A Challenging Time For India-US Relationship 2103

Washington: The year 2013 will be remembered for the challenges it threw up for the ties between the world's two largest democracies, including a row triggered by the arrest and strip-search of an Indian diplomat in the US.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held a successful meeting with US President Barack Obama at the White House and Vice President Joe Biden made a rare trip to India US Relationship, but the strain in bilateral relations was evident throughout 2013 especially over India's nuclear liability act.
                                     

Also, over 200 American lawmakers made an unprecedented move to vent their ire against India's economic policies. However, the events of the year were capped by the arrest of senior diplomat Devyani Khobragade, the Deputy Consul General in New York, on visa fraud charges.

While the US asserted that by arresting her, it was enforcing the law of the land, India fought back by taking a series of reciprocal measures like withdrawing special privileges of US Embassy personnel in New Delhi.

Following the arrest, one of the rare occasions when an Indian diplomat was detained overseas, the India-US ties came to a standstill. Even earlier, many experts had said that it has plateaued.

This was mainly because both the Congress and the influential American industry - the main drivers of India-US ties in the past decade - openly expressed their anger and anguish over India's economic policies.

Fatwa Issued on Remarriage of Kashmir’s

SRINAGAR: A group of Islamic scholars in Kashmir has issued a fatwa (decree) that a half-widow can remarry four years after the disappearance of her husband.

A huge number of women in Jammu and Kashmir have been living as half-widows due to the disappearance of their husbands in custody of the Indian security forces.
                                         

         
The religious scholars were in Srinagar for a conference on the issue of the remarriage of Kashmiri Fatwa Issued women whose husbands have gone missing over the past two decades since the outbreak of militancy in the state.

Bashir Ahmad Dar, head of Ehsaas, the NGO that organized the conference, said the religious scholars unanimously concluded that the half-widows' whose husbands have disappeared in custody or otherwise over the past 20 years can remarry four years after the disappearance.

Human rights groups say the number of people who have so disappeared in the past twenty years of armed resistance against Indian rule is more than eight thousand. One fourth of them were married.

In all such cases the security forces deny any knowledge about the whereabouts of these men.

Their wives are known as half-widows because they don't know whether their husbands are alive or dead. As such these women cannot decide whether to remarry or whether to wait for their missing me to return.

The Islamic scholars held three rounds of consultations over the issue and before issuing the fatwa.

Okinawa Governor Approves US Base Relocation

Japan's Okinawa island approved the long-stalled relocation of a controversial US military base, putting an end to a decades-long source of friction between Tokyo and Washington.

Local bureaucrats signed on Friday a document that gives the governor's green light to a landfill, paving the way for the construction of a new base on the coast.
                                                   

   
An Okinawan official confirmed Friday that Governor Hirokazu Nakaima approved the Japanese Defense Ministry's application to reclaim land for a new military base on Okinawa's coast. It would replace the U.S. Marine Corps base in Futenma, a more congested part of Okinawa's Governor Approves main island.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe persuaded Nakaima to approve the move in a meeting Wednesday. As part of the agreement, the central government will provide increased financial assistance to the island.

The Futenma relocation is an emotionally charged issue in Okinawa, where anti-base sentiment runs deep amid safety concerns about U.S. military operations.

In 2009, Yukio Hatoyama, the first prime minister after the Democratic Party of Japan took power, raised local hopes by pledging that the base would be moved out of the prefecture “at least.” But he later backed off and decided on a deal with the United States that was almost identical to the 2006 bilateral agreement.

Law College Dissociates itself From Ganguly

Kolkata: West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS) on Thursday said it has 'dissociated' itself from its honorary professor Justice (Retd) A K Ganguly accused of sexually harassing a student who had worked as an intern under him.

"We have decided to dissociate ourselves from him. Our executive council, the university's highest decision-making body, will take a final call next month on what other action can be taken in this matter," WBNUJS spokesperson Ruchira Goswami said.
                                                             

The premier law institute's faculty members had yesterday written to vice-chancellor P Ishwara Bhatt saying Ganguly's continued association with the institution undermines the ideals of NUJS that has always strived to teach and foster justice, including gender justice click here for more information about Law College Dissociates  .

