75 people have been killed in a major fire at a temple in Paravoor in Kerala's Kollam district on Sunday morning.

ramanatv@gmail.com At least 75 people have been killed in a major fire at a temple in Paravoor in Kerala's Kollam district on Sunday morning.
According to Kollam Assistant Commissioner of Police K Lalji over 200 others have been injured in the tragedy that took place at Puttingal temple in Paravoor.
Officials involved in the relief and rescue operations claimed that the fire broke out during celebrations involving firecrackers at around 3 AM.
Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said, "The fire broke out at 3:30 AM during celebration through fire crackers. I have asked the DGP to go to the spot and take stock of the situation. We will give finance assistance to victim. I am myself going to the spot."
The injured have been taken to nearby hospitals

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he will go to Kerala to assess the situation. He has also directed members of the Union Cabinet, including Home Minister Rajnath Singh, to reach the site of the tragedy. Meanwhile, four National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are on standby in Chennai, NDRF director general OP Singh told

Bail Refused to HCU Students, Faculty; Dontha Prashanth Says False Cases Must be Withdrawn

Hyderabd...Local court in Hyderabad denied bail to students and faculty of the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) who had been detained by the police after an allegedly brutal assault against peacefully protesting students on the irregular resumption of duties of suspended Vice Chancellor Appa Rao on march 22, 2016. Rao had suddenly returned to campus while a high level inquiry set up by the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) is still on. The public prosecutor (PP) appearing for the state of Telangana has been asked to file a counter affidavit by March 28, 2016.

Sources told Sabrangindia’s that Battula Ramprasad who visited students of the University of Hyderabad (UOH) met them in judicial remand at the Charlapally prison today, March 24. Reportedly those detained were taken to six different police stations and badly beaten up. Police officers allegedly used abusive language while beating them. Ramprasad (Mala Sankshema Sangam) who spoke to DonthaPrashanth, close friend and associate of Rohith Vemula has said that Prashanth has made an appeal to all organisations to support the struggle for the withdrawal of false cases against students and faculty and emphasised the need to keep the countrywide struggle alive !

Of the students detained. Dontha Prashant, close friend of Rohith Vemula was also one of the five suspended students belonging to the Ambedkar Students Association (ASA) last year. Others who had been suspended in 2015 are Vijeyi, Seshaya and Sundamma.

Sabrangindia has accessed a list of detainees with details of charges against them. This can be read here.

Meanwhile many of the peacefully protesting students have accessed what thy term as a pre-planned agenda by suspended VC Appa Rao to lay siege on the campus. This can be read here.

Nationwide condemnation of the attack has come in. JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar was in Hyderabad on March 23 and 24 and some reports indicated that the ploy to lay siege to the university was intended to prevent his entering the campus. Reports of his visit can be read here.

Interim Report of the Independent National Fact Finding (FF) team into the Campus Violence on 22nd March, 2016 at the Hyderabad Central University

 UOH

 Interim Report of the Independent National Fact Finding (FF) team into the Campus Violence on 22nd March, 2016 at the Hyderabad Central University

Date of the Fact Finding: March 24th - 25th. 2016

Members of the Fact Finding Team:

Henri Tiphagne, Human Rights Defenders Alert, India, Tara Rao, Amnesty Intl, Burnard Fatima, International Movement against all forms of Discrimination and Racism, Kuffir Nalgundwar, Round Table India, Kiruba Munusamy, Supreme Court Lawyer, Beena Pallical, National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights, Ramesh Nathan,National Dalit Movement for Justice, Asha Kowtal, All India Dalit Mahila Adhikar Manch, Paul Divakar, Asia Dalit Rights Forum

Mandate of the Fact Finding Team:

To ascertain and understand the sequence of events that led to the escalation of violence on the 22nd of March at Hyderabad Central University (HCU).

2. To identify the human rights violations that transpired as a result of the events.

3. To contribute towards a restoration of normalcy, peace and an environment of non-discrimination in the University Campus by making key recommendations to the concerned parties – the University Administration, the Central Government, the State Government and University Students and Faculty.

The team comprising of senior activists, academicians and lawyers have met with the students, faculty members, the police, the Home Minister and local civil society organisations. The team will be presenting a more detailed report at a later date based on the compiled narratives and testimonies. This team was constituted as a response to the terrifying news of the escalation of violence at HCU on March 22, 2016.

The FF team had taken several efforts to fix appointments with the HCU officials and in particular with the Vice Chancellor, Dr. Appa Rao, the Registrar and the Chief Security Officer.

§   In spite of formal letters being handed over, the VC had after taking a lot of time and communicating with the FF team [made to sit outside the HCU campus] finally refused to meet the FF team and directed the FF team to communicate with the Professor-in-charge, Public Relations and Official Spokesperson of the HCU that he had appointed the day before.

§   When this Professor –in-charge, Mr. Vipin Srivastava [ the previously appointed VC in charge when Dr. Appa Rao was to proceed on long leave but who could not take charge since he did not enjoy the trust of the faculty and students and hence Prof. Periasamy had to take charge] was contacted he responded stating that he could not meet the FF team but only speak to them on the phone!

§   The same was the result of the FF team's effort to meet the Registrar and the Chief Security Officer, conveying clearly that all the senior functionaries of the HCU were in no mood to discuss the happenings in the HCU under any circumstances.

