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NewsBrief 12 blinded after Mathura surgery Twelve people have been blinded after undergoing cataract operations at an eye camp organized on November 22 last year by an NGO in Mathura. Patients, who were offered free surgeries, said they were operated upon by amateurs. Cops have lodged a cheating and medical negligence case.
UK's Bupa to hike stake in Max UK's Bupa on Monday announced its decision to increase its stake in Max Bupa Health Insurance, a joint venture with Max India, from 26% to 49%. But Bupa indicated that it will wait for Parliament to clear insurance ordinance before going ahead.
Rape inside Bihar collectorate A 16-year-old girl from Kolkata was gangraped by five men, including the driver of an assistant district magistrate, inside a government office in the M u z a f f a r p u r collectorate premises on Sunday night. The survivor lodged an FIR on Monday.
Everyone's a Muslim: Owaisi Taking a dig at RSS's ghar wapsi campaign, MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said the real homecoming was to return to the fold of Islam and invited the RSS and VHP to it. “Every person who enters this world is M u s l i m . B u t circumstances and parents mould him into other faiths.“
Key find in hunt for missing jet Indonesian searchers on Monday said they may have found what could be the tail of the crashed AirAsia flight QZ8501, the section where the crucial black boxes are located.
Violence on poll anniv in Bangla Deadly clashes erupted in Bangladesh on Monday on the first anniversary of PM Sheikh Hasina's re-election as police besieged the main opposition leader in her office. Two BNP supporters were killed.
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Pak boat crew were terrorists: Parrikar
New Delhi The Modi government on Monday said all “circumstantial evidence“ indicated the four persons on board the sunken Pakistani fish ing boat were “probable terrorists“, who were also in regular touch with Pakistani army as well as the country's maritime security agency (MSA). “Smugglers don't commit suicide or hara-kiri. A normal boat, even if carrying drugs, would surrender after dumping their drugs.They will not kill themselves unless they are motivated enough and trained to do that,“ said
defence minis ter Manohar Parrikar, rejecting the contention the four persons could have been just smugglers or traffickers. “Secondly, smugglers won't keep in touch with Pakistan's maritime security agency or Army. That is why I would classify them as suspected or probable terrorists. I can assure you that those on the boat were not smugglers,“ said Parrikar, speaking for the first time after the Coast Guard intercepted the mystery boat around 365 km from Porbandar in the early hours of January 1. The defence ministry
had earlier said the “rogue” boat, which was set ablaze by its crew after it was forced to stop with “warning shots” from patrol vessel ICGS Rajratan, was carrying explosives. While refusing to “speculate” on the exact nature of the cargo, Parrikar said the Coast Guard followed standard operating procedures. “It was dark and if the boat was laden with explosives, which appears to be at least partly correct, it could have inflicted damage on the Coast Guard vessel and injuries to personnel,” he
Panagariya to be NITI Aayog VC; Debroy member New Delhi: The government on Monday appointed Columbia University professor and eminent economist Arvind Panagariya as vicechairman of NITI Aayog which will replace the 65year-old Planning Commission. Former secretary of Defence Research and Development Organisation, V K Saraswat, and economist Bibek Debroy have been appointed as fulltime members. The panel will consist of finance minister Arun Jaitley , home minister Rajnath Singh, railway minister Suresh Prabhu and agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh as ex-officio members, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said. Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Thawar Chand Gehlot and Smriti Irani are special invitees to the panel. The government has proposed the setting up of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) -a think tank and policy forum for the Central and state govern ments. On January 1, TOI was the first to report that Panagariya's name was under consideration for the vice-chairman's post. He will be given Cabinet rank. In the lead up to the 2014 general elections, Panagariya had endorsed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies and had backed the Gujarat model of development. He is
said, adding the government would “release all evidence” once the intelligence assessment was over in the next few days. As reported by TOI earlier, wireless intercepts that led technical intelligence agency NTRO to alert the Coast Guard showed two Pakistani fishing boats one of which was intercepted, while the other remained untraced were in touch with “a contact“ in Pakistan. This “contact“, in turn, was talking to people in Pakistan army and MSA, as also someone in
Thailand, on a frequent basis. Parrikar also said the boat, which had begun its journey from Keti Bandar near Karachi, was intercepted based on “very clear, specific intelligence“ at an “isolated“ location in the Arabian Sea which is not the normal route taken either by smugglers or fishermen. “Smugglers carrying contraband, gold or even drugs would normally take a route which is busy...mingle with other boats to pass off as a fishing vessel. From all the analysis, the Coast Guard did the right job at the right time,“ he said.
