SP Tyagi

New Delhi, May 30

The Delhi High Court today stayed a trial court order allowing former IAF chief SP Tyagi, a key accused in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, to travel to Indonesia.Decrying the “special treatment” given to Tyagi, Justice I S Mehta said: “I do not understand, why the accused persons always want to travel abroad… why should he (Tyagi) be given the special treatment.”Staying the trial court order till July 12, it agreed to the CBI contention that the 71-year-old former IAF chief, who is on bail, might tamper with the ongoing probe in the case.The court, which is hearing the CBI’s appeal against the grant of bail to Tyagi and two other accused, said: “You (Tyagi) are facing trial in a case and also getting special treatment. What is this? Till July 12, you will not travel.” — PTI

There are as many as 18.11 crore customers of subsidised LPG in the country. Fie photo

New Delhi, July 31

The central government has ordered state-run oil companies to raise subsidised cooking gas (LPG) prices by Rs 4 per cylinder every month to eliminate all the subsidies by March next year, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Monday.

The government had previously asked Indian Oil (IOC), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) to raise rates of subsidised domestic LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) by Rs 2 per 14.2-kg cylinder per month (excluding VAT).

Now, the quantum has been doubled so as to bring down the subsidy to nil, he said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha here.

Every household is entitled to 12 cylinders of 14.2-kg each at subsidised rates in a year. Any requirement beyond that is to be purchased at market price.

“Public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) were authorised to increase price of subsidised domestic LPG cylinder by Rs 2 per cylinder (14.2-kg) per month (excluding VAT) with effect from July 1, 2016,” he said.

Oil companies had hiked LPG rates on 10 occasions since that go-ahead.

“The government vide its order dated May 30, 2017, has again authorised OMCs to continue to increase the effective price of subsidised domestic LPG by Rs 4 per cylinder effective June 1, 2017, per month (excluding VAT) till the reduction of government subsidy to ‘nil’, or till March 2018, or till further orders, whichever is earliest,” he said.

Oil companies have raised rates twice since then, the last being on July 1 when rates were up by a steep Rs 32 per cylinder — the steepest increase in six years. This hike was because of the May 30 order as well as reflection of hiked tax rates under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime.

Subsidised LPG now costs Rs 477.46 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi. It was priced at Rs 419.18 in June last year.

The rate of non-subsidised LPG, which consumers pay after exhausting their quota of below-market priced bottles, costs Rs 564.

“The price for the other subsidised cylinders (i.e. 5 kg) would be increased proportionately by the OMCs,” Pradhan said.

The subsidy on LPG was Rs 86.54 per cylinder for July, he said.

There are as many as 18.11 crore customers of subsidised LPG in the country. These include 2.5 crore poor women who were given free connections during the last one year under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna.

There are another 2.66 crore users of non-subsidised cooking gas. — PT

‘GUARDIANS OF GOVERNANCE’ VOLUNTEERS WANTED BY 10 JUN 2017 :

FWD RESUME BY POST OR EMAIL- pesco34chd@yahoo.com

BURHAN WANI’S SUCCESSOR, SEVEN OTHER MILITANTS KILLED

ARMY: RELENTLESS OPS ON TO FOIL PAK TERROR BIDS

BURHAN’S CLOSE AIDE KILLED IN ENCOUNTER FRESH TENSION IN KASHMIR AS TOP HIZB COMMANDER SABZAR BHAT, ASSOCIATE GUNNED DOWN

JAITLEY HAILS TEST-FIRING OF TORPEDO FROM SCORPENE SUBMARINE

YOGI’S SECURITY STAFF ASK SIKH TO REMOVE TURBAN

UP villagers given shampoos, soaps to ‘smell good’ before CM Yogi

PUNJAB NEWS:::28 MAY 2017

• Rs 26-cr mine: I-T returns belie cook’s hefty bid
• Audit of MCs to start in a fortnight: Sidhu
• Capt orders intensification of drive against illegally plying vehicles
• Punjab DGP Suresh Arora, adviser Chahal, OSD Sekhon to attend KPS Gill’s cremation
• Amarinder speaks to Rajasthan CM over assault on four Sikhs in Ajmer
• Two held for assault on R’sthan Sikhs
• Will never do charity again: Sikh man assaulted by mob
• SAYS HE WILL NEVER TRY TO HELP ANYONE THE REST OF HIS LIFE

• Men of liquor contractors put up ‘nakas’

   

