Daily Excelsior: October 2016

MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan today accused India of killing four civilians and wounding six others in cross-border fire, amid heightened tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals.

The incident occurred near the border dividing Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan’s Punjab province, Pakistani officials said.

“At least four people including a woman were killed and six others were injured when Indian troops opened fire across the border in Nakyal sector,” local official Zeeshan Nisar told AFP.

Nakyal lies on the Line of Control.

He said the cross-border firing started at 8:00 am and continued through Monday with no break.

Adnan Khursheed, another local official, confirmed the firing and casualties. (AGENCIES)

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J&K DGP visits border areas

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Indo-Nepal joint Military exercise ‘Surya Kiran-X’ begins

NEW DELHI: To enhance defence co-operation relations with Nepal, an Indo-Nepal joint Military exercise ‘Surya Kiran-X’ commenced today at Army Battle School in Himalayan nation today.

The aim of this exercise is to conduct battalion level joint training with emphasis on Counter Terrorism in mountainous terrain. Aspects of Disaster Management have also been included in the exercise. It is the tenth in the series of such exercise between the two nations which would last for 14 days starting from today.

It is an ideal platform for the contingent of both nations to share their experience for a mutual gain. The Exercise would be yet another step towards taking traditional friendship between the two nations to greater heights.

The Surya Kiran series of exercises are being conducted annually, alternatively in Nepal and India, is the largest in terms of troop’s participation. This exercise is being conducted by India with other countries as well.

In this exercise, Indian Army is represented by the elite Kumaon Regt, while Jabar Jung Battalion of Nepal Army is participating in this edition of the joint exercise on behalf of Nepal Army. (AGENCIES)

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6.54 crore Indians never attended school: Census

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Elderly woman, soldier killed in Pak shelling

JAMMU: An elderly woman and a soldier were killed and a girl and two armymen were injured today in cross-LoC shelling and firing by Pakistani troops in Poonch and Rajouri districts.

The woman identified as 60-year-old Rasheeda Bi was killed while her 22-year-old daughter Najma was injured in Pakistani shelling on Goulad village of Mendhar in Poonch district, police said.

A soldier Rifleman Bimal Tamang, aged 20, was killed in Pakistani shelling in Rajouri sector along the Line of Control (LoC), army said.

“Ceasefire violations in Rajouri sector being retaliated with massive fire assault,” spokesman of the Army’s Northern Command said. (AGENCIES)

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India, China commit to enhance cordial relations at BPM in Ladakh

JAMMU: Indian and Chinese Armies today committed to further enhance cordial relations at a ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting held on the occasion of Diwali at Chushul and Daulat Beg Oldie in Eastern Ladakh of Jammu and Kashmir.

“On the occasion of ‘Diwali’ a ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) was conducted today on the Indian side at Chushul and Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) in Eastern Ladakh,” Col NN Joshi, Defence Spokesperson here today said.

He said that Indian Delegation was led by Brigadier RS Raman and Brigadier Vijayant Yadav and Chinese Delegations by Sr Col Fan Jun and Col Huang Xiua Hu respectively. He said that in addition to exchange of greetings, wishes and vote of thanks, both delegations expressed mutual desire of maintaining and further improving relations at functional level along the LAC. (AGENCIES)

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Govt should talk to students, not torment them: Omar

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Civil Aviation Min awaits Home Min inputs on drones policy

NEW DELHI: After stakeholder consultations, the Civil Aviation Ministry is now awaiting final inputs from the Home Ministry for deciding the regulations on commercial use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including drones.

Aviation regulator DGCA banned the use of UAVs for commercial purposes in October 2014 amid concerns over security. In April 2016, the watchdog came out with draft norms for public consultations but there is yet to be a final decision the issue.

Recently, officials from the Civil Aviation Ministry held discussions with their counterparts in the Home Ministry about the proposed regulations for UAVs, including drones and others.

A senior official said views from the Home Ministry are awaited on the matter.

“We had a meeting with the Home Ministry officials. We have requested for inputs on our proposed policy on drones and expedite the matter. As soon as we get their inputs, we will be putting out the policy on drones,” he said.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in its draft regulations had proposed that drone users would have to secure a permit and a unique identification number for their operations.

In the wake of technological advancements in UAVs over the years and their increased use, it has become necessary to develop guidance material to regulate their activities, according to officials.

There have been growing instances of drones and other UAVs coming into the flight paths of aircraft, especially near busy airports, leading some of these countries to formulate rules to regulate these operations.

“Civilian use of UAS (unmanned aircraft system) includes damage assessment of property and life in areas affected with natural calamities, surveys; critical infrastructure monitoring, among others…

“UA (unmanned aircraft) operations present problems to the regulator in terms of ensuring safety of other users of airspace and persons on the ground,” it had said.

In October 2014, the government had banned the use of UAVs by any non-government agency, organisation or an individual. (AGENCIES)

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SC to hear PIL for making ‘Yoga’ compulsory for students

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court would next week hear a plea seeking framing of a ‘National Yoga Policy’ and making ‘Yoga’ compulsory for students of Class I-VIII across the country.

A bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justices D Y Chandrachud and L Nageswara Rao has agreed to hear on November 7 the PIL that seeks inclusion of Yoga as a compulsory subject in the curriculum on grounds including that its “secular” and right to health was an integral part of right to life.

The plea, filed by Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, a lawyer and Delhi BJP spokesperson, has sought a direction to the Ministry of Human Resources Development, NCERT, NCTE and the CBSE to “provide standard textbooks of ‘Yoga and Health Education’ for students of Class I-VIII keeping in spirit various fundamental rights such as right to life, education and equality.

“‘Right to Health’ is an integral part of Right to Life under the Article 21. It includes protection, prevention and cure of the health and is a minimum requirement to enable a person to live with human dignity.

“State has a obligation to provide health facilities to all the citizens, especially to children and adolescents. In a Welfare State, it is obligation of the State to ensure the creation and sustaining of conditions congenial to good health,” the plea said.

It said that right to health cannot be secured without providing ‘Yoga and Health Education’ to all children or framing a ‘National Yoga Policy’ to promote and propagate it.

“There are about 20 crore children, throughout the country, studying in primary and junior classes at the cost of public exchequer. Yoga should be taught to them as a compulsory subject as per National Curriculum Framework 2005, notified under Section 7(6) of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009…”, it said.

It also sought a direction to the Ministries of Women and Child Development and Social Justice and Empowerment to declare ‘First Sunday’ of every month as ‘Health Day’ on the lines of ‘Polio Day’ to make the people aware about health- hazards and health-hygiene.”

The plea also said that a court at California had held that “yoga is secular”. (AGENCIES)

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Public perception index on corruption in 25 Govt offices soon

NEW DELHI: Soon, one can know about the extent of corruption in government offices, as for the first time the Central Vigilance Commission is coming up with a public perception index to collect opinion about graft in 25 organisations.

