Month: June 2014

Investments into Indian shares through participatory notes (P-Notes), a preferred route for overseas HNIs and hedge funds, surged to the highest level in six years at Rs 2.12 lakh crore (over USD 35 billion) in May.

According to the data released by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), the total value of P-Note investments in Indian markets (equity, debt and derivatives) rose to Rs 2,11,740 crore at the end of May from Rs 1,87,486 crore in the preceding month.

It was the highest since May 2008, when the cumulative value of such investments stood at Rs 2,34,933 crore.

Delhi Development Authority has decided to pay simple interest at 8 percent instead of the current 5 percent on registration deposits for all its future housing schemes, the urban body said Thursday.

The decision was taken at a DDA meeting on Thursday at Raj Niwas here.

DDA said in a release here that the decision was taken in order to “narrow the gap” between the interest paid to the allottees and that charged for delayed payments for its housing schemes.

However, it added that old cases which have been settled shall not be reopened.

Pakistan’s President, Mamnoon Hussain, has called upon all Muslims to purge the nation of extremism, terrorism and sectarian thought and violence during the holy fasting month of Ramazan.

In a message to the nation, President Hussain urged citizens of the country to strive to seek divine blessings and forgiveness, besides deliverance from acts that were hellish in nature.

The Daily Times quoted him, as saying that the basic objective of fasting during Ramazan was character building and to avoid attracting the displeasure of God.

Posing serious threat to global health, two forms of tuberculosis (TB) have become resistant to rifampicin, regarded the most effective drug against TB, researchers from India and the US say.

The two forms are multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB).

Scientists from the two countries have found that a new compound – 24-desmethylrifampicin – has much better anti-bacterial activity than rifampicin against multi-drug-resistant strains of the bacteria that cause TB.

Security has been beefed up in the twin cities as Bonalu festival began on Sunday and Ramadan on Monday. Commissioner police Mr. N Mahindra Reddy told that in view of month long Ramadan and Bonal festival in July, police maintains vigilance in old city and other sensitive areas of the city. He further stated that special bandobast is being made on the occasion of bonal procession of Mahankali in Secunderabad and Akanna Madanna temple in old city. CRPF, Rapid Action Force and local police are directed to be alert in sensitive areas.

Siasat news

Bryan Ruiz calmly guided 10-man Costa Rica through a tense penalty decider against Greece and into the World Cup quarter finals for the first time in the country’s history.

The Ticos’ captain scored the goal that put Costa Rica ahead and also put away his penalty as the Central Americans kept their nerve to win the decider 5-3. The two sides were 1-1 after regulation time with Sokratis Papastathopoulos cancelling out Ruiz’s goal in injury time to force extra time which also ended in deadlock.

Lok Sabha Members will attend a two day orientation programme for the first time from Monday at the Parliament House here.

According to reports, they will be made aware of parliamentary procedures.

The orientation programme will be inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

Members of Parliament will be familiarized with various procedures and related themes.

It would include information on how to be an effective parliamentarian, procedures to be followed during Question Hour and awareness of support services available to them. (ANI)

Keira Knightley has revealed that she feels it’s a miracle that her musician husband, James Righton, is still married to her after he tried giving her guitar lessons .

The 29-year-old actress said that she was so bad at learning how to play the instrument that she is surprised that Righton didn’t kill her, Contactmusic reported.

The ‘Begin Again’ star, who plays guitar in an upcoming comedy-drama, said that her husband is a musician and he tried to teach her guitar but the session didn’t go well.

Knightly added that it was fine, since, none of them tried to kill each other. (ANI)

The new Indian government is planning to bring about a “complete transformation” of the health sector and is working on the blueprint of the world’s largest universal health insurance programme.

This was announced by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan as he read out a speech by Prime Minister Modi to a gathering of US-based Indian medical professionals in San Antonio, Texas, underscoring the need for all citizens to involve themselves in the national endeavour for “Healthy “Healthy India”.

At least three persons were reported injured in a mishap involving a car and a truck in the Matunga area of Mumbai.

Sub-inspector Vijay Kumar told ANI that such an accident had taken place, and that police were investigating the reasons for it.

“After getting information about the accident, we rushed to the spot. It was a collision between a car and a truck. We are investigating the matter,” Vijay Kumar said.

“Three people are injured. We have taken them to a hospital for treatment,” he added. (ANI)

Scientists and nutritionists have condemned as “reprehensible” the creation of a pop-up store for Maria Sharapova’s Sugarpova sweet brand near the All England club here.

The Sugarpova Candy Lounge opened on Wimbledon High Street on June 16 and is selling treats to tennis fans during the prestigious championships.

Products include Sporty Mix tennis ball-shaped chewing gum.

The new government may enhance the Plan expenditure for 2014-15 by around Rs 11,000 crore in the Budget next month, which would be about 2 percent higher than what was provided in the previous fiscal budget.

However, the proposed plan spending for the fiscal would be higher by about Rs 90,790 crore or 19 percent over the revised estimates for 2013-14.

