G. Srinivas (General Secretary SSS), addressing The press conference

Hyderabad,13,Dec, Telangana Samanvaya Samithi,Telangana Co-ordination Committee..press conference addressing G. Srinivas (General Secretary), Vidha Sagar Advocate (Adhikara Prathinidi), V. Venkat reddy (Advisor) (photo by RSJ Thomas)
=========================================================

Andhra Pradesh govt sanctions Rs 430.98 cr as relief

Hyderabad, Dec 13 : The Andhra Pradesh Government has accorded administrative sanction of Rs 430.98 crore to various departments from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for relief measures for the losses and damages due to the recent heavy rains, floods and 'JAL' cyclone.Out of Rs 430.98 crore, the agriculture department has been sanctioned Rs 170.77 crore, Horticulture department Rs 1.87 crore, Animal Husbandry Rs 15.88 crore, Fisheries Rs 1.84 crore. The remaining amount was for Sericulture, Handloom Textiles, Roads and Buildings, Rural Water Supply,Irrigation, Health, Panchayat Raj, Municipal Administration Departments.The government had sanctioned relief of Rs 8.83 crore for damaged houses, an offcial press release said here tonight.
======================================================

Former Mayor T Shakuntala resign, from Cong, join Jagan group.

Dec 13 : Former Mayor Tadi Shakunatala announced that she had resigned from the Congress Party and would join the new regional party being floated by Former Congress MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.However, Senior Congress leaders told that Shankuntala's move was not politically significant, as she had earlier defected from CPI to Join Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) and later joned the Congress. Meanwhile, Mr Jagan, son of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy continued his tour of Krishna district to console the rain affected farmers, He was given a warm welcome in many villages.At Patha Majeru village, Mr Jagan alleged that the state government had failed on all fronts in providing a helping hand to the affected farmers. The government was working against the ideals and wishes of former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, he alleged and claimed that the government would ''fall'' soon.
========================================================

Andhra Pradesh universities act bill introduced in Assembly

Hyderabad, Dec 13 : Finance Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy today laid the Andhra Pradesh Universities Act (Amendment) Bill, 2010 on the table of the Hosue.After Deputy Speaker Nadendla Manohar asked the minister to present the Bill on behalf of Minister for Higher Education C Damodar Rajanarsimha, he introduced the Bill.Later, the Deputy Speaker announced that the motion has been carried and the Bill was introduced in the House. It could be taken up for discussion.Mr Manohar also announced that the Andhra Pradsh Micro Finance Institutions (Regulation of Money Lending) Bill 2010, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2010 and the Andhra Pradesh Self-Help Groups Women (Leasing of Agriculture Land) Bill, 2010, which were introduced in the House on Saturday would be taken up for discussion tomorrow evening along with today's Bills.
==========================================================

Telangana stir: Andhra withdraws cases against students

13,Dec,2010, Buckling under opposition pressure, the Andhra Pradesh government Monday said it was withdrawing around a third of criminal cases against students and others who took part in the movement for a separate Telangana state.Making a statement in the state assembly, Home Minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy said 562 cases against 2,436 people were being withdrawn.A total of 1,667 cases were registered against 8,047 people during the protests between December 2009 and September this year.She said all cases were divided into two categories depending on their gravity. While petty cases like violation of prohibitory orders, road blockades and attempt to suicide were being withdrawn, cases like arson and attack on public and private property would be examined.“Of the total cases, 122 against 411 people were closed at the police station level during the course of investigation, while 383 cases against 2,500 people were pending in court,” she said.The statement came after the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) paralysed the state assembly Friday and Saturday over this demand. It forced an adjournment Monday as well.The main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and TRS expressed dissatisfaction over the statement and demanded that all cases against the students in all the regions be withdrawn unconditionally.Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy assured the house that every case was would be thoroughly examined.“The government will take an appropriate decision at an appropriate time in respect of the cases which were not withdrawn,” he said.Reddy appealed to students not to resort to violence during protests.Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) leader Akbaruddin Owaisi demanded that the cases booked against 422 Muslim youths in the old city of Hyderabad in the aftermath of communal clashes this year be withdrawn as well.The chief minister told him that the two issues could not be clubbed. He, however, said the government was ready review these cases.(photo by RSJ THOMAS)
========================================================

