Today : 28th July 2010
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Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to be inaugurated today
After several missed deadlines, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main venue for the October 3-14 Commonwealth Games, is finally ready to be inaugurated by Sports Minister M S Gill. Constructed during the 1982 Asian Games, the remodeling of the stadium started in January 2008 and was supposed to be complete early this year but the Rs 961 crore project got delayed umpteen times because of the construction of a tunnel.
Dikshit for wider debate on FDI in multi-brand retail
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Saturday sought a wider debate on whether to open up Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail before a final decision is taken by the Centre on the issue.
Dikshit, speaking at the National Development Council meet here, said a large number of people of India earn their livelihood from retail activities and impact of opening up the sector to FDI on domestic retailers will have to be examined.
Amin, Amit Shah spoke 32 times in week before Sohrab killing
A day after he was arrested for murder and conspiracy in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's close associate Amit Shah suffered a serious setback with two policemen agreeing to help CBI nail him. Former DSP N K Amin, a co-accused in the case who fell out with Shah and is believed to have loads of information which could be dangerous for the former Gujarat home minister, told the CBI court of his decision to turn approver.
NDA may stall Parliament over price rise issue
Parliament is set to witness a noisy session on Tuesday with NDA-led Opposition indicating it would not settle for anything less than an adjournment motion and voting on the issue of price rise, while the government wants only a short duration discussion on the matter. "At a meeting of NDA floor leaders it was decided that we will bring an adjournment motion on price rise in the Lok Sabha.
Polling for Andhra Pradesh bypoll begins
Polling for 12 assembly constituencies in Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh, where byelections were necessitated following the resignation of sitting MLAs in support of the separate statehood demand, began at 0700 hours today. For the first time after 1998, ballot papers staged a comeback in the bypolls.
PM rejects BJP charge of govt misusing CBI in Sohrabuddin case
Rejecting BJP charge of govt misusing CBI in the Sohrabuddin case, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed the hope that Parliament will function smoothly and discuss important national issues.
Former Goa minister Pacheco gets bail in Nadia death case
Former Goa Tourism Minister Micky Pacheco was granted bail on Monday by a local court in connection with the Nadia Torrado death case. Margao District and Sessions Judge B P Deshpande granted bail to Pacheco, who was admitted to a hospital in Panaji on Sunday evening after he complained of chest pain, on a Rs 25,000 bond and surety of an equal amount.
Steps taken to construct new dam at Mullaperiyar
Kerala Water Resources Minister N K Preamchandran informed the assembly that govt was taking all administrative and legal steps to construct a new dam at Mullaperiyar in place of the 113-year old present structure. Kerala government was of the view that new dam was necessary as any kind of strengthening of the existing dam would not ensure safety of the existing dam, Preamchndran said while replying to a calling attention of Roshy Augustine on Monday.
Nitish orders arrest of his party leader
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today ordered immediate arrest of Vaishali district JD-U General Secretary Sambhu Saran Yadav for alleged barbaric assault of a youth at a village in Katahara in Bihar's Vaishali district. Director General of Police, Neelmani told PTI tonight that Chief minister has asked him to ensure immediate arrest of Yadav.
States should have greater say in development schemes: Nitish
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday accused the Centre of encroaching on states' autonomy in financial matters and demanded a change in the pattern of five year plans so that states have a greater say in implementing development schemes. Kumar also demanded special category status for Bihar, citing its need for massive investment for development and reach the national per capita income level.
CBI ignoring Andhra Pradesh angle in Sohrabuddin case: BJP
BJP on Sunday accused the CBI of working in a partisan manner by targeting Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, where it has governments, and ignoring the Andhra Pradesh angle in the Sohrabuddin case as the Congress is in power in that state. "Sohrabuddin Sheikh was a terrorist from whose premises in Indore nearly 300 AK-47s were recovered. He used to operate an inter-state gang.
Haryana to give cash award to gallantry awardees
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on day said his government will give one time cash award to the War Time and Peace Time Gallantry Awardees of the personnel of the Para Military Forces and police with effect from January one, 2006. Hooda said Ashok Chakra winners would be given Rs 17 lakh, Kirti Chakra winners Rs 10 lakh, Shaurya Chakra awardees Rs 7 lakh, Sena Medal (Gallantry) Rs 3.50 lakh and Police Medal (Gallantry) winners Rs 1.50 lakh as cash award.
Hooda announces Rs 12.67 Cr package for flood-hit farmers
Haryana government today announced a package of Rs 12.67 crore to provide succour to the flood-ravaged farmers in the state. The package includes subsidized seeds of various kharif and vegtables crops. Making the announcement today, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said under the package 75 per cent subsidy will be given on the seeds of Basmati varieties such as CSR-30, HBC-19, PB-1, PRH-10 and PUSA-1121 to the flood-hit farmers so that they might raise fresh nurseries of paddy wherever feasible or for direct seeding of these basmati varieties.
