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“IPS Officer Madhukar Shetty’s close aid mourn by singing song for his demise”

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By : Pramesh S Jain

ADIEU Tiger Madhukar Shetty:Nation bids ADIEU to Upright Honest role model IPS officer Madhukar Shetty confined to flames with full State honours:

A teary eyed Yeddadi village bid farewell to its favourite son of the soil K.Madhukar Shetty here on Sunday.
Senior police officials headed by Doley Barman,Director of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA),where Shetty was posted as the Deputy Director.Minister U.T.Khader and a host of senior police officials from the academy were present at his final rites.Karnataka state police battled back their tears when Murali Shetty brother of the IPS officer lit the funeral pyre.
The Karnataka Home Minister,M.B.Patil with other ministers and Karnataka DG&IGP,Neelamani N Raju with Bengaluru city police commissioner,T.Suneel Kumar and with all IPS officers and other officers and Men in Khakhi bid a tearful adieu to senior IPS officer Madhukar Shetty at the Armed Police Training School campus Yelahanka where his mortal remains were kept on Saturday.
Senior IPS Officer from the State K. Madhukar Shetty (47) passed away at a private hospital in Hyderabad on Friday night following brief illness.
Shetty, known for his participation in operations against the forest brigand Veerappan as well as Maoists, besides his relentless crusade against corruption, succumbed to lung- and heart-related complications Saturday. The son of the late veteran Kannada journalist Vaddarse Raghuram Shetty, he is survived by his wife and daughter.
He was hospitalised over a week ago for suspected H1N1 infection-induced Pneumonia. He underwent surgery at the Hyderabad hospital on Wednesday and was on life support. He passed away at about 8.30 pm.
He was serving as Deputy Director of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy at Hyderabad. Madhukar Shetty was the son of renowned journalist late Vaddarse Raghuram Shetty who started Kannada newspaper ‘Mungaru’ in the 1980s.
Hailing from Udupi, the 1999 batch IPS Officer (Karnataka Cadre) served as ASP in Bengaluru Rural District, as Chamarajanagar SP, Chikkamagalur SP and as SP of Special Task Force during the last phase of anti-Veerappan operations.
Known as an upright officer, he played a major role in Karnataka Lokayukta’s inquiry into the Ballari mining scam as Lokayukta SP. He later took a five-year sabbatical and went to the US to study further.
Madhukar Shetty had recently returned to service and was serving as the Deputy Director of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National  Police Academy at Hyderabad.
Shobha karandalje, BJP MP,told media persons that,Madhukar Shetty had worked against Naxals in Sringeri.He was a sincere worker in the Lokayukta.He left for further studies to abroad after being disheartened by the government’s approach none of us expected him to pass away so soon at the age of 47 we are all extremely saddened she added. 
M.B.Patil,Home Minister of Karnataka state told media persons,The DG will get other reports as well as reports from the hospital if something suspicious is found in the reports further action will be taken he added.
D.K.Shivakumar,Water resources minister told media persons that,Madhukar Shetty worked with us I was shocked to hear the news of his death last night his death should be investigated to find if it was due to natural causes or any other probe should be done he added.
Deeply saddened by the untimely death of our colleague Sri Madhukar Shetty IPS. Honest and sincere, he was an epitome of virtues that are worth emulation by anyone D.Roopa IPS tweeted. 
Annamalai K, DCP South, said, it is Sad and tragic to hear our dearest Madhukar Shetty sir is no more. Had the privilege of knowing his close relatives in Udupi and it’s remarkable for 47 years he had this fierce will power and unbending ethic which was channelled to make our world a better place.May be the practicalities of our world couldn’t touch or change him from his purest state of being.His deeds in Chikkamagaluru are legendary. Land distribution to the poor which was encroached by the estate owners.He pushed his DC to do that.A village is named after him by the grateful people; Every SP who has worked there is benchmarked to him not only for the work we do but for the ideals with which we live; his missionary zeal non-tolerance for petty corruption; taking officers to his home for lunch after a crime meeting. List is endless.As the welsh poet,Dylan Thomas memorably wrote – “Rage, rage against the dying of the light and do not go gentle into that good night”.You didn’t not go gently sir, you have left an indelible mark and l’m sure you will continue to live among us with your ideals. Rest In Peace sir,Annamalai said.