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has commissioned a pilot project to Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad to come up with an index for 25 organisations within one year, on the lines of Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International, to know how a department has fared in its reputation among public on corruption and established mechanism to counter such practices.

Twenty-five organisations such as Railways, Coal India etc. Have been chosen for the exercise on the basis of their exposure to direct dealings with general public, Vigilance Commissioner T M Bhasin said.

Addressing a press conference on the launch of Vigilance Awareness Week, Central Vigilance Commissioner K V Chowdary earlier said there was lack of authentic data to ascertain whether corruption has increased or decreased.

He said there is Transparency International’s data but the Commission cannot quote it as it is not an authentic data of Government of India.

“I am not very sure whether there are authentic studies but certainly we trying to bring awareness in people…We are conducting the study to know what is the public perception about a particular organisation,” he said.

Chowdary said this year’s theme will be “Public participation in promoting integrity and eradicating Corruption”.

“There is no point in complaining that country is suffering because of lack of integrity or corrupt practices, when public at large does not resolve that they are not going to be part of corrupt practices. The Commission believes that corruption cannot be a one way traffic,” he said.

The Commissioner said no amount of threat to punish only government servants on corrupt practices can be effective unless general society decides to not be part of offensive against graft.

In its effort to rope in general public in the anti- corruption measures, the Commission has envisaged a concept of ‘Integrity Pledge’ which can be taken up by the citizens and organisations.

Within an hour of its launched today, till 12.30 PM, over 46,500 people had taken up the pledge which has been posted on the web page of Central Vigilance Commission.

Till now, only government officials used to take this pledge on the start of Vigilance Awareness week but from this year a different pledge has been posted for citizens and organisations.

The CVC expects to have one million people taking this pledge by the end of the year. (agencies)

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Terror outfits using Bengal as transit point

KOLKATA: West Bengal with its porous borders has turned into an easy transit point and secure hideout for the agents of terror outfits like Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Pakistani secret service ISI.

“West Bengal’s border is porous and this was used by militant groups to get an entry into the country and spread to other states. This is nothing new. The state has became a safe and secure shelter for them,” a top CID officer said.

Militant outfits like JMB, IS and ISI operatives are recruiting agents and training them here, he added.

A special task force of Kolkata Police had arrested six top JMB militants, including four wanted, in connection with the 2014 Khagragarh blast case, from West Bengal and Assam in September.

“Taking advantage of the unemployment situation, the agents have been recruiting people with ease. These groups also have recruitment cells which look for possible youths either studying in senior schools or looking for job as their possible targets,” the CID official said, adding social networking sites have played crucial roles in this connection.

“Now one can scan through anybody’s profile sitting thousands of kilometres away in another country to choose a possible candidate. Then the message goes to the outfit’s local agent to do the needful to get the person under its umbrella,” he said.

The officer cited the arrest of 18-year-old student of a private polytechnique college in Durgapur in Burdwan district, Ashik Ahmed by NIA for his links to the ISIS in March.

Ashik, who was trying to build an unit of ISIS in West Bengal, was the second youth to be arrested from the state after Mehdi Masroor Biswas, for his links to the Pakistani agency.

A senior officer of Kolkata Police said that the state’s strategic location along the international border and the slack security arrangement at a few places have made such incidents possible through the last decade or more.

In December last year Kolkata Police STF had arrested one labourer, a couple of passport agents, a college student and a bartender for alleged links with ISI.

The arrest of the bartender from the central part of the city had revealed that a network of ISI agents were working in the state, he added.

The officer said, “Specific roles were given to each of these agents by ISI. Some are here to recruit agents, some others to collect information from areas where either the Navy, Army or the Air Force have their base.”

“There are people who smuggle in high quality fake Indian currency notes and spread them here with the aim to devastate the economy,” he said.

Intelligence sources here said JMB and the IS have spread their network in Howrah, and North and South 24 Parganas districts.

“They have set up organisational bases in districts like Murshidabad, Nadia, Burdwan and Birbhum and we are probing whether they have spread into other states like Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya etc,” the officer said.

“The ISI agents first bring outsiders into the country through Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan and help them settle by providing fake passports, fake voter identity cards, Aadhar cards and ration cards,” the CID officer said.

The cultivation of illegal poppy in the state and smuggling it to other parts even across the border to foreign lands has become one of the principal source of funds for terror outfits like ISIS and JMB.

Districts like Malda, Murshidabad, Birbhum, Burdwan and Bankura have seen a spurt in illicit poppy cultivation mainly because of the easy way of producing it, he added. (AGENCIES)

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J&K police to install computer chips in weapons

SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI: With a sudden spurt in incidents of weapon snatching by militants in the Kashmir valley, Jammu and Kashmir police has decided to install computer chips in firearms so these can be traced.

A proposal in this regard was sent by the army, which offered its help in installing computer chips in the weapons, official sources said.

Director General (Law and Order and Coordination) S P Vaid held a meeting with senior officials of South Kashmir recently where the spate of incidents of weapon snatching was discussed.

According to sources, Vaid, who will be taking over as Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police on January one, gave clear instructions that anyone attempting to snatch the weapons from police personnel should be dealt with firmly and, if need be, fire should be opened at them.

Hizbul Mujahideen terror group, which has been recruiting local youths on a large scale, has been engaging in such incidents in the last few months.

As per estimates, nearly 100 firearms have been looted from security forces during the ongoing unrest in the valley which began on July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed.

The weapons snatched from police personnel in 14 such incidents in the last three months included AK-47 assault rifles, INSAS, carbines, Self-Loading Rifles and 303 rifles.

The army has expressed serious displeasure over the rising incidents of weapon snatching in the valley and asked the police force to strengthen itself to foil such attempts. (AGENCIES)

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Govt relaxes norms for overstay beyond official foreign tour

NEW DELHI: Government has relaxed the 50 per cent norm for overstaying abroad after official visit, by allowing bureaucrats to avail a four-day holiday if their official tour is of less than 8 days.

Under the earlier norms, bureaucrats travelling abroad on official tour could seek leave for staying abroad up to 50 per cent of the duration of visit, subject to a maximum of 15 days.

“It has been decided that in case of official visit/tour abroad (including training and excluding study leave) where the period of deputation is less than 8 days, the government official may be granted ex-India leave for a maximum period of 4 days,” said the office memorandum issued by the Department of Expenditure in the Finance Ministry.

The memorandum, however, clarified that in respect of official visit/tour abroad, including training for more than 8 days, the limit of 50 per cent ex-India leave will continue.

It further said, that during ex-India leave the closed holidays, like Saturday, Sunday, etc, may be pre-fixed/ suffixed subject to the condition that no extra financial implications like payment of hotel charges/per-diem allowance are involved.