No Tatkal passports for those with Nagaland link
New Delhi: If you were born in Nagaland, you won't be able to apply for passport under `Tatkal' category! And if you do get your passport under the general category , days later you may be called to Nagaland to sign some documents. City entrepreneur Keshav Agarwal, 40, discovered this to his shock when he applied for renewal of his passport late last year. Agarwal was born in Nagaland and studied there up to Class X. This armyman's son moved to Delhi in 1992 and has been living here ever since.He was issued a passport from currently the Jagdish frontrunner for the chief Delhi without a fuss in Bhagwati professor of economic adviser's job but 1998; that expired in 2008. Indian Political Economy the government had shied Last year, he made some in the department of away from naming him. The NITI Aayog will foreign holiday plans and International and Public wanted to renew his Affairs and of Economics be headed by Prime passport. It was then that in Columbia University. Minister Narendra Modi he discovered his Nagaland Previously, he was a and have a vicechairman connection coming in the professor of economics and a CEO. The effort will way . and co-director of the be to involve states in “I was told that I can't Centre for International economic policy-making, apply for a Tatkal passport and Public Affairs at the and move away from the because I was born in University of Maryland, top-down approach of the Nagaland.So I applied and the chief economist of past. Modi had announced under the normal category the Asian Development the scrapping of the and was called to the Bank. He has also advised Planning Commission in Passport Seva Kendra at the World Bank, IMF , his Independence Day Herald House, ITO, for an WTO, and UNCTAD in speech and had consulted interview. They included it various capacities, chief ministers before the new in the `complex case' according to his unveiling category . And I wondered institution. department's website. According to a why now,“ said Agarwal. Panagariya has The Chittaranjan Park written or edited more than government statement, an resident did get his a half-dozen books and important evolutionary passport within 15 days writes for several national change from the past will be and he thought his troubles and international replacing a centreto-state were over. newspapers and one-way flow of policy with But on Sunday, 20 magazines, including TOI. a genuine and continuing days after he had received He was considered to be a partnership with the states. his passport, he got a call
from Dimapur, Nagaland. He was asked to visit the special branch of Nagaland Police personally and sign a few documents. “It’s ridiculous! I’ve been a Delhi resident for over 20 years and I’ve all documents like Aadhar and voter ID cards from here. In that case, why has my Nagaland connection suddenly be come a problem? Also, why did they issue me a passport if verification was pending,” Agarwal asks. The rule book says under the
normal category, police verification happens before a passport is granted; under Tatkal, it’s the other way round. TOI decided to do a reality check and visited the passport application portal, http:www.passportindia.gov.in. The FAQs section under
the heading `Tatkal Passports' has a line: “Mandatory pre-police verification cases such as Indian citizens of J&K and Nagaland would also need additional processing time“. But a specific question later in the draft on whether people from Nagaland can apply has `No' as answer. That point is made clearer in the application form instruction booklet. It says that residents of the two states can't apply under Tatkal
SP MLA gets life term for 2002 murder of gangster Jhansi: Aspecial court in UP's Jaluan on Monday awarded life sentence to SP MLA Kaptan Singh Rajput and his brother Mangal Singh in a 12year-old murder case. The legislator is now liable to be disqualified as per the orders of the Supreme Court in July 2013. Special judge Sanjay Yadav had held the brothers guilty and acquitted six others in the case on Saturday . Kaptan had won from Charkhari in Mahoba district after the seat was vacated by BJP's Uma Bharati, who won the Jhansi Lok Sabha seat. In 2012, Kaptan and Mangal were named accused along with six
others in the murder of dreaded gangster Kishunjee Dubey . On April 20, 2002, the gangster, who was lodged in Kanpur jail, had come to Jalaun for a court hearing under police protection when around half-a-dozen people shot at him near Town Hall. In his dying declaration, Kishunjee named Kap t a n a n d Mangal as the prime accused. Kaptan has a criminal background with around six cases against him, including under the Gangster Act and Arms Act. The first criminal case was lodged against him in 1997 while the latest was lodged in 2010 under section 143, 147, 504 and 506 of IPC in Orai.
Government sources t o l d TO I t h a t t h e governor may take suo motu note of Kaptan’s conviction and seek the Election Commission’s advice on his disqualification. The EC, which has quasijudicial powers in this case, will then decide on K a p t a n ’ s disqualification. If the governor doesn’t take cognizance of the conviction, a petition for Kaptan’s removal can be moved independently. In this case as well, the petition will have to be moved by the governor for final approval and disqualification by the EC. Either way, it may take up to two months to process Rajput's disqualification.
