HC dismisses petition of disqualified MLAs, matter moves to SC

Nainital/New Delhi, May 9 (PTI) In advantage to sacked Chief Minister Harish Rawat in the confidence vote tomorrow, the Uttarakhand High Court today dismissed the petition of nine Congress MLAs challenging their disqualification by the Speaker, a decision the rebels challenged in the Supreme Court immediately.

Dismissing their petition, the single judge bench of Justice UC Dhyani said the petition stands dismissed and asked the MLAs to go back to Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal seeking a review of his action if they so wished.

The judgement will make the BJP's task difficult in the confidence vote to be sought by Rawat tomorrow as it will be left with only 28 MLAs including Bhim Lal Arya whose loyalty to the party is in doubt. Though suspended by the BJP Arya continues to represent the party in the House.

It may give Rawat an advantage in the floor test which will now be held in the Assembly with an effective strength of 62 in which the winning side will need 31 MLAs for a majority.

Moments after the high court pronounced its order, the MLAs moved the Supreme Court.

Counsel for the MLAs C A Sundaram mentioned the matter before Chief Justice of India T S Thakur about the high court verdict that had come earlier in the day. The CJI asked the counsel to approach the bench which had on Friday ordered the floor test.

The fresh petition will be heard at 2 PM.

Meanwhile, the same bench is also expected to hear at 12:30 PM the Centre's petition seeking modification of its order on the floor test saying the official concerned has refused to act as observer on the ground that a clarification is needed on his designation.

Today's order of the high court ensures that the disqualification of the MLAs stays and would keep the rebel MLAs out of the proceedings during the confidence vote for Rawat in the Assembly tomorrow unless overturned by the apex court.

Ordering a floor test on May 10 in the Assembly, the Supreme Court had said "if they (disqualified MLAs) have the same status" at the time of vote of confidence, they cannot participate in the House.

A specially convened two-hour-long session during which the President's Rule will be kept in abeyance will be held between 11 AM and 1 PM for a "single agenda" of floor test, a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh had said.

Moscow needs judicial guarantees US missile system in Asia does not target Russia — FM

According to the Russian foreign minister, Moscow's estimates do not confirm that the US missile defense does not target Russia


Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) surface-to-air missile units are deployed at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's Chinen Sub Base (archive)

SOCHI, May 6. /TASS/. Moscow needs judicially binding guarantees that the US missile system in Asia does not target Russia, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday after the talks of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

North Korea's actions should not be used as a pretext for bolstering military presence in the Asia Pacific region, Lavrov said.

"On our part, we have noted that, despite the unity against North Korea’s missile and nuclear escapades, Russia thinks the attempts to use the situation as a pretext for bolstering military presence in that region are absolutely unjustified and rather dangerous," he said, explaining that he mentioned US military preparations as that country was taking steps disproportionate to the risks coming from the North Korean leadership.

"We confirmed that as with the European segment of the US missile defense, we have been told that it does not target us but our estimates are somewhat different. If all this does not target Russia, we need judicially binding guarantees of the absence of such a target."

Revenue Department takes various measures to boost-up growth and employment generation; Steps to give relief to the small tax payers and to the small business and professionals

The Revenue Department of the Ministry of Finance takes several steps for boosting-up growth and employment generation:

(a)    Lowering the Corporate tax rates to 25% for new manufacturing companies

(b)   Extending tax benefits for housing sector so as to promote construction industry

(c)    Rate of tax on royalty and fees for technical services reduced from 25% to 10%

(d)   Tax incentives for Start-up India

Similarly, it has taken various steps to give relief to the small tax payers and to the small business and professionals:

The limit of deduction that can be claimed under section 80C of Income tax Act 1961 has been enhanced fromRs. 1 lakh per annum to Rs. 2 lakh per annum, subject to the additional Rs. 50,000/- being contributed to NPS.  Further, the scope of presumptive taxation regime for small businesses has been extended by increasing the turnover up to Rs. 2 crores.  The presumptive taxation benefit is now available for professionals having turnover upto Rs. 50,00,000/-.