Earlier this year, the Ministry had said that bureaucrats can go on a maximum four overseas trips in a calendar year, and that Secretaries should undertake such travels only when no one else can be deputed.

Secretaries to government departments had also been barred from travelling abroad during a Parliament session unless absolutely unavoidable. Also, Secretary and the Minister of a department cannot be abroad at the same time.

The foreign travels of bureaucrats have to be authorised by Screening Committee of Secretaries (SCoS). (AGENCIES)

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Govt to release new arhar variety in Jan to boost output

NEW DELHI: The government today said it will release early maturing arhar dal variety in January for commercial cultivation that will help achieve self-sufficiency in pulses over the next three years.

Pulses production in India is lower than the demand of 23-24 million tonne (MT). The output had fallen in the last two years due to the drought which sent the prices through the roof, forcing the government to take several measures to check inflation in pulses.

“We will put this new arhar variety (Pusa 16) for commercial use soon. Once we put for commercial use, certainly it will have great impact,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters after visiting the experimental plot of new arhar variety in the IARI complex here.

He hoped that the new arhar variety will bring benefit to the whole country.

Stating that there has been special concern about pulses in the government in last two years, Jaitley said: “The reason being that it is the main protein in our diet. We are not only the largest producer but also the biggest consumer and importer. So, there is shortage here.”

Addressing the National Unity Day organised by IARI to mark birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, he said: “It has been the endaveour of our government in the last two years to financially incentives pulses cultivation in a manner that production increases and it is evident this year.”

He said Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian has been suggesting that the government incentivise pulses cultivation by higher MSP and bonus.

“Even Agriculture Ministry was pressing for this. We see the result of this and we have seen increase in production. It is evident this year as well,” Jaitley said.

On Pusa 16, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said, “This new variety will be released for commercial cultivation in January and will be available for sowing in the Kharif 2017 season. This will help make the country self-sufficiency in next three years.”

The new variety gets matured in 4 months instead of 6-9 months in case of existing pulses variety. It is a semi-dwarf variety suitable for combine harvesting. Its yield levels are in the range of 15-20 quintals per hectare, which is same as the existing varieties.

Country’s pulses output is estimated to increase to 20 MT in 2016-17 crop year (July-June) on account of good monsoon after two drought years. But the production is still lower than domestic demand of 23-24 MT.

Pulses production fell to 16.47 MT in 2015-16 crop year from 17.15 MT in the previous year.

Recalling Sardar Patel’s contribution, Jaitley said many people thought he was a farmer because he was involved in a peasant movement in Gujarat but, in fact, he was a practising lawyer.

Patel contributed in a big way during the freedom struggle post independence; he was instrumental in consolidation of 550 princely states along with centrally governed provinces despite so many challenges, he said.

Accession of each states had unique challenges and he tried all kind of methods including creating mass revolt against rulers, he said, citing problems faced in accession of some states including Junagarh, Hyderabad, Bhopal.

“Sardar was not given the responsibility of Jammu and Kashmir merged with India. Sardar’s capability in respect of other leaders can be defined by this example,” he said.

“India owes its present geography to the Sardar Patel,” he said, adding that all was done in 2.5 years after Independence before his death. (AGENCIES)

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Modi pays tributes to Indira Gandhi on death anniversary

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Challenges before judiciary will have to be tackled working together: PM

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Nitish announces Rs 11 lakh ex-gratia for martyr’s family

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Naidu expresses concern over burning of schools in Kashmir

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15 Hindu temples in Bangladesh vandalised

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Army soldier killed, 2 women injured in Pak firing in Rajouri

POONCH: An army soldier was today killed and two women were injured when Pakistani troops targeted Indian posts and villages using small arms and mortar shells along the Line of Control (LoC) in the twin frontier districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Ceasefire violations in Rajouri sector are being retaliated with massive fire assault. One army soldier was martyred,” a spokesman of the Army’s Northern Command said.

Two women have also been injured, one of them seriously, in the firing in Poonch sector.

“Two women have been injured. One of them seriously and has been shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC) Jammu,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Poonch J S Johar said.

Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by firing on Indian positions and villages in the twin border districts since early this morning.

“Pakistani troops indulged in unprovoked ceasefire violation from 9 AM in the Balakot sector using 120 mm and 82 mm mortars, automatic and small arms,” an army officer said.

He said the troops were responding to the firing appropriately and befittingly.

Pakistani Army fired and shelled the forward posts and civilian areas along the LoC in Mendhar sector of Poonch district. They also violated ceasefire in several areas of Rajouri district this afternoon, the officer said.

There was firing and mortar bomb shelling in Mankot and Balakote areas along the LoC.

A lull had prevailed along the International Border (IB) since 9 PM yesterday after ceasefire violations by Pakistani Rangers.

They had targeted BSF posts and civilian areas using small arms and mortar shells in continuous ceasefire violations along the IB in Samba, Kathua and Jammu districts, prompting BSF to retaliate.

There have been more that 60 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the LoC and IB in the state since September 29 surgical strikes against terror launch pads by Indian Army in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Eleven people, including three civilians, and eight security personnel were killed and over 40 people, mostly civilians were injured in the incidents.

“There were no reports of any firing last night in the RS Pura sector. Firing took place at one area in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district before 2000 hours,” Deputy Inspector General of BSF (Jammu frontier) Dharmendra Pareek said. (AGENCIES)

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Constraints can’t stand in way of access to justice: CJI

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CBDT asks taxmen to ensure revenue collection targets are met

NEW DELHI: CBDT has asked taxmen to pull up their socks to ensure targeted revenue collection targets are met as the figures till September show a shortfall of an estimated over Rs 14,000 crore.

In a letter written to all the field formations of the Income Tax department, Central Board of Direct Taxes Chairperson Rani Singh Nair has asked regional chiefs to “personally monitor budget collection” work especially in the area of corporate tax and personal income tax.

“The budget collection figures as on September 30, 2016 show growth in net collection of direct taxes of just 8.95 per cent as against the targeted growth of 14.1 per cent for the current fiscal year.

“This gap of about 5 per cent between the current growth rate and the targeted growth rate for the year has resulted in an asking growth rate for the next six months to the tune of almost 19 per cent which will have to be reached in order to achieve the revenue targets,” the CBDT boss said in her recent letter to I-T regional chiefs.

Direct tax collections till September grew about 9 per cent to Rs 3.27 lakh crore even as the government is eyeing and has given a target of Rs 8.47 lakh crore direct tax collection this fiscal to the tax department.

She said while performance in the collection of personal income tax is showing growth of 19.59 per cent up to the second quarter (till September this year) as against the asking rate

of 22.93 per cent, this indicated a “shortfall of Rs 3,871 crore” under this category.

“The advance tax collection of personal income tax shows a figure of Rs 1,38,360 crore as against the collection of Rs 1,15,699 crore up to the second quarter of last financial year,” the Chairperson said adding the current figures of personal income tax are “partly due to advancing of one instalment of advance tax and the TDS collections on account of 7th Pay Commission” remittances.