Chandrababu Naidu stages sit-in in front of Andhra assembly

13,Dec,2010, Leader of Opposition N.Chandrababu Naidu Monday staged a sit-in on the road in front of the Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly building to protest the arrest of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) legislators and farmers’ leaders.Angry over the attitude of police, Naidu told reporters that he would not end his protest unless all the arrested legislators and leaders were freed.Earlier, TDP leaders claimed that Naidu had a narrow escape when a police vehicle carrying the arrested legislators almost ran over him. The former chief minister was trying to stop the vehicle but the driver did not apply the brakes and Naidu’s security guards pulled him back in the nick of time.“Is this the way you treat a former chief minister? Is it democracy or what?” an angry Naidu asked police officers when they tried to persuade him to end his protest.It all started when a group of leaders of some farmers’ organisations reached the assembly building to submit a memorandum to Chief Minister Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy, demanding relief for farmers whose crops were damaged in recent heavy rains.When security personnel did not allow them inside, they sat on the road to lodge their protest.Meanwhile, legislators of the TDP, the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) came out of the assembly and joined the protest. Police then bodily lifted the legislators and farmers’ leaders and took them to a waiting vehicle.On hearing about the arrests, Naidu too came out of the assembly and tried to stop the police vehicle.The TDP chief alleged that the government was not only running away from a debate on the farmers’ issues in the assembly but was also adopting “high-handed” attitude towards opposition legislators and farmers.(photo by RSJthomas)
==========================================================

India, US to hold final agenda talks for Obama visit

Oct,19, US Undersecretary of State William Burns and chief pointperson for South Asia Robert Blake will hold two-day talks here starting Thursday, barely three weeks before President Barack Obama touches down in India.Topping a series of preparatory meetings aimed at firming up deliverables during the presidential visit, Burns and Blake, the US assistant secretary of state for South Asia, are expected to meet Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and Indian officials Thursday-Friday, official sources said. They may also call on External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna.This will be the final round of agenda-setting talks before Obama comes on his maiden visit to India, likely Nov 5-8.The talks will try to iron out differences over contentious issues like the hike in H1B visa fees, curbs on outsourcing and the civil nuclear liability legislation.The two sides will focus on issues such as the easing of high-tech exports that could give a historic character to Obama’s visit to India.There will be talks on removing Indian firms from the banned ‘entities list’ that could signal the relaxation of much-needed high-tech exports to India, said informed sources.India is being denied technology in 11 of the 16 categories, just one short of both Pakistan and China, while most European nations figure in just four categories and Canada faces restrictions on just two counts.Krishna had last week said India would raise concerns expressed by its IT industry over the US curbs on outsourcing when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets the US president next month and will press for lifting restrictions on exports of high-technology.The visit by Burns and Blake follow a string of recent high profile visits from Indian ministers to the US.These include trips by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A.K. Antony and External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna.National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon and Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao too met top US officials in Washington to firm up agenda for Obama’s visit.Last week, Blake had announced that Obama was planning a landmark visit to India in November.“I foresee our great nations becoming ever closer in the years and decades to come. President Obama intends to make a landmark visit to India in November to help further grow the ties between our two knowledge societies, our economies, and our people,” he said at the San Diego World Affairs Council.
======================================================

Rosaiah defends university land for TIFR campus

Oct,19, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah Monday defended the allotment of University of Hyderabad land to the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) for setting up its Hyderabad campus.

Rosaiah told reporters that TIFR was not a private company and that it was allotted 209 acres of surplus land of the university in accordance with the rules.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation stone for the Hyderabad campus of TIFR Tuesday even as a section of students and faculty are opposing the land allotment.Rosaiah claimed that the state got the second campus of the prestigious institution after tough competition from other states. He pointed out that TIFR planned to invest Rs.2,500 crore in the campus and this would help in the state’s development.The chief minister promised to compensate the central university for the land by extending other assistance.Meanwhile, University of Hyderabad’s Vice Chancellor Seyed E. Hasnain also justified land allotment to TIFR. He pointed out that it is an institute of excellence wholly-funded by the Department of Atomic Energy and there was nothing wrong in giving it land.He said the opposition to the move from some sections was politically motivated. The VC hoped that the institute would help in making the campus a world-class research hub.TIFR director Mustansir Barma said the Hyderabad campus would start functioning from the next year. It will have world-class labs and facilities to put India in the forefront of research in the emerging areas of science.It plans to accommodate 200 permanent faculty, 1,000 students and 300 post-doctoral researchers.TIFR, which was founded by Homi J. Bhabha on June 1, 1945 with the support of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, has already entered into memorandum of understanding with University of Hyderabad to facilitate collaborative research.Barma said this collaboration between the university and the institute would continue in future.
=========================================================

