are Subhankar Dey, Arvind Bhat and H S Prannoy.

The women's singles qualifying round also saw all four Indians making it to the main draw.

Rituparna Das, Trupti Murgunde, G Ruthvika Shivani and Saili Rane won their respective first and second round qualification matches.

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In Iraq; at least 40 people are feared killed in the clashes between the security forces and the protesters at a demonstration near Hawijah in Kirkuk province. According to reports, 27 people died when security forces clashed with the protesters while 13 gunmen were killed in subsequent revenge attacks with the army.Details are still awaited.

The Iraqi education minister, Mohammed Ali Tamim is reported to have resigned in protest of the violence against the protesters by the security forces.Tamim belongs to the National Dialogue Front led by the Deputy Prime Minister Salah El Mutlak and is the third  minister to resign since March this year.

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The death toll in China's earthquake rose to 193 today with over 12,000 injured in the disaster. Reports say rescue work was hampered by rain and 3,000 after shocks.  Over 1.40 million houses were damaged by the quake affecting the lives of over two million people in the Lushan county of the Sichuan province which was struck by 7.0 magnitude quake on Saturday