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2 / Dt. 06-01-2015, Tuesday Editors' Picks TUESDAY, JANUARY 06, 2015
Playing With Fire Porbandar episode exposes harmful political distrust between Congress and BJP The tracking and destruction of a suspicious boat - reportedly originating from Pakistan - off the Porbandar coast has triggered a war of words between the BJP-led government and opposition Congress. While government maintains that the boat had possible terror links and that its occupants had blown themselves up when challenged by the Coast Guard, Congress has asked government to come clean on the episode given the emergence of conflicting theories. According to one such theory , the boat was part of a smuggling ring transporting contrabands such as drugs and alcohol. Another suspects it of trying to smuggle diesel.But seen in the context of 2611 terror attack on Mumbai when Pakistani terrorists snuck into this country from the sea, the terror angle just can't be ruled out. It's true that Indian and Pakistani fishing vessels routinely stray into each other's territorial waters. Such vessels and fishermen are apprehended by maritime security authorities, processed and repa triated through established mecha nisms. However, that the boat in the Porbandar incident tried to flee the Coast Guard and later blew itself up makes the incident suspicious. That said, the slanging match that this inci dent has engendered between BJP and Congress is disheartening. Congress's position on the Porban dar episode essentially conveys that it is unwilling to trust government, irrespective of the proof available. Similarly , BJP saying that Congress is speaking Pakistan's language and has bought into Islamabad's propaganda is tantamount to dubbing the opposition as anti-national.The vicious verbal duel exposes a worrisome gulf that's terribly unhealthy for our democracy . Granted, opposition's job is to serve as a check on the government of the day . But if it blindly opposes everything government does or says, then it becomes counterproductive for the country as a whole. The cost of this political trust deficit is already showing in Parliament where legislative business has been held up because of trenchant exchanges between treasury and opposition benches on issues ranging from religious conversions to unparliamentary language from certain members of the House. This in turn has stymied the legislative processing of important reforms that the Indian economy desperately needs. BJP and Congress must conduct themselves responsibly in government and opposition respectively for the benefit of the country . Allowing political rivalry to turn into political enmity will weaken the very foundation of our democratic edifice - and embolden India's enemies.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Malaika Arora Khan, 39, is fiercely inde pendent, extremely emotional and madly in love with her first boyfriend and now husband, Arbaaz Khan, who she has known for most of her life. You may find her always guarded with a tough exterior, given the world she lives in, but when you meet this petite looking beautiful lady in her home, she is extremely warm and open. Malaika is a pure Scorpion with two sides to her. She loves the fact that no one can mess with her, but hates her temper. She is very responsible and knows that she can look after everything when she is around. And while you may find it hard to believe it, she is a great cook and very much the pure rice, sambhar and fish Mallu
“Every increased possession loads us with new weariness.” John Ruskin
girl. Despite having been offered several roles in her life, acting never interested her.What did, was only songs and dance. Over an hourlong conversation, post the launch of her latest song Fashion Khatam Mujhpe from Dolly Ki Doli, she talks to Ahmedabad Times about her independent growing up years, her anchor Arbaaz and why Sohail Khan is her most favourite member from Arbaaz's family. Excerpts: Let's talk about your growing up years? My father was a Punjabi and my mother is a Malayali Catholic. My parents got divorced when I was 11 and so my Mallu genes are far stronger. My mom caught that really early that I was in terested in dancing, so right from
when I was just four, I learnt ballet and later, Bharatnatyam and then jazz ballet. My mom always encouraged me and would take me from Thane, where we lived, all the way to town to take classes. So I did dance pretty much all my life in some form or the other. After my parents separated, we moved closed to my grandmother's place in Chembur, where my younger sister Amu (Amrita Arora) and I lived with my mother. Due to my formative years, I have this `Don't approach me' type of image and that is because my guards are always up. I grew up protecting my sister, looking after everything as mom was working, so Amu and I
After the premature clo sure of the first season of Fanaah, season two is also set to shut down soon. The first season had to be wrapped up before schedule as its principal actors fell ill, one after the other. And now, the second season will also end soon, inspite of the initial plan to extend it for some months.Reason: Male lead Karan Kundra's unavailability to shoot the show, as he has allotted his dates to another show and a Bollywood project. Says Karan, “Fanaah was originally a finite series, but there was a brief break when
the actress fell ill, it then returned as season two.My contract for the show ended on December 16, but I still continued working as it had got an extension. However, now that the makers intend to extend it even more, I don't think I will be able to accommodate their requirements as I am leaving to shoot for Roadies by January end. Besides, I will need at least three months away from the fiction genre to promote my movie. Given my prior commitments, I had to decline the offer and step back as I don't want the quality of the show to suffer.“