Expand human resource pool in science, technology: PM

Oct,19, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday called for expanding the human resource pool in science and technology and creating a stimulating institutional environment “through innovation and pursuit of excellence”.Singh laid the foundation stone for the Hyderabad campus of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) at the centrally-run University of Hyderabad.
“We need to expand human resource pool in the area of science and technology to maintain our competitive advantage in the knowledge economy that is now on the horizon in the world,” Singh said.“Secondly, we need to create a stimulating institutional environment that can engender a full flowering of our vast, latent capacities through innovation and pursuit of excellence.”“The scientific and technological prowess of a nation is a major determinant of its state of development. Innovation and knowledge will be the key factors in our nation’s progress in the 21st century. We must, therefore, foster an environment that promotes and nurtures scientific achievement and makes us a world leader in creating intellectual property,” he said.He stressed the need to strengthen scientific infrastructure, draw the brightest minds to scientific research, and create institutions of the highest standards of excellence.“Scientific development is an integral part of the journey of our country towards inclusive, balanced and sustainable growth,” he said.The ceremony passed off without any untoward incident as tight security arrangements were made in view of protests by a section of students and faculty of the university over allotment of university land to TIFR.The institute is coming up on 209 acres allotted by the state government. TIFR plans to set up various research and academic facilities at the Hyderabad campus with an investment of about Rs.2,500 crore over a decade.Recalling that India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had laid the foundation stone for TFIR at Mumbai 56 years ago, Singh noted that from modest beginnings TIFR has emerged as a great centre of research and learning of international repute.He said the institute was closely associated with many of the advances the country has made in the frontier fields of scientific research.“From its origin in nuclear science and mathematics, TIFR’s activities now encompass all branches of natural sciences, mathematics, computer cience and science education,” he said.Paying rich tributes to TIFR’s founder and a greatest scientist Homi Bhabha, Singh said the nation owes Bhabha a deep debt of gratitude for his pioneering efforts in putting India on the scientific map of the world.Atomic Energy Commission chairman Srikumar Banerjee described TIFR as a cradle of atomic energy activities in the country.He said the need for the new campus was felt as the Mumbai campus had come to a state of saturation and it couldn’t grow any farther.“TIFR has chosen a path in which it will try to converge various traditional disciplines into some common theme. They have named it as research in light, matter and life,” he said.TIFR plans to have 1,000 to 1,400 students in Phd programmes and about 400 post doctoral associates in new campus. It will also have 250 faculty members.Mustansir Barma, director of TIFR, said TIFR was an autonomous institute supported by the department of atomic energy with a mission to conduct world class research in various sciences and train young researchers.He said the new campus would have TIFR centre for interdisciplinary science, which is expected to be functional by 2013.Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L Narasimhan and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah were also present on the occasion.
=======================================================

Kasab spits on video camera, wants to go to US

Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, caught alive during the 26/11 Mumbai mayhem, Tuesday spat on the video-conferencing camera in the Arthur Road Central Jail from where he ‘attends’ the proceedings in the Mumbai High Court where arguments on confirming his death sentence are going on.Though the jail officials discreetly switched off the camera at the right moment, they later informed the court of the spitting incident.Kasab, who was seen misbehaving during the first day of the hearing Monday – laughing, stretching himself, playing with his jail uniform buttons, yawning and exhibiting boredom – continued his antics Tuesday, the jail officials said. At one time, he attempted to get up and walk away from the camera.He also came on the live video-screen and demanded that he should be sent to the US since he was not sure on what charges he was being kept in captivity here. At this, the bench of Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice R. V. More suggested that he should ask his lawyers under what charges he was being kept in jail.Kasab also told the court in Hindi that he wanted to attend the proceedings in person, instead of through video-conferencing, which the judges declined on security grounds.Kasab’s lawyers too agreed that he could not be brought to the Bombay High Court in view of security considerations.Government counsel Ujjwal Nikam Monday opened his arguments in the case for confirming the death sentence awarded to Kasab by Special JUdge M.L. Tahaliyani May 6 this year.Kasab was the only Pakistani gunman nabbed alive from the group of 10 terrorists who sneaked into Mumbai and created mayhem between Nov 26-29, killing 166 people, including 26 foreigners, and injuring around 300 others.
==========================================================

A.R. Rahman, brand ambassador for Toyota Etios

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has roped in music composer and two-time Oscar winner A.R. Rahman as brand ambassador for its small car Etios to be launched in December.

