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The Morung Express
Dimapur VOL. VIII ISSUE 235
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Monica Bellucci ends her marriage to Vincent Cassell by ‘mutual agreement’ [ PAGE 11]
[ PAGE 08]
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
Beacon light. VIP number plate. Mm. Where are the bottles?
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NSF notifies CM on “stranded” Naga students DIMAPUR, AUGUST 27 (MExN): The Naga Students Federation has submitted a representation to the Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio regarding the “untold hardship and problems” faced by students “stranded” in Maharashtra. The representation appended by NSF President and General Secretary stated that students are unable to get admission in various technical institutes under the Directorate of Technical Education, Maharashtra. It said that this is due to lack of proper communication between the Ministry of Human Resource, Directorate of Technical Education, Maharashtra and the Directorate of Technical Education, Nagaland. The representation informed that the Federation has met the Technical Education department several times and is still in touch with the concerned authority. However, it lamented that till date, there has been “no concrete outcome or any positive response” from the department as well as the competent authority to resolve the issue. Therefore, the NSF has urged upon the CM to immediately intervene in order to deliver justice to the students whose academic careers are at stake.
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Landslide cuts off Tobu sub-division [ PAGE 02]
‘Nagas aspire to live together’
Nadal cruises into second round
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–Evo Morales
[ PAGE 12]
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rupee hits life low below 66 Ceasefire coming Posts biggest fall in 18 years to a “dead end”?
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI, AUGUST 27 (REUTERS): The rupee hit a record low and posted its biggest percentage fall in 18 years on Tuesday after Lok Sabha’s approval of a $20 billion plan to provide cheap grain to the poor renewed doubts about government resolve to control spending ahead of elections due next year. The alarm over the fiscal deficit eclipsed an announcement by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram that the government had approved infrastructure projects worth 1.83 trillion rupees, a step aimed at reviving economic growth and shoring up investor confidence. Instead, the rupee plumbed new depths while shares plunged after Chidambaram spoke as his promise that the government will meet its fiscal deficit target failed to turn sentiment. “I have already said that 4.8 percent of GDP and the absolute number that was indicated in the budget is a red line. The red line will not be breached,” Chidambaram told a news conference. “I think we’ll simply have to be patient, be firm, do whatever is required to be done, and the rupee will
newmai news network Dimapur | August 27
A shopkeeper makes a garland with Indian 10-rupee banknotes for sale in Jammu on August 27. Currency garlands are in demand during marriages and other ceremonial events. The rupee has lost a sixth of its value against the dollar since the start of the year. (AP Photo)
find its appropriate level.” Traders said the currency market was working in a climate of fear as repeated efforts by authorities to turn the markets around failed to have a holding impact. The rupee has lost 17 percent against the dollar so far this year - making it the worst performer by far among Asian emerging market currencies tracked by Reuters despite frantic attempts by the government and central bank to support it and repeated comments by the finance minister that the
1948 ‘No Tax Campaign’ Martyrs remembered SENAPATI, AUGUST spin into confusion.” Mao 27 (MExN): The 65th an- Council president, Chakho niversary of Martyrs Day Romeo called for Nagas in honor of those killed not to dry their tears unduring the ‘No Tax Cam- til integration is achieved. paign’ of 1948 was held The ‘No Tax Campaign’ was on Tuesday at launched by the Mao gate. Rep- Detailed news Naga National r e s e n t a t i v e s report on Page 3 League in 1948, from the UNC, soon after Nagas ANSAM, MC, and NPMHR in Manipur had boycotted paid tributes to the mar- the electoral polls. The camtyrs and expressed the paign was an act of defiance Naga people’s aspiration against the state, under to live under a common which the Nagas of Manipur umbrella of unity. UNC had been placed “without President, L Adani stated their consent.” It was also a that “We must be firm as a means of putting pressure people. The Naga boat, the on the Indian Government UNC boat should not be for securing the unification rocked and endangered. of the Nagas in Manipur It must not be allowed to with the Naga Hills district.
