Page 150 - Social Issues
CPI(M) accuses govt of betraying farmers
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury Wednesday accused the Narendra Modi government of betraying farmers despite "signing letters of promises" and said their agitation across the country would continue. About 50,000 farmers from 23 districts are expected to participate in a long march that starts from Nashik on Wednesday. It will culminate in Mumbai on February 27. "Modi's and BJP state governments are busy with just Jumlas. They betrayed the Annadaata, despite giving signed letters and making promises. But our Kisans won't give up. The March to Mumbai resumes," Yechury wrote on Twitter. The farmers have been demanding farm loan waiver, minimum support price, irrigation facilities and pension. Last year, nearly 30,000 farmers had taken out a march from Nashik to Mumbai.
Mexico urges US to do more to discourage drug use
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday said he plans to ask the US to promote a campaign against drug use among young people, insisting that demand from Americans enriches the cartels in the Aztec nation.
5.7 crore Indians dependent on alcohol: Survey
A study by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has revealed that 5.7 crore Indians are addicted to alcohol and about 8.5 lakh people inject drugs. A report by National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) under All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi has revealed that 5.7 crore people are estimated to be dependent on alcohol. In other words, every third alcohol user in India needs help for alcohol-related problems.The study further reveals that 16 crore people in India between the age of 10 to 75 consume alcohol.The report titled "Magnitude of Substance Use in India" showed that usage of other Psychoactive substances such as cannabis (bhang and ganja/charas), opioids (opium, heroin and pharmaceutical opioids), cocaine, amphetamine type stimulants (ATS), sedatives, inhalants and hallucinogens have also increased.At the national level, a total of 200,111 households were visited in 186 districts and a total of 473,569 individuals were ...
Nobel laureates, advocates to advise G-7 on women's rights
Human rights advocates met Tuesday in Paris to discuss potential strategies leading industrial nations could employ to reduce violence and discrimination against women. French President Emmanuel Macron named 35 advocates to give the Group of Seven recommendations, France took over the G-7's presidency on January 1, and Macron has said he wants gender equality to be a main focus. The advocates are addressing three main topics: combating violence against women, promoting girls' education and women's entrepreneurship. Participants include three Nobel Peace Prize winners: Tunisian businesswoman Wided Bouchamaoui, Congolese gynecologist Denis Mukwege and Yazidi activist Nadia Murad. Actress Emma Watson, a United Nations goodwill ambassador on gender equality issues, also is part of the group. During their meeting with Macron at the Elysee Palace, group members left an empty chair for human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who is imprisoned in Iran. Sotoudeh has fought against laws that ...
Union Cabinet takes 23 decisions, CCEA five ahead of polls' announcement
With Election Commission expected to announce the schedule of Lok Sabha elections in the first week of March, the Union Cabinet on Tuesday took 23 decisions and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved five proposals which will benefit various sections including Central government employees and farmers.
KMC lodges police complaint over bank fraud of Rs 23 lakh
Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials have lodged a police complaint regarding a bank fraud of Rs 23 lakh from the official account of the corporation, Mayor Firhad Hakim said Tuesday. "It has come to our notice that there has been a bank fraud of Rs 23 lakh from the official account of KMC. It has been done from the branch of a nationalised bank in Gurgaon. The bank fraud has been done by cloning a cheque and signature of the authorised person," he told reporters here. "We have lodged a complaint at the New Market police station. The bank has decided to revert back the money to KMC's account as the fraud happened due negligence on their part," Hakim said. The Kolkata Police said an investigation was underway, he said.
Bikaner Collector's order against Pakistani nationals causes confusion
The order issued by District Magistrate and Collector of Bikaner Kumarpal Gautam on Monday night, directing all Pakistan nationals to leave Bikaner within the next 48 hours, has triggered confusion in the district.
Drug addiction helps anti-national forces: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged youth to stay away from drug addiction, saying that it not only adversely affected the mind and body but also helps anti-national forces.
Pakistan demands safety for its High Commission staff in India
Pakistan on Tuesday lodged "a strong protest" against the way protestors were allowed to reach the main gate of the Pakistan House in New Delhi and abusive calls were being made on the Pakistan High Commission helpline.