Rahman will endorse the Etios through various marketing campaigns, the company said Friday.“There is a very strong connect between the product and its brand ambassador, with both being global, innovative, reliable, and a class-above quality,” said Hiroshi Nakagawa, managing director, TKM.The new Toyota hatchback is said to have been designed for the mass volume segment of the Indian market and will compete in the Rs.3-5 lakh price band.“I believe real quality is created when skill meets dedication, when insight meets inspiration, when passion meets perfection. This is why I am happy to be associated with Toyota. The same values drive Toyota in whatever they do,” said Rahman on his association with Toyota.Sandeep Singh, deputy managing director, marketing, said the Toyota brand in India would get stronger and far-reaching “with Rahman in our multi-media campaigns”.
=========================================================

Bal Thackeray anoints grandson Aditya into politics

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray Sunday night formally anointed grandson Aditya into politics by presenting him a ceremonial sword as a crowd of over 200,000 cheered lustily.A surprisingly robust and healthy looking Thackeray, accompanied by Aditya, arrived at the Shiv Sena Dussehra rally at the historic Shivaji Park grounds, even as his son and Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray wound up his 45-minute-long address.
First, the three generations of the Thackeray family garlanded a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji before Thackeray was escorted to his ‘throne’.After the usual round of garlands, Aditya stood before him, clad in a simple blue kurta with sleeves rolled up to the elbows and dark trousers.Thackeray handed his grandson a gleaming sword and touched his forehead, while Aditya bent and touched his feet. Thackeray also presented a bouquet of flowers to the 20-year-old.Aditya then sought his father Udhav’s blessings by touching his feet.He then came forward on the stage, raised the sword and waved it to the cheering crowds, then bowed before the gathering and syumbolically sought their blessings.Belying expectations, Aditya did not make a speech and the stage was left for his father and grandfather.Flanked on his right by former leader of opposition in the state assembly Ramdas Kadam and on the left by ex-chief minister and former Lok Sabha speaker Manohar Joshi, Aditya sat throughout the two-hour function and listened attentively to the speeches of the two senior Thackerays.In his 45-minute speech, Bal Thackeray said that Aditya had progressed in the party by his deeds and urged partymen to encourage and support him.
========================================================

Ayodhya verdict: Nirmohi Akhara to also move Supreme Court

The decision of theAll India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to take the Ayodhya battle to the Supreme Court has prompted one of the key Hindu parties, Nirmohi Akhara, to follow suit, almost ruling out any chance of an out-of-court settlement.“We have no choice but to move the Supreme Court now, since the Sunni Central Waqf Board’s resolve to file an appeal agaist the (Sep 30) Allahabad High Court verdict has been formally endorsed by the Muslim Personal Law Board,” Akhara spokesman Mahant Ram Das said over telephone from Ayodhya.Speaking on behalf of 89-year-old Akhara head Mahant Bhaskar Das, who avoids talking over the phone on account of his hearing impairment, Ram Das said: “We were somehow apprehensive that a particular lobby among Muslims was not interested in closing the Ayodhya chapter and that is exactly what has happened. Under the circumstances, we are compelled to take the same course and file an appeal before the Supreme Court.”Asked what would happen to the initiatives taken by 90-year-old Hashim Ansari, the first Muslim plaintiff in the case, to put an end to the court battle and settle the dispute through dialogue, Ram Das said: “Well, we all appreciate Ansari’s efforts to which Mahant Bhaskar Das had also responded very positively, but what to do now?”Signalling a hardened position, he said: “We have reason to believe that we must not only have full right over the entire disputed land, but also be given complete right to perform puja and have full control over the proposed temple.”A three-judge special bench of the Allahabad High Court had ordered division of the disputed 90 ft x 120 ft plot of land where the Babri masjid once stood into three parts – one to Ram Lalla, one to the Nirmohi Akhara and one to the Sunni Waqf Board.After a meeting of its executive here Saturday, the AIMPLB said it had decided to appeal in the Supreme Court against the Ayodhya verdict, but clarified it was not opposed to an out-of-court compromise, though with certain conditions.Asked to comment on the change in Nirmohi Akhara’s stand, All India Akhara Parishad chief Mahant Gyan Das blamed it on Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) vice president Vinay Katiyar.“It is all because of Vinay Katiyar that the Nirmohi Akhara has altered its stand. It appears that Katiyar has poisoned the mind of Mahant Bhaskar Das,” he said.Gyan Das, who strongly championed keeping politicians out of the amicable settlement process, alleged Katiyar had vested interests.“Having been a MP from the area in the past, Katiyar knows that he could continue to get political mileage out of the issue only as long as it was allowed to simmer,” he said, referring to Katiyar’s stint as Faizabad MP.Earlier this week, Katiyar told mediapersons in Ayodhya that no out-of-court settlement on the issue was possible until Muslims abdicated their claim even to the one-third portion of the disputed site.

