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Showing posts from January 29, 2012

2G scam had brought disrepute to the system

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Union Agriculture Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar has strongly defended Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying that the Supreme Court verdict canceling 2G licences was not an indictment of the Government. Addressing a press conference in Mumbai on Friday, he said the Supreme Court had in fact noted that the Prime Minister had done his job and the court had not passed any strictures against him. He, however, admitted that the 2G scam had brought disrepute to the system and the Government. Mr. Pawar said he treated the Congress as the main ally of the NCP and would prefer to align with it even after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Exuding confidence about the upcoming civic election in Mumbai, Mr. Pawar said that Congress and NCP would work hard and would seek to wrest the country's premier civic body from the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance.
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India Signs MoU with USA on Labour and Employment                          “The road map laid down in the Memorandum of Understanding will facilitate very close cooperation and interaction between our two countries and bring about improvements in the life of workers and their working conditions.” This was emphasized by Shri Mallikarjun Kharge ,  Union Minister for Labour & Employment on the occasion of signing of the Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU ) with US Department of Labour in Washington DC yesterday.            Shri Kharge expressed happiness that Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India and US Department  are signing the MoU for cooperation in the  areas of Skill Development, Youth Employment, Occupational Safety and Health and Mines Safety. He further expressed the hope that this MoU will help us in increasing our know-how in the areas of accreditation systems, self-regulation and au

TRIPLE RECOGNITION FOR TUNE HOTELS

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TRIPLE RECOGNITION FOR TUNE HOTELS Penang, Hat Yai and Bali hotels come out tops    KUALA LUMPUR, 3 February 2012 – Tune Hotels continues its winning streak in the New Year of the Dragon by earning recognitions for its hotels in Penang, Malaysia; Hat Yai, Thailand; and Bali, Indonesia. The world’s largest travel website TripAdvisor, in its Travelers’ Choice Awards 2012, has ranked Tune Hotel Downtown Penang as among the Top 25 Bargain Hotels in Malaysia, alongside globally-renowned brands like Shangri-La, Hilton, Sheraton and Traders, among others. The rating was based on reviews by travellers who have stayed at those hotels. On top of that, Trip Advisor also ranked Tune Hotel Hat Yai that was just opened in December as the number one hotel in the city. Meanwhile Tune Hotel Double Six in Legian, Bali was awarded The Best Hotel & Service Excellence of the Year by the Indonesian Quality and Service Excellence Tourism Awards during a ceremony in

Euro crisis to hit India exports: IMF

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Having already seen its effects on private investment, any further deterioration in the economic situation of Europe has the potential to hit the Indian economy, including a drop in exports, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) official has said. "I think it is also clear that in India, as in other economies, demand for exports would certainly be hit, and certainly for India, we've already seen effects on private investment," IMF Director (Asia and Pacific Department) Anoop Singh said on the downside risks for India if the European situation deteriorates. "My sense so far is that the financial effects on Asia are being contained. We are seeing Asian banks, including Indian banks, stepping in where deleveraging is taking place from European banks," Singh told reporters early this week. "So far, my sense is that there is increase in funding costs, yes, f

MoHFW Launches Anti Tobacco Mass Media Campaign

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The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s tobacco control campaign has launched music video ‘Life Se Panga mat Le Yaar’ sung by singer Shaan. In May 2011, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had appointed Shaan as the tobacco control ambassador of India. The campaign ‘Life Se Panga Mat Le Yaar’ is being aired on major radio stations like Radio Mirchi, Radio City, BIG FM and Red FM across India from January 28 2012. Unveiling of the music video on popular national television channels like MTV, Sab TV, UTV Bindass and 9XM has begun from 1st February 2012. The 2.3 minute track has a melody and rhythm composed by Shaan. The lyrics have been written by Rekha Nigam and the music video has been directed by Alia Sen Sharma of Chrome Pictures. The video has been co-produced by Salaam Bombay Foundation. The music video was shot at the Kaala Chowki Basti, Parel, Mumbai. The track is very street-music like, peppy and fast, while breaking into a catchy chorus line with