Centre raises DA by 3 pc, to benefit 1.1 cr employees, pensioners
The Union Cabinet Tuesday increased the dearness allowance (DA) by 3 per cent effective from January 1, 2019, to "compensate" for price rise, a move which will benefit 1.1 crore central government employees and pensioners. The decision in this regard was taken at the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Cabinet has approved an additional DA of 3 per cent over the existing rate of 9 per cent to government employees and dearness relief (DR) to pensioners from January 1, 2019, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters after the Cabinet meeting. The hike will benefit about 48.41 lakh central government employees and 62.03 lakh pensioners. This increase is in accordance with the accepted formula, which is based on the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission. Jaitley further said the combined impact on the exchequer on account of both DA and DR would be Rs 9,168.12 crore per annum and Rs 10,696.14 crore in 2019-20 (for a period of 14 months ...
Drugs are 'not cool', narcotics trade threat to safety and security of country: PM
Drugs are "not cool" and its use is not a style statement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Tuesday. In a video message played out to mark the Drug Free India Campaign, he also said narcotics trade is a big threat to the safety and security of India. Terming, drugs as a great menace to society, the prime minister said, as per WHO estimates, over three crore people around the world are suffering from drug addiction. It is alarming, he said, to see so many youngsters indulging in substance abuse. Drugs are not cool. It is a big misconception that drugs are a style statement, Modi said according to a statement from his office. The prime minister said in addition, to health problems and destruction of families due to substance abuse, narcotics trade is a great threat to the safety and security of the country. Modi pointed out that narcotics trade is one of the biggest sources of income for terrorists and anti-national elements, and the money sourced by these elements through drug trade ..
Cabinet approves ordinance to curb unregulated deposit schemes
The Union Cabinet Tuesday approved promulgating an ordinance with regard to the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill to protect gullible investors from Ponzi schemes. The lower House, or the Lok Sabha, had passed the Bill on the last day of the budget session by a voice-vote, but could not get the approval of the Rajya Sabha. This was informed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley after meeting of the Union Cabinet. The Cabinet has requested the President of India to promulgate an Ordinance in this regard. The Bill seeks to put in place a mechanism by which such depositors can be compensated. It has incorporated recommendations of the Standing Committee on Finance. The legislation is aimed at effectively tackling the menace of illicit deposit-taking activities, and prevent such schemes from duping the poor. The proposed law provides for severe punishment and heavy pecuniary fines to act as deterrent. The Bill was initially introduced in Parliament on July 18 last year in the Lok ...
Cabinet approves Triple Talaq ordinance
The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved Triple Talaq ordinance, said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.Addressing media persons here, Jaitley said: "The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval to the promulgation of an Ordinance, namely, the Muslim Women (Protection of Right on Marriage) Second Ordinance, 2019, as per Appendix-111 under the clause (1) of Article 123 of the Constitution."The proposal moves necessary official amendments in the Muslim Women (Protection of Right on Marriage) Bill, 2018 pending in the Rajya Sabha to replace the aforesaid Ordinance with such modifications of drafting and consequential nature as may be necessary, he said. The proposed Ordinance will protect the rights of married Muslim women and prevent divorce by the practice of instantaneous and irrevocable--talaq-e-biddat' by their husbands. It will discourage the practice of triple talaq and provide the rights of subsistence allowance, custody of minor children to the ...
PM Modi cautions youths against drug use
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday cautioned the youth against drug use, saying it not only adversely affects the body and mind of the user but it also funds anti-national forces. Speaking via teleconferencing at the launch of 'Drug Free India' campaign at Guru Jambheshwar University in Hisar, Haryana, Modi said drug money is used by anti-social elements for various illegal activities including funding of terror operations. The drug traders harm the youth's potential and weaken the economy, he said. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was the chief guest at the launch event of the campaign which is being organised by the Art of Living foundation. Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar presided over the programme, a Haryana government release said. More than 20,000 youths participated in it. The prime minister appealed to the people to adopt a sensitive approach when dealing with victims of drugs by not looking at them as criminals and "showing these misguided youths the right path .