"We believe that the position of a professor is that of trust and requires that such person be above reproach, especially above allegations of misbehaviour with students, particularly when such allegations have been found to have prima facie merit by a high-level committee," a group of 12 faculty members had said in a statement.

As an honorary professor of WBNUJS, Ganguly used to attend guest lectures besides supporting other academic activities. Following indictment by a three-member panel of Supreme Court judges over the intern's allegation, he is also facing strident demands to step down as the chairperson of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC).

When contacted, Ganguly refused to comment on the matter saying, "I am not supposed to tell you".

Actors Mohan Babu, Brahmanandam to Return Padma Shri

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has suggested to Telugu film actor-producer Mohan Babu and actor Brahmanandam that it would be appropriate if they returned the Padma Shri awards to the Government of India and then contested a writ petition seeking cancellation of the honour.
                                                       

                   
A bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyothy Sengupta and Justice P. Sanjay Kumar, while hearing a petition filed by BJP leader N. Indrasena Reddy, took serious note of the actor duo prefixing 'Padma Shri' to their names in credits of a movie.

The high court observed that Mohan Babu and Brahmanandam should have surrendered the awards gracefully. The controversy erupted when the recipients carried

the title of 'Padma Shri' as prefix in the credits of the controversial film 'Denikina Ready' (2012), produced by Mohan Babu's son Manchu Vishnu who also played a lead role in it.

Reddy had alleged that both the senior actors used prefix of 'Padma Shri' to their names in the credits of the movie. "According to rules, the award does not amount to a title and cannot be used as a suffix or prefix to the award winner's name on letterheads, invitation cards, posters and books among others," Reddy told reporters.

Mohan Babu and Brahmanandam were awarded 'Padma Shri' in 2007 and 2009, respectively. The matter is posted for further hearing on December

Sindhu, Srikanth Win Titles At National Championships

New Delhi: Young shuttlers PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth notched up contrasting victories in the summit clashes to clinch the women's and men's titles respectively at the 78th Senior National Badminton Championships here today.

A display of determination turned out to the theme of the day with an all-attacking K. Srikanth, ranked 37th in the world, coming up with a standout performance.
                                                     

                     
World Championship bronze medallist Sindhu won her second national title after 2011 while it is a first for Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold winner Srikanth.

Defending mixed doubles champions Aparna Balan and Arun Vishnu retained their crown while Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa regained the women's doubles crown for the first time since 2009.

However, it was a maiden title for Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold winner Srikanth, who dug deep into his reserves to get the better off RMV Gurusaidutt in a 40-minute men`s singles contest.

While second seed Sindhu, who is currently ranked 11th in the world, defeated Rituparna 21-11 21-17, Srikanth beat Guru 21-13 22-20 at the Siri Fort Sports Complex.

Defending mixed doubles champions Aparna Balan and Arun Vishnu retained their title, while Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa regained the women`s doubles crown for the first time since 2009.

In the men`s doubles competition, top seeds Pranaav Jerry Chopra and Akshay Dewalkar clinched the title with a 21-19 21-17 win over second seeds Manu Attri and Sumeeth Reddy B in a 39-minute contest.

Somali Parliament Approves New PM

MOGADISHU: Somali lawmakers on Saturday overwhelmingly endorsed Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed who was appointed by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud last week.
                                       
Ahmed replaces outgoing premier Abdi Farah Shirdon, who was ousted last month by parliament following a rift with the Somali Parliament president over policy differences, Xinhua reported.
                                               

                                           
Ahmed, an economist, previously worked at the Islamic Development Bank in Saudi Arabia. He replaces Abdi Farah Shirdon who was forced out by lawmakers in a vote of no confidence after falling out with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Western donors had worried a prolonged vacuum at the head of government would interrupt efforts to rebuild state institutions and defeat al Qaeda-linked militants who control swathes of the rural south and center of the Horn of Africa country.

In a statement, Mr. Ahmed assured lawmakers and the Somali people “that I will form a capable government to move this country forward and to a better future.”

The statement added that his government would honor existing international legal agreements and would strengthen Somalia’s relationships with neighboring states.

Ahmed, 54, faces a giant task to rein in corruption, crush Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab insurgents battling to topple the central government, and rebuild the troubled Horn of Africa nation.