========================================================

Kasab death penalty: Case in high court Monday

Unprecedented security arrangements have been made at the Bombay High Court where the hearing on the confirmation of the death sentence to Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab begins Monday.

Kasab will not be present in person but participate in the proceedings through video-conferencing in view of the threat perceptions against him.The day-to-day hearing will be taken up before a division bench of Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice R.V. More.Special Judge M.L. Tahaliyani, who is now the principal sessions judge, awarded the capital punishment to the 22-year-old Pakistani gunman for his role in the Nov 26-29, 2008 Mumbai attack that claimed the lives of 166 people, including 26 foreigners.Unprecedented security measures have been ordered in the court premises with strict regulations on the entry of lawyers, litigants, mediapersons, court employees and others in Court No. 49.Government counsel Ujjwal Nikam, who fought the case in the trial court, will open his arguments seeking confirmation of the death sentence.Later, defence lawyers Farhana Shah and Amin Solkar will make their submissions on the confirmation of the sentence and their appeal against it.Two other co-accused in the case, Faheem Ansari and Sabahuddin Ahmed, who were acquitted by the Special Court owing to “doubtful evidence” against them, were re-arrested following an appeal filed by the state government.Both are currently lodged in different jails in Mumbai.Nine out of 10 gunmen, barring Kasab, who staged the attack were killed by security forces.
========================================================

Students plan protest during Prime Minister's Hyderabad University visit

Hyderabad, Oct 18 : Tight security arrangements are in place for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the University of Hyderabad here Tuesday as a section of the students and faculty is planning a protest against laying of the foundation stone for the Hyderabad campus of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).The students' unions and some faculty members are opposing the allocation of university land for TIFR while the Left parties have also appealed to the prime minister not to lay the foundation stone for the institute.Anticipating protests by the students and faculty, police have made elaborate security arrangements on the campus.Manmohan Singh will arrive in Hyderabad Tuesday at 11.30 a.m. He will inaugurate the 21st general meeting of the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) at 12 noon.He will lay the foundation stone for the Hyderabad campus of TIFR at 2.30 p.m. and return to New Delhi at 3.40 p.m. Students Monday staged protests at the university campus against plans to allot the land to various private institutions.The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of faculty, non-teaching staff and students fears that the land allotment to TIFR would set a "bad precedent" as the versity authorities could allot land to more private institutes.The strong protest by the JAC early this year had forced Vice-Chancellor Seyed E. Hasnain to put on hold a project to lease out 200 acres of campus land for Knowledge and Innovation Park (KIP).Leaders of Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), in a joint letter to the prime minister, appealed to him to cancel his proposed programme as it could be used by an "unscrupulous" administration to sanctify its "selfish" and "unreasonable land deals".CPI leader K. Narayana said there were proposals to allot 1,000 acres more to institutions and Singh's foundation stone laying for TIFR would enable the university to clear them.The central university authorities, however, clarified that land had been allotted to TIFR, a central government's institute of excellence wholly-funded by Department of Atomic Energy, and not to any private institute.The Hyderabad campus of TIFR is coming up on 209 acres of land allotted by the state government on the university campus at Gachibowli. TIFR plans to set up various research and academic facilities in the Hyderabad campus with an investment of about Rs.2,500 crore over a decade.According to TIFR officials, the Hyderabad campus will have world-class labs and facilities to put India in the forefront of research in the emerging areas of science. It plans to accommodate 200 permanent faculty, 1,000 students and 300 post-doctoral researchers.TIFR, which was founded by Homi J. Bhabha June 1, 1945, with the support of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, has already entered into memorandum of understanding with the University of Hyderabad to facilitate collaborative research.The prime minister will also inaugurate the 21st general meeting of Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). More than 350 scientists from 35 countries are expected to attend the four-day event.The union ministry of science and technology is sponsoring the meet. The Indian National Science Academy (INSA) and the TWAS Regional Office for Central and South Asia (TWAS-ROCASA) are the joint hosts.Based in Trieste, Italy, TWAS is an autonomous international organization which is working to promote scientific capacity and excellence for sustainable development in the south.
=======================================================