The indiscreet charm of science dressed up in Amar Chitra Katha drag One of the strengths of science is its seductive charms of being gobbledygook for an overwhelming majority of us. But by bearing the mark of `Science' on its forehead, any form of knowledge gets the sheen of credibility for most folks. Tomorrow, if a bunch of researchers from the University of Buddenbrooks says that the core of Earth isn't made of molten iron-nickle alloy but contains a gigantic Lagomorpha leporid (smart Latinspeak for a rabbit) and pays off every other scientist, who among you will be pointing and shouting, `The emperor is not wearing any clothes!'? Which, of course, doesn't mean that all scientific knowledge is a conspiracy hatched by buck-toothed boffins to spoonfeed us rationalitycoated bakwaas. But going by the manner in which the media has been covering the ongoing Indian Science Congress in Mumbai, it's clear that as a scienceunfriendly laity, we
simply love this comprehensible, fun stuff about ludicrous `scientific' discoveries in ancient India. Since last Saturday, for instance, there have been sessions by scientists, including by 2014 Fields Medal (the mathematics equivalent of the Nobel prize) winner Manjul Bhargava and Nobel laureates Robin Warren and Randy Schekman. Lecture subjects have included `Entropy and probability', `Beyond GSLV - future space transportation systems & capabilities', `Safety assessment of intractable proteins from GM crops'...But what have we all been yapping like theologists-in-heat about? About a few noddies such as retired pilot trainer Captain Bodas (Is he a bird? Is he a plane? No, he's Captain Anand Bodas!) and his sidekick Ameya Jhadav, lecturer, Swami Vivekanand International School and Junior College, who spoke about aviation in Rig Veda era India. Essentially, we mediamunchers have lunged
passionately for the gas that emanated from one session on Sunday , `Ancient sciences through Sanskrit'. So why has the media turned the Indian Science Congress into an Immortals of Meluha fan convention? Because circa 6500 BC desi avionics sounds like something our brain can easily deal with (Thank you Ramanand Sagar Uncle) even especially as it finds the notion ludicrously funny. For, how on earth can you get excited as a consumer or provider of news on `Selective subcellular visualisation of trace metals identifies dynamic sites of Fe and Cu accumulation in Chlamydomonas' - a standard sample of Science Congress sessions. Shashi Tharoor is right when he says that this mumbojumbo spewed in one corner and lapped up by all of us is unfortunate as it makes bona fide discoveries and inventions in India's hoary past get lumped with all the lumpy oompa loompa bits.
Ahmedabad
were literally latchkey kids at home right from when I was 11 and she, 9. I was like the boy in the family . That has toughened me and made me take on the world differently .I would make sure that my sister ate and that we went for our tuitions. Mom always made sure that she was back on time, as dinner had to be made. She never encouraged us to cook. Every time I wanted to get into the kitchen, she wouldn't let us, as she knew we had enough on our plate already .
It's again that time of the year when ace photogra pher Dabboo Ratnani shoots the top stars in the country for his annual calendar. What is lovely to see is how almost every star is happy to do this for Dabboo given Dabboo's talent and more importantly , his sweet nature which makes him loved by one and all.Out of the 24 shots in the calendar this year, we bring you four of our favourites.What
caught our attention the most was how this otherwise great singer Farhan Akhtar became a bathroom singer for this as he has lit erally shot in the bathroom. Not just that, don't miss out on Farhan's Pink suit, the selection of which we believe from Dabboo, Farhan had a huge role to play in. So, don't be surprised if we now find men dressed in Pink suits, courtesy Farhan Akhtar
I can hardly wait to return to Ahmedabad He has had the world sway to his beats and superhit songs like Stereo Love and This Is My Life. And when Romanian DJmusician Edward Maya performed in Ahmedebad recently , he left the crowd spellbound with his music. After having over a 100 performances in India, this was his first gig in the city and it saw thousands of EDM music lovers gathered at one place to hear him live. Edward spoke to Ahmedabad Times in a quick chat before the gig on his connect with India and more. Talking about his strong connect with India, he says, “It all began with the release of the single Stereo Love. I have been practicing yoga for the last 10 years and I feel a deep bond with India. I feel like I was here in another life.Maya is a Sanskrit word with profound meanings in the Hindi philosophy . Besides that, I believe that Indians had a spontaneous connection with me also because my music has a soulful characteristic.In time, I developed a special relationship with my fans here and that is what brings
me back everytime.“ Talking about what keeps him going, he adds, “I have visited many countries in the last seven years and encountered many cultures.I feel very lucky and grateful to `speak' the language of so many people. My experiences have helped me enrich my inner spiritual experience, an element I always add to the music I compose. The people I met inspire me very much and I also take inspiration from my childhood.“
Excited about his first step in the movie industry , Edward says, “I am composing a track for a Bollywood movie which will be directed by Onir. I feel very happy as this is my first step in the movie industry and there will be a lot more collaborations in the future.“ About performing in India, he says, “Each artist needs the audience and its response because otherwise they couldn't exist. And the audience in India is exceptional.
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Individual genius, classical for all
Ahmedabad
SPORTS ROUND PICK UP LINES, ANYONE?