rupee is oversold. The partially convertible rupee slumped to a record low of 66.30 to the dollar, despite central bank intervention to ease the pace of the decline, surpassing its previous all-time low of 65.56 hit last Thursday. Shares also slumped, sending the benchmark BSE index down more than 3 percent and benchmark 10year bond yields up 44 basis points. Despite measures to address these concerns, including a slew of steps to attract dollar inflows, Indi-
an policymakers are struggling to instill confidence. “It’s not out of choice, but out of compulsion that the finance minister is announcing so many things,” said G. Chokkalingam, managing director and chief investment officer of Centrum Wealth Management in Mumbai. “The trinity of the fiscal deficit, slowing growth and an unstable currency is hitting us badly. In addition to these, the government has passed the food security bill which may put fear in the mind of rating agencies.”
DIMAPUR, AUGUST 27 (MExN): The Naga Students’ Federation while acknowledging the grievances of the All Nagaland Government College Teachers’ Association has urged teachers to be “cautious” and have concern for the students’ community pursuing their studies. A press note from the NSF Vice President and Education Secretary expressed “anguish” over disruption of normal classes due to the phase wise agitation called by the ANGCTA.
“ANGCTA showing their resentment for not fulfilling their demand as assured by the government of Nagaland is genuine, but why at the expense of students’ academic career and future?” the NSF queried. It expressed concern that Kohima College has postponed the scheduled date for mid-term examinations due to the ongoing pen-down strike. It informed that Mid-term examinations in Phek Government College were conducted by the Grade IV staffs
Indian agriculture laborers replant paddy saplings on the outskirts of Guwahati on August 27. The lower house of Indian Parliament Monday approved a landmark bill that proposes to provide cheaper grain to more than 800 million across the country. (AP Photo)
per house and approved by the president, it will reform India’s existing food distribution system, providing five kilograms of heavily subsidised food grain per month to more than 800 million people. “After providing for the food security bill, we will remain within the limit I have set for myself in the budget,” Finance Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters at a press conference in the capital. The government has budgeted an additional 230 billion rupees annually for the programme, taking the
total food subsidy bill in 2013-14 to 1.25 trillion rupees according to a government statement. Critics of the food programme say India can illafford a costly new welfare scheme at a time of slowing economic growth and see it as a cynical ploy to win votes ahead of national elections next year. India’s economic growth has slumped to 5.0 percent on an annual basis, its slowest rate in a decade. New data for the first quarter of the fiscal year is due on Friday. Opponents also argue
that the extra resources required by the programme -- another 5 million tonnes of food grains a year - will be funnelled into the notoriously corrupt Public Distribution System. Kris Gopalakrishnan, president of the Confederation of Indian Industry, said that the public spending burden was worrying but “the larger concern is regarding the effective implementation of such a high profile and critical social agenda”. About 240 million families already have ration cards entitling them to 35 kilograms of subsidised grains - rice, wheat-barley and maize - which they buy at low prices at 500,000 government-run Fair Price Shops across the country. Nationwide 75 percent of rural citizens and 50 percent of urban dwellers will be covered by the Food Security Bill, with state governments required to identify those eligible. The bill also includes provisions for extra food for pregnant women, children and lactating mothers who are entitled to a maternity benefit of at least 6,000 rupees.
stituency till the by-poll results are officially announced. Chawang said that the agreement to have the cease fire was signed between two entities, i.e. the NSCN (IM) and the GoI. Pulling out a copy of the cease fire agreement he said, “Ones own law cannot be imposed on the other,” reiterating that it is a bilateral agreement. He added, “Since the Indian Constitutional law is not applicable to us, the Cease Fire Ground Rules are made because
ones laws cannot be applied on others.” Chawang added, “Since NSCN is an armed resistant force there is cease fire. If that is not the case then there is no point of cease fire.” Chawang said that the GoI is interpreting the CFGR as per its own convenience. On ID card holders, he explained, “Those ID cards are given to the cadres who are frequently moving.” “We are not intruding into the airports with arms nor do we move about with arms to market places,” he added. He claimed that, “By issuing such directives, the CFMG chairman himself is violating the Cease Fire Ground Rules.” According to Chawang, if things are not resolved at the Cease Fire Monitoring Cell/Group or Board level, then the matter should be put up at the Ground Rules Review Committee in New Delhi. He lamented that the CFMG Chairman has not done so yet.