“I’m very grateful with parliament for endorsing my nomination,” the new prime minister said after the vote.

LCA Tejas to Get Initial Operational Clearance Today

India's indigenously designed and developed frontline fighter Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas is poised to achieve an important milestone today.

This fourth generation aircraft will get its second Initial Operations Clearance today to pave the way for its induction into Indian Air Force, IAF squadrons.
                                         

                     
Defence Minister A K Antony and Air Force Chief NAK Browne will be present on this momentous occasion in Bangalore.

After the second clearance, the defence major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will take up series production of the aircraft.

Tejas is a supersonic fighter developed by HAL, and was sanctioned three decades ago by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

It has undergone 2400 test flights and Browne had earlier said that it would be battle-ready by 2014. (ANI)

British Author Paul Torday Dies At 67

British novelist Paul Torday, who had a surprise best-seller with his debut novel "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen," has died at age 67, his publisher said Thursday.

Torday died at home in Northumberland a day earlier, surrounded by his family, said publisher Weidenfeld and Nicolson. It did not provide a cause of death.
                                                           

                   
Torday launched his writing career in his late fifties, publishing "Salmon Fishing on the Yemen" in 2007 — the story of a rich sheik who dreams of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to his desert country.

What Paul Torday Dies never publicly disclosed was that this extraordinary output reflected a personal race against time. Having wanted to write all his life, he was faced with a cancer diagnosis shortly after his first book was swept away on the whirlwind of an international award-winning literary sensation and he recognised the extent to which his time might be limited.

The novel was adapted into a 2011 film starring Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt, with Blunt as the sheik's representative and McGregor as a cynical fisheries expert who begrudgingly accepts the challenge.

After getting a degree in English literature, Torday spent years in the engineering business before turning to writing. Following on the success of his first novel, Torday went on to write six more novels and two eBooks.

The novel was adapted into a 2011 film starring Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt.

He is survived by his wife Penelope, his ex-wife Jane, sons Piers and Nicholas and stepsons Jonathan and Charles.

Finland Raises Nokia's Tax Issue With India

WORDS IN THE ARTICLE

Mutual Agreement Procedure (MPA): The principal function of the Mutual Agreement provision in Article 25 is to resolve situations of double taxation caused by differences in interpretation and application of the treaty. It is according to the Article 25 of the United Nations. Article 25 establishes a “mutual agreement procedure” (MAP) which enables the parties to a bilateral treaty to better carry out the interpretation and application of the substantive treaty provisions. The MAP is administered by the “competent authorities”, the persons (Ministry or Tax Authority).                                  

                           

WHAT IS THE ISSUE         

⇒ India Tax authorities had issued a notice to Nokia to pay Rs. 2,058 for alleged tax evasion which it didn’t pay during the period from 2006. This particular factory was started by Nokia in 2006.

⇒ Nokia has been charged with nonpayment of withholding tax on royalties earned on import of software. The Income Tax Department had slapped a notice on Nokia’s Tax Issue Indian subsidiary for violating withholding tax norms since 2006 while making royalty payments to its parent company in Finland. (Nokia is a company belonging to country Finland). In short, Nokia produced mobile phones here. In it software was added. Royalty for this software was paid to its parent company in Finland which is actually the tax evasion.

⇒ But with recent calculation, Income Tax department is saying that Nokia owes Rs. 21,153 crore towards liabilities arising from a seven-year period, because of failing to deduct TDS from royalty payments made to the parent company.

⇒ Now Nokia was going to sale its Indian assets to Microsoft. Fearing that Nokia would flee India without settling tax dispute, income tax department froze all the assets of Nokia in India.

INDIA AND FINLAND

⇒ India wants’ its tax evaded money.

⇒ Finland on the other hand is claiming that the royalty money belongs to it & how India can have a right over it.

About the recent verdict

⇒ Indian court recently accepted the plea of Nokia to release the Chennai based local factory which is the biggest manufacturing facility of Nokia & which is a part of the deal between Nokia & Microsoft.

⇒ But it is conditional. Nokia will have to deposit Rs. 2,250 crore as a conditional amount for security purpose.

⇒ Now Nokia can sell its assets to Microsoft.