§   This also explains why the FF team was not allowed by the HCU security officers who were manning the main gate of the university, to even enter the university campus.

§   A sense of fear was amplified with the order passed by the office of the Registrar dated 23rd March preventing the entry of outside persons viz. print and electronic media and political, social and student groups/individuals into the campus – due to the prevailing extraordinary situation on the campus of the university.

§   We are of the strong opinion that this was only an effort to try to keep the university as a closed 'fortress' with no external visitor allowed to meet the faculty or students on campus and see for themselves the place of occurrence of the campus violence let loose on the 22nd March, 2016.

§   This further reveals that the officials of the University of Hyderabad had more to hide than reveal in the violence on its campus on 22nd March 2016.

The team was able to meet with representatives from the student community, faculty, the Police (the DCP K Kartikeyan, ACP and Inspector), the State Home Minister)

Key interim findings:

1. The Vice Chancellor Mr Appa Rao has a registered case pending against him under SC ST PoA Act 1989 in connection with the Rohith Vemula suicide. No action has been taken in this regard.

2. His unexpected re-entry into the campus was pre-planned with details chalked out with his supporter students and faculty, which triggered the escalation of violence.

3. What has been the role of the MHRD in his reinstatement and this process was not transparent

4. Interim situation: It was established that the University was working smoothly and with regularity in the interim phase, while Professor Periasamy was the Vice Chancellor. The routine at the University was maintained, including the proceedings within the University's Academic Council. Students and Faculty have confirmed their satisfaction. Even during the indefinite leave of Mr Appa Rao, the students association, faculties and various political parties continue their struggle within the campus with various demands.

5. It has also been observed that the Union Minister Shri Dattatrey and Shushil Kumar also have not been arrested after being booked for non-bailable offences. This inaction of the state, central government has contributed to this situation.

6. Disruption of the Campus: The return of the Vice Chancellor, Appa Rao, who had proceeded on indefinite leave triggered the disruption of peace on campus. According to the Home Minister, VC Appa Rao expressed a desire to the Minister to return to the campus and was strongly advised against it by the Police Commissioner and the Home Minister, saying that it would cause disruption of University. In spite of the Home Ministry's advice he chose to return to the university.
7. Police's role: People arrested were not presented before a magistrate within 24 hours as required by law.
8. Women students: Widespread assault of women students and abusive language and threats to rape the women students were heard from the police. Also targeted statements towards minority students and describing them as "terrorists" was also heard
9. The police could have given bail but the students and faculty were remanded in judicial custody

Recommendations:

The Fact Finding Team gives the following recommendations in restoring the normalcy and peace in the University:

1. In the best academic and interest and in restoring a peaceful environment in University and in order to ensure a fair investigation is done, the FF Team recommends that the Vice Chancellor Mr Appa Rao must be suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.

2. Police need to step up their response in dealing with the cases filed (VC, and student arrests) with efficiency and due legal process both in the case of the VC and the arrested students.

3. Normalcy of the University must be restored immediately. Free mobility in and out of the University and this must be brought back to regular functioning. This is essential for the academic health of the University, which has suffered significantly.

4. Criminal investigation should be immediately conducted and action should be taken against the police who have wilfully neglected their duty under Section 4 of the SC ST PoA Amendment Act 2016.

5. Recommendation to the State Government should play a facilitating role in bringing back normalcy to the campus.

6. The Central Government must swiftly and efficiently ensure a smooth transition of the leadership of the University in the best interest of the primary objective of the University of Academic Excellence by replacing the Vice Chancellor in close consultation with the University students and Faculty.

honor killing, three men brutally attacked a young couple over love marriage dispute in full public view in Tamil Nadu

Tamilanadu :  In a case of honor killing, three men brutally attacked a young couple over love marriage dispute in full public view in Tamil Nadu's Tirupur district.

Tamil Nadu government has been asked to submit a report in connection with the case after National Commission of Scheduled Castes sought a report on the killing.

The three men attacked the 21-year-old boy and his wife with sickles as they come out of a shop.

Sankar (21) had got love marriage Gowsalya (19) eight months ago. The girl belonged to the Dewar community, while the boy belonged to a lower caste.

The attackers managed to escape from the spot even as the onlookers watched the gory murder.

The couple was rushed to the hospital by the police where the boy lost his life while the condition of the girl remains critical and is under intensive care. The boy's family has blamed the girl's relatives for the murder.

Situation has been tense in Tirupur district as Sankar's family wants immediate arrest of the culprits. Some shops have also been damaged in the area.

A case has been registered and the probe is underway.

Dalit temple pujari suicide case adjourned

Principal District Judge R. Poornima adjourned the temple pujari suicide case till March 14 as the newly appointed public prosecutor, sought by the petitioner, did not appear before the court on Wednesday.

However, all the seven accused, including O. Raja, brother of Finance Minister O. Paneerselvam, appeared before the court in the morning.

PP’s presence stressed

In the absence of new public prosecutor, the defence counsel M. Kannappan said that it would be difficult to proceed the case without the presence of the public prosecutor. On hearing the case, the judge adjourned the case and directed the new public prosecutor to appear for next hearing.

On Tuesday, the district administration had submitted the order appointing High Court lawyer Mohan of Erode as public prosecutor to argue the case on behalf of the petitioner, Subbu Raj, father of the deceased.

Charges were framed against O. Raja and others in the case on December 15.