NEW DELHI, AUGUST 27 (IANS): The Rajya Sabha Tuesday passed a bill to amend the Representation of People Act to allow a person in police custody to file nomination to fight an election. The house passed The Representation of the People (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2013 with a voice vote. Replying to the debate on the bill, Law Minister Kapil Sibal said the political class has furthered the process of accountability but an environment prevailed where it is looked upon with suspicion. “We need to address
the issue,” he said. He said right to vote and right to be on electoral rolls were statutory rights. He said provision was being added to the RPA that a person who may not be entitled to vote can still file his nomination papers. The amendments have been brought in view of a Supreme Court judgment upholding an order of Patna High Court that a person who has no right to vote is not qualified to contest the election to parliament or state assembly. The government has already filed a review petition in the court.
people jailed,” he added. CFMG Chairman, NK Singh had written to all three NSCN groups engaging in cease fire terms (with the government) that their cadres, including ID card holder are not allowed to carry arms in Noksen Assembly Con-
“GoI is interpreting the CFGR as per its own convenience”
• Urges Nagaland state government to address teacher’s grievances • Calls upon ANGTCA to adopt “alternative mode of showing their resentment”
India “can afford” food-for-poor plan
NEW DELHI, AUGUST 27 (AFP): India’s finance minister insisted on Tuesday the government could afford a vast new food programme for the poor designed to “wipe out” malnutrition despite concern about its impact on the public finances. The Food Security Bill, a flagship programme of the ruling Congress party with a budgeted annual cost of around $19 billion, is intended to “wipe out” endemic hunger and malnutrition in the aspiring superpower. Once passed by the up-
Convener of the NSCN (IM) ceasefire monitoring cell, Kraibo Chawang today said that “the ongoing cease fire between it and New Delhi is coming to a dead end” and accused the GoI of not abiding by the Cease Fire Ground Rules. Addressing media persons on Tuesday at the NSCN (IM) Cease Fire Monitoring Cell office in Diphupar, Dimapur; he said that they are “very seriously thinking about it now.” Chawang said that the NSCN (IM) has become a victim of the cease fire. “Our cadres have been tortured, killed or jailed. Almost all the houses of the NSCN, especially in Dimapur have been raided by the Indian security forces. In search of peace and in search of solution, the NSCN has been maintaining maximum patience at the cost of our men being killed, our houses raided and many of our
NSF concerned by teacher agitation
NLA Speaker to attend 59th CPC
DIMAPUR, AUGUST 27 (MExN): NLA Speaker Chotisuh Sazo is scheduled to leave for Johannesburg, South Africa to attend the 59th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference from September 1 to 6 as part of a delegation led by the Lok Sabha Speaker. The conference will be attended by delegates from 53 commonwealth countries. A press note from the NLA Speaker informed that the conference will discuss on effective solutions to commonwealth development challenges and parliamentary responses to the commonwealth charter. Workshops on various subject matters are also scheduled to be organized. After the conference, the NLA Speaker is scheduled to visit Italy, Germany and France as part of a post conference study tour.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013 12 pages Rs. 4
Bolivia is a majority indigenous nation, but that majority has always been excluded
Sonia Gandhi back home from hospital
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and contract lecturers due to absence of teachers. It asserted that NSF “cannot tolerate such a shameful act as it illustrates total negligence and insincerity on part of the teaching community.” As such, the Federation has urged upon the state government to look into the grievances of ANGCTA with a rational approach based on the assurance given to them. It also called for the ANGCTA to adopt an alternative mode of showing their resentment, so that students’ are not put at stake.
RS passes bill to allow jailed people to fight polls
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