Crackdown on illegal mining
Shetty was an integral part of the team that exposed illegal iron ore mining in Ballari, the backyard of powerful mining baron Janardhan Reddy.
During his tenure as the superintendent of police (SP) for Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka, between 2005 and 2006, he created a place in the hearts of many by helping the homeless find a safe roof.
It was here that he, along with the then deputy commissioner Harsh Gupta, took on rich planters who had encroached on government land.
In 2006, when a group of 35 families was evicted from the Tatkola forest, allegedly on the orders of government officials, Shetty and Gupta came up with the idea of allocating 64 acres of the land reclaimed from encroachers, on the edge of the Sargod Kundur reserve forest, to the families.
As a mark of gratitude, the people named the village Gupta-Shettyhalli.
Against corruption
While serving as superintendent of police with the Karnataka Lokayukta between 2009 and 2011, he was part of the team that investigated the several corruption cases filed against then chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and minister Katta Subramanya Naidu.
These investigations proved costly for Yeddyurappa, now the Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief, who ended up losing the CM’s chair in their wake.
The Lokayukta at the time, Justice Santosh Hegde (Retd), said Shetty had done “wonderful job as part of the team that exposed illegal mining”.
He also recalled how Shetty took on Naidu.
“When the decision was taken to establish the Bangalore airport in Devanahalli, Katta Subramanya began buying up land around the area,” Hegde told ThePrint. “He also began coercing people to give up their land. We received several complaints in the Lokayukta and Madhukar Shetty investigated them. Katta went to jail after the thorough investigation conducted by him.”
Dedicated to the job
Shetty, an officer of the 1999 batch, also served as SP in the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu special task force set up to track down Veerappan, who was killed in 2004.
Colleagues recall the events that followed to emphasise Shetty’s honesty and dedication to the job.
After the operation, the government offered all the members of the task force a piece of land each. Shetty refused, saying it was his duty to have been part of the operation.  Such was his commitment to his uniform, said a senior police officer.
“There are only a few officers left who can stand up for what is right and never bend, that is Madhukar Shetty sir,” said one of the police officers he trained while attached to the Karnataka Police Academy, Mysuru.
“He would never have a cup of tea without paying for it and would always wait for the change after paying his bill,” said another police officer. “This showed his integrity.”
He also never used the government vehicle assigned to him for personal use. Shetty’s driver said that when posted at the Karnataka Police Academy, he would take the state transport corporation bus for visits to his hometown in Udupi.
He once even pulled up an officer who used his office vehicle for personal chores. “As SP, Chikkamagaluru, he found out that one of the inspectors was misusing the office car. He immediately ordered the car to be withdrawn from that officer and asked the inspector to take a bus and meet him at the SP office,” said an officer close to Shetty.
“Later, this decision of pulling up the officer was announced through the police wireless from the Chikkamagaluru police control room,” the officer added.
“Not always rosy”.
However, there was also a spell of disenchantment with the slow judicial system, which many a time even let off the corrupt, and Shetty took a two-year study sabbatical. This was, however, extended by three years as he completed his PhD in public administration from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy, University at Albany, New York.
Even so, he would encourage younger officers not to lose hope. “Stand up for at least one thing, once in your lifetime,” Shetty would advise young officers. “You may not do everything, every time. But just take up one thing at a time and stand up for it. One thing.”