Hyd to host national seminar on changing trends in news papers

Oct 18 : Andhra Pradesh Small and Medium News Papers of India Association (APSMNPIA) President A Ramachandra Reddy today said a one-day national seminar on 'News papers Service in Changing Trends of the Public and Government' will be held at in Hyderabad on October 20.He told newspersons that here more that 90 delegates representing small and medium newspapers across the country, including New Delhi, Rajasthan, Tamil Naidu, Orissa, Haryana, Karnataka and Gujarat will participate in the seminar and focus on various issues, including role of small newspapers in development of Telugu language, small newspapers public responses and the role of small newspapers in rural development. National President for Association of Small and Medium Newspapers of India (Kanpur) K D Chandola, Narsapur member of Parliament K Bapu Raju, Amalapuram Member of Parliament G V Harsha Kumar, Potti Sriramulu Telugu University Vice Chancellor Prof A Bhumaiah, National co-ordinator for Small and Medium Newspapers Association P Vishumurthi, Telugu University Journalism department Head Satti Reddy will participate in the seminar. Right to Information Act Commissioner R Dilip Reddy, AP Press Academy Chairman T Surendra and senior journalists Pothuri Venkateswara Rao and Satish Chandar, will participate in the seminar, he said.
=======================================================

Ordinance issued to regulate micro finance firms in Andhra

Andhra Pradesh Friday issued an ordinance to regulate micro finance institutions (MFIs) in the wake of a spate of suicides due to harassment to borrowers.Governor ESL Narasimhan gave his assent to the ordinance, the draft of which was approved by the state cabinet Thursday. It provides for three years’ imprisonment and Rs.1 lakh penalty for agents or working directors of MFIs harassing the borrowers.
Rural Development Minister Vatti Vasantha Kumar told reporters that the ordinance would prove effective to check the MFIs from resorting to illegal methods to force borrowers to repay loans.The ordinance makes it compulsory for MFIs to register themselves with rural development authorities, The institutions will have to register within 30 days. The registration will be valid for one year and the same will be renewed only if the MFIs adhere to the rules and regulations.It has also been made compulsory for all MFIs to display the rate of interest on their boards. This has been done in view of the complaints by borrowers that MFIs were collecting higher rates of interest than those at which they agree to provide loans.
The minister, however, said the state government had no jurisdiction over fixing the rate of interest.He said with the issuing of the ordinance, the MFIs can’t send their agents to the houses of borrowers.“We will deal firmly with anybody who violates this order. He may be jailed up to three years and the registration of the MFI will be cancelled,” the minister added.Even as the minister made the announcement, unable to bear the harassment by an MFI, a borrower committed suicide in Warangal district.K.Ramesh, a daily wage earner, ended his life at Venkatadripet in Station Ghanpur mandal.More than 25 people have committed suicide due to alleged harassment by MFIs in the state during the last two months.
========================================================

Food security bill to be brought soon: Sonia Gandhi

Congress president Sonia Gandhi Friday said that the central government would soon bring forth a food security bill for the benefit of the poorest sections of society.