Cabinet approves 3% DA hike for government employees
Union cabinet on Tuesday approved a three per cent hike in dearness allowance (DA) for central government employees and pensioners which will cost the exchequer Rs 9,168.12 crore.
Guj govt announces sops for poor, farmers in interim budget
Gujarat deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel Tuesday presented a vote-on-account for first four months of the coming financial year, seeking approval of the Legislative Assembly for a Rs 64,255 crore interim budget. Coming ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the budget included sops for the poor and the middle classes. The budget's size for the financial year 2019-20 was pegged at Rs 1,91,817 crore, however, as the vote-on-account was presented for the first four months due to the coming elections, the government sought approval for spending of Rs 64,255 crore without announcing any new scheme or project. The revenue income estimated for 2019-20 is 1,54,885 crore against Rs 1,40,531 crore in 2018-19. The revenue expenditure was estimated at Rs 1,45,022 crore in 19-20 against Rs 1,39,153 crore in 18-19. Patel, who holds the finance portfolio, said in his budget speech that in the last five years (2013-2017) Gujarat's average annual economic growth rate has been 9.9 per cent at ...
Guj doc on run after being accused of rape held in Mumbai
A Vadodara-based doctor who was on the run after being accused of rape by his colleague has been arrested from Mumbai, a senior police official said here Tuesday. A colleague of Dr Yashesh Dalal had accused him of rape seven days ago and he was absconding since, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Jaideepsinh Jadeja said. "Dr Yashesh Dalal was held from Malabar Hill area in Mumbai on Monday night and brought to Vadodara. He was produced in the court of chief judicial magistrate JG Shah who remanded him in police custody till February 25," Jadeja said. The official said that a physiotherapist had filed a complaint that she and the accused, a neurosurgeon, were working together since 2013 and he had sexually assaulted her in 2014 and had threatened her to not reveal it to anyone. The accused, despite being married with two children, had also promised to marry her, police said.
Budget session of Meghalaya Assembly from March 8
The Budget session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly will be held from March 8 to March 22, officials said on Tuesday. Governor Tathagata Roy will address the first day of the session, they said. "The Business Advisory Committee of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly today finalised the calendar for the budget session 2019. The Budget Session will commence from March 8 to 22, excluding holidays, Assembly commissioner and secretary Andrew Simons said. There will be 10 working days of which eight have been allotted for government business and two days for private members business. The Governor will address the House on March 8 and the budget will be passed on March 22, he said.
Demographic changes in Kerala, WB, Assam : Himanta
Senior BJP leader and Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Tuesday said that there has been demographic changes in Kerala, West Bengal and Assam which has fuelled growth of fundamentalist forces in these states. "The future is dark" unless the people in these three states are aware of the situation, he told newsmen on the sidelines of a programme here. "The way demographic changes are happening in Kerala, West Bengal and Assam, it has helped rise fundamental elements in these three states. It is not a hidden fact," he said. His comment comes two days after BJP chief Amit Shah had said the way demography is changing in Assam, the people of the state will be in big danger without the Citizenship Bill. "We will not allow Assam to become a second Kashmir. That is why we have brought NRC (National Register of Citizens). We will deport each and every infiltrator with the help of NRC. We are committed to that," he added. He expressed concern over frequent arrest of Rohingya ...
JBT scam: O P Chautala moves HC seeking early release from jail
Former Haryana Chief Minister O P Chautala, serving 10-year jail term in JBT teachers recruitment scam, Tuesday approached the Delhi High Court seeking direction to the government to release him under the Centre's policy for grant of special remission to prisoners. The petition was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao which allowed it to be listed on Wednesday before an appropriate bench. The plea claimed that 83-year-old Chautala should be considered for his release considering his age and disability as also the period of seven years already undergone by him in jail. The petition, filed through advocate Amit Sahni, referred to central government's July 18, 2018 special remission notification by which the relief could be granted to certain categories of prisoners and they were to be released in three phases with effect from October. As per the notification, the special remission has to be given to women and transgender convicts of 55 years of ...