The plan expenditure, or GBS (gross budgetary support), is the government spending on social sector schemes such as Bharat Nirman, rural employment guarantee and National Rural Health Mission.

India has witnessed a growth in number of air travellers due to liberal aviation policy and entry of small air carrier, and is likely to touch 400 million mark by 2020, said Union Civil Aviation Minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today had a brief meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa during a stopover here on his way to Sriharikota.

“The Prime Minister made a brief stopover in Chennai this afternoon on the way to Sriharikota. He was received by Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. He later had a courtesy meeting with Jayalalithaa, before leaving for Sriharikota,” a PMO release said.

After a girl from Jabalpur escaped rape bid in the Bihar capital recently, JD(U) MLC Sanjay Singh’s statement that girls should refrain from taking lifts has caused much furore.

At a time when the Jitan Ram Manjhi-led JD(U) government has come under the scanner for rise in crime in the state, Singh’s statement has only added fuel to fire.

Singh however claimed to have been misquoted over the matter and said he had only asked “girls should not take lift from strangers.”

Senior BJP leader LK Advani today likened Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a batsman who becomes a Captain in the very first Test he plays and scores a triple century.

Modi’s comparison to a cricketer was made by Advani when he showered praises on the Prime Minister for leading the party and the NDA to a thumping victory with over 300 seats in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has congratulated ace shuttler Saina Nehwal for winning the Australian Open badminton tournament today.

Wishing her victory in all her future endeavours, Naidu said that promotion of all sports and talented sportspersons is on his vision for development of sports in (new) Andhra Pradesh, a state government release said.

Nehwal lifted her first Super Series title in two years, clinching the USD 750,000 Star Australian Open after outplaying Spain’s Carolina Marin in the summit clash in Sydney today.

BJP today welcomed the public admission of senior Congress leader A K Antony that his party’s secularism is slanted in favour of minorities, calling it “honest soul searching” and said its position on the issue stood vindicated.

BJP veteran LK Advani, who expressed this view while addressing the first-time party MPs on the concluding day of an orientation workshop here, also heaped praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for leading the NDA to a “triple century” victory with over 300 seats in the Lok Sabha polls.

India’s national space agency ISRO is set to launch five satellites from four countries from the spaceport of Sriharikota on Monday in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The launch of rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C23) is scheduled to lift off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 9.52 am today.

The 49-hour countdown for the launch was progressing smoothly and preparations for Mobile Service Tower withdrawal to the parking end were also under progress, ISRO said.

The five satellites are from four countries – France, Germany, Canada and Singapore.

GAIL (India) Limited Sunday suspended two senior officials pending enquiry into Friday’s blast and fire in its pipeline in East Godavari district, which killed 19 people.

“Pending the outcome of the enquiry set up both by the government as well as the company, two senior officials incharge of the regional operations and maintenance of the pipeline network have been suspended,” a statement by GAIL said.

The blast and fire caused by leakage of the gas from the pipeline burnt to death 19 people and injured 19 others in Nagaram village of East Godavari.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted people of India on Sunday on the occasion of holy month of Ramazan.

Modi posted on the micro-blogging site Twitter – “As Ramzan begins, I convey my greetings and pray that the Holy Month brings peace and happiness in everyone’s life.”

Other leaders like J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan today also greeted the people on the beginning of fasting month.

Omar in his message hoped that the holy month will be harbinger of well-being, progress and prosperity for the mankind, PTI reported.

The Centre has made a fresh request to Switzerland seeking details of Indians who have stashed away untaxed money in Swiss banks.

“We have written to the Swiss authorities seeking details in this regard. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had promised that such a step would be taken,” a senior Finance Ministry official said.

The official said the request letter has cited existing bilateral treaties and global protocols applicable to the two countries for getting information about bank and other details of Indians holding untaxed funds or hidden wealth.

Actor-turned-Congress politician and former union minister K Chiranjeevi on Sunday visited Nagaram village in East Godavari district where a gas pipeline had exploded, killing 19 people and injuring 18 others.

Accompanied by former Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Botsa Satyanarayana and former endowments minister N Ramachandraiah, Chiranjeevi visited the Nagaram village where the gas pipeline exploded.

Interacting with the people and consoling deceased family members, they enquired about the impact of the blast and damaged houses.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention for creation of the proposed Brahmaputra River Valley Authority (BRVA) and an IIM in Assam.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Gogoi sought the BRVA to be created by revamping and restructuring the existing Brahmaputra Board within a short time frame.

Gogoi in his letter said the creation of BRVA was of paramount importance to tackle the perpetual flood and erosion problem and water-related hazards in Assam and the North East as a whole.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today discussed issues related to the state with Prime Minister Narendra Modi who visited Sriharikota in Nellore district for the launch of PSLV tomorrow.

Modi arrived at Sriharikota this evening for the event scheduled for tomorrow morning.

TDP said in a release tonight that Naidu met Modi and discussed various issues concerning (new) Andhra Pradesh.

Naidu has been seeking special status for residuary AP post bifurcation and implementation of other promises made in the state reorganisation act.

–PTI