TOP STORY OF THE DAY |
|
|
| Didi Express: No fare hikes, 47 new trains to hit tracks | | | | New Delhi, July 3: Presenting the Railway Budget for 2009-10 in Parliament today, Minister of Railways Mamata Banerjee announced that there will be no increase in passenger fare and freight tariff. She said that the budget will have approach for ‘inclusive growth’ and expansion of rail network to take development to every corner of the country.
Presenting the railway budget she proposed an outlay of Rs,.40,745 cr. for 2009-10. Out of this, Rs.2,921 cr. will be spent on new lines, Rs.1,750 cr. on gauge conversion and Rs.1,102 cr. on passenger amenities, which is 119% more than the allocation in the interim budget. Rs.424 cr. will also be spent on railway staff amenities. She proposed freight loading target of 882 MT and estimated gross freight receipt at Rs.88,419 cr.
Giving an overview of financial performance of the Railways in 2008-09, the Minister informed that freight loading during the period grew by 5 percent while traffic receipt increased by 11.4 per cent to reach Rs. 79,862 cr.
The Budget has proposals for 7 new lines, Gauge conversion of 17 lines and doubling of ... | |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FRONT PAGE STORIES |
|
|
| Fresh snowfall again halts yatra on Pahalgam route | | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, July 3 – With the higher reaches of the track to Shri Amarnathji witnessing yet another spell of snowfall, the Yatra from Pahalgam remained suspended today while a batch of about 1,800 pilgrims by 8.30 a.m. was allowed to proceed towards the Holy Cave from the Baltal route.
According to a Spokesperson of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), Wavbal, Mahagunas Top and Poshpathri on the traditional Chandanwari-Holy Cave track recorded a 4-6 inches snow fall since last night. The overall weather scenario in the entire Yatra region is cloudy skies with intermittent rains.
In harmony with its commitment to ensure the security of the pilgrims and provide nece... | |
| | | | Finance Commission arrives Jammu | | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, JULY 3: 13th Finance Commission headed by its chairman Dr. V. L. Kelkar today arrived Jammu on a two day visit the province.
The other visiting members of the Commission state include Dr. B.K Chaturvedi, Dr. Indira Rajaram, Prof. Atul Sharma and Dr. Sanjeev Verma. Secretary Mr. Sumit Bose, Joint Secretary Mr. B. S. Bhullar and Economic Advisor Mr. Rathin Roy are also accompanying the Commission to assess the development challenges in the state.
Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, accompanied by the DIG Jammu Range, DDC Jammu and other senior officers of civil and police administration welcomed the visiting dignitaries at the technical airport.
... | |
| | | | CRPF pullout part of larger J&K plan | | | |
Agencies
NEW DELHI July 3: The withdrawal of CRPF from Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday might have been be triggered by local protests, but it was, in fact, the beginning of the Centre's plan of "rationalisation of central forces" deployed in the state by July 31. The deadline for this is clearly stated in the home ministry's "Action Plan-II" — made public on Thursday — for the period June-September. The Plan has also come out with deadlines for all the schemes which the ministry is either implementing or will be implementing across the country by September.
In the chapter dedicated to J&K, the ministry has clearly stated the time lines for all its security and non-sec... | |
| | | | Biometric registration for Vaishno Devi shrine | | | | Early Times Report
Jammu July 3: In a major security upgrade, the Shri Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has decided to photograph and fingerprint each pilgrim beginning the yatra to the holy shrine from Katra town. Over 50 lakh pilgrims from India and abroad visit the Vaishno Devi shrine every year. Officials said the decision has been taken in view of an increased threat from terrorists.
The Shrine Board has asked Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra, who is also the Board’s chairman, that no pilgrim be registered without being photographed and fingerprinted.