Theni District Court had transferred the case to Dindigul District Court on November 25 on the direction of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.

The case pertains to the suicide of S. Nagamuthu (22) of T. Kallupatti village, a Dalit, who worked as pujari at Sri Kailasanathar Hill Temple in Periyakulam, on December 8, 2012, after he was allegedly subjected to harassment.

dalit boy drowns in well after denied water from school hand pump

Bhopal: A Dalit boy in Damoh district of Madhya Pradesh was drowned in a well while trying to fetch water after he was denied access to school hand pump to quench thirst on Tuesday.,Five teachers of the primary school, including the principal have been suspended for discrimination on caste grounds. An inquiry has been ordered, said CEO of Janpad panchayat Manish Bagri. The incident took place in in Khamariakalan village in Damoh's Tendukheda tehsil on Tuesday afternoon.

When Veeran Ahirwar, student of class 3 finished his midday meal, he went to the hand pump on the campus to drink water, but he was turned away by teachers. This was confirmed by his brother, Sevak, a class 5 student of the same school.
A thirsty Veeran then carried a water bottle and reached the well. He tied the bottle to a rope to fetch water, but lost balance and fell inside and died.

Shame on those teachers, we all need water no matter who you are, we are all human beings, rest in peace.Grace Umbo

Talking to reporters, Veeran's brother Sevak alleged teachers had on several occasions ordered them not to touch the hand pump and were forced to use the well to draw water. Earlier, several students had complained to Janpad CEO about discrimination against low-caste students.

Refuting allegations, collector Damoh Shriniwas Sharma said, "For past one week, there has been a water crisis. Villagers also come to fetch water from the school hand pump." On Tuesday, a crowd had gathered at the hand pump and students also joined the queue. When Veeran went to the well, there was a crowd there too. Veeran lost balance and fell into the well, said the collector

బీపీఎల్ కుటుంబాలకు చెందిన మహిళలకు ఉచిత ఎల్పీజీ కనెక్షన్లు

                       బీపీఎల్ కుటుంబాలకు చెందిన మహిళలకు ఉచిత ఎల్పీజీ కనెక్షన్లు అందించే పథకం-ప్రధాన మంత్రి ఉజ్వల యోజన కు కేంద్ర మంత్రి మండలి ఆమోదం  

బీపీఎల్ కుటుంబాలకు చెందిన మహిళలకు ఉచిత ఎల్పీజీ కనెక్షన్లు అందించే పథకం-ప్రధాన మంత్రి ఉజ్వల యోజన కు కేంద్ర మంత్రి మండలి ఆమోదం తెలిపింది. కేంద్ర మంత్రి వర్గ సమావేశానికి ప్రధాన మంత్రి శ్రీ నరేంద్ర మోదీ అధ్యక్షత వహించారు. బీపీఎల్ కుంటుంబాలకు ఐదు కోట్ల ఎల్పీజీ కనెక్షన్లు అందించటానికి రూ.8,000 వేల కోట్లు ఈ పథకం కింద కేటాయించారు. బీపీఎల్ కుటుంబాలకు ఒక్కొక్క ఎల్పీజీ కనెక్షను కింద రూ.1600 వందలు ఆర్ధిక సహాయం కింద ఈ పథకం నుంచి లబిస్తాయి. అర్హులైన బీపీఎల్ కుటుంబాలను రష్ట్ర్ర ప్రభుత్వాలు కేంద్ర పాలిత ప్రాంతాలను సంప్రదించిన మీదట ఎంపిక చేస్తారు. ఈ పథకాన్ని మూడు సంవత్సరాల పాటు అంటే 2016-17,2017-18,2018-19 లలో అమలు చేస్తారు.

అత్యంత పేదకుటుంబాలకు చెందిన కోట్లాది మహిళలకు ప్రయోజనం చేకూర్చే సంక్షేమ పథకాన్ని పెట్రోలియం,సహజ వాయువుల మంత్రిత్వ శాఖ అమలు చేయబోవటం దేశ చరిత్రలో ఇదే మొట్టమొదటసారి.

మన దేశంలో వంట గ్యాస్(ఎల్పీజీ)పరిమితంగానే పేదలకు అందుబాటులో ఉన్నది. ఎల్పీజీ సిలిండర్లు చాలా వరకు పట్టణ,సెమీ-అర్బన్ ప్రాంతాల్లో..అదికూడా మధ్యతరగతి సంపన్న కుటుంబాల కే ఉన్నాయి. అయితే శిలాజ జనిత ఇంధనాల పై ఆధారపడి వంట చేసే పద్దతి తీవ్రమైన ఆరోగ్య సమస్యలకు దారితీసే ప్రమాదం ఉంది. డబ్యూహెచ్వో అంచనాల ప్రకారం శుద్ది చేయని ఇంధనాలను వంటకు ఉపయోగించటం వల్ల భారత దేశంలో షుమారు 5 లక్షల మరణాలు సంభవిస్తున్నాయి. ఈ అకాల మరణాలలో అనేకం గుండె జబ్బు,స్ర్పోక్, ఊపిరితిత్తుల వ్యాధులు,స్వాసకోశ క్యాన్సర్ వంటి అసాంక్రమిక వ్యాధుల ఫలితమే. చిన్న పిల్లలలో ఊపిరి పీల్చుకోవటానికి సంబంధించిన తీవ్ర అస్వస్థత కూడా మృత్యు కారణమౌతున్నది. నిపుణులు చెప్పచున్నది ఏమిటంటే ఆరు బయలు ప్రదేశంలో వంట చేస్తుండటం, గంటకు నాల్గు వందల సిగరెట్లు కాల్చటంతో సమానం. 

