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Match over for Kalam, should not be player anymore: Pawar
New Delhi, June 21 (PTI) As the Third Front continues efforts for a "consensus" for re-election of President A P J Abdul Kalam, NCP today ruled out its support, asking him not to be a "player" in the Presidential poll.
"He will not be at the crease. So, he will not be in the game. He will not be a player," NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who also heads the cricket control board, told reporters after signing nomination papers favouring UPA-Left candidate Pratibha Patil.
"The match is over for Kalam ... We do not expect the game to be started again. We are very clear about that," Pawar said.
"I know him. We have worked together and he will not be there (in the fray)," said Pawar, under whom Kalam served as Scientific Adviser when the former was Defence Minister.
Describing Kalam as an "honest person to the core", Pawar said, however, it was a "pity" that a person occupying the highest post had suddenly started talking of a contest after having declared he was not interested in anything.
The NCP leader took a dig at Kalam for saying that he would contest if he was sure of victory.
"In a democracy, anyone interested in public life can contest Lok Sabha elections from whichever constituency one likes. But one cannot say that he will contest only if he wins," he said. PTI
Power to cost more as govt hikes coal royalty rates
New Delhi, Jun 21 (PTI) Both industrial and domestic consumers will have to shell out more money for electricity following a hefty 14 per cent hike in the royalty that states charge on coal, the major input for power generation.
The decision to increase the royalty on coal by an average of 14 per cent was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on persistent demand from the coal- producing states.
Briefing reporters after the CCEA meeting, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said: "Any revision in cost will reflect in prices (at the consumer level)." Asked whether he was not concerned over the impact of royalty revision on inflation, the Finance Minister said it was "the right of the states" to seek revision in the rates and an assurance was also given to them in Parliament.
Chidambaram said the increase in revenue for the states, barring West Bengal, will be 24 per cent for coal and 27 per cent for lignite. "The revenues of the coal-producing states would increase to Rs 3,718 crore from the current Rs 3,000 crore," he said.
The rates as of August 2002 varied between 13 per cent 20 per cent which would now go up to 15 per cent and 31 per cent.
The decision to revise royalty was taken after the principles of determining rates were considered by the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to the Prime Minister and a Study Group of the Ministry of Coal. PTI
Sensex rises by 87 pts in choppy trade
Mumbai, Jun 21 (PTI) The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) benchmark Sensex today ended 87.29 points higher as strong Asian markets helped the domestic bourse sustain the rally in an otherwise choppy trading session.
Attributing the volatility to approaching expiry of June derivatives, brokers said the markets are expected to remain volatile till the end of the series on June 28.
The Sensex fluctuated erratically in a range of 14,526.44 and 14,406.67 before ending the day at 14,499.24, a gain of 0.61 per cent over yesterday's close of 14,411.95.
The broader S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also strengthened further to close at 4,267.40 against previous close of 4,248.65, a net rise of 18.75 points or 0.44 per cent.
The market witnessed wide price movements as operators and Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) began to square off positions in the Futures and Options segment in the light of the derivatives contract expiring next Thursday.
FIIs have been covering short positions in the past few days, making net purchases to the tune of Rs 3,343 crore in derivatives consistently since June 14.
Shares of Capital Goods and Consumer Durables remained in the forefront of fresh buying interest.
Driven higher by a strong surge in L&T and BHEL, the BSE capital goods index hit an all-time high of 11,736.76 at close, gaining by 236.85 points or 2.06 per cent.
L&T, which jumped 3.88 per cent to a new trading high of Rs 2,149 and also closed at a new peak of 2,106.60, was the biggest gainer in the Sensex pack. PTI
KONE to supply elevators for Delhi Metro
New Delhi, Jun 21 (PTI) Finnish lift and escalator maker Kone has bagged an order to supply all elevators for the second phase of the construction process of the Delhi Metro.
The order is one of the largest single orders for KONE in India, which includes 162 elevators, the installation of which will start in 2007 and is estimated to be completed in 2010.
