Statesman (India) articles from March 2009

Statesman (India) archives from March 2009

RSP may expel Buxla: Kshiti.
March 31, 2009... JALPAIGURI, March 30: State PWD minister and senior RSP leader Mr Kshiti Goswami today said that the partys central leadership might expel Mr Joachim Buxla from the party. According to the minister, the anti-Left Front intrigue being...

Paramilitary forces sought in sensitive booths.
March 31, 2009... KOLKATA, March 30: Representatives of the State Government Employees Federation met the chief electoral officer Mr Debashis Sen on Friday to request the provision of paramilitary forces in sensitive booths. The president of the...

Years after, Opp procession rings through Krishnapur.
March 31, 2009... MIDNAPORE, March 30: After almost a decade, the Opposition today held an election procession in Krishnapur and several adjoining villages under the CPI-M-controlled Bhagwantapur I gram panchayat in Chandrakona II block of West Midnapore....

Locals demand school revamp.
March 31, 2009... Sanjib Chakraborty BONGAON,March 30: The authorities of NaraharipurAbaitanikPrathamik Vidyalayain Bongaonhas appealed many times to the North 24-Parganas district administration to improve the infrastructure of the school, but still no action...

Land for institute stirs controversy.
March 31, 2009... KOLKATA,March 30: A controversy is brewing over the allotment of land to the DhirubhaiAmbaniInstitute of Information and Communication Technology (DAIICT)with the state government refusing to allow absolute rights over the land on which the...

CPM and FB faction clash: 4 hurt.
March 31, 2009... DURGAPUR, March 30: Four Janabadi Forward Block activists sustained splinter injuries and were rushed to the Burdwan Medical College & Hospital this afternoon when CPI-M cadres allegedly hurled bombs at them in Shimulia village in Galsi area...

Villagers resist arrest, clash with police.
March 31, 2009... DURGAPUR,March. 30: Police reportedly lobbed tear gas shells and went on an indiscriminate lathi-chargedirected at locals resisting the arrest of MozammelHaqat Salgachavillage in Rainaarea, Burdwanlast night. Women and children were among...

Biz Briefs.
March 31, 2009... Growth rate MUMBAI,March 30: Committee on financial sector assessment, appointed by the Union government together with RBI, has said that eight per cent-plus growth is sustainable in the medium-term despite fall in the macro-economic growth...

Crash course after bull run.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service MUMBAI,March 30: Abruptly terminating the five-day bullish trend, the stock markets fell sharply today ondismal global cues. The main factor for the crash in Asia and (late afternoon) in Europe was cited as Americas...

Obamawithholds auto bailout funds.
March 31, 2009... Associated Press WASHINGTON, March 30: The White House says neither General Motors nor Chrysler submitted acceptable plans to receive more bailout money. Administration officials say that President BarackObamaand his top advisors have...

Re down 60 paise against dollar.
March 31, 2009... Press Trust of India MUMBAI,March 30: TheIndian rupee today plunged by 60 paise to end below 51 to the greenback after a gap of six trading days, at 51.18/19, following a sharp decline in equity markets amid month-end dollar demand. A firm...

CCEA nod for scheme continuation.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service NEW DELHI, March 30: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today approved the continuation of the ongoing plan scheme of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the Indian Institute of Horticulture Research,...

Sector-specific stimulus packs necessary: Shourie.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service KOLKATA,March 30: Instead of declaring a general stimulus package for all the sectors to revive the country's economy, the Centre should take initiative to provide specific stimulus package for each sector and location,...

Global M&As down 42%: Study.
March 31, 2009... Press Trust of India NEW DELHI, March 30: The global merger and acquisition sphere witnessed a 42 per cent decline in its value reaching $482 billion so far this year, a report by global deal tracking firm Dealogicsaid. Global completed M&A...

Two banks cut BPLRs.
March 31, 2009... MUMBAI,March 30: Union Bank of India and DenaBank today cut their benchmark prime lending rates (BPLRs)by 0.50 per cent and 0.25 per cent, respectively, effective 1 April. While Union Bank has cut its BPLRfrom 12.50 per cent to 12 per cent,...

Gupta rubbishesSpice allegations.
March 31, 2009... NEW DELHI, March 30: Union corporate affairs minister Mr PremChand Guptatoday ridiculed BKModi-ledSpice Corporation's allegations of non-transparency in the bidding for Sataym,wondering if a person from space should be brought to satisfy the...