⇒ The court also said that Microsoft will not be liable to pay Nokia’s India tax dues and that it can buy Nokia’s assets as long as relevant conditions are met.

⇒ This verdict protects the interest of both the parties i.e. Income Tax department (by taking some amount as a security deposit from Nokia) & of Nokia (by allowing it to sale Chennai based plant. As the agreement between Microsoft & Nokia had the deadline of December 12).

⇒ This issue can be solved by use of Mutual Agreement Procedure (MPA) provision provided that things move fast.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR THE FUTURE TO PROTECT INVESTMENTS 

⇒ India should develop a robust and fair dispute resolution mechanism for cross-border disputes.

⇒ Income tax department plans to have dedicated tax officers to solve such matters which is a good step.

⇒ The need is also for qualitative upgradation and training of manpower to deal with tax disputes. 

Bipan Chandra Honoured With ‘Itihas Ratna’

The Asiatic Society, Bihar, on Monday honoured eminent historian Bipan Chandra with ‘Itihas Ratna’ award “for enriching the technique of secular and scientific writing of history”.

Secretary of the Society, O.P. Jaiswal, presented the award to Prof. Chandra on his 85{+t}{+h}birthday at a function at the Academic Staff College at Jawaharlal Nehru University. Those who have been given the award include late R.S. Sharma, Irfan Habib and J.S. Grewal.
                                                       

                           
Former professor of ancient Indian history and archaeology, Patna University, and founder secretary of Asiatic Society Bihar, O P Jayaswal, left for JNU campus in New Delhi where Chandra will be honoured with a citation and shawl.

Chandra, a Padma Vibhushan, would be fourth such historian to be honoured with 'Itihas Ratna' by the society. Late Ram Sharan Sharma (November 19, 2010), Irfan Habib (September 9, 2011) and J S Grewal (September 9, 2012) were the other three felicitated by the society which was set up in 1999 by a group of city's intellectuals with an objective to conduct basic research in secular and scientific ways to unravel the dynamics of social change. Former VC, Patna University, M Mohiuddin is its president click here for more information about Bipan Chandra Honoured .

"Chandra is not able to move outside New Delhi because of his poor health. So, we have decided to honour him there," Jayaswal told TOI. The citation reads, "His (read Bipan) writings will prove a beacon light to guide and inspire the future generations as he has done much to support the cause of historical research and changed the direction of National Book Trust, New Delhi, as its chairman."

Chandra is associated with Marxist school of Indian historiography. He served as chairman of the National Book Trust, member, UGC, and chairperson, Centre for Historical Studies, JNU, New Delhi. He has authored several books on modern Indian history and freedom movement.

Nirbhaya Fund: Finance Ministry okays 3 Proposals

The Ministry of Finance has approved three proposals to utilise the resources in the Nirbhaya Fund to enhance the security of women in India.

In the Budget speech on 28.2.2013, the Union Finance Minister Shri P.Chidambaram had announced that the Government will set-up a Fund called the Nirbhaya Fund and contribute Rs.1000 crore to the fund.
                 
                                                     

The amount of Rs.1000 crore could be transferred only during the first Supplementary Demands for Grants.

The Appropriation Bill was approved by Parliament on 7.9.2013 and received the assent of the President of India only on 11.9.2013.

"Ministries/Departments concerned were requested to formulate proposals to utilise the resources in the Fund with a view to enhance the safety and security of women in the country.

After several rounds of consultations, three proposals have been approved in-principle by the Ministry of Finance, details of which are given below. The Ministry/Department concerned has been requested to move the Cabinet for approval," the Ministry of Finance said in a statement.

Pujara is Emerging Cricketer of The Year

Rising Test batsman Cheteshwar Pujara bagged the ‘Emerging Cricketer of the Year Trophy as India had to be content with just two winners in the ICC annual awards announced on Friday in which Australian captain Michael Clarke clinched the top honours.

“Australia captain Michael Clarke was today announced as the winner of the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year and was also named as the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year,” the ICC said in a statement.                              

The announcement was made ahead of the broadcast of the awards TV show on Saturday in most countries across the globe.

“The show is hosted by former Australia captain Ricky Ponting who won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy in 2006 and 2007, ICC Test Cricketer of the Year in 2006 and was appointed captain of ICC’s ODI Team of the Year in 2007, 2008 and 2010,” the ICC stated.