బీపీఎల్ కుటుంబాలకు ఎల్పీజీ కనెక్షన్లు సమకూర్చటం ద్వారా దేశంలో అందరినీ వంటగ్యాస్ సదుపాయంలో పరిధిలోనికి తీసుకువచ్చినట్లౌతున్నది. ఈ ఫథకం మహిళలను వారి ఆరోగ్యం కాపాడుకునేటట్లు చేస్తుంది. అంతేకాకుండా బండచాకిరినీ, వంట కోసం ఎక్కువ సమయం కేటాయించటాన్ని తగ్గిస్తుంది. దీంతో పాటు వంట గ్యాస్ సరఫరా వ్వవస్థలో గ్రామీణ యువత పాలుపంచుకునేందుకు అవకాశాలను కూడా కల్పించి వారి ఉపాధికి బాట వేస్తుంది. 

 ఈ దిశగా ఆర్థిక మంత్రి 29-2-2016 న తన బడ్జెట్ ప్రసంగంలో రూ. 2,000 కోట్ల బడ్జెట్ కేటాయింపుల గురించి ప్రకటించారు. ఈ నిధులను వినియోగించి దారిద్ర్య రేఖకు దిగువన నివశిస్తున్న 1.5 కోట్ల మహిళలకు ఎటువంటి ధరావతు లేకుండానే ఎల్పీజీ కనెక్షన్లు ఇస్తారు. దీనికి తోడు ఈ పథకాన్ని మరో రెండు సంవత్సరాలపాటు కొనసాగించి మొత్తం 5 కోట్ల కుటుంబాలను ఈ పథకం కింద లబ్దిదారులను చేస్తారు.    

jaitly budget 2016-17

• 
• Arun Jaitly 
• Increase HRA to 60,000 per annum
• Will reduce burden of tax for small tax payers
• Tax rebate those under Rs 5 lakh/year
• Relief for those who stay in rented houses
• Tax benefits for start-ups annunced
• Calibrated approach in cutting corporate tax
• Impetus to food processing industry
• To incentivise gas production from deep sea
• Measures to fight bankruptcy situation in banks
• Comprehensive codes on financial firms
• SEBI to develop new derivatives
• New measures to fight ponzi schemes
• To revamp public sector banks
• Debt recovery tribunal to be strengthened
• More ATMs across India
• Govt lays roadmaps for consolidation of PSU banks
• No change in recap outlay of banks
• Aadhar card to be linked to social security benefit
• DBT to farmers for fertilisers, in some districts for nwo
• *now
• FM retains fiscal deficit targets
• To allow start-ups to register in one day
• Fiscal deficit target at 3.5%
• Fiscal prudence is the mantra says FM
• Time for review of FRBM Act
• FM announces tax proposals
• Relief to small tax payer
• 9 point plan while drafting tax proposals
• Tax norms for professionals eased
• Measures in pension scheme, senior citizens benefit
• Committed to implementing GAAR from April 2017
• 40% exemption for senior citizens
• 10% Tax on dividend over 10 lakh
  
  

Rs.35,984 crore allocated for agriculture in 2016-17

* Rs.8.5 lakh crore of agricultural credit targetted in 2015-16

In 2016-17: Rs.9 lakh crore

* Rs.35,984 crore allocated for agriculture in 2016-17

* Five lakh acres to be brought under organic farming over three year period

* MGNREGA to get Rs.38,500 crore

* Recapitalization of banks during next fiscal

* Prudent fiscal policy needed, domestic demand should be raised, reforms need to be carried out

* Farm, rural sector, infra and social sector to get more funds

* Need to prioritize expenditure given recommendations of 7th Pay Commission and OROP implementation

* Nine pillars for reforming India, among them agriculture, social sector, education, infra, fiscal discipline, tax reforms

* Presenting budget when global economy in a serious crisis

* Amidst global headwinds, the Indian economy has held its own

* Converted challenges we inherited into opportunities

* CPI inflation down to 5.4 percent from 9 percent plus, bringing big relief to the public

Jaitly budget 2016-17

 tv2 - where is my position is in budget2016

Jaitly Budget 2016-17

Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley unveiled a budget for the poor on Monday, announcing new rural aid and health programmes in a strategy shift that could boost his ruling party in coming state elections.

Here are the highlights of Jaitley's budget for the fiscal year that begins on April 1.

RURAL ECONOMY

* Rural jobs programme allocated 385 billion rupees ($5.61 billion) in 2016/17

* Farmer welfare budget in 2016/17 to total 359.84 billion rupees

* Rural road development to get 190 billion rupees in 2016/17

* Target of agriculture credit at 9 trillion rupees in 2016/17

* Interest subvention towards farm loans in 2016/17 at 150 billion rupees

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley began presenting India's national budget for the next fiscal in the Lok Sabha on Monday, saying India remained a bright spot of the global economy while assuring continuity in reforms along with fiscal discipline.

"I am presenting the budget when the global economy is in crisis," Jaitley said in his opening remarks, adding that India, however, remained the bright spot in this gloom, turning difficulties into opportunities.

