2100 HRS.

23^rd October, 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• India and China sign Border Defence cooperation agreement to address border issues; Prime Minister raises the issue of stapled visas with Chinese Premier. 

• Additional BSF forces being sent to the border in wake of ceasefire violations by Pakistan, says Home Minister.

•  Defence Ministry  issues final show cause notice to Agusta Westland for cancellation of VVIP chopper deal.  

• Mizoram  Assembly Elections  advanced to 25th of November; Counting to be held on 9th December.

•  Sensex down by 97 points,  Rupee up by six paise.

• The 4th one dayer between India and Australia at Ranchi called off due to rain.

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Seeking to defuse recurring border tension, India and China today inked a comprehensive pact which commits the two countries not to use military capability to attack each other.  The Border Defence Cooperation Agreement, BDCA was signed after extensive talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang in Beijing, the two countries also agreed not to tail each other's patrol along the Line of Actual Control, LAC which has witnessed numerous incursions by Chinese troops at Depsang Valley in Ladakh.

The BDCA facilitates the establishment of a hotline between the military headquarters of the two countries and meeting sites for border personnel in all sectors of the 4000-km LAC.

In all nine agreements including the BDCA and one on strengthening cooperation on trans-border rivers, were signed after the  talks. During the talks, India objected to stapled visas issued by China to residents of some Indian states.

Dr Singh told the media after the talks that India and China have agreed to maintain peace and tranquility at the borders till all the issues are resolved peacefully. Dr. Singh said that he conveyed to Premier Li New Delhi's commitment to visa simplification to facilitate travel of Chinese nationals to India and expressed  the hope that China will also facilitate such exchanges. The Prime Minister said that he and the Chinese Premier have decided to base the  Indo-Chinese relations fully realising the potential of a fruitful partnership.

Later the Foreign Secretary Sujata Singh told media about the outcome of the meeting A joint statement issued this evening said that the two countries agreed on a vision for future development of their strategic and cooperative partnership. Our correspondent covering the Prime Minister visit gives an update.

The outcome of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s today’s discussions with Chinese leaders is being considered very productive and useful. The two most important issues relating to borders and trans-border Rivers, which are the main irritants in India-China relations were addressed to a large extent. The other issues like trade imbalance were also discussed at length. Underlining the achievements of Prime Minister’s Beijing visit, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia made a special mention of MoUs and agreements on river waters and transport. Prime Minister had a very busy schedule throughout the day. In the evening, he discussed bilateral, regional and international issues with the Chinese President Xi Jinping. Mr. Jinping underlined the need to take the partnership between the two countries to a new level. Tomorrow, on the last day of his visit, Dr. Manmohan Singh will address the future leaders of the Communist Party of China at Central Party School in Beijing. Before departure in the afternoon, he will also meet former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.With Sunil Shukla, Sant Bahadur, AIR News, Beijing.

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Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today said India would be giving a befitting reply against unprovoked acts from across the border. The statement came in the wake of repeated  ceasefire violation  along the Line of Control  in Jammu and Kashmir by the Pakistani forces. Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Mr. Shinde said that additional BSF troops are being rushed to  man the International Border   in the state.  Asked about the infiltration attempts, he  said, there are rivers and rivulets which are tough to fence but he has  discussed possible solutions.

Minister of State for Home Affairs R P N Singh termed the ceasefire violation at  the border as unfortunate saying such  type of incidents should be stopped.

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Reiterating his continuous advocacy for peace and tranquillity between India and Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah has said that wars have never solved any problem but only  caused destruction and miseries.  Expressing serious concern over the violation of ceasefire and shelling by Pakistan at Line of Control  and International Border, Omar said that he would continue to stress on the Union Government to take up this matter with Pakistan and resolve the issue so that peace rules the roost on borders and on the Line of Actual Control. 

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The Defence Ministry has issued final show cause notice to Anglo-Italian firm AgustaWestland for cancelling its contract  for violating the terms in connection with supplying of VVIP choppers.  The 3,600 crore rupeescontract was for supplying 12 choppers to the Air Force. Official Sources said, the firm has been given 21 days to file its reply to the final warning.

The Government has already frozen the contract for supply of VVIP choppers to the Indian Air Force after allegations of bribing came up in which two top officials of the company were accused. Indian Air Force has already received three helicopters and delivery of the rest has been put on hold.

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CBI today registered eight more preliminary enquiries,  in connection with issues related to intercepted phone calls of lobbyist Nira Radia against former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and others in separate cases. A preliminary enquiry looking into alleged irregularities in the allotment of iron ore mines at Ankua, Singhbhum district of Jharkhand to Tata steel has been initiated by the CBI. A preliminary enquiry also been registered against the Director General of Hydrocarbons V K Sibal, RIL and other unknown persons. Another preliminary enquiry has been initiated against Radia into the alleged market manipulation and hammering of stocks of Unitech.