Russian rescuers brave cold in search of gas explosion survivors

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Up to 40 people are believed to be trapped under rubble in Magnitogorsk in temperatures lower than -18 degrees Celsius.

Rescuers are battling through the bitter cold in Russia’s Ural Mountains looking for survivors after a gas explosion tore through a high-rise apartment building killing at least four people.

Officials have said up to 40 people could be trapped under the rubble, at least seven of them children, after the explosion on Monday collapsed a large section of the residential building in the industrial city of Magnitogorsk, some 1,700km east of the capital, Moscow.

State TV showed rescue workers combing through mangled heaps of concrete and metal at -18 degrees Celsius, but Russian officials acknowledged that the odds of finding anyone alive looked increasingly slim.

“The chances are reducing with time,” Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said when pressed by reporters on the likelihood of finding the trapped survivors.

“But incredible stories do happen.”

Witnesses told Russian television that the explosion was strong enough to shatter the windows of nearby buildings.

“I woke up and felt myself falling. The walls were gone. My mother was screaming and my son had been buried,” a witness said.

President Vladimir Putin rushed to the city, where the blast left hundreds of residents homeless in freezing temperatures on New Year’s Eve, the biggest holiday of the year in Russia.

Plunging temperatures

Authorities said rescue teams were to work through the night, with local temperatures expected to plunge to -23C.

Officials warned that two more sections of the Soviet-era high-rise on Karl Marx Street were in danger of collapsing.

Located in the mineral-rich southern Urals region, Magnitogorsk, with a population of more than 400,000 people, is home to one of the country’s largest steel producers.

The high-rise was built in 1973 and was home to around 1,100 people. The other residents of the building were moved to a nearby school.

The local governor, Boris Dubrovsky, told Putin that authorities published the missing persons’ list in the hope they were somewhere else when the explosion happened and would report their whereabouts. He promised to quickly provide new apartments for those who were left homeless.

Investigators opened a criminal probe into the accident, with the FSB security service confirming the incident as a gas explosion.

Such deadly gas explosions are relatively common in Russia where much of the infrastructure dates back to the Soviet era and safety requirements are often ignored.

Aljazeera

Marathi Films Round Up

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Final Poster Of Marathi Film ‘Sohala” Unveiled . 

The final poster of Marathi film Sohala was released recently. Sohala is presented by K C Bokadia, produced by Suresh Gundecha & Sohan Bokadia of Arihant Film Production, directed by Gajendra Ahire, choreographed by Phulwa Khamakar, music by Narendra Bhide.  The film features stars like Sachin Pilgaonkar, Vikram Gokhale, Shilpa Tulaskar, Mohan Joshi & Lokesh Gupte in pivotal roles. Gajendra Ahire’s upcoming Marathi film, Sohala is making headlines for its title & unique concept. Now the makers have unveiled the new poster featuring Sachin Pilgaonkar which has only left fans wanting for more. The trailer of the film has already created a lot of buzz on the social media patform. The film revolves around the life of Sachin Pilgaonkar’s character & his family, which is picturised with a unique concept which is touted to be interesting & worth waiting for. 

The Premier Of Marathi Film ‘Majhya Baikocha Priyakar’ Held

 Pradeep Sharma of Baba Motion Pictures Pvt Ltd, Deepak Ruia & Rajendra Goenka of Rajkala Movies, Dhaval Jayantilal Gada & Aksshay Jayantilal Gada of Pen India Ltd kept the premier of their Marathi film Majhya Baikocha Priyakar at Cinepolis in Andheri (West) Mumbai, where entire cast of the film was invited. Zee Music Marathi has released the audio. Priyadarshan Jadhav, Aniket Vishwasrao, Bhagyashri Mote, Priya Gamre, Anshuman, Bharat Ganeshpure, Meera Joshi, Rahul Sharma, Vivek Kar, Swati Sharma, Suresh Pillai & choreographer Sanjeev attended the premier. Rajiv Ruia has written & directed this film. Swati Sharma sang her superhit song “Tu Haath Nako Lao” from the film. Jayantilal Gada came specially to wish all the best to the entire cast & the crew of the film. The Film released all over Maharashtra & it is presented & distributed by Pen India Ltd.

“City gets heavy security cover ahead of New Year”

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By : Pramesh S Jain

Bengaluru Police Gears Up For New Year Eve,18k cops to vigil CBD, other areas. 