Chennai gives India its Photographer of the Year 2011

New Delhi , February 2, 2012: After a record breaking 66,782 entries from remote towns, cities all over India, a Photojournalist based in the city of Chennai won accolades as the Photographer of the Year 2011. Better Photography, one of India’s leading photography magazines’s much awaited contest, currently in its seventh year declared Mr. S L Shanthkumar as the rightful winner by the final judge, the legendary photojournalist and Magnum photographer Raghu Rai . Working with a leading newspaper, Mr. S L Shanthkumar was extremely excited after the win. “I am extremely grateful to Better Photography. Being judged by the best in the industry that appreciates and recognizes your talent is an extremely humbling experience. It was hard work and dedication that persuaded me to concentrate on photography. Achieving a title as the ‘photographer of the year’ is completely priceless. I am thrilled and honoured.”   As the grand prize, he has won a Canon EOS 7D, among other exciting pri

Apex Court cancelled 122 licenses :2G

Apex Court cancelled 122 licenses :2G Feb 2 Supreme Court today cancelled 122 2-G licenses allocated to telecom companies in 2008. The Apex court held that the licenses were granted in arbitrary and unconstitutional manner and asked the telecom Regulatory Authority of India to make fresh recommendation on the grant of these licenses. The Court imposed a fine of five crore rupees each for three telecom companies, which off loaded their shares after getting the licenses. It maintained that the allocation of spectrum will be done through auction within four months. The order came on petitions filed by an NGO and the Janata Party President. The CBI is already investigating the matter and DMK leader and former Telecom Minister A Raja had to resign from the Union Cabinet in the wake of allegations of corruption in the case. Several arrests have been made and Mr.Raja is in Tihar jail. Another DMK leader Kanimozhi has also been charged in the case. The Highest co

Govt to respond to SC order in 2G scam: Congress

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It is for the govt to respond to SC order in 2G scam: Congress The Congress has left it to the govt to respond to the Supreme Court verdict in 2G scam cancelling 122 2G spectrum licences even as the party noted that it had not passed any remarks against Home Min P Chidambaram. "The Supreme Court has taken a decision. The government will respond to it," AICC General Secretary and incharge of media department, Janardhan Dwivedi said in New Delhi on Thursday. The party also noted that the apex court has not passed any remark against Chidambaram for his alleged role in the 2G case but it withheld detailed comment pending a study of the order. "We have respect for the judgement of the Supreme Court. They have not passed any remarks against Home Minister P Chidambaram and as far as telecom licenses are concer

