2100 HRS. 

22nd May, 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• Prime Minister says Economy will register over 6 per cent growth in the current fiscal; Agriculture to grow at 4 per cent in the 12th Plan.

• Delivery of better governance and improved relations with outside world are other highlights of UPA-2 government's Report Card unveiled by Dr. Manmohan Singh;

• Delhi Lokayukta recommends to President for recovery of 11 crore rupress from Sheila Dikshit in misuse of government funds during 2008 elections.

• NIA files charge sheet against four persons in 2006 Malegaon blast case.

• Delhi police claim Cricketer Ajit Chandila was allegedly paid 49 lakh rupees by bookies for spot fixing IPL matches.

[]<><><>[]

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh today said that economy will clock more than six per cent growth in the current fiscal . Speaking at a function on the occasion of releasing the Report Card of nine years of UPA Government, Dr. Singh said, economy will grow at eight per cent in the 12th plan period with agriculture registering a growth of four per cent. He said that slow down in the economy is due to many factors including meltdown in the western countries.

The Prime Minister said that the four key achievements of the government are improved performance of the economy, higher growth of eight per cent, delivery of better services and governance and improved relations with changing and challenging world. He said that UPA Government has taken the country forward on all these four fronts in the nine years.

Talking about governmence. Dr. Singh said that this problems have to be addressed by both the Centre and the States. He said the UPA Government has taken several steps in improving governance and accountability. He also said the Right to Information Act has become a key instrument of empowerment of people. He said government has introduced the Lokpal Bill, which responds to a very wide demand for a more independent institution to probe allegations of corruption. He said that faster agricultural growth, combined with government programmes such as MGNREGA, and the expanded pace of investment in rural infrastructure have improved real wages of agricultural labour.

In the view of the allegations in spectrum and mining blocks allocations, Dr. Singh said that government have introduced more transparent systems for the future.

Mentioning about the foriegin relations, the Prime Minister said that India has deepened its relationship with the United States, Russia, and Europe and civil nuclear agreement with US has opened a new chapter in India’s technological development. He said relations with China are showing country's ability to manage difficult issues while working together in areas of convergence.

Speaking on the occasion, UPA Chairperson, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi charged the opposition BJP of obstruction in Parliament. Dismissing reports about any division in the party, she said entire UPA is behind the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh. Mrs. Gandhi said that New initiatives have been taken for the welfare of the weaker sections in the nine year rule.

The weaker sections of society, Dalit, Adivasis, OBCs, Minorities and Women have been further empowered through a number of new and very effective initiatives. Never before procurement prices for farmers have been increased as they have in the last nine years, this led to a record production of foodgrains.

[]<><><>[]

Congress has charged BJP, the principal opposition party with playing negative role. Briefing reporters in New Delhi today, party spokesperson, Renuka Choudhary alleged that BJP has not given any valuable suggestions to the government for policy making in the recent past. She also criticized the BJP for obstructing in the passage of crucial Food Security and Land Acquisition Bills in the just concluded Budget session of Parliament.

Ultimately it is the people who will judge and judge rightly, history will judge BJP for the kind of negative role that they have played persistently, insistently and consistently.

Mrs. Choudhary claimed that the UPA government has made land mark achievements at all fronts including economic, diplomatic and security during its rule.

On the other hand, BJP has alleged that the UPA government has failed on all fronts. Addressing a joint press conference with party senior leader, Arun Jaitely in New Delhi today, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj expressed concern over the present economic situation in the country. She alleged that price rise of essential commodities during the UPA rule has caused misery to the common man.

It will not be wrong to say that corruption during the present government was at its peak and its result is that consumers are bearing the brunt in the form of price rise.

Talking to media persons this evening at Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh senior BJP leader Dr Murli Manohar Joshi accused the centre for poor handling of Chines incursion in Indian Territory in Ladakh region. He said this incursion has affected India`s position in Asia region.

[]<><><>[]

Delhi Lokayukta today indicted Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for allegedly misusing government funds for carrying out an advertisement campaign with a political purpose ahead of assembly elections in 2008. Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin recommended to President Pranab Mukherjee to caution Mrs. Dikshit for the alleged misuse of public funds. He also recommended to the President to advise the Chief Minister to reimburse either herself or through her party a sum of 11 crore rupees as half the cost of the advertisements or any amount the President finds adequate. The Lokayukta had initiated an inquiry into the matter following a complaint filed by former Delhi BJP President Vijender Gupta.

[]<><><>[]

President Pranab Mukherjee this evening conferred the 47th Jnanpith Award for the year 2011 on eminent Odia litterateur, Dr. Pratibha Ray at a function in New Delhi. The award was given to Dr. Ray for her outstanding contribution to the enrichment of Indian literature.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Mukherjee called upon schools and colleges to encourage the reading of prose and verse that has been published in India’s vernacular languages.

[]<><><>[]

The National Investigation Agency NIA files charge sheet in 2006 Malegaon blast case. The agency filed the charge sheet against four accused Lokesh Sharma, Dhan Singh, Manohar Singh and Rajendra Choudhary. The charge sheet, was filed in a Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act Court of Special Judge Prithviraj Chavan in Mumbai. Ramji Kalsangra has been shown as absconding accused in the chargesheet.