A New year is round the corner and revellers will be all charged up to Welcome 2019 on New year’s Eve. Considering the safety of citizens who will be thronging various party circuits in the city the city police have made elaborate security arrangements and have installed more than 1500 CCTV surveillance cameras at various places were there will be more congregation.

The measures are being taken following an alert issued by the Intelligence Bureau after suspected terror activists were arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh on December 26. 

Four drone cameras, four LCD display systems and 15 watch towers would be fixed in and around M.G. Road to monitor the crowd. This is in addition to deployment of special women police squads at strategic locations to ensure safety of women, and monitor mischief mongers.

In addition, 270 Hoysalas and 1200 Cheetah patrolling bikes will be deployed for patrolling in sensitive locations.

About 100 vehicles to be used for new year bandobust in Whitefield division on 31st December will be part of the parade or rally says Abdul Ahad,DCP Whitefield. 

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Traffic arrangements.

Checks against drunk motorists will begin at 8pm on New Year’s Eve and go on till 8am the next morning. The top cop has requested revellers not to get drunk before hitting the road.

P Harisekharan, Additional commissioner of police (traffic) told reporters vehicle entry on flyovers in and around the city has been barred between 8pm on December 31 and 6am on January 1.We will be on high alert on Bellary Road, the connecting point for Nandi Hills, and are in touch with Bangalore Rural district police to avoid accidents on the stretch. We will deploy one traffic constable at each toll point on NICE Road, Vehicle entry will be banned on MG Road, Brigade Road and adjacent stretches from 8pm on December 31 till 2am on January 1.Harisekharan told reporters.

10 teams to crack down on rave parties:

Alok Kumar, Additional commissioner of police (crime), told,rave parties have moved to the city’s outskirts, especially towards Devanahalli,Hoskote and Kadugodi.We request the public to inform us about any rave parties and we will also gather information on our own, he added.

Staff from all 155 law and order police stations will be on high alert. About 1,200 cheetahs (two-wheelers) and 272 Hoysala patrol vehicles will be on the road to ensure the public’s safety. Police are also in constant touch with Ola, Uber,Meru and other app-based taxi providers. “We have asked them to keep a watch on their drivers to avoid untoward incidents or harassment to customers.

BMRCL is extending Metro services beyond 11.30pm on New Year’s Eve. Trains will run till 1.30am on January 1 at a frequency of 15 minutes. The last trains from Majestic Metro station to all four directions will leave at 2am.

During the extended period, only paper tickets will be issued from MG Road, Trinity and Cubbon Park stations to any destination at a cost of Rs 50. Paper tickets will also be available for purchase from 8pm on December 31 at all Metro stations. These will only be valid for travel during the extended hours from MG Road, Trinity and Cubbon Park stations. Smartcard holders can travel at discounted fares even during the extended period.

Bengaluru Police commissioner,T.Suneel Kumar In the presence of Addl CPs,as,B.K.Singh,Seemanth Kumar Singh,P.Harishekaran,Alok Kumar at a press conference told media persons that,The bengaluru citizens celebrates the new year on 31st night in huge numbers.The number of people gathering in brigade road,church street,Indiranagar,Marathahalli,Sony world junction in Koramangala near Jyothi Nivas college in koramangala and in west limits in Orion mall and other malls at huge number of places where do people gather on the evening of 31st and they do celebrate the new year after the early morning on 31st night.