Govt clears UBI cap recast.
March 31, 2009... NEW DELHI, March 30: Thegovernment today approved restructuring of state-owned United Bank of India's capital, which includes reduction in paid-up equity by more than 80 per cent to improve its financial parameters. Besides, the government...

Edits.
March 31, 2009... Lumpens take over When the law catches up with Varun Gandhi The Bharatiya Janata Party, which has maintained a diplomatic silence over VarunGandhis outburst, ought now to realise the enormity of his predicament. He has been booked under the...

Read To Reduce Stress, Says Study.
March 31, 2009... London, March 30: Listening to music has been known to be one of the best stressbusters.But a new study has now claimed that reading works better and faster when it comes to calming frazzled nerves. Researchers have carried out the study and...

Special Article.
March 31, 2009... Voting for Change? Continuity Of A System That Thrives On Venality By Ravindra Kumar We have a serious problem with our political system. We dont seem to be dealing with it very well. Two months ago, the United Progressive Alliance was made...

EC sends notice to Mulayam.
March 31, 2009... NEW Delhi, March 30: The Election Commission today served a notice on the SamajwadiParty chief, Mr MulayamSingh Yadav,for allegedly making threatening remarks against the district magistrate and returning officer of Mainpuri,Ms...

PM leaves for G-20 summit today.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service NEW DELHI, March 30: The Prime Minister, Dr ManmohanSingh, is leaving for London tomorrow to attend the G-20 Summit. The summit assumes greater significance as Dr Singh will have his first meeting with the US President,...

PSU: Govt improves upon previous pay hike.
March 31, 2009... SNS & PTI NEW DELHI, March 30: Nearly three months after executives of oil PSUs went on strike demanding higher wages, the Centre today bettered the previously announced hike in emoluments for officers of all public sector companies, giving...

Independents hog the limelight.
March 31, 2009... Amit Chamaria NEW DELHI, March 30: The role of Independents has come into sharp focus given the candidature of Captain GR Gopinath from Bangalore, Ms Meera Sanyal (the ABN Amro chief) from Mumbai and dancer-actor-activist Mallika Sarabai from...

Lalu vs Nitish RJDs campaign strategy.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service NEW DELHI, March 30: Faced with a crucial battle in Bihar,the LaluPrasad-ledRJDis working out campaign strategies, jointly with the Ram VilasPaswan-ledLJPbut also on its own. Amid the fissures surfacing in the UPA,Mr...

Panel moots more autonomy for varsities.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service NEW DELHI, March 30: Advocating greater autonomy for universities, a high-level committee has recommended that the government should interfere less in academic and administrative matters. In its interim report submitted...

Varun gets bail, to remain in jail.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service LUCKNOW,March 30: The UttarPradeshgovernment may have invoked the National Security Act against BharatiyaJanataPartys new Hindutvaposter boy Mr VarunGandhi, but the BJPcandidate from Pilibhittoday received bail in two...

Lankan issue to be a main election plank?
March 31, 2009... Chennai, March 30: Setting the tone for electioneering for Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu, DMK chief Mr M Karunanidhi today asked his party speakers to give a fitting reply to the Opposition charges that his government was inimical to Sri...

Confusion in Andhra Opposition.
March 31, 2009... Hyderabad, March 30: Confusion prevailed among the constituents of the grand alliance of the Opposition parties in Andhra Pradesh today, the last day of filing nominations for the 22 Lok Sabha and 145 Assembly constituencies that go to polls...

Job guarantees for SCs, STs reversed by UPA: CPM.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service NEW DELHI, March 30: The CPI-Mleader, Ms BrindaKarat, today said the UPAgovernments economic policies had reversed constitutional guarantees of job reservation and promotions for Dalitsand tribal population. Talking...

BJP leads Code violations in Karnataka.
March 31, 2009... Indo-Asian News Service Bangalore, March 30: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka, first to announce its candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, is also leading the other parties in facing cases of poll Code violation, data...

Voters stress on local issues baffles parties.
March 31, 2009... Manoj Chaurasia PATNA, March 30: Political parties in Bihar are struggling to sell their ideas as voters want local issues highlighted. While major parties are raking up national and international issues like Indo-US civil nuclear deal, Swiss...

Advani condemns NSA against Varun.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service SIMDEGA/LOHARDAGA(Jharkhand),March 30: BJPleader and the partys prime ministerial candidate Mr LKAdvanicondemned the booking of Mr VarunGandhi, the partys candidate from Pilibhit,under the National Security Act...

