The S&P BSE Auto index on the Bombay Stock Exchange fell as much as 2.19per cent at one point of time.

Courtesy: NDTV

Maruti Suzuki’s total sales in the domestic market fell 35.86 per cent to 94,728 vehicles in August.

Auto shares extended losses on Wednesday, tracking negative monthly sales data from major companies. The Nifty Auto index – comprising manufacturers of cars, motorcycles, heavy vehicles, auto ancillaries and tyres – fell as much as 2.21 per cent. Shares in Ashok Leyland, Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki and Mahindra & Mahindra declined as much as 6.42 per cent, 5.45 per cent, 3.78 per cent and 2.38 per cent respectively, and were the top losers on the Nifty Auto index. Bosch (down 1.45 per cent), Bajaj Auto (down 1.15 per cent), Motherson Sumi (down 1.11 per cent) and Eicher Motors (down 0.61 per cent) too were trading with losses.

The S&P BSE Auto index on the Bombay Stock Exchange fell as much as 2.19 per cent at one point of time.

Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra & Mahindra, Bajaj Auto and Eicher Motors reported their sales numbers recently. 

Tata Motors reported a 48.41 per cent fall in sales to 32,343 vehicles in the domestic and international markets last month. In a regulatory filing, the automobile maker said its total domestic sales stood at 29,140 vehicles in August 2019, marking a year-on-year decline of 49.06 per cent.

Ashok Leyland reported a 63 per cent drop in total sales of medium and heavy commercial vehicles (M&HCV) in the domestic market during the month of August to 4,585 units from 12,420 units in the previous year.

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) reported a 26 per cent decline in domestic sales in August on a year-on-year (YoY) basis.

Bajaj Auto reported a 18.59 per cent decline in total domestic sales of motorcycles and commercial vehicles to 2,08,109 units in August. Eicher Motors reported a 23.74 per cent fall in two-wheeler sales to 52,904 units in the domestic market. Its domestic sales in the trucks and buses segment declined 35.08 per cent to 3,144 units.

At 10:53 pm, Tata Motors, Maruti, Mahindra & Mahindra and Bajaj Auto traded 5.15 per cent, 3.30 per cent, 1.93 per cent and 0.95 per cent lower respectively, as against a 0.28 per cent fall in the benchmark Sensex index.

Eight helicopters have been inducted into the air force in the first batch out of the 22 procured from the US.

NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force has added more teeth to its combat capability by inducting eight Apache AH-64E attack helicopters.
 
In a ceremony presided over by the Chief Guest Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa, air chief handed over the keys to the base commander of Pathankot. The First Squadron of the Apache’s is being raised at the Pathankot Air Base, Punjab.
 

Speaking on the occasion Air Chief Dhanoa said, “Apache attack helicopters are being purchased to replace the Mi-35 fleet. Apaches will enhance the capability of the Indian Air Force.” 
 
Talking about the capabilities of the Boeing produced helicopter Air Chief said, “Alongside, the capability to shoot fire and forget ATGM, air to air missiles, rockets & other ammunitions, it also has modern EW capabilities to provide versatility to helicopter in a network centric aerial warfare.”
These aircraft have been modified specifically to suit the exacting standards demanded by the IAF.
 
The order for production, training and support of 22 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters was finalized by the Indian Ministry of Defence in 2015. The Indian government also cleared the acquisition of an additional six Apaches for the Indian Army in 2017. By 2020, the IAF will operate a fleet of 22 Apaches.

The India specific AH-64E Apache completed successful first flights in July 2018 and the first batch of Indian Air Force crew began their training to fly the Apache in the US in 2018.

Boeing has delivered more than 2,200 Apaches to customers around the world since the aircraft entered production and India is the 14th nation to select it for its military.
 
Apache helicopters can also be used for reconnaissance, security, peacekeeping operations, and in attack mode both land and littoral combat environments.
 
IAF is flying helicopters since 1954. Since then there has been no looking back for rotary wings which has proved its mettle. Mi35 in the past played a crucial role. Apache will replace the ageing fleet of Mi35, said Air Chief Dhanoa.

The Health Ministry has asked for feedback from the public on draft Healthcare Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019

NEW DELHI

Courtesy: NDTV

The development comes three days after a mob killed a retired 73-year-old doctor at a tea estate

Anyone who attacks a doctor at a hospital may be jailed for up to 10 years or fined Rs. 10 lakh, according to a draft bill the Health Ministry has prepared to deal with rising cases of assault on doctors while they are at work.

The development comes three days after a mob killed a retired 73-year-old doctor at a tea estate in Assam because he was not present when a temporary worker died at the estate hospital.