"The project to construct one of the world's most modern metro stations in a metropolis like Delhi has been a really exciting project for KONE. The ambitious construction schedule and the level of high-tech equipment used at the metro station have proven that the city of Delhi has a high need for an efficient solution for its fast growing people flows," says Pekka Kemppainen, KONE Area Director for Asia-Pacific in a Press Release issued thorugh AsiaNet.
In addition, Kone has been awarded the planning and installation of a Centralized Monitoring System, that enables remote monitoring of the status, traffic and faults, resulting in valuable system information for analysis.
KONE has offered elevators and escalators for the earlier stages of the construction process. Construction process of the Delhi Metro started in 1998 and final extensions are estimated to be completed in 2010.
The Delhi Metro, operated by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is one of the trendsetters for such systems among other cities in the South Asian region. PTI
Too many tasks, too little time worry new basketball coach
Y Sarangi
New Delhi, June 21 (PTI) Too many tasks and too little time leave India's new basketball coach Aleksander Bucan apprehensive about whether he can really make a change in basketball's fortune in the country.
A coach with 14 years of experience, Bucan has been given a six-month contract and the Serbian says it's too short a time to deliver the goods.
"My contract is upto December. I think it's not a big period to make the standard of Indian basketball better," he told PTI in an interview from Bangalore.
What worries Bucan is the fact that coaching the side is not the only work he has been entrusted with.
"I also have to educate the coaches here," he said.
A week after taking over the job, Bucan thinks an overhauling of the system is needed to enable the team match the standards of top international sides.
Identifying the flaws that needed to be mended, Bucan said some key modifications were a must in order to raise India's standard significantly.
"We must modify the selection process and the functioning. More indoor stadiums are needed. India don't have very tall players. Then the marketing should be done properly.
"If some top Indian players play abroad (in leagues) for 5-6 years, it would help the game in the country." Bucan, however, felt that it was too early for him to give a proper perspective about the status of Indian basketball. PTI
World Cup final officials may miss Twenty20 World Cup
Melbourne, June 21 (PTI) Officials who stood in the World Cup final which concluded in controversial manner are likely to be overlooked for the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup.
On-field umpires Aleem Dar and Steve Bucknor, television umpire Rudi Koertzen, reserve umpire Billy Bowden and match referee Jeff Crowe may have to sit out of the September tournament, to be hosted by South Africa, as a consequence of their blunder, 'Herald Sun' reported today.
However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has neither confirmed nor denied the report and said a decision on who would stand in the Twenty20 World Cup would not be made until next month.
ICC spokesman Samiul Hasan said last night "we are not in a position to confirm or deny this." The World Cup finale became a subject of hot debate after the teams, Australia and Sri Lanka, were recalled to the field in semidarkness to complete the remaining overs in the rain affected match.
Dar, Koertzen, Bucknor, Bowden and Crowe ignored the rule that once each side has played 20 overs, the match would be considered to have been completed in case play was interrupted permanently.
Dar, on the advice of Koertzen, told the Australians that the teams would have to return to the field the following day, rest day, to complete the remaining three overs.
The ground announcer in the meantime had declared Australia as winners, prompting celebrations among Ricky Ponting's men. But after Bowden brief Ponting about the 'rules', the teams agreed to play in dark and finish the match.
The furore that followed the incident forced ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed to issue an apology. PTI
British media pays rich tribute to Piara Khabra
London, June 21 (PTI) Heaping praise on India-born Piara Singh Khabra, who died here on Tuesday, the British media today described the Labour MP as a "secular Sikh" who was a symbolic figure for the Asian community and a "fierce champion of equality." "He both assisted the transition of a generation of older Asian immigrants into an involvement in the politics of their adopted homeland, and encouraged active participation in Labour politics among those members of the younger generations born in Britain," The Guardian stated in its obituary column.
The "secular Sikh had a reputation as a fierce champion of equality," it said.