Repoll in Manipur on Feb 4, Punjab on Feb 2

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The Election Commission on Tuesday ordered repoll in 34 polling stations of 11 assembly seats in Manipur on February four and in one booth in Punjab on February two. The fresh poll will now be held between 7 am and 3 pm in the two states, the Election Commission said. Issuing fresh orders, the Commission declared the earlier polling held in these booths on January 28 and January 30 in Manipur and Punjab respectively, as null and void. In Punjab, the repoll was ordered only in one polling booth in Amritsar (East) assembly constituency, where the polling officer failed to delete the mock poll data in the EVM before starting polling on Janaury 30. In Manipur, repoll has been ordered in certain polling booths of 11 assembly constituencies of Chinsai (ST), Tamei (ST), Tamenglong (ST), Nungba (ST), Mao (ST), Tadubi (ST), Tipaimukh, Thanlon, Henglep, Chandel and Tengnoupal. Polling had been cou
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Businesses at Asia’s biggest IT mecca to fight it out Businesses at Asia’s biggest IT mecca to fight it out Assert right to Safer, Cleaner and Regulated Nehru Place New Delhi  February 1, 2012 Fed up by the civic apathy to offering a clean, safe and regulated environment to conduct business, nearly 2000 shops, retailers and offices shut down Asia’s biggest IT mecca, Nehru Place, today.   A bustling shopping market in south Delhi wore a deserted look as the Presidents of 5, Nehru Place associations jointly asserted their right to a Safer, Cleaner and Regulated work environment. Led by Nehru Place Improvement and Welfare Association (NIWA) President Anil K Sehgal, the presidents of the four associations dealing with Export Fabrics, Computer Hardware, Peripherals and Media distribution made fervent pleas to the civic and administrative authorities to rise and help restore a Safer, Cleaner and Reg
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82 बैलों को फ़िर कसाईयों के चंगुल से मुक्त कराया   ( विहिप कार्यकर्ताओं की सतर्कता ने बैलों को नांगलोई पुलिस के हवाले किया ) नई दिल्ली फ़रवरी 1, 2012। गत 21 जनवरी को 28 बैलों को कसाईयों के चंगुल से छुडाकर बेगमपुर थाने के हवाले करने के बावजूद अपराधियों की अभी तक कोई गिरफ़्तारी तो नहीं हुई किन्तु विश्व हिन्दू परिषद व बजरंग दल के कार्यकर्ताओं की सजगता ने कल रात फ़िर 82 बैलों को कसाईयों के चंगुल से मुक्त करवाया गया। बजरंग दल के गौ रक्षा प्रमुख श्री सुबोध रावत द्वारा नांगलोई थाने में दर्ज शिकायत पर थानाधिकारी ने अपराधियों के खिलाफ़ कडी कार्यबाही का अश्वासन दिया है। फ़िलहाल बैलों को सुरक्षा की द्रष्टी से सूरज मल स्टेडियम में रखा गया है। बजरंग दल ने दिल्ली में बढती गौ तस्करी व गौ कसी की घटनाओं पर अपनी नाराजगी व्यक्त करते हुए पुलिस व प्रशासन से इस सम्बन्ध में चौकस रहने और अपराधियों को अबिलम्ब गिरफ़्तार करने की मांग की है।   घटना की विस्तृत जानकारी देते हुए विश्व हिन्दू परिषद दिल्ली के मीडिया प्रमुख श्री विनोद बंसल ने बताया कि कल रात उत्तरी दिल्ली के नांगलोई थानान्तर्गत न्यू रोहतक रोड पर

Draft National Water Policy No 2012

Draft National Water Policy 2012 Not the Farmers, Not the Environment Draft National Policy 2012 seems to help only vested interests National Water Policies are extremely important legal and institutional tools as they reflect the basic intent and direction that the government is planning to take regarding water resources. To ensure that this is a direction acceptable and beneficial to all, open public consultations need to be the backbones of such policies. Thus looking at the immense importance of water to society & environment it is extremely important to have consultations on the recently published Draft 2012 National Water Policy1, especially at the grassroots levels right upto the gram sabhas so that the ground concerns get reflected in the policy. Having limited participation of communities in the process threatens to make the exercise almost entirely undemocratic and is likely to be hijacked by the vested interests. Though it has been stated that consultations about the

TOKYO DAILY!!!.

TOKYO DAILY!!!.   AIRASIA X TO FLY SEVEN TIMES A WEEK FROM KUALA LUMPUR TO TOKYO   Long Haul, Low Cost Carrier to offer guests RM199 one way, all inclusive fares from Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo (Haneda) to commemorate additional frequency.   Sepang, January 30 2012 – AirAsia X, the Malaysian based long haul, low fare affiliate of AirAsia will increase its flight frequency to Tokyo (Haneda), Japan from its current three flights to six flights weekly effective from 23 March, 2012.   From 22 June, 2012, AirAsia X will operate daily flights from the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Kuala Lumpur to the Japanese capital.   In addition, AirAsia X currently flies four times weekly to Osaka (Kansai).    The increase in frequency is part of the airline’s realignment plan announced recently which will focus on increasing services to its core markets in Australasia, China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. The increase in flight frequencies to Tokyo (Haneda) follows