Clarke steals the show

Clarke was earlier named in the ICC Test and ODI Teams of the Year in Mumbai on December 3. In the same event, India captain M.S. Dhoni was revealed as the LG People’s Choice award winner.

Clarke has been joined on the winners’ list by Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, who was named ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year, and Pujara, who claimed his first-ever ICC award.

Pujara became the second fastest Indian to get to 1000 Test runs, during the course of his double hundred against Australia in March at Hyderabad, where he put on a 370-run record second wicket partnership with Murali Vijay.

The 25-year-old Pujara has 1310 runs in 15 Tests at an average of 65.50.

“Also joining Pujara on the winners’ list for the first time are New Zealand captain Suzie Bates, who won the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year award, Pakistan fast bowler Umar Gul, whose five for six against South Africa won him the ICC T20I Performance of the Year award, Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien, who won the Associate and Affiliate Cricketer of the Year award, and Richard Kettleborough of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, who won the David Shepherd Trophy for ICC Umpire of the Year.”

England’s Sarah Taylor clinched the ICC Women’s T20 Cricketer of the Year award for the second year in a row, while Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardena won his second ICC Spirit of Cricket award, this time for walking without waiting for an umpire’s decision when batting on 91 against New Zealand in Galle in November 2012.

CCEA Approved Panchayati Raj Ministry Proposal on BRGF

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on 12 December 2013 approved the proposal of the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj to continue district component of Backward Region Grants Fund (BRGF) in the current financial year (2013-14).

The district component of BRGF covers 272 backward districts in 27 states and the entitlement of each district is one crore rupees. The amount is used primarily to build capacity for elected representatives and functionaries of Panchayati Raj institutions.
                                                             

The BRGF will have budgetary estimate of 6500 rupees during 2013-14. The fund will contribute towards poverty alleviation in backward districts and promote accountable and responsible panchayats and municipalities.

About Backward Region Grants Fund (BRGF)

The Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF), launched by the Prime Minister at Barpeta in Assam on 19th February 2007, signifies a new approach to addressing persistent regional imbalances in development. The programme subsumes the Rashtriya Sama Vikas Yojana (RSVY), a scheme earlier being administered by the Planning Commission.

Objectives of BRGF

The Backward Regions Grant Fund is designed to redress regional imbalances in development by way of providing financial resources for supplementing and converging existing developmental inflows into the identified backward districts, so as to:

• Bridge critical gaps in local infrastructure and other development requirements that are not being adequately met through existing inflows,

• Strengthen, to this end, Panchayat and Municipality level governance with more appropriate capacity building, to facilitate participatory planning, decision making, implementation and monitoring, to reflect local felt needs,

• Provide professional support to local bodies for planning, implementation and monitoring their plans,

• Improve the performance and delivery of critical functions assigned to Panchayats, and counter possible efficiency and equity losses on account of inadequate local capacity.

SEBI Panel Prescribes Stricter Norms on Insider Trading

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) panel, headed by former chief justice of India N. K. Sodhi, has suggested that trades by promoters, employees, directors and their immediate relatives would need to be disclosed internally to the company.

The panel on insider trading also recommended that trades within a calendar quarter of a value beyond Rs. 10 lakh (or such other amount as the capital market regulator may specify) would be required to be disclosed to the stock exchanges.
                                             

           

Code of fair disclosure

Every entity that has issued securities which are listed on a stock exchange or which are intended to be listed would be required to formulate and publish a code of fair disclosure governing disclosure of events and circumstances that would impact price discovery of its securities,” said SEBI anel Prescribes in a press release on Wednesday.

The Justice Sodhi Committee on Insider Trading Regulations has made a range of recommendations to the legal framework for prohibition of insider trading in India and has focused on making this area of regulation more predictable, precise and clear by suggesting a combination of principles-based regulations and rules that are backed by principles.

The Committee has also suggested that each regulatory provision may be backed by a note on legislative intent.

While enlarging the definition of “insider”, the term “connected person” has been defined more clearly and immediate relatives are presumed to be connected persons, with a right to rebut the presumption. The term “immediate relative” would cover close relatives who are either financially dependent or consult an insider in connection with trading in securities.