The bombings were part of a series of explosions that had taken place on September 8, 2006, in Malegaon, in Nashik district of Maharashtra. The explosions caused the death of 37 people and over 125 people were injured.

[]<><><>[]

Arrested Rajasthan Royals Cricketer Ajit Chandila was allegedly paid at least 49 lakh rupees by bookies for spot fixing IPL matches this season. Delhi Police claims that 15 lakh rupees were given for one over in a match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on the 17th of this month but Ajit Chandila was arrested before the game was played. Police sources also voiced suspicion about an arrested bookie Sunil Bhatia fixing matches of the Bangladesh Premier League earlier after interrogating him.

At least 18 people -- three IPL players, four former players and 11 bookies and their assistants have been arrested since last Thursday in connection with the scandal.

Meanwhile, six bookies were remanded to judicial custody by a Mumbai Court till June 5th in connection with alleged IPL betting syndicate.

In a related development, Madhya Pradesh Police also busted an IPL betting syndicate and arrested four persons and recovered over six lakh rupees cash and betting slips from them.

[]<><><>[]

The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court today issued notice to IPL Chairman and BCCI President among others after a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed seeking CBI probe into spot-fixing charges in the Indian Premier League and to direct the government to take over its management and administration as well as Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). A Division Bench of Justices MM Sundresh and R Mala ordered issue of notice to the Secretary, Department of Culture and Youth Affairs, IPL Chairman, BCCI President and others, returnable by June six.

[]<><><>[]

India today successfully test fired the 290-km range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the Navy's latest guided missile frigate INS Tarkash off the coast of Goa. The missile performed the high-level 'C' manoeuvre in the pre-determined flight path and successfully hit the target. Jointly developed by India and Russia, the BrahMos is capable of carrying a conventional warhead of 300 kg.

[]<><><>[]

THE BUSINESS WORLD

Falling for the third straight session, the Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange declined 49 points, or 0.3 percent, to close at a fresh one-week low of 20,062, today. The Nifty fell 20 points, to 6,095. Stock markets in Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea again ended mixed. The rupee weakened 5 paise, to a fresh six-month low of 55.46 against the dollar. Gold dropped 30 rupees, to 27,020 rupees per ten grams in Delhi. But silver rose 100 rupees, to 44,300 rupees per kilo. And Brent crude oil futures slipped toward 103 dollars a barrel, while US crude declined 30 cents, to 95.88 dollars a barrel. Pradeep Kumar, AIR News)

[]<><><>[]

Heat wave conditions continue to disrupt normal life in several parts of the country. Rajasthan remaind in the grip of blistering heat wave today as the temperature in most parts of the state settled above normal. Sriganganagar remained the hottest place with a maximum of 48.2 degrees Celsius, followed by Churu, which registered a searing 47.2 degrees Celsius.

In Maharashtra, Nagpur city recorded the historic maximum temperature of 47.9 degrees Celsius today while Chandrapur registered the maximum temperature of 48.2 degrees Celsius which was also the highest maximum temperature in the region for the day.

The normal life has been completely thrown out of gear in entire Vidarbha region due to the severe heat wave since last week. The mercury remained at 48.2 degrees Celsius in Chandrapur today which was also the highest maximum temperature in the region for the day. Amravati also registered the maximum temperature of 48 degrees and Nagpur city registered the maximum temperature of 47.9 degrees Celsius creating a new record for the all-time high in the month of May. SUNIL DABIR, AIR NEWS, NAGPUR

In Jammu and Kashmir, the heat waves swept across plain areas of Jammu region, while the Jammu city experienced the hottest day of this season as the highest temperature recorded at 45.1 degree Celsius today.

In Uttar Pradesh, Banda in Bundelkhand region continued to be the hottest with a maximum temperature of 46.8 degrees Celsius. Allahabad, Agra and Etawah have also recorded above 46 degree temperature.

[]<><><>[]

India and Uzbekistan today discussed counter terrorism and the situation in Afghanistan in the run up to and after the proposed withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan next year. Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari and Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov agreed completly that any interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan will be counter-productive. In a meeting that lasted for about two hours in Taskent, the two leaders said they would be working with whichever government is elected by the people in Afghanistan. The issue of counter terrorism was also discussed.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Secretary West in the Ministry of External Affairs Sudhir Vyas said, the two leaders discussed on a host of subjects but the considerable time was spent how we should be dealing with Afghanistan post 2014.

[]<><><>[]

The News Services Division of All India Radio in its weekly "Charcha Ka Vishay Hai" programme tonight will bring you a discussion on "UPA Sarkar ki upalabdiyaan aur chunautiyaan. This can be heard on Indraprastha channel and additional frequencies from 9.30 p.m.

[]<><><>[]

The Centre's health insurance scheme - Rashtriya Swastha Bima Yojana- is proving boon to crores of people belonging to poor and vulnerable sections of the society. More than three crore 48 lakh members are enrolled under the scheme in 26 states and two union territories so far