Therefore, she wrote, the advance tax collection figures of corporate tax up to the second quarter of the current financial year show collection of Rs 1,85,375 crore as compared to Rs 1,80,746 crore collected up to second quarter during last financial year (2015-16).

“This indicated a growth of 2.56 per cent only as against the asking rate of 8.62 per cent, indicating a shortfall of Rs 10,954 crore in the area of corporation (corporate) tax,” she said.

Singh added, under the corporate tax collection head, while some regions in the country have shown growth “much higher” than the asking rates, some other regions have shown a “negative growth or a growth rate much below the asking rate.”

“Economic realities in the country being more or less the same in various regions, such vast oscillations are not justified,” she wrote asking all I-T regional heads to prepare “effective strategies and administrative measures for achieving a healthy growth rate in net collection of direct taxes” as still five months are to go in the current 2016-17 fiscal.

She has directed that a good action plan should be prepared in this regard by Principal Chief Commissioners of the department and the designated CBDT members in-charge of regions should be updated about the same before November 15. (AGENCIES)

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Widespread fear that phones of judges being tapped: Kejriwal

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One Army jawan has lost his life in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Rajouri

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Two motorcyclists killed

JAMMU : Two motorcycle-borne youth died, when their two-wheeler collided with a mini bus in Domana area here, on the city outskirts.
“A motorcycle this morning collided with a mini bus on way from Jammu to Mishriwala, resulting in injuries to the pillion rider,” police here said.
They said the injured were rushed to the hospital, but declared as brought dead.
The deceased were identified as Ajay Choudhary (22) and Sukhivinder Singh (20), both residents of Purkhoo Camp, Jammu.
Police have registered a case and started investigation. (UNI)

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8 SIMI activists who escaped from jail, killed in encounter

BHOPAL : Eight SIMI activists who pulled off a daring prison break and escaped in the wee hours after killing a security guard at the Bhopal Central Jail here, were today hunted down and killed in a police encounter on the city outskirts.
All the eight activists were killed by Bhopal Police at Malikheda on the city outskirts, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Bhupendra Singh said.
Acting on the leads provided by locals, the cops tracked them down to Malikheda, where they were encircled and killed when they tried to challenge the police.
The activists of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India had managed to escape around 2-3 AM after killing a jail security guard and scaling the prison wall with the help of bed sheets, DIG Bhopal Raman Singh said.
The activists were identified as — Amzad, Zakir Hussain Sadiq, Mohammad Salik, Mujeeb Shaikh, Mehbood Guddu, Mohammad Kalid Ahmed, Aqeel and Majid, a police official said.
Soon after the incident, the state government today released their sketches and suspended four officials including Jail Superintendent Akhilesh Tomar. It had also announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh each on the heads of the activists.
This is the second major jail break by operatives of banned SIMI in three years after the sensational escape by seven members of the group from a jail in Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh in 2013.
The Union Home Ministry has sought a detailed report from the Madhya Pradesh government on the jail break whether there was any lapse on the part of the jail administration and the steps taken to check such incidents.
The central security agencies were particularly anxious as four of the seven SIMI activities, who escaped from a jail in Khandwa October 1, 2013, could be arrested only after three years and during the period of their hiding, the militants were involved in multiple incidents of terror and a bank robbery.
While in hiding, the SIMI men were allegedly involved in terror activities in several states including Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
SIMI was banned by the government in 2001. (AGENCIES)

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India, China hold ‘constructive talks’ on NSG

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Phones of judges not been tapped: Prasad

ravi-shanker-prasad NEW DELHI : I deny with all authority at command the allegations that phones of judges have been tapped says Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. (agencies)

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Sunday, October 30, 2016

Tributes paid to Indira Gandhi on 32nd death anniversary

NEW DELHI : President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Hamid Ansari today paid floral tributes to Indira Gandhi on her 32nd death anniversary while Rahul Gandhi led a march from 24 Akbar road to 1 Safdarjung road, where the former Prime Minister was assassinated.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was also present at the Indira Memorial, where the Congress Vice President paid tributes to her along with party President Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders.
The dignitaries attended a prayer meeting on the occasion during which no one from the Union government was present, senior leader Anand Sharma said.
Sharma also attacked the Narendra Modi government for “deliberately disrepsecting” the memory and martryrdom of Indira Gandhi, describing her as the “tallest leader, and a popular Prime Minister who gave her life for India.”
Leaders including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sharma, Kumari Selja, Ahmed Patel and Randeep Surjewala covered the one- kilometre-long distance from the Congress headquarters to the memorial with Rahul.
Earlier, the party had cancelled the annual commemoration programme at Shakti Sthal as it continues to remain shut after reporting a number of duck deaths amid the bird flu scare in the city. (AGENCIES)

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Rahul marches to Indira Gandhi’s museum on her death anniversary

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Fresh ceasefire violation by Pak troops in Mendhar sector

POONCH : Fresh ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in Mendhar
sector of Poonch district today says Army. (agencies)

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No Karvan-e-Aman bus due to tension on LoC

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India beat Pakistan 3-2 to reclaim Asian Champions Trophy

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PM Modi pays rich tribute to ‘iron man’ Sardar Patel on his 141st birth anniversar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid rich tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 141st birth anniversary. The day is being celebrated as ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’ (National Unity Day). “I bow to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary. We recall his rich contribution to India,” PM Modi said on his official Twitter handle.

PM Modi also offered floral tributes at Sardar Patel’s statue at Patel Chowk in Delhi’s Parliament Street.

Earlier on Sunday, PM Modi had highlighted the contribution of Vallabhbhai Patel, popularly known as the Iron Man of India, in uniting the country during his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme. The Prime Minister pointed out that Vallabhbhai Patel contributed significantly in strengthening the cooperative movement in the country, adding that the country’s first home minister dedicated himself to the welfare of farmers.

The Prime Minister also paid tribute to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary. While addressing the nation via his popular radio programme, he, however, lamented at the turn of events in the wake of Indira Gandhi’s assassination. “But on Sardar’s birthday, history remembers how Sikh people all over the country faced violence and pain after Indira Gandhi’s assassination,” he had said.

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8 SIMI terrorists flee from Bhopal Central Jail

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Saturday, October 29, 2016

BSF will not exchange sweets with Pakistan Rangers at Attari Wagah border this Diwali

BSF will not exchange sweets with Pakistan Rangers at Attari Wagah border this Diwali: BSF

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Pakistan started firing in Hiranagar & Samba which continue till 0600 AM intermittently. No loss of BSF or civilians on sunday

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PM to address the nation on the radio with “Mann Ki Baat” at 11 AM today

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Army destroys 4 Pak posts in Keran sector

SRINAGAR: Four Pak posts were destroyed in massive fire assault by Indian troops in Keran Sector, said Army officials, adding, heavy casualties were inflicted in the assault.