He said India's growth has expanded 7.5 percent, despite slowdown in exports, even as inflation had eased, bringing big relief to the general public. He also said foreign exchange reserves were robust. "Indian growth is at an extraordinary high."

Jaitley said his budget will look at three pillars in right earnest: A prudent fiscal policy, raise domestic demand and carry out reforms. He also said farm, rural sector, infrastructure and social sector will be allotted more money.

"Recapitalization of banks also to be done during next fiscal year," he said, as much concern have emerged over the quantum of exposure of Indian scheduled banks in terms of gross non-productive assets, re-cast loans and write-offs, which amounts to Rs.9.5 lakh crore.

He said the nine pillars of this year's budget will be: agriculture, social programmes, rural development, education with skill development, infrastructure, financial reforms, policy reforms in terms of ease of doing business, fiscal discipline and tax reforms.

"A unified agriculture platform to be dedicated to the nation on the birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Amebdkar," the finance minister said, amid applause from the benches.

Rohith’s kin spurns ex-gratia

Students protest PM’s bid to appropriate Rohith as Bharat Mata’s son.

Hyderabad : Agitating students of Hyderabad Central University on Saturday termed as “insulting” Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks over suicide of dalit scholar Rohith Vemula even as the student’s distraught family rejected the Rs eight lakh ex-gratia relief offered by the institution.

The students vowed to step up their stir and said the PM’s “inaction” reflected his “political interests”.      The students also rejected an appeal by Minister of state for HRD Upendra Kushwaha, who urged them to withdraw their agitation and assured them justice, a day after the Centre decided to set up a judicial commission to look into the sequence of events leading to suicide of Rohith.

Giving a push to the agitation, Rohith’s family rejected the ex-gratia amount and also criticised the NDA government for “delay” in its response in condoling his death.

Rohit’s mother Radhika, sister Neelima and brother Raju, who visited the restive campus, demanded that “those responsible for his death” be brought to book. “Not Rs eight lakh, we don’t want even if you give Rs eight crore from HCU, where he died,” Neelima said.

Radhika said, “I want to know why he died. Those responsible should be punished…why he was suspended.” “Smriti Irani (Union HRD Minister)…she called up after five days. Why it took five days. You are also a woman…you are also a mother…it took five days (to call up the family and condole the death),” Neelima added. All the seven students, including a girl, who have been on a hunger strike on the issue, were today shifted from the hunger strike camp to the HCU’s health centre after their health condition deteriorated, even as the agitating students tried to prevent the officials from taking them away.

Voicing “dissatisfaction” over Modi’s remarks at a university in Lucknow on Friday, the JAC asked if the Prime Minister would now take action against his ministers.

The Prime Minister had said, “When there is news that a youth of my country, Rohith, was compelled to commit suicide, what his family must have gone through. Mother India has lost a son. There will be reasons, there will be politics (surrounding it) but the fact remains that a mother has lost her son. I feel the pain very well,” Modi had said.

Responding to Modi’s speech,  JAC said, “It is highly insulting to have received a condolence statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has referred to Rohith Vemula as Bharat Mata’s son. Joint Action Committee for Social Justice condemns in the strongest possible words, the appropriation of Rohith’s politics.”

“Rohith Vemula and the other socially boycotted stood always against the Hindutva and Manuvadi politics which the BJP ministers proudly stand for,” it said.

Food Security Law to Be Implemented By All States, UTs Except TN

Food Security Law to Be Implemented By All States, UTs Except TN

Food Security Law to Be Implemented By All States, UTs Except TN
The National Food Security Law will be implemented in all states and Union Territories, barring Tamil Nadu, by April this year, Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said today.

Till now, 25 states and UTs have rolled out the law while 11 are in the process of doing so, he said.

The law was passed by Parliament in 2013 and state governments were given one year to implement it. Since then, the deadline has been extended thrice till September 2015.

The food law provides legal entitlement to 5 kg of subsidised foodgrains per person every month at Rs 1-3 kg to two-thirds of India's population.

"When we came to power, the food law was implemented in only 11 states. Now, it has been rolled out in 25 states. All states and UTs, barring Tamil Nadu, will implement by April this year," Paswan told reporters here.

Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Megalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman Nicobar, Mizoram, Dadar and Nagar Haveli and Tamil Nadu are 11 states which are yet to implement the food law.

The minister said that direct cash transfer of food subsidy is being implemented on a pilot basis in Puducherry and Chandigarh. "Dadra and Nagar Haveli, is also in full readiness for implementation of this pilot cash transfer/DBT scheme," he added.

Outlining steps taken in last 19 months to strengthen Public Distribution System (PDS), Paswan said digitisation of ration cards is one of the important components for making PDS leak proof and the government has digitised 97 per cent of total 24.99 crore ration cards across the country and soon 100 per cent will be digitised.

Over 10.10 crore ration cards have been seeded with Aadhaar, online allocation of foodgrains implemented in 19 states/UTs, 61,904 fair price shops (FPS) have been automated by installing ‘Point of Sale’ devices, he said.

"By March this year, about 2 lakh FPS will have this device," he said.

The minister further said that the transparency portal to display all operations of PDS has been launched in 27 states and UTs. Online system for redressal of PDS grievances has been put in place in all states.

That apart, rules for payment of food security allowance to the beneficiary in the case of non-delivery of foodgrains have been notified, he added.