 In this connection every year the Bengaluru Police deploy huge Police personnel for maintaining law and order and to see that the people celebrate the new year without any difficulty on the new year. For this year also we have made elaborate arrangements were in for this bandobust arrangement we are deploying the bandobust scheme headed by 5 – Additional Commissioner of police ,1-Joint commissioner,15-DCPs,45-ACPs,220-Police Inspectors,430-Police sub-inspectors, 800-ASIs,and 10,000-Policemen beside 40-KSRP platoons,30-CAR Platoons, and we will be deploying we will be keeping the Garuda force stand by we will be using water canals in necessary QRT-Quick Reaction Teams also will be used beside that we will be taking assistance from 1500-Home guards,1000-Civil defence volunteers will be on field an elaborate arrangements are made in Brigade road, In crowd controlling there will be barricading we will be using extensive CCTV cameras coverage, with LED screens and drones also will be put in use to see that no untoward incident takes place. Lot of traffic restrictions placed will be put in place on 31st evening. A vehicular movement will be stopped at 8 pm similarly there will be stoppage of movement on the flyovers and Drunk and drive will be very seriously checking will be taken place and necessary people who are there who are creating ruckus on the streets will be immediately booked under criminal cases responsibilities have been given to pub and bar owners where in it is their responsibility to see that no untoward incident takes place inside their restaurants and outside premises if something goes wrong then and if they are unable to control then they have the responsibility to provide security to the women who come to their places they cannot say that it is not there responsibility but it is their responsibility to see that who has comes to as Patrons to their establishments it is for them to provide security to women and we are having separate directs through our traffic wing through Ola, Meru, Uber cabs auto associations to brief their own drivers

who are there on night duties to behave properly with the public and we are conducting raids along with the Excise department to prevent sale of drugs to minors, and CCB will be exclusively concentrating on the menace of Rave parties, drugs and Rowdy activities in the city. The DCP Crime, Irish S, with his 10 squads will be exclusively looking for dance bars and other things. Across city we have 500 CCTV cameras installed exclusively In Brigade road we are going to put up more than 250 CCTV cameras,in which the entire stretch of Brigade road, church Street ,M G Road is properly covered and we will be putting special lighting arrangements also on the entire these three stretches beside that the lighting arrangements and CCTV cameras will be there on 100 feet Indiranagar, Koramangala, Majestic, Basavangudi, and with some other important place were there will be lot of congregation.

 Even based on the carrying capacity of the roads we will be restricting the entry and exit of the people on brigade road and church Street. There won’t be any separation as separate lanes for men and women everybody is allowed to come and enjoy the new year On 31st December night there will be traffic restrictions in some important flyovers roads as some flyovers will be closed from 10pm onwards for safety purpose where people used to come and do wheeling and drive in rash and negligent manner. The timings of restaurants and bar will be extended up to 2am. From 1 am 1 more hour has been extended so they can finish their dinner. Brigade road and M G road traffic will be closed from 11pm. When asked what about the public transport Timings sunil kumar said we have already spoken to MD BMRCL,Ajay Seth to extend the metro service upto 2 o clock and they have assured the same to extend the services till 2am.The 2 Zones headed by,B.K.Singh and Seemanth Kumar Singh will be supervising the activities and bandobust arrangements in their respective zones he added.

Burglars steal Rs 14 lakh worth gold from senior cop’s house

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Unidentified people committed burglary at the house of a head constable in the police quarters located at Anand Rao Circle on Saturday night, and made away with Rs 3 lakh cash and gold worth Rs 14 lakh.

Police suspect that people familiar with the constable are behind the crime. A senior police officer said the crime occured when Venkatesh, head constable, Hebbal traffic police station, had gone for work, and his wife, Suvijna, had gone to a hospital.

The neighbours, noticing the broken door, called Venkatesh around 8.30 pm. Realising that he had been robbed, he went to Sheshadripuram police station and filed a case.

According to reports, the couple had attended a marriage ceremony a few days ago, where Suvijna was seen wearing a lot of jewels. The police suspect that someone might have taken notice of this and planned the burglary.

Sensex, Nifty open flat; financials in red

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Nasheman News :  Key Indian equity indices opened flat on Tuesday as index pivotals — finance and banking stocks — witnessed selling pressure.

However, oil and gas sector gained.

The S&P BSE Sensex opened at 36,161.80 from its previous close of 36,068.33 on Monday. At 9.25 a.m., the Sensex traded 64.82 points or 0.18 per cent lower at 36,003.51.

The NSE Nifty 50 opened at 10,881.70 after closing at 10,862.55 on Monday.

The Nifty 50 traded at 10,842.90 during the morning trade session, up 19.65 points and 0.18 per cent.

Even though the 2018 gains were marginal, both the Sensex and Nifty50 emerged among the best in attaining the highest growth rates globally.