ISRO chairman visits HEC in Ranchi.
March 31, 2009... RANCHI,March 30: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)chairman, Mr G MadhavanNairtoday assured the Ranchi-basedHeavy Engineering Corporation Ltd. (HEC),that its unique facilities and expertise would be well utilised for the...

Indian designers influence the West.
March 31, 2009... Mumbai, March 30: British supermodel Naomi Campbell, who is quite fascinated with the saree she wore while walking the Indian ramp for the first time at Lakme India Fashion Week 2009, feels Indian designers have much influence in the West....

Kasab lawyer quits.
March 31, 2009... MUMBAI, March 30: The lawyer appointed to represent Ajmal Amir Kasab today withdrew from the case after over 100 activists staged a protest and pelted stones at her Worli residence, media reports said. Ms Anjali Waghmare was appointed...

High alert in Kerala after reports of LTTE sneaking in.
March 31, 2009... Thiruvananthapuram, March 30: A high alert was sounded across Kerala today following reports of a group of suspected LTTE militants sneaking into the southern state with police, Navy and Coast Guard launching a joint intense search between...

Jaitley regrets supporting BJD in Orissa.
March 31, 2009... BHUBANESWAR, March 30: BJP leader Mr Arun Jaitley today regretted not pulling out of the Orissa government when Swami Laxmananda Saraswati was killed in Kandhamal on 23 August 2008. Talking to reporters, Mr Jaitley said his party had...

Briefs.
March 31, 2009... Body found DEHRA DUN, March 30: The body of the wife of chief secretary Mr IK Pandeys brother was today found floating on the Naini Lake in Nainital. Vibha Pandey (65) had allegedly committed suicide due to depression. n SNS Ragging...

BRIEFS.
March 31, 2009... RSP may expel Buxla: Kshiti JALPAIGURI, March 30: State PWD minister and senior RSP leader Mr Kshiti Goswami today said that the partys central leadership might expel Mr Joachim Buxla from the party. According to the minister, the...

Unions no to private health care.
March 31, 2009... Pranesh Sarkar KOLKATA, March 30: The state health department's move to streamline the procurement and supply of drugs has been hit by yet another obstruction ~ this time from the CPI-M dominated state government employees union, the...

Students stir after being barred from examination.
March 31, 2009... KOLKATA, March 30: Students of Gokhale Memorial Girls College staged a demonstration this morning, protesting against the authorities decision to disallow certain students from taking the Part II examination. A total of 20 second-year...

Land for institute triggers row.
March 31, 2009... KOLKATA,March 30: A controversy is brewing over allotment of land to the DhirubhaiAmbaniInstitute of Information and Communication Technology (DAIICT)with the state government refusing to allow absolute rights over the land on which the...

Body of IPS officers relative found near rly tracks.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service KOLKATA, March 30: A 33-year-old computer engineer, Debapriya Roy, was found dead under mysterious circumstances beside the railway tracks between Begampur and Baruipur stations in Hooghly early this morning. The victim...

Convicted.
March 31, 2009... KOLKATA, March 30: A 45-year-old man, DeepakBhattacharya,was convicted today of murdering his 15-year-old son, BiswadipBhattacharya,in Regent Park in January, 2007. Thequantum of punishment would be pronounced on Tuesday. It may be...

BRIEFS.
March 31, 2009... Lao Consul Mr Mannoj Kr Jain, Chairman and Managing Director of JainGroup of Industries, will be the Honorary Consul of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in Kolkata. The Embassy of Lao PDRhas approved the appointment of the Consul General...

Rain relief to city dwellers.
March 31, 2009... KOLKATA, March 30: City dwellers breathed a sigh of relief today as sporadic rainfall lashed different parts of the city. The rain, although of short duration, brought relief from the scorching summer sun and it was accompanied by strong...

Credit card racketeer arrested.
March 31, 2009... Satesman News Service KOLKATA, March 30: A 24-year-old youth was arrested from Shakespeare Sarani on Friday for allegedly running a well-organised racket in credit card forgery. The accused, Mr Sumit Agarwal, a resident of Howrah, allegedly...

Para-military forces sought for sensitive booths.
March 31, 2009... KOLKATA, March 30: Representatives of the State Government Employees Federation met the chief electoral officer Mr Debashis Sen on Friday to request for para-military forces in sensitive booths. The president of the federation, Mr Manoj...