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Martyr BSF trooper Nitin Koli’s village observes ‘Black Diwali’

SANGLI (MAHARASHTRA): Hearing the sad news of the death of Border Security Force (BSF) trooper Nitin Subhash Koli who was martyred in ambush at Macchil sector in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, a pall of gloom descended on tiny Dudhgaon village in Miraj tehsil of this district today.

In an alleged clear violation of Line of Control in Macchil sector, Pakistani troops fired on a BSF patrolling team in border areas late last night, in which Mr Koli was seriously injured and admitted at a military hospital where he succumbed along with jawan Manjeet Singh of Shikh regiment early this morning.

Martyr Koli had joined BSF as a constable and appointed at Macchil sector in Kupwara recently. As soon as the news of Mr Koli’s death spread in his village, a spontaneous ‘bandh’ was observed from this morning with all business establishments remaining closed and the entire village observed a ‘Black Diwali’ as a mark of respect to the departed son of soil, with villagers taking down the lanterns lit for Diwali festival.

According to police, the body of Martyr Koli will arrive at Dudhgaon from Jammu via Lohgaon-Pune tomorrow evening. (AGENCIES)

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India win by 190 runs over NZ to clinch series 3-2

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Gun holders close to wetlands asked to deposit weapons

SRINAGAR: In order to save the migratory birds from poaching, authorities today directed licensed gun holders in the 5-km radius of famous wetlands including Dal Lake and Hokersar to deposit their weapons with concerned police stations forthwith.

“All the persons holding Arms Licenses and living within the five kilometers of Shallibug, Hokersar wetlands and Dal Lake to deposit their guns in their concerned police stations against a proper receipt,” an official spokesman said citing the order of Additional District Magistrate, Srinagar.

Lakhs of migratory birds from different parts of the world visit the wetlands of Kashmir to avoid severe extreme cold in their native habitat.

The spokesman said the directive followed reports that poachers remain hell bent on killing the winged visitors in the wetlands.

“Government has initiated many steps to safeguard the lives of the guest birds who usually stay in the valley till April ending,” the spokesman said. (AGENCIES)

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Jitendra meets BSF troops in Samba

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Equal pay for equal work applicable to temporary staffers: SC

NEW DELHI: In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court has held that the principal of ‘equal pay for equal work’ has to be made applicable to those engaged as daily wagers, casual and contratual employees who perform the same duties as the regulars.

Terming the denial of equal pay for equal work as “exploitative enslavement”, “oppressive, suppresive” and “coercive”, the apex court said that in a welfare state, the principle has to be extended to temporary employees as well.

“In our considered view, it is fallacious to determine artificial parameters to deny fruits of labour. An employee engaged for the same work, cannot be paid less than another, who performs the same duties and responsibilities. Certainly not, in a welfare state. Such an action besides being demeaning, strikes at the very foundation of human dignity,” a bench of Justice J S Khehar and S A Bobde said.

The bench said “anyone, who is compelled to work at a lesser wage, does not do so voluntarily. He does so to provide food and shelter to his family, at the cost of his self respect and dignity, at the cost of his self worth and at the cost of his integrity”.

“For he knows, that his dependents would suffer immensely, if he does not accept the lesser wage. Any act of paying less wages, as compared to others similarly situated, constitutes an act of exploitative enslavement, emerging out of a domineering position. Undoubtedly, the action is oppressive, suppressive and coercive, as it compels involuntary subjugation,” it said.

Citing Article 7 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966, of which India is a signatory and has ratified it on April 10, 1979, the apex court said “there is no escape from the above obligation”.

It said in view of different constitutional provisions and the law declared by the Court under Article 141 of the Constitution, the principle of ‘equal pay for equal work’ constitutes “a clear and unambiguous right and is vested in every employee, whether engaged on regular or temporary basis”.

The verdict came as some temporary employees of Punjab government approached the apex court after Punjab and Haryana High Court held that temporary employees were not entitled to the minimum of the regular pay-scale, merely for the reason that activities carried on by them and the regular employees were similar.

The apex court directed the Punjab government to pay the petitioners the minimum of the pay-scale (at the lowest grade, in the regular pay-scale), extended to the regular employees holding the same post.

The petitioners were daily wagers working as Pump Operators, Fitters, Helpers, Drivers, Plumbers, Chowkidars.

The court said there is no room for any doubt that the duties and responsibilities discharged by the temporary employees in the present set of appeals were the same as those being discharged by regular employees. (AGENCIES)

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India post 269/6 against New Zealand in final ODI

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Mehbooba hopes for return of peace to J&K

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Slain Colonel’s buddies ensure sweet Diwali for unit jawans

MUMBAI: Classmates of an Army officer from Maharashtra, who laid down his life battling militants near the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district last year, have sent 400 packets of sweets to soldiers in his unit.

Col Santosh Mahadik, the Commanding Officer of 41 Rashtriya Rifles, was critically injured during the operation in the Haji Naka forest area of Kupwara near the LoC in Kashmir in November and succumbed to his injuries at a hospital later.

“The mithai boxes, weighing just over 300 kg, landed at Srinagar airport and are being sent to the 41 Rashtriya Rifles, for distribution among the soldiers the martyr once commanded,” a classmate of Mahadik, involved in this initiative, said.

Col Mahadik was a student of Sainik School, Satara.

“This Diwali, we thought of his comrades in arms, who suffer harsh climes and the enemy from across the border, as well as some within. We thought this would be a nice gesture for soldiers, who spend Diwali away from their families,” he said.

An officer from the elite 21 Para-Special Forces unit, Col Mahadik was awarded a Sena Medal for gallantry during Operation Rhino in the North-East in 2003.

Mahadik’s wife Swati last month joined the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai as part of the SSCW (Non-tech) course for 11 months’ training before she joins the Army as a lieutenant.

An ace football goalkeeper, a skilled horse-rider and a passionate boxer, Mahadik was an all-rounder, his friends recall.

Despite the inhospitable terrain that made the Kupwara operation immensely challenging, the colonel particularly chose to lead his battalion. (AGENCIES)

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Tangdhar martyr cremated with full state honours

DEHRADUN: The mortal remains of rifleman Sandeep Singh Rawat, who died while foiling an infiltration bid along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Tangdhar sector, were consigned to flames today with full state honours in Haridwar.

A host of dignitaries led by Chief Minister Harish Rawat paid tribute to the martyr as his body was flown in here this morning.

“I salute the martyrdom of a brave father’s brave son. Not a day passes these days when a mother does not lose her son for the sake of the nation. All these sacrifices are meant for the nation,” Rawat said after laying a wreath on Sandeep’s body.