Ahmedabad: Alaap is like holding breath before making that reckless and beautiful admission of love. Hindustani notables value that risky exhalation. In the case of Vidushi Shubha Mudgal, the alaap always comes with an unimprovable artistic assertion.It is similar to Jane Austen's first words of `Pride and Prejudice', considered among the greatest opening lines in the history of fiction: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.“ Mudgal's alaap also has the musical momentousness of Beethoven's famous inaugural notes: “Ba-baba-baah!“ On Sunday, Day 4 of Saptak, Mudgal's alaaps were the harbingers of her performance hallmarks: uncovering of pure inklings lying out of ordinary human range; and technical mastery which comes from supreme saadhana. “I chose Raga Maluha Kedar because I had been learning it for years under the guidance of my guru, Pandit Ramashreya Jha `Ramrang', but had not rendered it in a concert,“ Mudgal told TOI. “I have performed at Saptak for almost two decades. Of
late, my concert has been the concluding programme.“ The finale bears the heaviest responsibility for defining the day, with a phalanx of celebrated musicians in the front row anticipating the pièce de résistance. Accom panied by tabla maestro Aneesh Pradhan, Mudgal delivered just that. Pradhan's playing, especially at the climax -a thumri set to Raga Kafi (`Kal kahaan thay Kanhaai') -was as miraculous as it was unbelievable. Imagine Romeo and Juliet uncrossing the stars to beat tragedy, and you will get what Pradhan did. With the speed recalling the palpitations of a heart finding fulfillment, he executed what is known as `laggi'. Pradhan told TOI: “Till the early 20th century, performers danced to thumris. Laggi complemented the dance.“ As Hindustani stalwarts in the audience let out percussions of “wah“ for Pradhan, the younger music lovers came close to screaming in approval. There was no barrier between classical arts and aspiring rasikas on Sunday.“Barriers are often built by musicians with inflated egos,“ Pradhan said. The audience left home with its musical contentment inflated.
Rape case: HC slams Asaram, denies bail Ahmedabad: Gujarat high court on Monday denied bail to Asaram in a rape case on the ground that “there are all chances that he may tamper with the evidence in the nature of witnesses“. Justice Ashish Desai turned down Asaram's bail plea and observed that since a number of witnesses have approached the trial court with different types of allegations against the prosecution, there is a likelihood that witnesses may be influenced if he is granted bail. Justice Desai said, “Prima facie, what I found is that, how a downtrodden girl was initially influenced with the behaviour of the applicant (Asaram) who has numerous followers appearing in the public posing himself as a `god'. A teenager girl from a family of labourers is bound to be influenced if certain special treatment is given to her though unaware about the dirty intention of the so-called guru.“ The order further reads, “Witnesses who had actually stayed in the ashram reveal that Asaram was interested in young
girls to satisfy his desires. Initially, he used to pamper a girl and shall provide such facilities which would not have been thought of by a girl who comes from a lower strata of society.“ The court also said that Asaram had dominion as well as control over the girls who were residing in the Ashram and, therefore, those girls might not have come forward about the crime at that time. When Asaram had
`No en masse shifting of blasts case accused' Ahmedabad A special court on Monday said that it would not permit the serial blasts accused to be escorted to a Kerala court in a group of 26 after the probe agency , the city crime branch, expressed apprehension that they might escape. Moreover, the crime branch had submitted that following the events like Pravasi Bharatiya Divas and Vibrant Gujarat Summit, the police force would be busy in maintaining law and order.
Gujarat's `Bhungroo' gets global recognition from UN Ahmedabad: Water Management System Gets Award At Climate Change Conference Bhungroo', a water management technology developed by a Gujaratbased organization, has got global recognition at the recently held UN Climate Change Conference (UNCCC) in Lima. It was given Momentum for Change Award in Women for Result category for keeping women farmers at the centre of the innovation. Momentum for Change is an initiative by the UN Climate Change secretariat to identify
activities across the globe that promotes low-carbon future through innovative solutions and address both climate change and wider economic, so cial and environmental chal lenges. The technology developed by Ahmedabadbased Naireet Services was selected after scrutiny by 25-member international advisory panel.
`Bhungroo' is a water management system that injects and stores excess rainfall water underground. This water could be used for irrigation during summers. Director of Naireeta Services, Biplab K Paul said that adopting this technology , which is in use since 2007, has transformed the lives of farmers, especially women farmers who own small portions of land.“Farmers in Gujarat face a typical situation. On the one hand their fields are waterlogged due to heavy rainfall during monsoon and on the other, there is dearth of water for irrigation in summers,“ Paul explained.
crossed all limits and tried to indulge in similar activities at Jodhpur, the victim thought it fit and rightly so to lodge an FIR against him. Asaram and his son Narayan Sai were accused of rape on October 6, 2013 by two sisters from Surat. As the offence alleged against Asaram happened in his ashram in Motera, the FIR was transferred to Chandkheda police, who filed a chargesheet last year.
“The `Bhungroo' technology filters, injects and stores excess rain water in subsoil strata in form of water lenses. And during summers, water can be extracted using a normal motor.Adoption of this technology has decreased salinity and increased fresh water supply for irrigation,“ he added. The cost of installing one such `Bhungroo' ranges between Rs 4-9 lakh, and lasts upto 20-25 years with little maintenance. Currently , nearly 19,000 farmers are using this technology in over five states and three countries of Africa and Asia.