Addressing a Congress workers’ ‘Sadbhavna Rally’ at Sewagram in Wardha district, about 85 km from here, Gandhi pointed out that the government has already legislated the Right to Education to ensure education for all children, and the food security bill will be the next major public welfare policy measure of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.She also promised to address the issue of farmers in Vidarbha, the state’s eastern region that has seen thousands of farmer suicides in the past few years.Earlier, Gandhi felicitated thousands of Congress activists who marched from various villages in the state to Sewagram in a march called ‘Gram to Sewagram,’ and converged at the historic Sewagram Ashram.“I congratulate (you) for this achievement. With the presence of such people in this country, nobody can stop us from becoming the world’s strongest power,” the Congress president said, urging people to follow Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals of peace, non-violence and universal brotherhood to achieve progress.She warned people against forces that sought to divide the country on grounds of caste and religion and urged Congressmen to be prepared to fight them.At the beginning of her brief address, Gandhi apologised for reaching the venue nearly four hours behind schedule on account of some technical reasons.Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said that despite speculation in some quarters, Sonia Gandhi said that she would attend the rally.His comments came in the backdrop of an alleged ‘money-for-rally’ controversy that erupted Thursday with a taped conversation indicating that money was collected from Congress ministers to cover the rally’s expenses. Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Manikrao Thakre, Mumbai Congress chief Kripa Shankar Singh, Union Minister for Heavy Industries Vilasrao Deshmukh and other prominent personalities were present on the occasion.
=======================================================

Opposition tried to topple my government: Yeddyurappa

Much relieved after winning a second trust vote in four days, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa Thursday slammed the opposition Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) for trying to topple the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state.“Attempts to destabilise my government by the opposition parties began soon after its formation in mid-2008. I hope they will desist from such attempts and allow us to complete our term to fulfil the promises made to the people,” Yeddyurappa told reporters after again winning the trust vote in the legislative assembly.He said by proving majority on the floor of the house for the second time in four days, history was created in Indian democracy as no government was asked to take the floor test again and yet win.Noting that as per the constitution, a government need not take another floor test in six months after facing one, Yeddyurappa said that he agreed to the trust vote again on the request of the governor (H.R. Bhardwaj) and advice of his party’s high command in New Delhi.“The political crisis over a week when the opposition parties tried to topple an elected government has dented the fair image of the state and the people are hurt by such unfortunate developments. I deeply regret for what all happened,” Yeddyurappa lamented.Asserting that his government would hereafter only work for the development of the state, the chief minister appealed to the opposition parties to forget the bitterness of the past and join him in the task of building a vibrant Karnataka.Claiming that he knew which lobby was behind the latest bid to topple his government, Yeddyurappa asserted that he would not yield to such pressure.Asked if he suspected the hand of the mining lobby in destabilising his 29-month-old government as he banned iron ore exports in late July, the chief minister declined to admit this or take names but left no one in doubt in replying to the query.“It is well known which lobby attempted to topple my government with hundreds of crores of rupees and who was behind the opposition parties in plotting to overthrow us,” Yeddyurappa said.On filling the vacancies caused by his dismissal of seven ministers, including five Independents and two BJP ministers for revolting against his government, the chief minister said he would think about it after the Dussehra festival and the Karnataka High Court judgment in the disqualification case of the 16 rebel legislators, including 11 from the ruling party.“As the case is sub-judice, I would not like to comment on both now,” he added.
========================================================

Presernve habit of letter writing: veteran journalist exhorts

Oct 15 : Veteran journalist T Kutumba Rao who released the inhouse magazine 'Likitha' of postal staff of Eastern Region of Andhra Pradesh today pointed out that the written word stays forever.Speaking after releasing the magazine, he exhorted all to cultivate the habit of writing letters instead of sending message over mobile phones.Lauding the efforts of the postal department for delivering letters for the last half a century, he said he had received more than 100 letters, written to him by former Prime Ministers Jawarahlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. He had also received a number of letters written to him by AICC President Sonia Gandhi.''A Japanese TV channel came to my house for these precious letters for their documentary film on letters of prominent personalities,'' he said.Mr Kutumbera Rao, who is also an entrant into Guinness Book of World Records for delivering the maximum number of public speeches, also recalled that people used to wait for the postman for letters as it was the only mode of exchanging information in earlier days.Post Master General M Sampanth lauded the postal staff for their efforts in carrying forward one of the country's biggest public sector organisations.
========================================================