Sandeep’s father Harendra Singh Rawat is also an ex servicemen. Sandeep had joined the sixth Garhwal Rifles of the Army only in January last year.

The Chief Minister said the entire country and the state stood by the family of the martyr in this hour of grief.

“I feel it is time to wage a decisive war against terrorism and Pakistan,” Rawat said.

Former chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, state BJP president Ajay Bhatt and the party’s Mahanagar president Umesh Aggarwal also paid tribute to the martyr.

A huge crowd came out in the streets as the coffin wrapped in the national flag carrying Sandeep’s body was being taken to his Navada residence in the city.

The mortal remains of the martyr were then taken to Haridwar for the last rites and consigned to flames after a guard of honour by the police at Kharkhari cremation ground.

Sandeep had sustained bullet injuries on Thursday while foiling an infiltration bid by terrorists near the LoC in Tangdhar. (agencies)

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Rahul asks PM to reassure soldiers ‘in deed’, questions steps

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‘Underground elements’ may get into system: Ex-SC judge Hegde

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Govt insists no abnormal increase in vacancies in high courts

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Mutilated jawan’s body sparks outrage, pall of gloom descends on Haryana village

KURUKSHETRA/JAMMU: The barbaric incident at the LoC in Kashmir in which the body of an Indian army jawan was mutilated after being killed by terrorists, aided by the cover fire by Pakistani Army, sparked an outrage today even as a pall of gloom descended on his native village in Haryana.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh condemned the mutilation of the soldier’s body as “atrocious” while senior Congress leader Manish Tewari called it “depraved behaviour”.

The jawan’s family members demanded that Pakistan be taught a lesson for harbouring terrorists while former Army officers expressed their sadness. His brother Sandeep Singh demanded that the family wanted 10 Pakistani heads for the price of one.

Terrorists, aided by the cover fire by Pakistani Army, last night crossed the Line of Control(LoC) and killed sepoy Mandeep Singh and mutilated his body in Macchil sector of Kupwara district.

The family members of the 30-year-old martyr were inconsolable.

Several women from Aantehri village in Kurukshetra reached the martyr’s house and tried to console Mandeep’s widow. The couple had got married two years ago, family members said. Mandeep’s widow Prerna is a Head Constable with Haryana police and posted at Shahbad Markanda in Kurukshetra.

Mandeep’s father said the Indian army should give a befitting reply to Pakistan.

“It was his duty, he has done it. He sacrificed his life. We should give a befitting reply to Pakistan,” he said, adding that he got the news of his son’s death when army personnel visited him at his home at 1 AM.

Prerna said Pakistan must be taught a lesson for harbouring terrorists.

“Pakistan should be taught a lesson once for all so that no other family of a soldier has to go through such pain,” she said breaking down several times.

She said that Mandeep had come for vacation six months back. “He was supposed to visit home again on Diwali but his leave was cancelled in view of the tension on the border at Machil sector.”

Kurukshetra’s Deputy Commissioner Sumedha Kataria also visited the jawan’s home and offered her condolences.

The martyr’s neighbours described him as a “go getter” who always had a smile on his face.

Subhash, husband of the Sarpanch of the village, said Mandeep was a helpful person who always offered help to anyone who approached him in need.

“There can’t be anything more atrocious than this (on terrorists mutilated the body of a soldier),” Jitendra Singh told reporters in Jammu.

“I am always of the view that the human rights of soldiers should enjoy precedence over human rights of anybody else”, he said.

“These are acts of cowardice and these are happening at the time of desperation of the part of the Pakistan army as well as Islamabad. Indian forces are capable of standing upto this challenge.”

Tewari while condemning the multilation as “absolutely depraved behaviour” said it “violates you as a human being”.

“There are certain rules of engagement and conduct even in a conflict situation. Pakistan is expected to respect the rules of engagement,” he said.

“I am very sad being a soldier. It is a very sad mentality to take your anger on an injured or dead person,” said Maj Gen (retd) B C Khanduri. (AGENCIES)

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Nitish announces Rs 11 lakh ex-gratia for BSF jawan’s family

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Governor greets people on Diwali

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CM greets people on Diwali

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BSF jawan killed while retaliating to Pak ceasefire violation

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India opt to bat in series decider, debut for Yadav

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Senior Ministers express outrage at jawan’s body mutilation on border

NEW DELHI : The incident of mutilation of a Jawan’s body by infiltrators, who crossed over under the cover of Pakistani troops’ unprovoked firing, has angered the Government at the top level, with several senior Ministers denouncing the brutal act.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh warned of a befitting reply by the Armed Forces, saying that the country will not be cowed down by such cowardly acts.
“Our forces are giving a befitting reply and the country will always hold its head high,” he said, reacting to the incident.
Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu slammed Pakistan, saying what it was indulging in, would eventually boomerang on its face.
Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh, who represents Jammu Parliamentary constituency, called the incident as ‘atrocious’.
“There can be nothing more atrocious than this incident. Those who are talking of human rights should know that the human rights of soldiers will always take precedence over those, who commit violence,” he said.
“It is unfortunate that at a time, when we are celebrating Diwali, our soldiers are facing continuous firing on the border. It is because of our troops that we are able to celebrate the festival,” the Minister added. (AGENCIES)

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Espionage case: PA of Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP detained

NEW DELHI : Personal assistant of a Samajwadi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP has been detained by Delhi Police in connection with the espionage racket in which a Pakistan High Commission staffer was expelled from the country and three persons were arrested.
Farhat, the PA of SP’s Rajya Sabha MP Munabbar Saleem, was detained last night, said a senior Crime Branch officer, adding his interrogation is underway.
Delhi Police is also trying to nab other members of the racket who, it believes, were in close contact with Pakistan High Commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar who was caught receiving secret documents here on October 26.
Two others, Maulana Ramzan and Subhash Jangir, residents of Nagaur, Rajasthan, were held along with Akhtar. Another accused Sohaib was detained in Jodhpur and brought to Delhi by the police where he was arrested. (AGENCIES)

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Friday, October 28, 2016

Pak Rangers violate ceasefire in RS Pura, Kathua sectors

KATHUA : Pak Rangers violate ceasefire in RS Pura and Kathua
sectors along International Border in J&K: BSF. (agencies)

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5 dead in a road accident on Mughal Road

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One BSF jawan killed in Machil sector during ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Kupwara district

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BJP MP announces relief for boy killed in Pak firing

JAMMU, Oct 28: BJP MP Jugal Kishore Sharma today announced Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the next of the kin of a young boy killed in shelling from Pakistani side in Gigrial village of Khour block in Chammb area.

“Though the loss of precious life is irreparable and no money on earth can ever bring back the person but still some compensation can prove to be helpful for the bereaved family,” he said.

Sharma, said soon after the killing of the boy, he took up the matter with the Union Home Ministry.