Science City dues to be waived in exchange for land.
March 31, 2009... KOLKATA, March 30: Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has decided to waive Rs 20 crore accrued as property tax from Science City. In exchange for the waiver, the KMC, however, plans to take back five acres of land that it had once leased out...

Slum project delay costs KMC Rs 80 crore.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service KOLKATA, March 30: Unable to complete its slum development projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme on time, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) now faces a cost escalation...

Dhantala: 4 held guilty,17 acquitted.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service RANAGHAT,March 30: Of the 22 people accused in the Dhantalaloot, rape and murder case, 17 were acquitted today, and four found guilty by the additional district and session judge of RanaghatFast Track-I court. The...

Deprived of electricity, zari workers threaten poll boycott.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service KOLKATA, March 30: More than 1000 villagers of Bisheswarpur at Uluberia in Howrah, most of whom are zari workers, have threatened to boycott the parliamentary elections this year over the district authority's failure to...

Helpline set up for Army veterans.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service SILIGURI, March 30: The GOC's 27 Division at the Sevoke Road Military Station (SRMS) has set up a helpline to provide legal and medical aid to ex-servicemen in Siliguri sub-division. The PRO of the station said...

No decision yet on GJMM poll stance.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service SILIGURI/KURSEONG, March 30: A crucial meeting of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha to finalise the party's stand for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls ended inconclusively in Darjeeling today. The GJMM has now convened an...

Protesting drivers stop work.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service MALDA, March 30: Commuters were in deep trouble today after private bus drivers ceased work from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m in protest against the arrest of a driver under Section 304 and 279 IPC. The drivers and workers blocked...

FIR lodged over graffiti.
March 31, 2009... RAIGANJ, March 30: The North Dinajpur election department has lodged an FIR against leaders of the Congress, CPI-M and BJP parties for violating the central election commission's model code of conduct. The violations have taken the form of...

Woman goes into ditch for 90 days to meditate.
March 31, 2009... Kathmandu, March 30: A Nepali woman today entered a nine feet wide and nine feet deep ditch in Nepaljung town of western Nepal to start a three-month long meditation, a media report said. The woman entered the ditch at Jamunaha of...

Opinion within Cong in favour of Mausam Noor.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service MALDA, March 30: A large section of Congress leaders and followers in North Malda Parliamentary constituency have extended their support to Miss Mausam Benazir Noor, their candidate for the Lok Sabha seat. When the...

Short Takes.
March 31, 2009... RSP may expel Buxla: Kshiti JALPAIGURI, March 30: State PWD minister and senior RSP leader Mr Kshiti Goswami today said that the partys central leadership might expel Mr Joachim Buxla from the party. According to the minister, the...

Retired NBSTC staff agitate.
March 31, 2009... RAIGANJ, March 30: Members of the Raiganj unit of the North Bengal State Transport Corporation Retired Employees Forum (NBSTCREF) held an agitation in the premises of Raiganj depot of the NBSTC today, demanding regular pension. The...

Briefs.
March 31, 2009... BJP protest SILIGURI, March 30: The BJP Siliguri district unit held a rally here this afternoon protesting against vandalism against the party election office at Dangipara on 27 March. The party has demanded the arrest of the culprits. n SNS...

Lack of winter rain worries officials.
March 31, 2009... JALPAIGURI, March 30: The head of the Geography and Applied Geography department of the North Bengal University, Dr Subir Sarkar, today said that the continuing spell of drought in the region for the past five months has severely affected the...

SFI poll convention.
March 31, 2009... SILIGURI, March 30: State urban development minister Mr Asok Bhattacharya has appealed to students and young people in Darjeeling district to tackle ethnic fissures being created by anti-state forces. He was addressing a students...

Somnath bets on Left Front.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service KOLKATA, March. 30: At a time when the Trinamul Congress-Congress alliance is expected to severely dent the Left Front seat count in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls, expelled veteran CPI-M leader and Lok Sabha Speaker Mr...

Paramilitary forces sought for sensitive booths.
March 31, 2009... KOLKATA, March 30: Representatives of the State Government Employees Federation met the chief electoral officer Mr Debashis Sen on Friday to request for paramilitary forces in sensitive booths. The president of the federation, Mr Manoj...

A decade after, Opp makes presence felt in Krishnapur.
March 31, 2009... MIDNAPORE, March 30: After almost a decade, the Opposition today held an election procession in Krishnapur and several adjoining villages under the CPI-M-controlled Bhagwantapur I gram panchayat in Chandrakona II block of West Midnapore....

