0815 HRS.

29.11.2013

THE HEADLINES:

• Cabinet extends order restraining traders from holding stocks of paddy and rice beyond a limit for one more year; Approves  setting up of Legislative Council in Assam.

•   Non bailable warrant issued against Tarun Tejpal.

• Supreme Court  asks Parliament to frame law for protection of women in Live-in relationship and children born out of it.

• Campaigning for assembly elections in Rajasthan to end this evening; Polling on the 1st of December.

• Nepali Congress emerges as largest party in Constituent Assembly polls in Nepal.

•  Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar appointed UNICEF's first brand ambassador for South Asian region.

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The Union Cabinet has approved the  proposal to extend the order restraining traders from holding stocks of paddy and rice beyond a limit for one more year. The validity of stock holding limits order on paddy and rice, which have been extended regularly, will expire in the current month. Sources said that the move aims at checking hoarding and containing price rise.

The Cabinet also approved a  proposal to set up Legislative Council in Assam. The state  had an Upper House which was abolished after Independence. It was a long-pending demand of various political parties of the state.

The Union Cabinet also gave its nod for extension of financial assistance to Kolkata Port Trust to meet the dredging expenditure incurred by the trust  for maintenance of the river and channel.

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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA has approved mandatory packaging of 90 percent of the production of foodgrains and 20 percent of the production of sugar in the jute packaging material for the year 2013-14 with some exemptions. The approval will provide relief to 3.7 lakh workers employed in jute mills and ancillary units as well as support the livelihood of around 40 lakh families.

The CCEA has also approved amendments to the scheme for Financial Restructuring of State distribution companies which had been approved last year to enable the financial turnaround of the State distribution companies for their long term a viability. Utilities of Jharkhand, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh were facing financial difficulties and were keen to participate in the scheme. The scheme will help improve the financial health of distribution utilities to enable them to procure more electricity for meeting growing demand.

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A Goa court has issued non-bailable arrest warrant against former Tehelka Editor-in-Chief Tarun Tejpal, accused of sexually assaulting a journalist. Police approached the Judicial Magistrate last evening with the request in this regard after Tejpal failed to appear before them by 3 p.m. despite being summoned.  Deputy Inspector General of Police, O.P. Mishra said that the Investigating Officer has not accepted Tejpal's request for extension of time.

"Keeping in view the seriousness of the offence, the investigating officer has not accepted the request for extension and she is further proceeding in this case as per law."

Three hours ahead of the deadline, Tejpal had sent a fax message, seeking exemption from appearance till Saturday on a plea that he needed time to travel to Goa.

"With rejection of a request for extension of time limit for appearing before the Police and issuance of a non bailable warrant, Tejpal’s arrest has become imminent. It is learnt that Mr. Tejpal is planning to move a bail application in a session’s court in Goa. It is likely to be moved this  morning before a single-judge Bench. According to legal sources, Mr. Tejpal may also move a plea for transfer of the case out of Goa. Balaji Prabhugaonker, AIR News Panaji."

Meanwhile, a team of Goa police along with Crime Branch personnel of Delhi Police today raided the Tejpal's residence in South Delhi.

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The tripartite talks between the Centre and the Assam Government with the Ranjan Daimary faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland will be held today in Guwahati. State Home Secretary G D Tripathi said that if everything goes according to plan, the Suspension of Operation treaty will be signed today. Our correspondent reports that senior officials of the Union Home Ministry will attend the talk.

       

"Formed in 1986 as erstwhile Bodo Security Force, the militant outfit has been involved in several subversive activities in Assam. The leader of the outfit, Ranjan Daimary is one of the accused of serial blasts that killed around 100 people in 2008. He was arrested in 2010 and after that Centre’s interlocutor P. C. Halder has started negotiations. The Assam Home Secretary said that all the cadres of the outfit will have to stay in designated camps and government will provide them monthly stipend. The treaty is likely to bring peace in parts of state and also enable the security forces to undertake all out operations against the Sangbijit faction of the outfit. Manas Pratim Sarma/AIR News/Guwahati."

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The Supreme Court has asked Parliament to frame law for protection of women in Live-in relationship and children born out of it. It held that Live-in relationship is neither a crime nor a sin. The apex court said unfortunately, there is no express statutory provision to regulate live-in relationships upon termination as these relationships are not in the nature of marriage and not recognised in law. The apex court said a legislation is required as it was the woman who invariably suffers because of breakdown of such relationships.

In the landmark judgement, a bench headed by Justice K S Radhakrishnan framed guidelines for bringing live-in relationship within the expression 'relationship in the nature of marriage' for protection of women from Domestic Violence Act.

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Nepali Congress has emerged as the largest party in the  Constituent Assembly polls having topped in both the direct and proportionate voting systems. The Nepali Congress has bagged 105 seats out of the 240 seats followed by CPN-UML, which grabbed 91 seats. UCPN-Maoist got third position with 26 seats.  The political parties are now officially in talks for the formation of the next government and the CPN-UML has asked the Nepali Congress to take the lead.