He said the Narendra Modi-led Government at the Centre has already approved compensation of Rs 5 lakh for any civilian killed in cross-border firing and it was n this context that the family of the deceased would be compensated in next few days. (AGENCIES)

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Another school set on fire in Kashmir

SRINAGAR: Unknown persons tonight set on fire a school in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, taking the number of such educational institutions destroyed in arson in the current unrest in the Valley to 20, police said.

Iqra Public School at Dooru Anantnag was set on fire by unknown persons, a police official said, adding the upper storey of the building was destroyed.

He said police and Fire and Emergency Services personnel rushed to the spot and doused the flames.

The total number of educational institutions destroyed in arson since the unrest began in Kashmir in the aftermath of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8, has gone up to 20.

In another incident, unknown persons set on fire a parked vehicle belonging to a worker of the ruling PDP in Habbakadal area of the summer capital here. (AGENCIES)

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Terrorists kill army jawan, mutilate his body

SRINAGAR: An army jawan was today killed in an encounter with terrorists who later mutilated his body near the Line of Control (LoC) in Macchil sector of Kupwara district of Kashmir.

One militant was also killed in the gunbattle, army said here tonight.

“In an encounter close to the Line of Control this evening, one solider was martyred and one terrorist was killed. The terrorists mutilated the body of the jawan before fleeing back into Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir under the cover of firing by Pakistan Army,” an army spokesman said. (AGENCIES)

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Cong expresses concern over 111 day curfew in Kashmir valley

NEW DELHI: Congress today expressed concern over the 111 day curfew in the Kashmir valley and burning of 25 schools and asked the Government whether it has any roadmap to bring normalcy.

“Does the Government have a policy, does the Government have a way out, does the Government have a solution, and does the Government have a Roadmap or a Plan. Nation has waited for over 3-4 months, how much longer will the Nation wait?”, party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

On the question of ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Singhvi said the party sees it with great alarm and regret and seriousness, as Pakistan is not going to change.

Singhvi also took a dig at the Government over the World Bank Report which showed that the ranking of India in the Ease of Doing Business has not changed despite its claims of vast improvement. (AGENCIES)

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Indian blind cricket team plans friendly match in J&K

BENGALURU: In an initiative to foster peace and harmony in Jammu and Kashmir, the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) plans to hold a friendly match in November there as a precursor to the T20 World Cup Cricket (for the blind) scheduled in January in the country.

The announcement was made today by CABI President Mahantesh G K after the Indian blind cricket team, which has won several international tournaments, including the recent T-20 Asia Cup Tournament, was felicitated by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, in New Delhi today.

“I urge the Government of India to consider our proposal to organise a match in Jammu & Kashmir. We will organise the match at a place convenient to the J&K Government through its sports council. This match will be a huge morale booster for the youths of that state apart from expressing our solidarity with the Indian Armed Forces and the people of J&K,” Mahantesh said.

He said CABI will involve representatives of the Government, Indian Armed Forces, people’s representatives and the youths of J&K in the cricket matches. (AGENCIES)

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PM to celebrate Diwali with ITBP men along China border

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Govt orders change in school timings in Kashmir

SRINAGAR: The authorities in Jammu and Kashmir today announced change in school timing in Kashmir from the next month even as all educational institutions remained closed for nearly four months owing to the ongoing stir triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July.

“It is hereby ordered that new school timings, both in respect of Government as well as recognised private schools, within the municipal limits of Srinagar city, shall be from 10 AM to 3 PM and outside Srinagar Municipal limits from 11 AM to 4 PM with effect from November 1,” an official spokesman said, quoting the Director of School Education, Kashmir division.

“The instructions shall be adhered to strictly by all the instuitions concerned,” the spokesman said.

Schools in the Valley went on a two-week summer holiday on July 1 but could not resume functioning due to the unrest which was triggered by the killing of Burhan along with his two associates in an encounter with security forces in a village in Kokernag area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on July 8. (AGENCIES)

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Inter-State Council reconstituted with PM as head

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BSF pays tributes to head constable killed in Pak firing

JAMMU: The Border Security Force (BSF) today paid tributes to head constable Jitendra Singh who was killed in Pakistani firing.

Singh was killed in heavy firing from across the border on October 27.

He was the third BSF jawan to be killed in firing and shelling by Pakistani Rangers in the past few days. Head constable Sushil Kumar was killed on October 24. Constable Gurnam Singh, who foiled an infiltration bid by heavily armed militants in Bobiya area of Kathua district, was injured on Friday in a sniper attack and died on Saturday night.

A wreath-laying ceremony was organised for Jitendra Singh at the Jammu frontier camp of BSF at Paloura.

BSF ADG (Western Command) Arun Kumar, BSF IG (Jammu) D K Upadhayay and CRPF IG Pankaj Kumar were among those who paid floral tribute to the martyr on this occasion. (AGENCIES)

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In a first, Govt-run mobile app to tell you about appointments

NEW DELHI: From top level appointments in Government to other key orders from the Personnel Ministry, all these things will now be available to people on a first-of-its-kind mobile application developed by the Centre.

Besides these, over 4,900 IAS officers working across the country will be able to access details of their Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APAR), Immovable Property Returns (IPR), postings, domestic and foreign training, among others, at their finger tip.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh today launched the mobile app–Employees Online (EO)– at a function attended by Bhaskar Khulbe, Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, B P Sharma, Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and Rajiv Kumar, Establishment Officer, among others.

“The application is one more step towards transparency and e-governance. It will also check on the number of repeated RTI applications filed by citizens to seek governance-related information as most of the details will be put online for public in a real-time basis,” said Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. (AGENCIES)

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Over 5,500 cops, security personnel killed in 25 years in J&K

UDHAMPUR: Over 5,500 police and central security forces personnel have been killed while on duty in Jammu and Kashmir ever since armed insurgency broke out in the State 25 years ago, a senior police officer said here today.

“Jammu and Kashmir Police played a pivotal role in fighting terrorism and bringing back normalcy in the State by giving numerous sacrifices.

“More than 1,595 officers and jawans of J&K Police, SPOs, VDC members and 4,016 officers and men of central security forces have laid down their lives on the alter of duty protecting lives and property of the people and upholding the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the nation,” Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra Kumar said. (AGENCIES)

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Time proved Nehru wrong even in his lifetime: Jitendra

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Sharad Kumar get second extension of one year as NIA chief

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Services post 477, J&K reach 96-1 on day 2

JAIPUR: Parvez Rasool returned with a five-wicket haul but Services still managed to post a massive 477 in their first innings on the second day of the four-day Ranji Trophy Group C match here today.

Resuming at an overnight score of 287-3, Services added another 190 runs, courtesy G Rahul Singh (182), who shared a 95-run stand with VS Hathwala (44).

In reply, Jammu and Kashmir reached 96-1 in 34 overs. At the draw of stumps, opener SP Khajuria (34) and ID Singh (30) were at the crease at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

Jammu & Kashmir still need 381 runs with nine wickets remaining to take a first innings lead.