Hence, it would be difficult for them to escort the prisoners to Kerala court, where their presence is required for the purpose of similar proceedings. The police also cited the case of the jailbreak attempt in which 24 of the blast accused were allegedly involved in digging a 213 feet long tunnel in Sabarmati Central Jail last year. The state govern ment has imposed Section 268 of the CrPC on the blast ac cused, restricting their movement out side the Sabarmati jail premise. The ad ministration became more careful about their movement and safety after the jailbreak attempt. The police also cited the case of the jailbreak attempt in which 24 of the blast accused were allegedly involved in digging a 213 feet long tunnel in Sabarmati Central Jail last year. ehaviour of the applicant (Asaram) who has numerous followers appearing in the public posing himself as a `god'. A teenager girl from a family of labourers is bound to be influenced if certain special treatment is given to her though unaware about the dirt Fifty-six persons were killed in 18 blasts that rocked the city on July 26, 2008. Seventy-five persons are being tried for the offence. Meanwhile, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) on Monday issued an alert that there could be another jailbreak attempt in Sabarmati Central Jail
Mumbai WC Squad: Selectors Will Have To Ponder Over Jadeja, Pace Department With most names being obvious choices, the fivemember national selection committee, which will gather here on Tuesday to select India's squad of 15 for the World Cup 2015, cricket's biggest tournament, and a tri-series which precedes it Down Under, will have a few questions staring at them. The first matter of concern is a shoulder injury to all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, which is showing no signs of recovery .Jadeja has been an integral part of skipper MS Dhoni's armoury considering the package he brings to the table -left-arm spin, useful lower-order batting and electric fielding. There are reports that BCCI may request the ICC to let it include Jadeja's name on a provisional basis for the Cup, but the logic of fielding an undercooked player in an event of such magnitude involves high risk. The marquee event gets underway from February 14, with India to launch the defence of their crown against Pakistan the next day . Jadeja faces an uphill battle to recover in time, and may not be match fit even if he does. The selectors are also likely to scratch their heads while deciding upon the composition and strength of the pace bowling department. Lack of options here means that Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami appear as natural choices, with any two between Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav, the genuinely quick Varun Aaron and Stuart Binny , who offers an all-round option, likely to make the cut. With the Cup being held Down Under, a fair distance away from India, there is a case of pushing in a reserve wicketkeeper too, unless Ambati Rayudu is asked to don the gloves in case of an emergency . Gujarat's Axar Patel, who provides more or less the same skill set as Jadeja, and has impressed in the opportunities he's got thus far, looks set to board the flight. By virtue of being tall, Axar is likely to generate good bounce on the hard Australian wickets too. Even though he is yet to play outside India, Axar fits the bill of a second spinner quite well. Selecting the batsmen shouldn't take much time, though the poor form of Shikhar Dhawan must be worrying the selectors. Apart from the Tests in
New Zealand and to an extent the ODIs in England, the attacking opener has failed to click outside India consistently . His recent form in the Test series in Australia too hasn't inspired confidence. However, his golden run with the bat (390 runs@90.75 with two hundreds) which helped India clinch the Champions Trophy in England in 2013, may just help Dhawan cling
to his spot. Dhawan included, India are likely to take four openers, with Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane and Murali Vijay , who may break in owing to his fabulous Test form in Australia, being the others. In fact, India are well served in that department with new Test skipper Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu rounding off the list.
STRONG BATTING, WEAK BOWLING As the national selectors round up on the 15 who would play for India in the forthcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, TOI looks at where India's strength and weakness lie currently. TOP-CLASS MIDDLE-ORDER Manned by Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India have probably the strongest middle-order in the tournament, which would make them believe that they can chase down any total without much difficulty. With 21 hundreds under his belt and an average of 52.61 at the age of 26, Kohli can arguably be considered as the best batsman in OneDay cricket right now. Rahane and Raina have been in superb touch, while Dhoni has the ability to shift gears at short notice. Ambati Rayudu too looks
be finally fulfilling his promise. No bowling attack in the world would take this classy batting lineup lightly. E R R A T I C BOWLING Like in the last World Cup, bowling remains a big worry for India. Despite the helpful conditions Down Under, the wickets for the event are likely to to remain batsmen-friendly, which means India wouldn't feels safe defending any total, or may just be left chasing far too many runs. Worryingly, the bowlers have shown a tendency to pitch it too short on the bouncy Australian wickets. There is not a single reliable bowler whom Dhoni can turn to in the slog overs. Stuart Binny is the sole seam bowling all-rounder available to the selectors, which speaks much about how empty the cupboard is in that department.