They were among the best performing benchmark indices in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa).

Veteran Bollywood actor-director Kader Khan dies in Toronto

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Nasheman News :  Veteran Bollywood actor-director-writer-comedian and a Quranic scholar, Kader Khan died after a prolonged illness at a hospital in Toronto in Canada, a family member said here on Tuesday.

Kader, 81, is survived by his wife Hajra, son Sarfaraz, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren.

According to Ahmed Khan, a close relative, he passed away around 4 a.m. (IST). He added that the last rites will be held in a Toronto cemetery later in the day.

Reported to be critical and on a ventilator, rumours of Kader’s demise had been doing the rounds on social networks and some media outlets (not IANS), since the past five days, which left the family and other relatives traumatised.

He spent nearly four months in hospital, for various old-age related ailments including breathing issues and finally succumbed on December 31 evening (Toronto time).

Born on October 22, 1937 in Kabul, Afghanistan, to a Pashtun family, Kader Khan was educated in a municipal school and later graduated from Mumbai’s Ismail Yusuf College, Jogeshwari, a government-run institution.

An avid reader and a film-buff, he had a huge collection of books on various subjects related to film-making, acting, screenplay writing, penning story-dialogues and other departments, and had a mastery over Urdu.

Starting with his first film as an actor in “Daag”, (1973), over the next 35 years he went on to act in over 300 films in memorable roles, and also wrote the story or dialogues for more than 250 films in Hindi and Urdu, starting with “Roti” (1974).

Some of his most memorable films as a comedian-character actor are: “Daag”, “Adalat”, “Bairaag”, “Parvarish”, “Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, “Shalimar”, “Mr. Natwarlal”, “Suhaag”, “Dhan Daulat”, “Qurbani”, “Jwalamukhi”, “Abdullah”, “Naseeb”, “Ahista Ahista”, “Yaarana”, “Zamaane Ko Dikhana Hai”, “Satte Pe Satta”, “Raaz”, “Desh Premee”, “Sanam Teri Kasam”, “Mehndi Rang Layegi”, “Himmatwala”, “Coolie”, “Ghar Ek Mandir”, “John Jaani Janardhan”, “Tawaif”, “Loha”, “Jawab Hum Denge”, “Shahenshah”, “Pyar Ka Mandir”, “Khoon Bhari Maang”, “Vardi”, “Baap Numbri, Beta Dus Numbri”, “Pyar Ka Devta”, “Saajan”, “Bol Radha Bol”, “Meherbaan”, “Aankhen”, “Eena Meena Deeka”, “Coolie No.1”, “Saajan Chale Sasural”, “Judaai”, “Dulhe Raja,” “Aunty No.1” and “Sooryavansham”.

He penned the story-dialogues for top-grossing films like: “Jawani Diwani”, “Benaam”, “Roti”, “Amar Akbar Anthony”, “Parvarish”, “Muqaddar Ka Sikandar”, “Suhaag”, “Mr. Natwarlal, “Yaarana”, “Lawaaris”, “Desh Premee”, “Khuddar”, “Coolie”, “Sharaabi”, “Ganga Jamna Saraswati”, “Singhasan”, “Khoon Bhari Maang” and “Aunty No. 1”. He also produced a film, “Shama” in 1981.

Lok Sabha passes Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill

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Nasheman News :  The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2018 which seeks constitution of a Board of Governors that will exercise the powers of the Medical Council of India (MCI) was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

The Bill was introduced on December 14 in the Lok Sabha by Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda which was earlier brought in as an ordinance on September 26 this year when the Parliament was not in session.

Under the new amendment, the Bill provides for the supersession of the MCI for a period of one year. 

“In the interim period, the Central government will constitute a Board of Governors, which will exercise the powers of the MCI. The Bill allows for eminent administrators to be selected on the Board. Further, the Bill provides for the Board of Governors to be assisted by a Secretary-General appointed by the Central government,” the bill says.

“Reputed doctors from pioneer institutions of the country have been brought for the constitution of the Board and it has been working under the Board’s guidance,” Nadda said in the Lok Sabha.