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The Home Ministry has sought the opinion of Maharashtra Government on reducing sentence of Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt and two other convicts in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts. The move came after Press Council of India Chief Justice (Retd.) Markandey Katju petitioned President Pranab Mukherjee seeking relief for the actor and two others, including a 70 year-old woman, on humanitarian grounds.

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The Election Commission of India (ECI) has rescheduled the poll date for Assembly Elections  in Mizoram. Now, the polling will  be held on 25th of next month  instead of 4th December as announced earlier. In a statement, the Commission said, the counting will be held on 9th December in place of 8th December.  With the new schedule, the notification will  be issued on 1st  of next  month and candidates can file their nominations till 8th November. 

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Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has said that Congress will include peoples opinion in party manifesto. Addressing an election rally in Kherli in Alwar district of Rajasthan, he said that views of youth, women and the commonman will be included in the manifesto of forthcoming elections. Rahul alleged the opposition for spreading communal feelings and hatred among people for their political interests. He said that Congress is committed to empower the commonman and overall all development of the country.

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Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has announced an ex-gratia  of two lakh rupees each to the next of the kin of those who lost their lives in the stampede incident at  Ratangarh temple in Madhya Pradesh.  Dr. Singh  also sanctioned 50 thousand rupees each to  the seriously injured persons from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund. The ex-gratia has been sanctioned after the clearance from Election Commission of India as model code of conduct is in force in the state. 

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Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan met Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde  in New Delhi today.  The meeting comes in the backdrop of the center's decision to bifurcate the state.  Talking to reporters after the meeting,  Narasimhan, however, termed the meeting as a courtesy call.

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The Union agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar  expects onion prices to stabilise after a couple of weeks. Speaking on the sidelines of a national conference on Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Bangalore today, the Union Minister disclosed that Government will authorise NAFED to import onions from China or Egypt where prices are lower, if the domestic prices of onions remain high. He however hoped that procurement of onions from domestic market will improve after a couple of weeks.

There is excessive area under onion in many onion producing states but it is at initial stage. It will take at least three weeks to four week to mature and come to the market.

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In view of the rising  onion prices, the government today relaxed norms for import of onion by allowing their fumigation of the kitchen staple in the country without imposing any penalty. An official release said, the government has relaxed the  conditions for import of onions till 30th of next month.

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THE BUSINESS WORLD

The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange fell 97 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 20,768, on profit-booking by investors, amid weak global markets, today. The Nifty lost 24 points, to 6,178.The rupee ended 6 paise stronger, at 61.59 against the dollar. Gold surged 305 rupees, to 31,930 rupees per ten grams in Delhi. Silver zoomed 1,190 rupees, to 50,200 rupees per kilo.Pradeep Kumar, AIR News.

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The Centre has asked  States and Union Territories to adopt modern technologies in their transport systems for the facilitation of general public, transporters and transport department. Addressing the 35th Transport Development Council meeting in New Delhi today, Road Transport and Highways Minister Oscar Fernandes focused on rationalisation of taxation on motor vehicles. The Minister said  the issue should be resolved for the seamless movement of vehicles across the country. 

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A workshop for Part Time correspondents (PTCs) of All India Radio was organized in Raipur today. The Part Time Correspondents from different districts in Chhattisgarh participated in the workshop. The Joint Chief Electoral Officer Dr. KRR Singh, Additional Director General of News Services Division in All India Radio Mrs. Veena Jain, former state Election Commissioner  Dr. Sushil Trivedi and several other experts spoke in this workshop on effective election coverage. The speakers also discussed various points related to the Model Code of Conduct for the Election, Voters’ Awareness Programme -SVEEP and issues regarding Paid News.

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The fourth Cricket One-Dayer between India and Australia at Ranchi has been called off due to rain.   The Day-Night fixture was interrupted by rain when India were 27 for no loss in 4.1 overs while chasing a target of 296 runs.  Put in to bat, the visitors had made 295 for 8 in their fifty overs. 

 Australia continue to lead the seven-match series Two-One.  The fifth match will be played at Cuttack on Saturday.

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The News Services Division of All India Radio in its weekly  “Charcha Ka Vishay Hai” programme tonight will bring you a discussion on "Doshi saansado ki sadasyata samapti aur chunnav sudhaar".   

This can be heard on Indraprastha, FM Gold channels and additional frequencies from 9.30 p.m.