Describing him as a dapper, gently-spoken man, The Daily Telegraph said "Khabra earned a reputation for the quiet diligence with which he handled the largest immigration and asylum caseload of any MP." However, the report also said while Khabra "won respect for campaigning against racial discrimination, he was sometimes seen as partisan when mediating between different groups in his constituency." In 1997 he blamed an upsurge in intra-Asian violence on "provocative acts from Pakistanis, like waving their flags during Sikh religious festivals". Five years later he was accused by local community groups of "stoking the flames of prejudice" when he blamed Somali youths for an increase in crime." PTI
WB approves USD 12 mn grant to Bhutan for institutional reform
Washington, Jun 21 (PTI) The World Bank today approved a USD 12 million grant to Bhutan to support the country's institutional reforms and on-going medium-term policy.
The 'Second Development Policy' Grant is designed to support the government's development strategy in enhancing economic growth, achieving better socio-economic outcomes, and reducing poverty, the Bank said in a statement.
The grant seeks to strengthen Bhutan's efforts to provide sound macroeconomic and fiscal underpinnings for the country's steady economic growth, it said.
"This is expected to help improve the quality of life for all sections of the population, especially the poor and under-served. Measures to enhance access to education and health services with a special focus on remote areas will be particularly beneficial for the poor.
"Efforts to enhance the investment climate for private sector growth and employment generation will create new opportunities and reduce the dependence of the poor on agricultural employment" the Bank said.
"For Bhutan, which is on track for achieving most of the Millennium Development Goals, the expected benefits of this grant in supporting the government's programme outreach and in strengthening budget management is substantial," Alastair McKechnie, Country Director of Bhutan said.
"Continuing support from the World Bank will help deepen the reform programmes and build continuity during the forthcoming political transition to constitutional monarchy," he added.
The USD 12 million grant is from the International Development Association, the World Bank's concessionary lending arm. PTI
Kasuri rules out imposition of martial law in Pakistan
Washington, June 21 (PTI) Notwithstanding the unabated protests against the suspension of the Chief Justice, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri has ruled out imposition of martial law in the country while conceding that the Pervez Musharraf regime had "underestimated" the public reaction.
"...I hope we will never resort to martial law. Martial law is unconstitutional. So when he (Musharraf) has repeatedly said he will work within the confines of the Constitution, I have no reason to doubt that," he said.
When asked about the recent protests over the sacking of Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhry and if indeed it was a mistake on the part of the government, Kasuri said that "... the government has put up a case which it finds pretty strong, But that's not the issue. The issue is public reaction... probably the government had underestimated the public reaction, because the government thought it was acting according to the Constitution." In an interview with PBS' News Hour, he indicated that Musharraf will give up his military post by the end of the year.
"On the issue of the uniform that you asked me, the Constitution allows the president to wear his uniform until the end of 2007. And he has said on many occasions that he will abide by the constitution. Any more concrete answer has to be asked of the president," Kasuri said.
The Minister said the US had "full faith" in Musharraf's assertion that he will lead the country to democracy.
"They (US) have full faith in the leadership of President Musharraf. And they've told me repeatedly that they believe when the president says that he is the man who's leading to a transition to civil democracy. PTI
For Gen-Next family, friends are preferred source of news
New Delhi, Jun 21 (PTI) Where does the Gen-X get daily dosage of news from? Newspapers, TV, internet, radio or maybe even you! Schools and college-going teenagers depend for news updates on friends and relatives more than the conventional sources of news, according to a study by the World Association of News (WAN) in ten countries and the story in India is no different.
According to the WAN study, "young people perceive traditional media as more accurate, trustworthy and reliable than new media, but many get most of their news and information from another source entirely - family and friends." "When something as serious as the Gurjar issue happens, I do take the effort to read the papers. But for the rest of the general news, I simply ask my dad," says Ishita Bhatia, second year student of St. Stephens. "With college and assignments and dance classes, who has the time!" she laments. And are the friends and family members reliable enough? "Obviously," says Romina Madan of Hansraj College.