NITI Aayog member Dr V. K. Paul has been appointed the chairman of the board, which also includes AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria; PGIMER director Dr Jagat Ram; NIMHANS director Dr B.N. Gangadhar; Dr Nikhil Tandon, professor, department of endocrinology and metabolism, AIIMS; Dr S. Venkatesh, director general of health services, Health Ministry and Balram Bhargava, Secretary, department of health research and director general of Indian Council of Medical Research.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare in its 92nd report in March 2016 had severely indicted the MCI.

The Committee recommended that the government should bring a new comprehensive Bill in Parliament at the earliest so as to restructure and revamp the regulatory system of medical education and medical practice and to reform the MCI.

Don’t need RBI’s reserves to meet fiscal deficit: Jaitley

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Nasheman News : Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday made it clear that the government does not need RBI’s reserves to bridge the widening fiscal deficit as the Lok Sabha voted the Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2018-19 to the tune of Rs 85,948.86 crore, including Rs.41,000 crore for bank recapitalisation.

“This government’s fiscal deficit track record has been better than any other government in history. We do not need RBI’s reserves for (meeting the) fiscal deficit,” he said, replying to a brief debate on the demands.

India’s fiscal deficit for the eight months till November stood at Rs 7.17 lakh crore, which is 114.8 per cent of the budgeted Rs 6.24 lakh crore.

The Minister’s assertion comes against the backdrop of a raging debate over the government’s reported moves for securing the surplus reserves with the RBI, estimated to be around a few lakh crore of rupees, to fund government’s social welfare schemes ahead of elections.

Jaitley said the global standard for economic capital framework for central banks was to have around 8 per cent of their assets as reserves with even the most conservative nations having it at 14 per cent.

“Does India need to have 27-28 per cent (as risk capital)… The money can be used for recapitalisation of banks or for poverty alleviation measures,” he said, adding the government only wanted to have a committee to review the matter.

The second Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2018-19 includes Rs 41,000 crore for recapitalisation of the public sector banks that have been hit hard by non-performing assets.

Jaitley said the government’s initiatives including the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) were bearing fruits and money stuck as NPA was now back into the banking system.

“The balance sheets of public sector banks are improving due to the IBC as money is coming back into the system. Rs 3 lakh crore has already been recovered through IBC. Banks’ ability to lend is also increasing,” he said.

Attacking the Congress, the Finance Minister said the asset quality review by the RBI initiated after this government took charge revealed the NPAs during the UPA regime were as high as Rs 8.5 lakh crore as opposed to the UPA’s claim of Rs 2.5 lakh crore.

Countering charges of a slowdown in the growth rate of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), he said: “India is growing at 7.5 per cent when the world is growing at 3 per cent. We are also growing faster than China.”

Jaitley also said that the government would continue to take all necessary steps to ensure that farmers get adequate minimum support price for their produce – 50 per cent higher than their input cost as promised.

The demands for grants contain proposals involving a net cash outgo aggregating to Rs 15,069.49 crore and gross additional expenditure, matched by savings of the ministries and departments or by enhanced receipts and recoveries, aggregating to Rs 70,882.21 crore.

Both treasury benches and the opposition members attacked each other during discussion over the supplementary demand.

Taking part in the debate, most opposition members raised farmer’s distress issue and took a dig at the government over implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonetisation reforms.

Bhartruhari Mahtab of BJD sought to know from the government the steps being taken to improve the governance in the banks.

TMC MP Saugata Roy said the economy was in “doldrums” and asked the Centre about the resignation of RBI Governor Urjit Patel.

“The biggest blunder of the Modi government was to hurriedly implement GST and demonetisation. These were the cruel steps of the government. Many businessmen like Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Vijay Mallya have fled after defrauding banks,” Roy said.

He said the government has not come out with the figures on the number of people who have lost jobs due to demonetisation and asked the Finance Minister to state the number of small businesses that had closed due to implementation of the GST. 