The Health Ministry has asked for feedback from the public on how to improve the draft Healthcare Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019, which was made public on Monday.

“We want to reduce increasing cases of violence against doctors. We are looking for suggestions on the draft legislation before the bill is finalised. The objections or suggestions may be forwarded within 30 days. The maximum punishment will be 10 years imprisonment with Rs. 10 lakh fine,” said a Health Ministry official, news agency ANI reported.

Cases of people thrashing doctors on duty are not uncommon across the country, especially at crowded state-run hospitals that see thousands of patients every day. The assaults are usually triggered by the death of a patient or what people perceive as lack of attention from doctors.

Doctors and the associations that represent them say they have been unfairly targeted. They have been asking the government to bring in a law to protect them, instead of reacting to incidents with stop-gap measures like posting more guards at hospitals.

“…It has become necessary to prohibit acts of violence, to provide for punishment by making such acts of violence… non-bailable offence and to provide compensation for injury to healthcare service personnel or for causing damage or loss to the property of clinical establishments,” the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Medical associations have condemned the lynching of Assam doctor Dr Deben Dutta, who had a long, illustrious career. His colleagues say he was a soft-spoken, amicable person.

State had said those excluded from the final list would have a 120-day window to move tribunals seeking inclusion

GOROMARI/ASSAM: THERE is no clarity as of now as to when the process to file appeals in the Foreigners’ Tribunals by those excluded from the National Register of Citizens (NRC) will begin.

The state government said they would get a 120-day window to move the tribunals seeking the inclusion of their names. However, opposition Congress demanded the authorities first provide certified copies to the excluded citing reasons for their exclusion and only after that, the process to file appeals should begin.

The NRC has not made those excluded “stateless”. None excluded will be put in the detention camps. There is no question of deportation as the Centre and Bangladesh government have already said that it is an internal matter of India.

The appeals in the tribunals have to be disposed of in six months from the day they were filed. As such, detention, if any, will begin following the disposal of the cases. It should be after six months to ten months depending on when the excluded file the appeals.

Over 19 lakh people have been excluded from the NRC. The Assam government does not have the facilities to keep so many people in detention. The jails where the declared foreigners are kept are already crowded. There is just one detention camp which is coming up in Goalpara but it can house a maximum of 3,000 people. The government has taken a decision to build ten such detention camps. Altogether, they will be able to house 33,000 people.

If people do not get relief even after filing appeals in the tribunals, they can challenge their exclusion by moving the Gauhati High Court and then the Supreme Court.

The state government has already decided to extend legal aid to them free of cost when they fight their cases in the tribunals. Assam has 100 Foreigners’ Tribunals and the government said it would set up another 200 such tribunals.

People left out can claim inclusion by producing any of the 15 documents specified by NRC authorities.

MEA respite
People left off the NRC are not “stateless” and will continue to enjoy all the rights as before till they exhaust all the remedies available under the law, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Sunday.

It said exclusion from the NRC has no implication on the rights of an individual resident in Assam and that they will not be deprived of any rights or entitlements which they have enjoyed before.

The MEA’s comments came in the wake of commentaries in sections of the foreign media about certain aspects of the final NRC which it said are “incorrect”. Out of 3.3 crore applicants, over 19 lakh people were excluded from the final NRC published on Saturday.

NEW DELHI: Pakistan has not just used Congress’s Rahul Gandhi’s name in its letter to the United Nations, alleging massive human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir. It has also referred to the ruling BJP; the document also names Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh Vikram Saini, citing their remarks on Kashmiri women.

Under a section ‘Gender-based Violence as a weapon of war”, the letter from Pakistan mentions a video showing Mr Saini. “Muslim party workers should rejoice in the new provisions. They can now marry the white-skinned women of Kashmir,” the letter quoted him as saying.

Mr Khattar’s remarks, referring to similar comments, were also quoted. “Some people are now saying that as Kashmir is open, brides will be brought from there. But jokes apart, if (the gender) ratio is improved, then there will be right balance in society,” the letter quoted him as saying.

The BJP leaders’ remarks about Kashmiri women were severely criticised by the opposition and rights activists.

Mayawati had called Mr Khattar’s remarks an example of “mean mentality”. Rahul Gandhi had tweeted: “Haryana CM, Khattar’s comment on Kashmiri women is despicable and shows what years of RSS training does to the mind of a weak, insecure and pathetic man. Women are not assets to be owned by men.”

On Wednesday, the BJP shredded Rahul Gandhi, saying his comments on Kashmir shamed the nation and were “used” by Pakistan.