Resuming at an individual score of 68, SU Yadav was the first to be dismissed when he was trapped infront of wicket by Ram Dayal in the 93rd over, just after Services reached 300.

Aamir Aziz then removed Hathwala (44) and Nakul Sharma (19) as Services slipped to 421-6.

Parvez then dismissed Rahul in the 123rd over, before moping up the tail as Services were allout in 144.5 overs.

Pranav Gupta and Khajuria gave a good start to J&K, adding 51 runs in 13 overs before the former was dismissed by Raj Bahadur.

Brief Score:

Services 1st innings: 477 allout in 144.5 overs (G Rahul Singh 182; Parvez Rasool 5/117)

Jammu & Kashmir 1st innings: 96/1 in 34 overs (S P Khajuria 34; P Raj Bahadur 1/26). (AGENCIES)

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CM addresses Passing Out Parade at SKPA

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Army Chief reviews military preparedness along China border

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Woman doctor dons police uniform to follow father’s footsteps

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Govt keen to appoint judges; says MoP need to be expedited too

NEW DELHI: On a day the Supreme Court rapped the government over delay in appointments to higher judiciary, the Centre said while it’s keen to appoint new judges, there is also a need to expedite the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) pending before the collegium for the past two months.

“The government is keen to expedite appointment of judges and as explained in the court, 86 fresh appointments have been made in the high courts. 121 additional judges have been made permanent, 14 chief justices have been appointed and four chief justices transferred,” a source said.

The sources said 18 additional judges have been given extension and four judges to the apex court were also appointed. Besides, 33 judges of high courts have also been transferred.

They pointed out that there is also a judicial direction to finalise the MoP – a document to guide appointment of Supreme Court and High Court judges – to make collegium more transparent and objective and to make the the zone of consultation wider.

The direction was given because the existing system was found to be flawed.

The MoP, as per the direction of the apex court, should be finalised by the Chief Justice of India with a unanimous view of the fellow members of the collegium.

“The government’s view is pending before the SC for two months now. That also needs to be expedited now,” they said.

While the focus is on shortage of judges in the Supreme Court and the 24 high courts, the situation in the subordinate courts, considered the backbone of justice delivery system, is even worse.

Latest data show there is a shortage of 5,111 judicial officers who run subordinate courts across the country.

As on June 30, while the total sanctioned strength was 21,303, the subordinate courts were functioning with 16,192 judicial officers — a shortage of 5,111.

In most of the big states, the selection of judicial officers is done by the high courts.

In 11 states the recruitment of subordinate judiciary is done by the high courts, while in 17 states it is done by the state public service commissions.

The 24 high courts face a shortage of nearly 450 judges.

Nearly three crore cases are pending in courts across India. (AGENCIES)

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Benami Property Act to be effective from Nov 1

NEW DELHI: The new law to prohibit benami transactions, which also provides for up to 7 years imprisonment and penalty for those indulging in such activities, will come into effect from November 1.

With a view to curb the menace of black money, Parliament in August had passed the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, after assurance from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley that genuine religious trusts will be kept out of the purview of the legislation.

“The rules and all the provisions of the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act shall come into force on November 1, 2016. After coming into effect, the existing Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988, shall be renamed as the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988,” a CBDT statement said.

While the existing law provides for up to three years of imprisonment or fine or both for carrying out benami transactions, the amended legislation would provide for seven years imprisonment and fine.

The Act defines benami transactions, prohibits them and further provides that any violation is punishable with imprisonment and fine. The PBPT Act prohibits recovery of the property held benami from benamidar by the real owner.

“Properties held benami are liable for confiscation by the government without payment of compensation,” it said.

An appellate mechanism has been provided under the Act in the form of Adjudicating Authority and Appellate Tribunal.

A Joint or Additional Commissioner of I-T, an Assistant or Deputy Commissioner and a Tax Recovery Officer in each Principal CCIT Region have been notified to perform the functions and exercise the powers of the Approving Authority, Initiating Officer and Administrator, respectively under the Act, the statement said.

While the 1988 Act has nine sections, the amended law would have 71 sections.

“There is Section 58 under the law which clearly states that in case of charitable or religious organisation properties, the government has power to exempt those,” Jaitley had said responding to concerns of some Parliament members about the applicability of the amended law on properties in the name of holy books and deities.

“If there is a genuine property which belongs to a church or a mosque or a gurdwara or a temple, section 58 says that the government has the power to exempt it,” he had said. (AGENCIES)

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Tax dept sends SMS, emails to appellants on resolution scheme

NEW DELHI: With over Rs 5.16 lakh crore locked up in tax disputes before Commissioners, the revenue department has started sending emails and SMSes to assessees, asking them to avail of the ongoing one-time dispute scheme which will close by December end.

About 2.59 lakh cases are pending adjudication before Commissioner I-T (Appeals) as on February 2016 involving disputed tax worth over Rs 5.16 lakh. It is estimated that each Commissioner would have some 400 cases pending.

The Direct Tax Dispute Resolution Scheme, introduced from June 1 to December 31, seeks to address the issue of pending litigation before these commissioners.

“We have started sending SMS and emails to these assessees from the beginning of this week,” an official said, adding that so far the response to the scheme has been lacklustre but the CBDT expects the scheme to pick up pace by December.

The scheme will help tax payers resolve litigation, while the tax department could reduce its administrative cost in disposing appeals and also collect due taxes.

The official said the CIT(A) has already drawn up a list of cases which would be eligible for this Scheme and has intimated to Principal CIT.

This may include cases where appeal has been filed against mandatory interest, mandatory fees, and any other case found fit in the opinion of the CIT(A).

As per the Direct Tax Dispute Resolution Scheme, once an assessee decides to avail the scheme, the tax officer shall ascertain the amount of tax to be paid within 60 days of receiving the declaration.

The tax officer will then issue a certificate to the assessee, who will be required to make a pay the tax amount within 30 days.

The tax department has already asked its officers to proactively encourage assessees to take advantage of the one-time tax dispute resolution scheme, ending on December 31.

As per I-T department data, there were 73,402 appeals with tax effect above Rs 10 lakh and 1,85,858 appeals with tax effect below Rs 10 lakh pending before CIT (Appeal) as on February 29. Thus, 2,59,260 appellants are eligible for the benefit of this scheme.

As per the scheme, a taxpayer who has an appeal pending before the CIT (Appeal) can settle his/her case by paying the disputed tax and interest up to the date of assessment. No penalty in respect of cases with disputed tax up to Rs 10 lakh will be levied.

For cases exceeding Rs 10 lakh, 25 per cent of penalty would be levied and any pending appeal against a penalty order can also be settled by paying 25 per cent of the minimum of the imposable penalty. (AGENCIES)

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