Opposing the supplementary demand, Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav said: “I am against it because the problems are increasing day by day though five budgets have passed. Over 60,000 farmers have committed suicide in NDA regime. Potato is being thrown on roads and farmers are not getting proper cost of their sugarcane crops.”

BJP MP Anurag Thakur, however, supported the draft, saying “the fiscal deficit is now 3.8 per cent which never came below 6.8 per cent during UPA government”.

Labelling MGNREGA as the “mother” of corruption, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said that it was due to MGNREGA that the fiscal management of the Central government was affected.

After the implementation of Aadhar and Biometric, around Rs 60,000-70,000 crore had been saved, he said.

Battle of Agusta’ intensifies between BJP, Congress

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Nasheman News : The political slugfest over the VVIP chopper deal case on Monday intensified with BJP chief Amit Shah accusing the Gandhi family of having “deep friendship” with arrested AgustaWestland middleman Christian Michel, while the Congress accused the Narendra Modi government of misusing central agencies to pursue its “vendetta politics”.

The last day of the year witnessed the Centre’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launching a frontal attack on UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi after the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing the multi-crore rupees AgustaWestland choppers deal case, told a special court that Michel referred to one “Mrs Gandhi” and “big man ‘R'”, perceived as being Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. 

Taking to Twitter, Shah alleged that “the friendship between Michel and one family in India is time-tested and deep”.

“Does anyone know why Christian Michel passed on the details of questioning on Mrs Gandhi to his lawyer? Did he want them to be passed on to Mrs Gandhi herself? Why?” asked Shah.

The BJP President demanded Michel’s lawyer Aljo Joseph — a former Youth Congress leader — to “reveal about the existence of documents of 2008, which make a reference to Mrs Gandhi”. 

Shah called Joseph a “conduit between Michel and Mrs Gandhi” and said his expulsion by the Congress was a “sham”.

“Michel’s lawyer has admitted that the paper was indeed passed on to him. He thought that it was a list of medicines, which could have been transparently given in any case,” said Shah and took a swipe at the Gandhi family saying people have heard of the Zandu Balm and Tiger Balm — medicines used to relieve pain — but what is this “family balm”.

Countering the Congress’ onslaught on the Modi government over alleged irregularities in the Rafale fights jets deal, the BJP also fielded its Chief Ministers to launch a multi-pronged attack. 

If Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis demanded the Congress and the Gandhi family to reply to the corruption charges made against them, his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath sought to know “Who is this Mrs Gandhi that Michel is talking about”.

“The Congress has benefited from Michel, which has been brought forth by the ED. The Congress and the Gandhi family must clarify,” said Fadnavis wondering why the name of “only one family” keeps recurring in all defence deals involving corruption charges.

Retaliating to the BJP’s charges, former Defence Minister and Congress veteran A.K. Antony accused the Modi government and the BJP of “manufacturing lies” to malign the Gandhi family and asserted that neither Sonia nor Rahul ever interfered in any defence deals.

“Lies, lies and lies… the Modi government and the BJP are trying to manufacture something out of nothing, they are misusing the agencies to manufacture lies. I want to say categorically that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in defence deals,” Antony told the media here. 

“Without any iota of truth, they are pursuing a politics of vendetta. At no point either Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi interfered in my functioning as the Defence Minister,” said Antony who was at the helm of the Defence Ministry from 2006 to 2014.

Antony also attacked the Modi government for “favouring” the AgustaWestland, which was blacklisted by the earlier Congress-led UPA government.

“As soon as we came to know about corruption in the deal, we ordered a CBI inquiry. We fought against Agusta in Italy courts and blacklisted the company. 

“But after we left, the present government has done nothing against Agusta. Instead, they are favouring the company by making them a partner in ‘Make in India’. Instead of following up on the action by the UPA and punishing Agusta, the present government is favouring them,” alleged Antony. 

Following Michel’s extradition from the the United Arab Emirates earlier this month, the BJP has been on the offensive against the Congress and the Gandhi family with Prime Minister Modi himself alleging that the British national has taken Sonia Gandhi’s name and will “spill the beans” about the deal. 

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