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NRIs seek transparency to invest
City gets mega makeover
Interested In Sectors Like SMEs, Energy, Healthcare And Education At a time when Indian states are trying to woo non-resi dent Indian (NRI) investors, the diaspora are seeking assurances on transparency , ease to do business and better and timely implementation of projects. NRIs, in large numbers, have arrived in Gujarat to participate in the 13th edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) from January 7 to 9 in Gandhinagar. According to the Union ministry of overseas Indian affairs, over 3,000 participants are expected to attend the three-day event.Various states will showcase investment opportunities
here. Even nonNDA states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are planning to woo NRI investors in sectors like p o w e r, tors in sectors lik tourism, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to name a few. H o w e v e r, NRIs are expecting a bit more than talk on investment in the states. Hotelier Mahesh Shah from California says he wants to invest in his home town Vadodara, but found it difficult to get a bank loan. “There is limited growth opportunity here as arranging for financ es is a big issue. I wanted to open ho tels in Vadodara but found it diffi cult to get loans,“ Shah said. He was also disappointed with the facilities at airports.
According to the ministry of overseas Indian affairs, there has been a change in NRI investments after the formation of the new government by Narendra Modi. Officials of the ministry said, “Earlier, NRI investments were through remittances or purchase of property or land. But now the trend is
changing. Many of them plan to invest in SMEs, renewable energy sectors, healthcare and education.“ A large chunk of these NRIs want to go through the Foreign Institutional Investment (FII), they added. The officials on Monday had a discussion with a large delegation of NRIs who will be attending PDB and are
interested in investing in Gujarat. “There are worries related to government procedures, red tape and transparency . But overall, the sentiment is positive among NRIs,“ they added. Another NRI, Sunil Nayak, wants all initiatives of the Union government, be it in infrastructure, welfare programmes or foreign direct investment (FDI), to continue at a fast pace. “Announcement of lifetime Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) status will take care of one of the major problems of NRIs who want to invest in India,“ said Nayak who is the founder of the Association of Indian Americans of North America (AIANA).
Ahmedabad With who's who from across for the globe set to arrive for the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) and Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit (VGS), the civic authorities are working extra hours to spruce up the city .Specific targets have been assigned by top bosses in the state government for urgent makeover of Ahmedabad.Nearly Rs75 crore will be spent by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) in less than a month's time to make the city spick and span ahead of the two mega events.Out of this, Rs32 crore has come as grant from the state government. As many as 56 roads across the city are being
Avoid major roads to capital during PBD, VGGIS City Police officials is sued a notification on Monday outlining the road blocks and traffic diversions for Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) and Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit (VGGIS) events. As per the notification, the road from Shahibaug underpass to Indira Bridge will be closed for general traffic during VVIP movement between January 5 and 13. At the time of diversion, the vehicles can take the alternative route from Shahibaug circle to Chimanbhai Bridge to Visat crossroads to Gandhinagar.Those wanting to go towards Naroda Patia can take Ghevar circle to Rameshwar crossroads to Memco. From Sardarnagar crossroads to Gandhinagar, vehicles can take Ruby circle, said police officials. For Gandhinagar, the road towards Mahatma Mandir will be closed during VVIP movements.
CHECKS & BLOCKS - Elaborate Security In Place; Schools To Be Closed For the common man, the capital city of Gandhina gar will be virtually shut for a week from Wednesday. The security for the two highprofile events is so elaborate and high that the daily commuters will be a hassled lot during these days. While the three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) begins on We d n e s d ay, t h e three-day Vibrant Gujarat Global In vestors' Summit (VGGIS) takes off on Sunday .Schools in the capital city will be shut, and the usual humdrum and the city's markets would be muted. There would be a few exceptions though. Powerful bureaucrats who would get tags to stick to their cars will have barrierfree access to roads. Even accessing Gandhinagar from Thursday till January 13 would be a pain. For instance, between Koba circle to Shahpur circle,
vehicles would have to move in service lanes, while the main road will be open for VIPs. “For nearly a month now, security personnel have been deployed near our house. They have removed the larriwalas and our autowala has advised us to buy vegetables for a week as no auto will run near here from Wednesday ,'' says Pusha Mishra, who lives in Shyam Sukhan flat on PDPU road. If you are trying to access Gandhinagar via SG road, then when you have to reach Uvaarsad crossroads, turn left towards Vavol and take the state highway No.
133 to enter Gandhinagar via Tata Crossroads. This does not end here. Moving within Gandhinagar from 6pm on Wednesday to Thursday 3pm and then again 3pm and then again between Saturday 6pm and Sunday 5pm will be impossible as all roads in the city will remain closed during this time. From Wednesday till January 13, stretches between Kh-0 and Kh-5, Ghh-0 and Ghh-5 and G-0 and G-3 circles and then between Ch-3 and Ch-5 would be closed to traffic. Accessing offices and houses located on these roads would be a time consuming process.
resurfaced, besides complete restructuring of over 50 traffic islands at important crossroads. About 70km of white linings have been laid on the roads with cat's eye retroreflectors. According to the AMC offi cials, over 10,000 streetlight poles and dividers along the main roads are getting a fresh coat of paint. To give and a green look to city roads, more than 2,000 saplings are being planted and some 1,500 largesize earthen pots with colourful plants are being installed on major roads. About 200 pavements and footpaths are being
Ahmedabad
renovated or repaired. Five major bridges across the Sabramati will get durable and deformation-resistant mastic layer before the VGS, said the AMC officials. The awardwinning city's Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) will also get a makeover. Nearly 20 corridors of the BRTS are being renovated by the civic authorities as a number of delegates participating in the VGS and PBD are expected to take a ride in the BRTS buses. Besides this, over 200 CCTV cameras will keep a watch on the movements of people and vehicles along major junctions.