In order to provide nutritional security to economically vulnerable sections and to have better targeting of 'other welfare schemes’ for poor, Pawan said, a committee of ministers under his chairmanship has not only decided continuation of foodgrain allocation for Other Welfare Schemes but also recommended for providing milk and eggs.

Total food subsidy to implement the food law is estimated to be Rs 1.3 lakh crore.

The government said meanwhile that it is considering supplying fortified rice and wheat atta via other welfare schemes and is awaiting set quality norms from the food safety regulator FSSAI.

"We are looking at food fortification. FSSAI in February 2015 had taken out standards on wheat atta. It is yet set standards for rice atta. We are waiting," Food Secretary Vrinda Sarup said.

The Centre has allocated 61 million tonnes of foodgrains to states for distribution under PDS and other welfare schemes as on January 18 of this fiscal.

On FCI reforms, the Food Minister said the government has initiated work to bring all FCI godowns connected on an online platform to check reported leakage.

So far, the depot online system has been initiated in 30 sensitive places. The system will be put in FCI-owned depots by May this year and other hired depots by year-end, he added.

On construction of modern silos for foodgrains storage, the Minister said it is aiming to create 10 million capacity by 2020 under public private partnership (PPP) mode at various locations in the country.

A silo with a capacity of 5 lakh tonnes will be completed this fiscal and another silo with a capacity of 15 lakh tonnes will be set up next fiscal.

At present, the country has a total storage capacity of 79.6 million tonnes.

On future plans, the Food Minister said the government will set up a centre of excellence on food in partnership with the UN agency World Food Programme and also upgrade Kanpur- based National Sugar Institute as international institute.

He also hoped passage of the Consumer Protection Bill and Bureau of Indian Standards Bill in Parliament this year. These two bills have already been passed in the Lok Sabha.

MINISTRY OF HRD TO SET UP A JUDICIAL COMMISSION

MINISTRY OF HRD TO SET UP A JUDICIAL COMMISSION

RAMANA T.V...The Fact Finding Committee constituted by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in the wake of the chain of unfortunate events at the Central University Hyderabad submitted its report to the Ministry on 22nd January 2016.

Based on its observations and findings, the Ministry has decided to constitute a Judicial Commission to review the entire sequence of events and the circumstances; and to establish the facts and correctives in the context of the University. The Judicial Commission will submit its report within 3 months.

The Union Minister Smt Smriti Zubin Irani today spoke to the mother of Rohith, the young research scholar and extended her condolences.

In order to address the issues faced by the students from disadvantaged social, economic and educational backgrounds in higher educational institutions comprehensively and to prevent such unfortunate incidents in future, the Ministry has decided on the following course of action:

A programme will be launched for sensitising academic administrators about understanding and handling problems faced by socially, educationally and economically disadvantaged students. All wardens, administrative staff and Registrars would be compulsorily put through this orientation programme. A special module will be prepared for this orientation.

A special mechanism would be set up at the Ministry for receiving and taking expeditious action on the grievances from these students.

All VCs and senior administrators would be sensitised to reach out to socially, economically and educationally disadvantaged students. There should be zero tolerance for any acts of discrimination on campus. A special Charter would be issued to all the HEIs in this regard.

The Peer-group Assisted Learning (PAL) of IIT Gandhinagar would be extended to all the HEIs, under which Mentors would be arranged for the socially, economically and educationally disadvantaged students not only to assist them in education, but to support them with regards to challenges being faced by them within their Institutions. MINISTRY OF HRD TO SET UP A JUDICIAL COMMISSION

Sheikh Shafi Armar was arrested

Sheikh Shafi Armar, mastermind behind the latest terror plot across India?

         New Delhi: Sheikh Shafi Armar, a terror boss given the title of 'amir' by Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, could be the kingpin in the latest terror plot across the country, union home ministry said on Friday.

    Sources said suspected terror operatives held in Bengaluru and other cities named Shafi Armar alias Yusuf as the man who got in touch with them online and urged them to carry out terror attacks across India.

shafi Armar was first named by dreaded Indian Mujahideen terrorist and fellow native of Bhatkal in Karnataka, Yasin Bhatkal.

Yasin Bhatkal told interrogators that Shafi Armar and five others -- Anwar Bhatkal, Abdul Khader, Sultan Armar, Hussain Farhan Mohammed, Salim Ishaqi and Afeef Mota -- were given terror training recently in the Waziristan region of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Subsequent investigation revealed that Shafi Armar had initially joined al Qaeda-affiliated Ansar ul Tawahid, and then changed allegiance to al Baghdadi's IS.

Indian agencies are yet to get any clue about current location of Shafi Armar. However it is suspected he could be in Iraq or Syria.

Five people have been arrested and nine more detained under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act ( UAPA) when news last came in.

Investigators believe Shafi Armar got in touch with a man named Mushtaq in Mumbai to carry out the terror attacks

Six lakh rupees were also allegedly transferred into his account. A huge cache of explosives were also recovered from several places, including Uttarakhand and Hyderabad.

Congress dismisses PM Modi's grief over Rohith's suicide as 'crocodile tears'

  New Delhi: Congress on Friday dismissed as "crocodile tears" Prime Minister Narendra Modi voicing his grief over the suicide of Rohith Vemula, saying he has failed to utter a word on any action against Union ministers Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya.

