Month: March 2011

Light showers likely for the next few days

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Hyderabad, February 28: Hyderabadis can expect light showers, especially in the mornings, in the next few days. The Meteorological centre says that the phenomenon of unseasonal light showers, being experienced in the city for the past two days, may continue for the next few days causing a dip in the mercury levels.

Slight rainfall was reported from various places in Telangana and Rayalaseema today. At least 11.4 mm rainfall was reported from Hakimpet, Ranga Reddy district and 2.0 mm from Hyderabad.

Illegal mining in Bellary: IAS officer grilled

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Hyderabad, February 28: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has questioned a senior IAS officer in connection with the alleged illegal mining activities of Obulapuram Mining Corporation (OMC). She is the first officer to be questioned by the CBI ever since the probe commenced.

Sources told Express that a team of CBI sleuths grilled Y Srilakshmi, presently posted as commissioner (Health) after the investigating agency found irregularities in certain leases given to the OMC owned by Karnataka tourism minister Gali Janardhan Reddy.

CPDCL to seek Gail’s help to tackle crisis

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Hyderabad, February 28: With a shortage of 500 mega watt of power staring in the face, half of it in the purview of the AP Central Power Distribution Company Ltd (APCPDCL), the state government is eyeing a tie-up with the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) to exchange Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) with natural gas to meet the power deficit during summer.

Education gets 24 percent hike in budget allocation

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New Delhi, February 28: Observing that education is the key to reaping the benefits of the demographic dividend in the form of a young population, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday announced a 24 percent hike in the budget allocation for education.

“For education, I propose an allocation of Rs.52,057 crore, with an increase of 24 percent over the current year,” Mukherjee informed the Lok Sabha while presenting the budget.

Egypt seizes Mubarak family funds

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Cairo, March 01: Egypt’s top prosecutor seized all the funds of ousted leader Hosni Mubarak and his family on Monday and banned them from travel abroad, the latest humiliation for the once-powerful family.

Iran main victim of terrorism: Ali Akbar Salehi

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Tehran, March 01: Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says Iran has been the “main victim” of Western-sponsored terrorism since the 1979 victory of Islamic Revolution in the country.

“While Iran has taken genuine steps to safeguard human rights… it has been one of the main victims of terrorism in the world,” Salehi said at the UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva on Monday.

Iran following up on Moussa Sadr case

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Tehran, March 01: The Iranian Foreign Ministry says it is following up on the case of Lebanese Shia leader Imam Moussa al-Sadr, who went missing in Libya in 1978.

“Imam Moussa al-Sadr is known as a great character in the Muslim world and we merely hope that his fate will be determined,” Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan Qashqavi said on Monday.

He made the remarks after Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi reportedly confessed in a video to Sadr’s presence in the crisis-hit North African country,

Gehlot meets rape victims in Baran district

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Jaipur, March 01: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot monday met the family of two sisters who were allegedly raped in Baran district last month.

The Chief Minister interacted with members of Seharia community in two villages including the family members of the woman who along with her minor sister was allegedly raped and also enquired about the status of inquiry into the case, official sources said.

The victims were allegedly employed as bonded labourers by the accused.

International pressure builds on Gaddafi to quit

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Washington, March 01: International pressure began to mount on defiant Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to quit with the US issuing an ultimatum to him to surrender power “without delay” and the European Union imposing an arms embargo and other restrictions.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton bluntly told the Libyan leader to surrender power “now, without further violence or delay”, the New York Times reported.

The prime ministers of France and Britain echoed Clinton’s call while Germany proposed a 60-day ban on financial transactions.

Priority to more foodgrain production to curb inflation: Pranab

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New Delhi, March 01: Pointing to the existence of a supply-demand gap in foodgrain which is causing prices of essentials to soar, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Monday said he has given priority in the budget for 2011-12 to increasing production of foodgrain to contain inflation.

“If we try to understand what is causing inflation in our country, we will see that there exists supply and demand difference in foodgrain. Thus in this budget, I have proposed six to seven projects to increase
foodgrain production,” Mukherjee told private Bengali news channel Star Ananda.

Rail traffic to be hit due to Telangana stir Today

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Hyderabad, March 01: The South Central Railway (SCR) today cancelled, partially cancelled and regulated a number of trains in view of the “rail roko” agitation called by the Telangana Joint Action Committee on Tuesday in support of the separate statehood demand.

The trains which have been cancelled tomorrow include Hyderabad?New Delhi AP Express, Pune?Secunderabad special train, Hyderabad?Mumbai CST Hussainsagar Express, Hyderabad- Tirupati Rayalaseema Express, a SCR release said here.

———PTI

Three arrested with fake passports

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Coimbatore, March 01: Three persons were arrested at the city airport while trying to board a Sharjah-bound flight on fake passports.

The police said immigration officials grew suspicious over the movements of the trio and checked their passports, which were found to contain fake names and addresses.

The three, who were handed over to the police, were arrested and remanded to custody, they said.

——-PTI

Rs.34,000 crore in taxes from money kept abroad: Pranab

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New Delhi, March 01: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Monday said the government has received Rs.34,000 crore (Rs.340 billion/$7.5 billion) this year from levies on Indians who had kept their money abroad.

“We levied Rs.34,00 crore extra tax on persons who had kept money abroad. This year, the money has come,” Mukherjee told private Bengali news channel Star Ananda, replying to a query on the steps initiated by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime to unearth black money.

He said the government also prevented from Rs.34,000 crore to Rs.35,000 crore from being sent abroad.

BJP warns Centre against any hasty step on Kashmir issue

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Jammu, March 01: The BJP yesterday warned the Centre against any “hasty” step on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.

“Any reversal of the integration process or taking any hasty decision by the central government against national interest cannot be tolerated,” Leader of the BJP Legislative Party Chaman Lal Gupta told reporters after submitting a memorandum to Governor N N Vohra after commencement of the Assembly’s budget session yesterday.