The Board has sought permission to install biometric scanning systems at the registration counters. “This is to avoid fake registratio... | |
| | | | Sun farthest from earth today | | | |
Agencies
New Delhi, July 3: Sky watchers will get an opportunity to see the Sun at the farthest distance from the Earth tomorrow on Aphelion Day.
"At 7:30 am tomorrow, the Earth will be at its farthest point from the Sun (aphelion), the distance at that time is 152,097,040 kms, which is about 5 million km further away than its closest point in early January," President of Science Popularisation Association of
Communication and Educators (S.P.A.C.E) Chander Bhushan Devgan told.
Every July the Earth is at aphelion, the farthest from the Sun for the year and in January it is at perihelion, the closest to the Sun for the year, he said.
Explaining the reason why the temperature does not g... | |
| | | | VO headless third time in ten months | | Bhan may get additional charge | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, July 3: As PS Gill takes over the charge of Director General of Police in Punjab, the anti-corruption watchdog of Jammu and Kashmir, the Vigilance Organisation is looking for a chief third time in last ten months.
PS Gill who Friday became the new director general of Punjab Police, taking charge from his elder brother and acting police chief RS Gill was until recently Commissioner of Jammu and Kashmir Vigilance Organisation, he post he was holding since January this year.
The Vigilance Organisation, it may be recalled here, assumed huge prominence after 2002 and when Congress-Peoples Democratic Party declared a war against corruption. It became focus of al... | |
| | | | Dr Jan Acting Chairman of PSC | | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, July 3: Upon retirement of Mohammad Shafi Pandit, the Government has appointed Dr Nissar Ahmed Jan, the senior most member, as new acting Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission.
An SRO to this effect was issued by the Governor in Srinagar today.
According to SRO, “In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 134 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, the Governor is pleased to appoint Dr. Nissar Ahmad Jan, Member of the Jammu and Kashmir
Public Service Commission as the Acting Chairman of the Commission till further orders”.
... | |
| | | | Bodies of 6 LeT militants killed in March recovered | | Two porters among 4 dead | | |
Early Times Report
Srinagar/Jammu, July 3: Bodies of six Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) militants, who were buried alive under an avalanche in Gurez sector in March, were recovered, a Defence Ministry spokesman said here today.
Meanwhile, a group of Hizbum Mujahideen militants killed their surrendered associate in Kishtwar while another militant was killed in an encounter in Kupwara district.
The militants were part of the group of 120 militants and guides who crossed over to this side from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) in Gurez and other sectors in north Kashmir in March this year.
However, six to eight militants were buried alive under a huge snow avalanche in the sector which experien... | |
| | | | Mirwaiz says no more Friday shutdown now on | | Kashmir’s clergy supports probe into ‘Wakf bungling’ | | | AHMED ALI FAYYAZ
SRINAGAR, Jul 3: In a significant development, Valley’s religious leadership has supported Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s decision of investigating financial irregularities in the Muslim Wakf Board allegedly committed by PDP-sponsored members of the religious body in the last five years. Chairman of the separatist Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has, meanwhile, expressed concern over anarchical calls of shutdown in Kashmir valley and declared that, now on, there would be no Hartal on any Friday.
Kashmir head Mufti and one of the dismissed members of the Muslim Wakf Board (MWB), Mufti Bashir-ud-din, has supported Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s move of ordering an... | |
| | | | Kashmir resolution must for regional peace: Pak | | | |
Agencies
Islamabad, July 03: Stepping up its rhetoric on Kashmir, Pakistan on Friday said the peace in the region cannot be discussed without the resolution of the long-standing issue with India.
"Kashmir issue can't be kept out of the bilateral talks," Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told reporters at the Multan airport. "We can't discuss peace without (settlement of) Kashmir issue."
The Pakistan Foreign Minister said the world has come to accept that "Kashmir is disputed."
He also asked India to "sympathise" with Pakistan's fight against terror as its army is fighting Taliban in the troubled northwest region bordering Afghanistan.
His comments came a day after the Pakista... | |
| | |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|