Uruguay First Country To Legalize Marijuana Industry

Uruguay became the first country in the world to legalize the marijuana trade on Tuesday in a 16-13 vote. Supporters of the law gathered near Congress holding green balloons and Jamaican flags in homage to Bob Marley.

The vote was 16 to 13, with the governing Broad Front majority united in favour. The plan now awaits the signature of President Jose Mujica, who wants the market to begin operating next year.
                                       

                                                   
The government will also set up a database of adults registered to consume marijuana, and will enforce limits of marijuana purchased (40 grams a month) or marijuana plants grown (six allowed at home).

Cannabis has long been legal for personal use in Uruguay, but growing, selling, or buying it was publishable with a prison term. Marijuana consumption is popular in the country with about 120,000 of the country’s 3.4 million population saying they partake at least once a year, according to the National Drug Council.

Marijuana legalization efforts have gained momentum across the Americas in recent years as leaders watch the death toll rise from military responses to unabated drug trafficking in Mexico and Central America. Presidents Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia and Otto Perez Molina of Guatemala also have called for reforms, and a recent report by a commission of the Organization of American States encouraged new approaches, including legalization of marijuana.

EC to Recognise Aam Aadmi Party As State Party in Delhi

With the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) winning over 28 of the 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly elections, the Election Commission is all set to recognise it as a ‘State party.’

The party registered as a political party by the Commission only in March this year.
                                   

                           
"It is our responsibility to give a popular government to the people of Delhi. We will find out the solution and try our level best to give an alternative to the people of Delhi by forming a government under the leadership of Harsh Vardhan," former BJP president Nitin Gadkari, who was also the party's in-charge for the Delhi elections, was quoted as saying.
                                     
Asked whether the BJP was mulling over drawing support from the debutant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), he said: "This question does not arise, neither there is any proposal from their side."

“This election shows that honest politics can win over corrupt politics,” said Mr. Kejriwal at a televised press conference Sunday evening. “In many ways, this is a historic election.”

The AAP, which was allotted “broom” as the election symbol by the Commission, will now have the choice of retaining it as the party’s permanent election symbol or design its own symbol provided it is within the rules and regulations of the Commission. The EC recognition would mean that the AAP can participate in the all-party meetings convened by the EC/the State/Central governments, get a permanent common symbol for all their contestants, and can address the voters through the All India Radio and Doordarshan during poll.

If a party is recognised as a “State Party” in four or more States, then it will automatically become a national party. It will lose the recognition if it performs poorly in the subsequent polls.

Centre Rejects Demand For ILP in Meghalaya

The Centre has rejected the demand for introduction of Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in Meghalaya, saying the Constitution does not provide for expanding the special provision to new areas.

In a communication to the Meghalaya government, the Union Home Ministry has conveyed that it was bound by Article 19 (d) of the Constitution which allows any Indian citizen to move freely throughout the territory of the country.
                                       

                   
“The Constitution does not allow introduction of ILP in Meghalaya any new area,” a Home Ministry official said.

ILP is an official travel document issued by an empowered State government to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected/restricted area for a limited period.

Obligatory for outsiders

It is obligatory for Indian citizens from outside those States to obtain permit for entering the protected State.

The document is an effort by the government to regulate movement to certain areas located near the international borders.

Currently, ILP is in force in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram.

Various organisations in Meghalaya have been demanding introduction of ILP claiming the demography of the State has been changed due to the unabated influx. — PTI

International’s Corruption Perception Index of 2013

Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index of 2013 has listed Australia as among the 'big decliners' from 85 in 2012 to 81 in 2013 (on a scale from 0 perceived "highly corrupt" to 100 perceived "very clean.")                                                              

           
Transparency International Australia's Executive Director Michael Ahrens said the four-point drop of Australia was uncommon. He told SBS that Australia's decline may be attributed to the prosecution of Securency and Note Printing Australia executives, findings of ICAC in relation to Eddie Obeid and corruption in the New South Wales state government.
                                                         
More than two thirds of the 177 countries in the 2013 index score below 50, on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean).