Partial lockdown at Kankaria too wedding reception, booked six months ago and scheduled for Wednesday at Picnic House at Kankaria by a retired DySP, had to be cancelled at the last minute owing to the events at Kankaria lake. “We felt bad cancelling the reception as the family will now have to hunt for another place. A request for an anniversary party was refused for Wednesday,“ says a senior estate department official. The officials, however, did not confirm reports of a dinner that primeminister Narendra Modi will host on Thursday evening at Kankaria lake. “The protocol team of the state government has no word about the dinner being hosted on Wedneday at Kankaria. It will be too late for us to beneficiary enterprises. Not make arrangements if only that. The new policy informed on would encourage set ting up Wednesday,“ says a of new MSMEs in Gujarat. senior AMC official. In the run up to Pravasi Bharatiya Di vas and Vibrant Gujarat summit, even the city's sole entertainment zone, the Kankaria lake will wear a dead look for seven days. On Monday evening, AMC decided that it will close three gates, at Vyayam Shala, football ground and Pushpkunj. The other two gates will be open for visitors. AMC officials claim some main arrangements for the festival are to be made near these three gates, including setting up a stage for a cultural show. As collateral damage, a
MSMEs to get cash, interest assistance Gandhinagar: Govt Announces New Incentive Scheme For Small Enterprises In the run-up to the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, chief minister Anandiben Patel has announced a spate of special incentives for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the state. In fact, a new incentive scheme for MSMEs has been included in the Industrial Policy-2015 announced by the cy-2015 announced by the state government recently . Under this incentive scheme, cash and assistance on interest incurred on term loans given by banks will be given to MSMEs. Those lo cated within towns and cities will be given 10% of the loan amount (up to a maxi mum of Rs 15 lakh) as cash incentive while interest as sistance will be 5% (up to a maximum of Rs 25 lakh) for five years. In areas outside towns
and cities, cash incentive will be 15% of the loan amount (up to a maximum Rs 25 lakh) and interest assistance will be 7% ev ery year (up to a maximum of Rs 30 lakh) for five years. The state government has also announced that 1% more interest assistance would be given as special encouragement to women, the physi cally challenged, members of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes and young entrepreneurs. Venture capital boost: The state government will also give MSMEs venture capital assistance. New entrepreneurs who have knowledge of in novative technology but cannot establish an in dustry due to paucity of capital will be given a loan of Rs 50 lakh under the Capital Assistance Scheme to start their MSMEs. Credit guarantee: The incentive scheme also provides for payment to banks a guarantee fee
for giving an entrepreneur loan of Rs 1 crore without a guarantor. However, this without a guarantor. However, this incentive will be available only to entrepreneurs from the Scheduled Castes and Tribes, the physically challenged and to women. Existing MSME units will also get cash assistance and interest assistance for expanding their activities, diversification and modernization. Units in towns and cities will get 10% of the loan amount (up to Rs 15 lakh) as cash assistance. Interest assistance of 5% every year (up to Rs 25 lakh) for five years will be given to MSMEs located in towns and cities. Gujarat finance and energy minister Saurabh Patel said that the incentives given to MSMEs in strial policy would expedite the de the new industrial policy would expedite the de velopment of the
Man slits wrist, jumps to death into Sabarmati Ahmedabad: Body of a man was fished out from Sabarmati river by a team of Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services (AFES) on Monday afternoon. The identity of the victim was not known till Monday night. According to AFES officials, the passers-by on Nehru Bridge informed the fire brigade after a man jumped in the river from the bridge parapet at 12.30pm. A team soon started search for him and fished out his body after half-an-hour operation. The body was
handed over to Navrangpura police for further investigation. “Eyewitnesses said that the man had come on a scooter and had approached the railings after standing on the bridge for a while. While we have not got any identity documents on him, the information on the scooter, having Banaskantha passing, has been relayed to the RTO. He had slit his wrist before jumping into the river. He seems to be in thirties. Further investigation is on,“ said a Navrangpura police official.
Year : 01, Issue : 11 “Sunvilla Samachar” (English Daily) Morning Newspaper Printed at Vansh Corporation, A-8, Shayona Golden Estate, Shahibaug, Ahmedabad - 380 004., and Published at A-24, Shardha Apartment, Thakkarbapanagar Road, Bapunagar, Ahmedabad-382350. Mo.: 9687612324, by Owner, Printer, Publisher : Aksheshkumar S. Savaliya on date 06-01-2015 (Tuesday), Editor : Kapilkumar M. Hirpara* (*Responsible for selection of News under the PRB act). RNI Title Code: GUJENG01183.