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Yesterday : 27th July 2010
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Amit Shah arrested, jailed in Sohrabuddin case
Former Gujarat minister Amit Shah was on Sunday arrested by CBI in Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case and sent to jail shortly after he made a dramatic appearance at a BJP briefing. 46-year-old Shah, who resigned from the Modi government on Saturday following a charge sheet being filed against him, turned up at the BJP office in Ahmedabad, where he denied all the charges against him.
After Shah, now Modi's turn to face questions: Congress
The party claimed that the BJP was "nervous" with the developments in the Supreme Court-monitored probe in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case and hence using pressure tactics to block the probe.
CBI is not `Congress bureau of investigation`: PM
The CBI is not the "Congress bureau of investigation", PM said, refuting the BJP`s allegations of conspiracy behind the arrest of Amit Shah.
Train tragedies: Mamata on the backfoot
TMC chief Mamata Banerjee’s stint as Union Railway Minister in the past one year has been extremely disappointing. Frequent train disasters have badly tarnished Mamata’s pro-people’s image since Railways are the lifeline of India and the common man’s means of transportation. After General Elections, Mamata’s induction in the UPA-II as Railways Minister was welcomed amid hopes that the firebrand politician will revive the fortunes of Indian Railways and rescue it from the gimmickry of her predecessor Lalu Yadav.
'Disastrous policies of Karat led to 2009 debacle’
In a blistering attack on CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat, former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has said "disastrous" policies and "misguided" actions of the "current" leadership had resulted in the major debacle in the 2009 general elections. 81-year-old Chatterjee, a 10-time MP who was expelled by the CPI-M in July, 2008 after he refused to abide by the party directive to resign as Lok Sabha Speaker, said Karat's "ignorance and intolerance" was demonstrated when he was summarily shown the door without a showcause notice.
'Tired' PM Manmohan Singh skips leaders' meeting
Prime Minister Manmnohan Singh on Sunday skipped a meeting of leaders of political parties on the eve of Parliament's monsoon session, with Speaker Meira Kumar saying that he could not attend it due to "ill health". However, the Prime Minister's Office said Singh, 77, was only tired after attending the day-long meeting of the National Development Council yesterday.
CPI-M killing TMC workers, blaming Maoists: Mamata
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Sunday accused the CPI-M of killing her party workers and then putting up posters blaming the Maoists for the crime. Stating that she did not support killings by Maoists and was against the politics of blood, Mamata alleged that the CPI-M put the blame on Maoists after killing her party workers like what it did at Sankrail in West Midnapore district Saturday night.
Health Ministry spent Rs 94 lac on snacks in 2 yrs
The Union Health Ministry has spent over Rs 94 lakh on snacks and bottled water during last two years, nearly eight times more than the expenses of Prime Minister's Office under the same heads. The PMO has spent about Rs 11.77 lakh on refreshment during the 2008-09 and 2009-10, reveals an RTI reply.
Cong, TRS bigwigs in fray for AP bypolls
Andhra Pradesh Congress President D Srinivas, TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao's son K T Rama Rao and popular Telugu comedian Babu Mohan are among the prominent candidates who are in the fray for bypolls to 12 Assembly seats in Telangana region to be held on Tuesday. Stakes are high for Srinivas, who is trying his luck from his traditional Nizambabad Urban constituency, as he had lost last year's Assembly election and his win in the current bypolls will boost his political career.
BJP holds protest rally in A'dabad
Protesting the arrest of former minister Amit Shah, the State BJP on Sunday held a mute rally here, where hundreds of party workers marched with black cloth around their mouth, amid heavy rains. Senior leaders of the party including party president R C Faldu and MLAs from the city participated in the rally where there was no slogan shouting against the CBI or the Congress. But the partyworkers carried banners with anti-CBI and anti-Congress slogans.
Campaign for Andhra Pradesh bypolls ends
Curtains came down on Sunday on campaign for by-elections to the 12 Assembly constituencies in Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on Tuesday. The campaign has ended at 5 pm, so the contesting candidates should not organise any public meetings any more, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) I V Subba Rao said.
Dikshit for wider debate on FDI in multi-brand retail
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Saturday sought a wider debate on whether to open up Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail before a final decision is taken by the Centre on the issue. Dikshit, speaking at the National Development Council meet here, said a large number of people of India earn their livelihood from retail activities and impact of opening up the sector to FDI on domestic retailers will have to be examined.
1984 riots: CBI seeks dismissal of case against Jagdish Tytler
CBI on Saturday told a Delhi court that there was no sufficient evidence against former Union Minister Jagdish Tytler in a 1984 anti-Sikh riot case. Pleading for dismissal of a petition filed by the family of the riots victim against the closure of case against Tytler, the investigating agency said that there is no evidence to prosecute the Congress leader in the case.