Well, it seems this just might be the case then for the college goers. But why is this social networking becoming a source of news for the young? It seems that mutual trust plays a big role here. Usha Rai of Centre of Media Studies says, "Youngsters look up to their parents and friends. And anything delivered across the table first hand always gets them more." PTI
Book: NE can provide access to one-fifth of world population
New Delhi, Jun 20 (PTI) Northeast India's proximity to Southeast Asian countries can provide foreign investors with an excellent opportunity of intra-regional trade and an access to nearly one-fifth of the world population, a new book says.
"The Northeast has the unique locational advantage of being a gateway to the fast-growing ASEAN countries and China. It has the potential to emerge as a strategic base for foreign and domestic investors to tap vast potential of contiguous markets of East and Southeast Asian countries," authors P L Sanjeev Reddy and P C Shekar Reddy write in "Peace and Development in Northeast: A Virtual Spiral".
According to them, a holistic approach of mapping areas of competency, infrastructure support, policy measures, external linkages, standardisation and effective marketing can invite considerable investment.
The book is the outcome of a multi-disciplinary study undertaken jointly by the Indian Institute of Public Administration and the North Eastern Council.
The study provides a comprehensive interface between a violence-free milieu and socio-economic development. The remote location of the northeast and certain contingencies of history and geography have led to a sense of deprivation and alienation among the people who feel the region has not gained the fruits of development proportional to resources available.
The responses from police departments have brought out a very unique fact that over 71 per cent of the villages in the region have not reported any incidence of crime for the past couple of years, the writers say. (Name of the Book: "Peace and Development in Northeast: A Virtual Spiral"; Authors: P L Sanjeev Reddy and P C Shekar Reddy; Publishers: Mittal Publications; Price: Rs 1,295; Pages: 392). PTI
Maoists plan of Pasupati-Tirupati corridor, a security threat
Aurobindo Mishra
Bhubaneswar, Jun 21 (PTI) Is the Maoist plan to have a corridor linking Nepal, the northern states and the southern region through Orissa on the verge of success? Experts believe it is.
The CPI (Maoist) cadres, Left Wing Extremists (LWE) in government parlance, have penetrated into several western and northern Orissa districts over the last few years giving the administration sleepless nights.
While naxal presence in the southern districts bordering Andhra Pradesh has been acknowledged since long, the Ultras are known to have penetrated deep into Orissa from Jharkhand in their effort to establish what is now being described as the Pasupati to Tirupati corridor.
Maoists, many of them local tribals being lured by the ultras into their fold, are known to get into frequent skirmishes with police and CRPF personnel in Sundargarh, Deogarh and Sambalpur districts in western Orissa.
Having entered the jungles of Sambalpur, they now had to cross the Mahanadi river to reach the other side where the Boudh and Kandhamal districts lay adjoining Rayagada.
Once this gap is bridged, the link the ultras are seeking to establish between the north and south will be established, a former senior police officer said adding infact, they are only a step away.
Despite the government efforts to modernise the police and provide them with new arms, the maoists appear to be getting entrenched, he said. PTI
More controversy than recruitment by Chhattisgarh PSC
Prakash Chandra Hota
Raipur, Jun 20 (PTI) With two of its chairmen facing legal actions, Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission has created more controversy than successfully doing its mandated work of conducting examinations.
Because of lukewarm response to the complaints against the CPSC even the Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh came in for criticism after large scale irregularities in conduct of examination came to light.
Two successive heads of the constitutional body are facing legal actions for their alleged involvement in irregularities.
If former state Director General of Police Ashok Darbari was suspended for his gross irregularities in conduct of examinations as the Chairman, his successor Khelan Ram Jangde was facing corruption charges even after retirement as Raipur police has registered a case against him on complaint of a candidate on June 7 last.
"We have prima facie evidences against Jangde, who retired last month as Acting Chairman of the Commission and also against the member Amol Singh Salam, who retired with him," Raipur City Superintendent of Police Sashi Mohan Singh told PTI.
Both Jangde and Salam have been charged with entering into a criminal conspiracy and adopting corrupt practices in conducting State Civil Service Examinations for 2005, Singh said. PTI
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