INDIA’S National Security Adviser Ajit Doval does not appear to have brought back good tidings after a visit to Beijing. The standoff on the India-Bhutan-China trijunction is likely to persist and even stretch into months unless China has a change of heart. But the interaction at the top political level may have ebbed the threat of a clash that could spiral into something worse. India’s commendable restraint, in acute short supply when it comes to Pakistan, may have played a no mean role in reorienting the resolution of the military dispute towards talks. India did not react when the Chinese media stooped to name calling Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Doval. Instead of joining battle with the Chinese media in cyberspace and losing control over the narrative, India has sought to steer the conversation back among diplomats by drawing attention to the established mechanisms for addressing the border issue. The fly in the ointment is that China may have tried to strengthen its infrastructure in a disputed area but it was doing so on its territory. So while India wants a simultaneous withdrawal of troops from both sides, China wants Indian soldiers to first walk back. Many compromise formulas have been aired such as a simultaneous withdrawal by Indian troops and the Chinese road building crew. But any withdrawal by Indian troops while the PLA stays put will mean India may lose face after having jumped in the fray on behalf of Bhutan. Can a compromise formula work in a dispute that has the imprints of a broader geostrategic competition? We will never get to know whether the differences were discussed during the closed-door meetings in Beijing. But from all indications, both sides are in for a long haul since trust and mutual understanding are at a discount. The smooth conduct of the BRICS NSAs’ meeting suggests that the border dispute may not cast a shadow on the forthcoming five-nation summit. That suggests the diplomats have succeeded in decoupling the border standoff from Sino-Indian cooperation in BRICS. In the current environment of unsettled global equations, that should be an achievement.  

Islamabad, July 28

“It is just a beginning,” Imran Khan, Pakistan’s Opposition leader and a petitioner in the high-profile Panama case, today said as he hailed the Supreme Court’s decision to disqualify Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.Addressing the media after the apex court’s verdict, 64-year-old Khan, one of the three petitioners in the case, thanked the judiciary of Pakistan. The chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party announced to hold a rally at Islamabad’s Parade Ground to celebrate “Youm-e-Tashakur” on Sunday.“What the Joint Investigation Team did in 60 days could not have been done even in the West,” the cricketer-turned- politician said. “With this investigation, it is quite clear that we have the capability to put a check on corruption.The Supreme Court has proven that today.” Khan observed that countries were not destroyed by earthquakes, wars or famines, but by their institutions of justice. “The Supreme Court’s decision has given hope to the people of Pakistan today,” proclaimed Khan. He said his struggle was for democracy and empowerment of the poor who suffered for petty wrongdoings while the rich went scot-free even after committing a crime. “I know Sharif’s family for the last 40 years and I do not have any personal enmity with them,” he said.Khan called the apex court’s decision “the beginning” for a new Pakistan.“Everyone will be held accountable now. This is just the beginning,” said Khan. He said now on all those responsible for plundering national wealth would be held accountable.The PTI chief lambasted Sharif’s former ministers for targeting Shaukat Khanum cancer hospital in Lahore, where 75 per cent poor patients were treated free. — PTI 

Tax evasion exposé that sealed Sharif’s fateApril 4, 2016: International Consortium of Investigative Journalism publishes the Panama Papers, exposing tax evasion by the world’s elite, including the Sharif family, through offshore accounts and shell companiesApril 5: Sharif sets up a judicial panel to probe allegations, denies chargesApril 26: Opposition rejects the judicial panel set up by the governmentNovember 1: The SC decides to pursue a case related to Nawaz SharifNovember 7: PML-N submits Qatari prince’s letter to the SC containing information about the London flatsApril 20, 2017: SC orders formation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe graft charges against SharifMay 5: Apex court constitutes JITMay 22: JIT presents its first bi-weekly report to the SC in two volumesMay 24: JIT sends questionnaires to Sharif and his sons Hussain and HassanJune 13: JIT submits report to the SC blaming government institutions for ‘creating impediments in evidence collection’June 15: Sharif appears before the JIT for questioning, becoming the first sitting Pakistan Prime Minister to appear before any probe agencyJuly 10: JIT submits final report to SCJuly 21: The three-judge SC Bench hearing the case reserves decisionJuly 28: SC Bench unanimously disqualifies Sharif from holding office

Capt Amarinder Singh. File photo

Chandigarh, May 23

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday expressed dismay over the “poor” results of Class 10 exams conducted by the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB), in which over 40 per cent of the students failed.Taking a serious note of the poor performance of students, he issued strict instructions to Education Minister Aruna Chaudhary to prepare a blueprint for raising the standard of learning in the state.

