Criminal Law Amendment Bill 2013 becomes law with President's assent

Apr 3,  2:8 PM The country today got a new law ensuring stingent punishment for crimes against women with the President giving his assent to the Criminal Law Amendment Bill-2013. The Bill was passed by Parliament in the current Budget Session. The bill encompasses features that will provide stringent punishment for crimes against women such as rape, acid attacks, voyeurism and stalking.The punishment ranges from life term to death penalty for repeated offenders. The Bill brought out after the Delhi gangrape of a para-medical student on 16th December 2012, also fixed the age of consensual sex at 18 years. PM for taking corrective steps to super-economic growth & reduce fiscal deficit Apr 3,  5:42 PM The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh today strongly advocated for taking corrective steps to super-economic growth and reduce fiscal deficit. This he said will help in reversing the decline in investments. He was addressing the Annual General Meeting of Confederation of Indian Industry in New Delhi. Dr. Singh said, there is a need to create a growth process that is truly inclusive. He asserted that the downturn in economy is temporary and average growth rate of above eight per cent is possible in the medium term. Describing the business sentiment as unduly pessimistic the Prime Minister said that the Government and the industry will have to work together to push growth. He pledged to speed up infrastructure projects. Dr. Singh expressed hope that current account deficit will come down in this fiscal as Government will do everything possible to ensure strong foreign investment in the next two years. The Prime Minister said, the Cabinet Committee on Investment (CCI), set up to fast track regulatory clearances for industry and infrastructure has made significant progress in clearing large projects which were held up for long. In power sector, Dr. Singh said, issues relating to the NTPC's proposed 2000 MW project in North Karanpura area of Jharkhand have been resolved. He said the CCI has also streamlined the process of granting enviornment, forest clearances for Mega projects and clearances of twelve coal mining projects have been fast tracked. Addressing the meeting, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said that Government will come out with a pragmatic foreign trade policy which will help push shipments. The policy is scheduled to be announced on the 18th of this month. He said that he held detailed consultations with the Finance Minister on the contours of the package to boost exports. During April to February 2012-13 exports declined by four per cent. Online booking of helicopter tickets for Amarnathji Yatra 2013 to commence on April 20 Apr 3 Online booking of helicopter tickets for Shri Amarnathji Yatra 2013 shall commence on 20th April 2013. Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board has made arrangements with M/s Global Vectra Pvt Ltd and M/s Himalayan Heli Services Pvt Ltd for providing helicopter services on Baltal-Panjtarni-Baltal Sector and M/s Pawan Hans Pvt. Ltd for helicopter services on Pahalgam-Panjtarni-Pahalgam Sector. Chief Executive Officer, SASB, informed that one way per passenger helicopter-fare for Baltal-Panjtarni and Pahalgam-Panjtarni Sector has been fixed at 1500Rs and 240 Rs. He further stated that the Yatris who wish to avail helicopter service have to produce the required Compulsory Health Certificate. CAG indictes Gujarat govt, state PSUs for extending undue benefits to major industrial houses Apr 3 The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has indicted the Gujarat government and state Public Sector Undertakings for extending undue benefits to major industrial houses causing a loss of 750 crore Rs to the state exchequer. The major beneficiaries of government's largesse included big corporate entities like Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), Essar Steel and Adani Power Ltd (APL), the report for year ended March 31, 2012, said. The government auditor's report, tabled in the state assembly yesterday, also said the state government tweaked rules to grant land to automaker Ford India and engineering and construction major Larsen and Toubro. The main Opposition Congress utilised the CAG report to attack the Narendra Modi government, alleging a collusion between the state dispensation and corporate houses. The state government, however, sought to downplay the issue, saying what the government auditor had noted was not a scam but just irregularities.

Govt releases 5 Documentary Films reflecting good governance initiatives taken

Apr 3
Government today released five Documentary Films reflecting the good governance initiatives taken in various parts of the country.

The CDs on films were released at a function in New Delhi jointly by Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Mr V.Narayansamy and Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari.

Later, briefing reporters, Mr Narayansamy said that the objective of these films is to disseminate information among the people about the end-results of the initiatives taken in various fields including health, education, water conservation and plastic waste management others.

He said that government will distribute the CDs of these films to all state government so that they can adopt the best practices in the respective filed of good governance initiatives.

Mr Narayansamy said , in coming months government will also release more documentary films on other initiatives to make people aware about these issues at grassroots level.

Speaking on the occasion, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said that his Ministry will provide all support in disseminating information at all levels through its concerned departments.