"We all respect the Prime Minister. We humbly want to say that shedding crocodile tears will not return Rohith Vemula or do justice" to the situation arising out of the suicide of the dalit scholar in Hyderabad University, party's chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala told reporters.

Dubbing the HRD minister as the "biggest culprit" in the matter, he said that the Prime Minister has "disappointed" the whole country by "not uttering a word about any disciplinary action, any legal action" against Irani and Dattatreya.

"The Prime Minister has poured cold water on hopes of a concrete action by not sacking Irani, Dattatreya and the Vice Chancellor," he said adding that "shedding crocodile tears or turning sentimental" do not help in addressing the problem of injustice against Dalits.

Singling out Irani for attack, he lamented that the "person who is herself guilty has not found time to go the University and meet mother and family members of Rohith".

Alleging that the government was shielding those in the ABVP and others known for their anti-Dalit attitude, he wanted Prime Minister to apologise to dalit youths for failing to protect them.

Surjewala's sharp reaction came close on the heels of Prime Minister breaking his silence on the issue in Lucknow and voicing his grief over the suicide.

The Congress leader also dismissed HRD Ministry's decision to constitute a judicial commission and orientation programmes.

"It is a shoddy attempt to brush aside the fundamental issues leading to the suicide of Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad Central University," he said.

Another senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal took to Twitter to attack the Prime Minister on the issue.

"Too little too late Mr Modi. If you feel the mother's pain show how you will make amends considering the conduct of your Ministers," he tweeted.

At the Congress briefing earlier, party General Secretary Mukul Wasnik lambasted the government for its conduct in the matter.

"To add fuel to the fire and belittle the memory of Rohith, Vice-Chancellor Appa Rao, instead of being sacked, is additionally appointed as Acting Chairperson of 'National Council of Rural Institutes' by HRD Ministry," he said.

HCU V.C. OUT?

వీసీ అప్పారావు అవుట్..!?

Centre ready to take action on VC of HCU..!
హైద‌రాబాద్ సెంట్ర‌ల్ యూనివ‌ర్సిటీ వైఎస్ ఛాన్సెల‌ర్ అప్పారావును తొల‌గించ‌డానికి రంగం సిద్ధ‌మ‌య్యింది. రోహిత్ వేముల మృతి త‌ర్వాత వ్య‌వ‌హారం ఆయ‌న మెడ‌కు చుట్టుకోవ‌డంతో ఇది అనివార్యంగా మారింది. ఇప్ప‌టికే క్యాంప‌స్ లో ప‌ర్య‌టించిన ద్విస‌భ్య క‌మిటీ కూడా వీసీ నిర్ణ‌యాల‌ను త‌ప్పు ప‌ట్టిన‌ట్టు స‌మాచారం. దాంతో కేంధ్ర మాన‌వ‌వ‌న‌రుల మంత్రిత్వ శాఖ నుంచి అప్పారావును తొలిగిస్తూ ఆదేశాలు జారీ చేయ‌డం ఖాయంగా క‌నిపిస్తోంది.

వీసీ తీరుతోనే వివాదం కొత్త మ‌లుపు తిరిగింద‌ని అంతా భావిస్తున్నారు. ద‌ళిత విద్యార్థుల ప‌ట్ల అప్పారావు అమానుషంగా ప్ర‌వ‌ర్తించిన‌ట్టు విచార‌ణ క‌మిటీ భావిస్తోంది. గ‌తంలో కూడా అప్పారావు ఈ క్యాంప‌స్ అదే రీతిలో వ్య‌వ‌హరించిన అనుభ‌వాల‌ను గుర్తు చేస్తున్నారు. చీఫ్ వార్డెన్ గా ఉన్న‌ప్పుడు కూడా వివ‌క్ష ప్ర‌ద‌ర్శించిన‌ట్టు చెబుతున్నారు. దాంతో రోహిత్ స‌హా ద‌ళిత విద్యార్థుల స‌స్ఫెన్ఫ‌న్, ఆత‌ర్వాత వివాదం అంత‌టిలో వీసీ వైఫ‌ల్యం ఉంద‌ని నిర్ధారించారు.

యూనివర్శిటీలో త‌లెత్తిన స‌మ‌స్య‌లు సామరస్యంగా పరిష్కరించడంలో విసి విఫలం అయ్యారని కమిటీ భావిస్తోంద‌ని చెబుతున్నారు. ఈప‌రిస్థితుల్లో 2020 వరకు ఈయన పదవీకాలం ఉన్నప్పట్టికీ ముందుగానే తప్పుకోక త‌ప్ప‌ద‌ని చెబుతున్నారు. కేంధ్రంలోని ఇద్ద‌రు మంత్రుల చుట్టూ వ్య‌వ‌హారం న‌డుస్తున్న‌ప్పుడు విష‌యాన్ని చ‌ల్లార్చ‌డానికి అప్పారావుపై చర్య‌లు అనివార్యం అని అంటున్నారు. కేంధ్ర‌మంత్రి స్మృతి ఇరానీ ప్ర‌క‌ట‌న త‌ర్వాత హెచ్ సీయూలోని 20 మంది ప్రొఫెస‌ర్లు కూడా ఆందోళ‌న బాట ప‌ట్ట‌డంతో వేడి మ‌రింత రాజుకుంది. మ‌రోవైపు ద‌ళిత సంఘాలు రాష్ట్ర బంద్ స‌హా, 25న ఛ‌లో హెచ్ సీయూ కార్య‌క్ర‌మానికి స‌న్న‌ద్ధ‌మ‌వుతున్నాయి. ఈ ప‌రిస్థితులు స‌ర్ధుమ‌ణ‌గాలంటే అప్పారావు పై వేటు ఖాయం అంటున్నారు.