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The Chief Minister also directed the Finance Department to make all necessary funds available to the education department for undertaking urgent measures to improve the quality of education and infrastructure in government schools, an official spokesperson said here.Around 57 per cent students of Class 10 passed the board exam conducted by the PSEB, the results of which were declared on Monday.A total of 3.3 lakh students had appeared in the examination, of which 1.9 lakh students passed the exam, while 45,734 students failed and 94,271 students got reappear.Amarinder said he was very disturbed at the “deteriorating standard of education” in Punjab, as a result of which “our children are falling by the wayside in the race for good jobs and career growth, with most of them even failing to clear the necessary exams for getting into the armed forces”.“The fact that only 24 students from government schools had made it to the merit list is a serious cause for concern,” he said. while pinning the responsibility on the education department.The Congress leader had earlier ordered several sweeping policy changes to raise the bar of education in the state.At a review meeting of the education department earlier this month, he had approved a policy for online transfer of government teachers from the next academic session, on lines of a similar system in several other states, including neighbouring Haryana.The Chief Minister had also asked the Principal Secretary, Finance, to make a special provision in the forthcoming budget to ensure proper infrastructure in terms of electricity, furniture, toilets and playgrounds in all government schools in the state.He had directed the Additional Chief Secretary (School Education) to work out the estimated expenditure for raising the necessary demand with the finance department in this regard.Amarinder reiterated his earlier directives on inclusion of foreign languages in the school curriculum to enable gainful employment of students not just within the country but globally too.He once again stressed the upgrade of English teaching in schools to empower students to meet global communication needs. PTI

Only 57% students pass PSEB Class X exam

Students in jubilant mood in Ludhiana after result was declared . Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 22

No grace marks awarded, every second boy and every third girl appearing for the Class X Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) exam has failed to make it. The result was declared today. As in the case of Class XII  exams, the pass percentage this year has fallen from 72.25 to 57.50. A total of 3,30,437 students had appeared in the exam.  Shruti Vohra of Ropar topped with 98.7 per cent.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)About 28.53 per cent students have failed in one or more subjects (compartment). Of the 1,83,979 boys and 1 46,458 girls, only 96,315 (52.35 per cent) and 93,686 (63.97 per cent), have passed. It is clear the board had in the past inflated the pass percentage by awarding grace marks, placing 15-20 per cent students in the “pass” category. “Had we given grace marks, most pupils with compartment would have passed,” the board chairman said.

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh,Lt General TS Shergill (retd), senior adviser to the CM

Jalandhar, May 22

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s project ‘Guardians of Governance’ (GoG) is set to be launched on July 1. Lt General TS Shergill (retd), senior adviser to the CM, said this here today.“The government is planning to rope in volunteers by July 1. It is expected to hire about 13,000 ex-servicemen for the project. The aim is to ensure that every beneficiary of welfare schemes gets benefits,” he said.Volunteers, he said, would be paid an honorarium and trained at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Chandigarh. After training, they will be placed under SDMs and DCs to act as their eyes and ears to scrutinise the public governance system in their jurisdiction.“They will not replace the government, but will ensure a speedy flow of information pertaining to governance in their areas,” Lt Gen Shergill added.

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 21

Having taken a stand before a nine-Judge Constitution Bench that right to privacy is not a fundamental right, the Centre today contradicted itself by telling another Constitution Bench hearing the WhatsApp privacy matter that personal data was an extension of one’s personality and hence a part of fundamental right to life.“Data of a user is connected to his personality and it is an integral part of Article 21 (Fundamental Right to Life and Liberty),” Additional Solicitor General PS Narasimha told a five-Judge Bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra, which is examining issues arising out of the 2016 privacy policy of WhatsApp.“If any contractual obligation impinges upon that, it will have ramifications. We will come out with regulations (on data protection),” Narasimha said.On the face of it, the Centre’s stand in the WhatsApp case appears to be contrary to its categorical statement before the nine-Judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar that right to privacy was not a fundamental right.The Bench posted the matter for further hearing on September 6 after senior counsel Kapil Sibal, representing WhatsApp, pointed out that the verdict of the nine-Judge Bench on right to privacy would have a bearing on the matter and it should be heard only after the judgment was pronounced by the larger Bench.Petitioners Karmanya Singh Sareen and Shreya Sethi had alleged WhatsApp’s decision to share all its subscribers’ data with Facebook impinged on privacy of 160 million Indian users.The Delhi High Court had last year ruled that WhatsApp should delete all data in its possession till September 25, 2016, but said the company was free to share the data with Facebook post September 25, 2016, thus enabling subscribers to voluntarily withdraw from the service if they were not keen on sharing their data with Facebook.The high court had asked the Centre and TRAI to examine the feasibility of bringing the messaging services under a regulatory regime in India. The petitioners challenged the HC verdict in the top court where the issue got referred to a Constitution Bench.

WhatsApp, FB can’t share ‘intimate’ data: Govt to SC