Cong-Trinamul show of unity.
March 31, 2009... KOLKATA, March 30: Students and youth wing activists of the Trinamul Congress and the Congress today put up a show of unity to send a message that the alliance wasn't thrust upon the party rank and file from the top as is being propagated by...

Poll Snapshots.
March 31, 2009... Missing EPICs COOCH BEHAR, March 30: Complaints of missing electoral photo identity cards (EPICs) are on the rise in Cooch Behar district. Several complaints have already been submitted at police stations throughout the district. Cooch Behar...

RKM acts to stop private tuition.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service MALDA, March 30: The secretary of the Malda Ramakrishna Mission, Swami Divyananda, has written a letter to the district inspector of schools (secondary) stating that he has asked all permanent assistant teachers at...

Nominations almost over in Rourkela.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service ROURKELA, March 30: With the completion of the nominations for the first phase of elections the scenario became more or less clear here. There was a huge gathering at the office of the sub-collector, Rourkela...

BRIEFS.
March 31, 2009... New dad deserts wife, child ROURKELA, March 30: A woman was allegedly deserted by her husband after she gave birth to a girl child in a hospital here. The incident came to light when hospital authorities asked for money to pay hospital dues,...

Dhenkanal prepared for polls.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service DHENKANAL, March 30: The district civil and police administration are confident of conducting a free, fair and incident-free election on 23 April. The police department is paying special attention to the Maoist-infested...

BJP adds salt and dal to rice politics.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service BHUBANESWAR, March 30: Not to be outdone by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which is taking credit for subsidised rice scheme at Rs 2 per kg, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced that each BPL family in the state will...

Oratory competition held.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service BHUBANESWAR, March 30: Pratijja, the national-level open oratory competition of KIIT University, which is held annually on the occasion of Utkal Divas, was inaugurated here yesterday. The aim of the competition is to...

Swain files nomination papers.
March 31, 2009... BALASORE, March 30: BJP candidate for Balasore Parliament, Mr MA Kharabela Swain filed his nomination papers today. Mr Swain, flanked by his supporters, arrived at the collectorate here in a colourful procession. While adequate security...

Dump mobiles to boost sex life, says BJD MP.
March 31, 2009... Indo Asian News Service Bhubaneswar, March 30: Senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Mr Prasanna Patasani has advised his political and party friends to stay away from mobile phones and laptops to boost their sex life during the hectic election...

Gamang manages ticket for him, wife, son and friend.
March 31, 2009... Bhubaneswar, Mar 30: Though Congress has denied tickets to former Orissa chief minister, Mr J B Patnaik and his family from contesting the ensuing elections, dynastic politics by some leaders including Mr Giridhar Gamang has virtually sparked...

BJP is lone alternative to Cong.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service BHUBANESWAR, March 30: The BJP intends to project itself as the lone non-Congress alternative in Orissa since the BJD had betrayed the mandate and forged a tacit, tactical understanding with the Congress, said Mr Arun...

Animal menace to turn into a major issue in polls.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service KENDRAPARA, March 30: As the political scenario is slowly heating up with the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls inching closer, menace unleashed by animals is expected to emerge as a major issue in at least some of the areas...

Mother, daughter killed in fire mishap.
March 31, 2009... DHENKANAL,March 30: A 28-year old woman and her four-year old daughter died while more than 10 others sustainedinjuries in a major fire mishap in Nityanandapurvillage near Nihalprasadin Gondiablock today. The deceased woman identified as...

An unending wait for candidates.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service ANGUL, March 30: Dhenkanal Lok Sabha seat is among the very few prestigious Parliamentary seats in the state where no major political party has announced its candidate as yet. As far as BJP is concerned the party...

Should have pulled out earlier, says Jaitley.
March 31, 2009... BHUBANESWAR, March 30: "In hindsight, perhaps we should have pulled out of the government when Swami Laxmananda Saraswati was killed in Kandhamal on 23 August, 2008," said BJP leader Mr Arun Jaitley here today. Mr Jaitley said his party...

Dora to fight as independent candidate.
March 31, 2009... Statesman News Service MALKANGIRI, March 30: Former deputy Speaker in the state Assembly Mr Prahalad Dora, who had recently resigned from BJP, filed his nomination papers for Chitrakonda Assembly constituency as an Independent candidate here...