అయితే అప్పారావుకి రాజకీయంగా బ‌ల‌మైన అండ ఉంది. గ‌తంలో చీఫ్ వార్డెన్ గా సస్ఫెండ్ అయిన వ్య‌క్తిని మళ్లీ వీసీగా ఇక్క‌డికి రావ‌డంతో పొలిటిక‌ల్ ప‌వ‌ర్ గ‌ట్టిగా ప‌నిచేసిన‌ట్టు చెబుతున్నారు, ముఖ్యంగా ఆంధ్రా ప్రాంతానికి చెందిన ఒకే సామాజిక‌వ‌ర్గానికి చెందిన ఇద్ద‌రు కేంధ్ర‌మంత్రుల అండ‌దండ‌లు బ‌లంగా ఉన్నాయ‌ని ప్ర‌చారం సాగుతోంది. లాబీయింగ్ లో కూడా అప్పారావు పెద్ద దిట్ట అని చెబుతున్నారు. ఈ ప‌రిస్థితుల్లో అప్పారావును తొల‌గించ‌డం అంత సామాన్య విష‌యం కాద‌ని అంచ‌నా వేస్తున్నారు.

మ‌రోవైపు అప్పారావు మాత్రం మీడియా ముందుకొచ్చి రోహిత్ మృతిపై వివ‌ర‌ణ‌లిస్తున్నారు. తాను బీజేపీకి చెందిన వ్య‌క్తిని కాదంటున్నారు. రోహిత్ మృతిపై ఉన్న అనుమానాల‌న్నీ తొల‌గించ‌డానికి సమ‌గ్ర ద‌ర్యాప్తు సాగుతోంద‌ని తెలిపారు. తాను మాత్రం ప‌ద‌వి నుంచి వైదొలిగేది లేద‌ని అంటున్నారు.HCU VC OUT

This Was Not A Caste Battle, Says Minister Smriti Irani On Hyderabad Student Suicide

NEW DELHI:  The suicide of a young research scholar which has incited large student protests across the country is being misrepresented with "malicious intent" as "a Dalit vs non-Dalit confrontation," said Education Minister Smriti Irani.

"This was not a caste battle," Ms Irani said, amid a national debate about whether caste discrimination pushed Rohith Vemula to hang himself at the Hyderabad Central University on Sunday.
 
Students at the university have been boycotting classes since then, alleging that the Vice Chancellor and union minister Bandaru Dattatreya unfairly pushed for Mr Vemula and four of his friends to be suspended after they clashed in August with students from the BJP's youth wing, the ABVP.
 

Ms Irani denied that her ministry had pushed for the students to be punished by sending five reminders to the Vice Chancellor after Mr  Dattatreya sent a letter to the Education Ministry demanding action against the Dalit students. One of the letters from Ms Irani's officers refers to the minister's complaint as "VIP reference". Both Mr Dattatreya and the Vice Chancellor are being investigated for aiding the suicide; they have denied any wrongdoing.

Ms Irani said today that the notes from her ministry - were standard procedure for complaints filed by parliamentarians. She said her ministry initiated similar follow up in 2014 after a Congress MP, Hanumantha Rao, sent a letter about the alarming number of suicides at the same university (nine in 10 years, according to some reports).

After a preliminary inquiry exonerated Mr Vemula and his friends of beating up an ABVP leader, a second committee found them guilty and suspended them in December and barred their access to the hostel, library and cafeteria, though they were allowed to attend classes. Mr Vemula hung himself on Sunday in the hostel.

Dalit Scholar Suicide: Kejriwal

Dalit Scholar Suicide: Kejriwal

Dalit Scholar Suicide: Kejriwal to Visit Hyderabad University

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is set to visit the University of Hyderabad to meet the students after the suicide of the Dalit scholar who was expelled from the university following a tussle with students affiliated with the ABVP....

16 injured in group clash

16 injured in group clash In a caste clash, 16 Dalits, including women, were injured when a mob, attacked them following a quarrel during Pongal festival celebration at Kuruvithurai near Sholavandan on Sunday night. The tiled roof of over a dozen houses were damaged, two huts set on fire and few vehicles damaged. The police said that while the Dalits were celebrating at Kuruvithurai, three persons, said to be under intoxication, from the nearby area picked up quarrel with the Dalit people. Having taken the trouble mongers under their captivity, the villagers called the village leaders, who let them go. Meanwhile, the police was informed about the incident. However, soon youths from the other side rushed to the Dalits’ hamlet with weapons and went on a rampage, Revenue Divisional Officer G. Senthilkumari, who inspected the spot, said. They also pelted stone on them. “The Dalits, who are a minority in strength in the locality, locked up themselves in their houses. Angered by this, the mob attacked their houses with logs and other weapons,” she said. In the melee, 16 persons were injured and they were admitted to Government Hospital in Sholavandan. Three of them were referred to Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai. Superintendent of Police Vijayendra Bidari was camping at the village. The police have were on the lookout for the perpetrators of the crime. A large posse of police had been deployed to prevent further untoward incidents.