“The Corruption Perceptions Index 2013 demonstrates that all countries still face the threat of corruption at all levels of government, from the issuing of local permits to the enforcement of laws and regulations,” said Huguette Labelle, Chair of Transparency International.

Anti-corruption is an increasingly attractive platform for politicians, with many incorporating anti-corruption pledges into their election campaigns. It reflects waning public tolerance towards corruption. The danger, however, is that these anti-corruption promises fail to materialise.

Government guarantees of greater accountability do not always bring about tangible results at the local level. Protests in Brazil this summer showed public exasperation at the continuation of political scandals in spite of governmental assurances of a zero-tolerance policy on corruption.

PM Dedicates Dabhol-Bangalore Gas Pipeline to Nation

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday dedicated GAIL India Ltd's 1,000 km Dabhol-Bangalore natural gas pipeline to the nation.

While the pipeline was completed earlier this year, the Prime Minister dedicated it to the nation during the inauguration of the 8th Asia Gas Partnership Summit (AGPS) in Bangalore in the presence of Oil Minister M Veerappa Moily.
                                         

                                                                                                               
Singh said GAIL had witnessed rapid growth over the years to become a diversified conglomerate. "Today, GAIL is one of our best public sector enterprises and has been categorised as a Maharatna," Singh said.

The Dabhol–Bangalore pipeline connects South India to the national gas grid for the first time, GAIL Chairman and Managing Director B C Tripathi said. Constructed with an investment of Rs 4,500 crore, the pipeline can carry 16 million standard cubic meters per day of natural gas, which can be used to produce 3,000 MW of clean energy.

Singh also assured investors of the government’s commitment to provide a stable and enabling policy environment for exploration of new sources of energy

The pipeline passes through Belgaum, Dharwad, Gadag, Bellary, Devanagere, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Ramanagaram, Bengaluru Rural and Bengaluru Urban districts.

The participants from international organizations and companies will include top officials from International Energy Agency, International Gas Union, BG Group, Carrizo Oil and Gas of the US, PetroChina Company Limited, GDF Suez of France, Shell, Total Gas and Power and Natural Gas Fenosa of Spain, besides others. (ANI)

India Successfully Tests N-Capable Prithvi II Missile

Bhubaneswar, Dec 3: India Tuesday successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable Prithvi-II surface-to-surface missile from a military base in Odisha for the third time within two months, a senior official said.

The indigenously-developed ballistic missile with a maximum range of 350 km was fired from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea in Balasore district, about 230 km from Bhubaneswar.
                                         

                           
Inducted into India's Strategic Forces Command in 2003, Prithvi,II Missile the first missile developed by DRDO under India's prestigious IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Program), is now a proven technology, said a defence official.

"The launch was part of a regular training exercise of SFC and was monitored by DRDO scientists," he said. Such training launches clearly indicate India's operational readiness to meet any eventuality and also establishes the reliability of this deterrent component of India's strategic arsenal, the official said.

Prithvi is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1,000 kg of warheads and is thrusted by liquid propulsion twin engines. It uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvering trajectory. The last user trial of Prithvi-II missile was successfully carried out from the same base on October 7.

International Day For The Abolition of Slavery 2013 Monday, December 2

The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery   is observed every year on 2  December.it is  orga nized by the   United Nations General Assembly . It was first  celebrated in 1986. International Day for the Abolition of Slavery  is celebrated to eradicate any form of slavery in modern society.

The focus of this day is on eradicating contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labour, forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.
                                                   

So what are people doing to help turn things around?   The online and print media promote the day through news, debates and forums.  Flyers and newsletters are put up in public places like universities, where students will learn about the negative impact of slavery on people and society.

Slavery has evolved and manifested itself in different ways throughout history. Today some traditional forms of slavery still persist in their earlier forms, while others have been transformed into new ones.

The UN human rights bodies have documented the persistence of old forms of slavery that are embedded in traditional beliefs and customs.International Day These forms of slavery are the result of long-standing discrimination against the most vulnerable groups in societies, such as those regarded as being of low caste, tribal minorities and indigenous peoples.

There has been important progress in the last year. A number of countries have acted to combat slavery through stronger domestic legislation and greater coordination. More and more businesses are working to ensure their activities do not cause or contribute to contemporary forms of slavery in the workplace and their supply chains.”