“The Pakistani application to the UN mentions remarks made by Rahul Gandhi. The application states that acts of violence have been acknowledged by mainstream party leaders such as Rahul Gandhi,” said union minister Prakash Javadekar.

Demanding an apology from Mr Gandhi and the Congress, Mr Javadekar added, “Rahul Gandhi said that things in Jammu and Kashmir were going wrong, there were reports of people dying in J&K. You were wrong, Rahul Gandhi. Things are fine in J&K, there is no violence as you imagined”.

The Congress has called Pakistan’s move a “mischievous” attempt to drag Mr Gandhi’s name into the matter. Mr Gandhi set the record straight in tweets, calling Pakistan a “prime supporter of terrorism”.

“I disagree with this Govt. on many issues. But, let me make this absolutely clear: Kashmir is India’s internal issue & there is no room for Pakistan or any other foreign country to interfere in it,” another tweet read.

courtesy: NDTV

Mumbai: Jailed media baron Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in the killing of her daughter, on Thursday termed the arrest of former Union finance minister P Chidambaram in the INX media money laundering case as “good news”.

Chidambaram was arrested on August 21 by the CBI in the INX Media corruption and money laundering case. Indrani Mukerjea and her husband Peter Mukerjea are former promoters of the INX Media Group.

“His (Chidambaram) arrest is good news. He is now cornered from all sides,” Indrani Mukerjea told reporters in a sessions court where she was produced to attend trial in the case of killing of her daughter Sheena Bora.

She further said the bail granted to the former Union minister’s son Karti Chidambaram in the INX Media case should also be cancelled.

Indrani Mukerjea had earlier recorded her statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), claiming she and her husband met P Chidambaram at the latter’s office in Delhi’s North Block.

She also claimed in her statement that the former Union minister had asked her to help his son Karti Chidambaram in his business and make overseas remittances in lieu of granting Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval to INX Media.

Mumbai: The rupee depreciated by 17 paise to 71.95 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday, tracking weak domestic equity market and persistent foreign fund outflows.

Pessimism over US-China trade talks also put pressure on the domestic unit, forex dealers said. However, a weak dollar against other major currencies overseas and softening crude prices restricted the rupee’s fall, they added. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened weak at 71.96 and fell further to 72.05 against the US dollar. The domestic currency, however, pared some losses and was trading at 71.95.

The rupee fell 29 paise to close at 71.77 against the US dollar on Wednesday. The BSE Sensex was trading 215.51 points, or 0.58 per cent, lower at 37,236.33, while the broader Nifty fell 58.90 points, or 0.53 per cent, to 10,987.20 in early trade.

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) remained net sellers in the capital markets, pulling out Rs 935.27 crore on Wednesday, as per provisional data.

Meanwhile, investors remained edgy over concerns about developments in the China-US trade talks. Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, declined 0.63 per cent to USD 60.11 per barrel.

The dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, fell 0.02 per cent to 98.19. The 10-year government bond yield was up at 6.57 per cent in morning trade.

credit: Varthabharati

Mangaluru: Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) officials on Thursday morning demolished an illegal building at Kankanady Junction after receiving Court orders for the same.

The demolition drive was done with the help police officials.

The building had vegetable and fruit shops. The building was in dispute with MCC from several years now and the officials had urged the vendors to move their shops elsewhere.

The vendors had then moved to court against MCC, where the Court delivered judgment in MCC’s favor and ordered demolition of building.

Video shows students cleaning school toilet ‘for marks’
Screen grab from the video

Khandwa: A video showing two students cleaning the toilet of a government school in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa district went viral on Wednesday, with some reports claiming that they had been promised additional marks.

According to local sources, a family member of a student shot the video on Monday when he found two boys cleaning the toilet of the school at village Sihada near here.

One of the students reportedly told him that the school principal had asked them to clean the toilet, promising them additional five marks in the examination.

District Education Officer J S Raghuvanshi said an official has been sent to the village to conduct an inquiry.

District Collector Tanvi Soundriyal, however, said there was nothing wrong if students did such jobs.

“It would have been wrong if the teacher had asked students from a particular community to clean up the toilet.

There is nothing wrong if all the children are doing it,” she told reporters.

Kota: A 69-year old woman committed suicide by jumping into a river allegedly depressed over deaths of her three grandchildren due to multiple organs ailments.

According to the reports Belaku Poojarthi, went missing on August 25 and her body was found on Wednesday from Seethanadi near Nancharu village in Hebbarabettu.

A case has been registered at Kota Police Station.