"The counting of the votes for the second Constituent Assembly elections have concluded with the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML securing their top positions. Rashtriya Prajantra Party-Nepal which had failed to secure even a single seat in the direct voting emerged as the fourth largest party with more than six lakh votes. The Election Commission is yet to decide on the threshold limit for allocating the seat to the political parties where more than 30 parties are likely to be represented in the 601 Constituent assembly. The political parties are now officially in talks for the formation of the next government with the CPN-UML asking the Nepali Congress to take the lead. Jane Namchu, AIR News, Kathmandu."

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India will become the third-biggest economy in the world by 2030. Stating this at the convocation of the 125th course of the National Defence Academy in Pune, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia yesterday said that by the year 2030, China will be number one, the US will be number two and India will be the third-largest GDP in the world.

India, with a GDP of  1.84 trillion US Dollars, was ranked the 10th-largest economy in 2012, according to the World Bank.

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Campaigning for the Rajasthan Assembly elections scheduled on 1st of December will conclude today. Our correspondent reports that top leaders from both the national parties, Congress and BJP, have been campaigning hard in the state since 15 days. Senior leaders of both the parties will address election meetings in the state today.

For BJP candidates, Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi will address 3 election meetings in Sumerpur,Pokran and Jodhpur. Congress will conclude its election campaign with meetings addressed by party leader Gulam Nabi Azad,  Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

In Delhi, political parties are striving to do their best to woo the voters as only three days remain for campaigning.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission, EC has put all parties on notice and warned of action for repeated use of intemperate and abusive language while campaigning. The EC,  in its advisory to all political parties, said that  any repeated violations of the Model Code of Conduct may invite action against the defaulting parties. The EC expressed serious concern at the progressively plummeting levels of political discourse witnessed during the ongoing election campaign.

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The Bombay Stock Exchange has announced the launch of Institutional Trading Platform for listing of start-ups and Small and Medium Enterprises,. In a circular, BSE said that the platform will help SMEs and start-ups raise capital from the securities market during their early stages of growth.

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The depression over coastal Andhra Pradesh has weakened further and become a well marked low pressure area over coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining Telangana. Under its influence, light to moderate rainfall at many places would occur over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Yanam district of Puducherry during the next 12 hours.

"The Andhra Pradesh State administration heaved a sigh of relief as Lehar, has rapidly weakened in a few hours without causing any damage as expected of a cyclonic storm.  The system crossed the coast near Machilipatnam around 2 p.m. as deep depression yesterday. The farmers were relieved, as they are still counting their losses caused by last week’s cyclone ‘Helen’.  The Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy reviewed the situation with senior officials and told them to expedite the enumeration of losses caused to farmers. Fishermen were cautioned against venturing into the sea for the next 12 hours as the sea condition would be very rough. Henry, AIR News, Visakhapatnam."

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India’s recently-retired batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has become UNICEF's first brand ambassador for South Asia. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai yesterday, Sachin said that he is all set to work for promoting hygiene and sanitation in the region.

"Thank you very much for allowing me to start this wonderful 2nd innings of my life. I am looking forward to be an ambassador for UNICEF and serve to the best of my ability. This is an innings that is really really important to me. So, I will try my best."

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NEWSPAPER HEADLINES

• In an exclusive, the Mail Today writes that the bhai-bhai days may soon be reborn in bye-bye avatar along the India China border. Foreign Ministry documents on border negotiations reveal that India has signalled its readiness on letting its Aksai Chin region remain in Chinese hands in exchange for recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as part of India's territory.

•  According to the Hindu, an internal analysis in the Planning Commission shows that India can eliminate the poverty gap by spending just a fraction of its annual anti-poverty budget instead of inaugurating new anti-poverty schemes.

• Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager shot in the head by the Taliban for campaigning for girls education has been named as Britain's most influential Asian by a publication in UK, reports the Hindustan Times.

•  According to the Statesman the Pakistani Taliban have warned their country's media to stop praising Sachin Tendulkar, who retired from cricket after 24 year of glorious innings as it was against Pakistani nationalism and against loyalty to the country.

•  The Hindustan Times on its front page under the headline "Sheila opens door to AAP, shuts it" writes that hours after she hinted at a possible post poll alliance with the debutant Aam Aadmi party, Delhi's Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said that the Congress would win a fourth consecutive term on its own even as she ruled out a tie-up.

•  India is planning a new tiger sanctuary inside the Sundarbans, a forest that straddles West Bengals border with Bangladesh, to protect the tigers from poachers and try to boost their numbers reports the Asian Age.

• The Tribune on its front page has shown a photograph a Sarabjit Singh's family break down, as they look at his belongings received from Pakistan, at Bhikhiwind, near Amritsar.

•  According to the Pioneer NASA is planning to grow turnips and basil on Moon by 2015, to understand whether humans can live and work on the earth's natural satellite.