Don't fall in trap of schools giving useless degrees: Rajan

Noida, May 7 (PTI) Sounding a word of caution to students on education loans, RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan today said they should not fall prey to 'unscrupulous schools' which leave them with high debt and "useless degrees".

Observing that education at high quality research universities will remain expensive in near future, he said efforts should be made to make degrees affordable to all deserving students.

One part of the solution is student loans, he said, adding "we have to be careful that student loans are repaid in full by those who have the means, while they are forgiven in part for those who fall on bad times, or those who take low paying public service jobs." 

In his convocation address at the Shiv Nadar University, he said, "we also should make sure that unscrupulous schools do not prey on uninformed students, leaving them with high debt and useless degrees." 

The Governor said private education across the world is expensive and is getting more expensive all the time.

Beginning his address in a lighter vein, Rajan said he embarks on this talk comforted by the knowledge that the "bar for convocation speeches is low." 

"If you even remember a word I say a few years from now, I will have surpassed the average convocation speaker most people don t remember who spoke at their convocation, let alone what they said." 

Rajan, a globally known economist, emphasised that free market is not fair saying even well-run market economies seem to be favouring those who already have plenty.

"In part, this is because skills and capabilities have become much more important in well-paid jobs, and those born in good circumstances have a much better chance at acquiring these," he said.

PM Modi bows to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore on his 155th birth anniversary

Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has paid homage to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore on his 155th  birth anniversary. 

“I bow to Gurudev Tagore on his birth anniversary. He was a versatile personality whose profound thoughts and writings continue to inspire”, the Prime Minister said. 

Tagore, who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 was born on May 7, 1861. He died on August 7, 1941. He was a Bengali polymath. He was a poet, visual artist, playwright, novelist, educationist, social reformer, nationalist, business-manager and composer whose works reshaped Bengali literature and music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.In translation his poetry was viewed as spiritual and mercurial; however, his "elegant prose and magical poetry" remain largely unknown outside Bengal. Sometimes referred to as "the Bard of Bengal", Tagore introduced new prose and verse forms and the use of colloquial language into Bengali literature, thereby freeing it from traditional models based on classical Sanskrit. He was highly influential in introducing the best of Indian culture to the West and vice versa, and he is generally regarded as the outstanding creative artist of the modern Indian subcontinent.

Tagore modernised Bengali art by spurning rigid classical forms and resisting linguistic strictures. His novels, stories, songs, dance-dramas, and essays spoke to topics political and personal. Gitanjali (Song Offerings), Gora (Fair-Faced) and Ghare-Baire are his best-known works, and his verse, short stories, and novels were acclaimed—or panned—for their lyricism, colloquialism, naturalism, and unnatural contemplation. His compositions were chosen by two nations as national anthems: India's Jana Gana Mana and Bangladesh`s Amar Shonar Bangla. Some sources state that Sri Lanka `s National Anthem  was written by Tagore whilst others state it was inspired by the work of Tagore.

RBI Norms for Protecting Customers

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released a Charter of Customer Rights, which enshrines broad, overarching principles for protection of bank customers and enunciates the ‘five’ basic rights for bank customers, that I s, (i) Right to Fair Treatment, (ii) Right to Transparency, Fair and Honest Dealing, (iii) Right to Suitability, (iv) Right to Privacy, and (v) Right to Grievance Redress and Compensation. RBI has advised banks to formulate either an exclusive Customer Rights Policy keeping the spirit of the Charter intact or dovetail the existing Customer Service Policies suitably to integrate the Charter and its tenets with the approval of the Board. The banks have since framed Customer Rights Policy with the approval of the Board. Banks have also been advised to review internally by the Board the progress made in implementation of the Charter. 

RBI vide its circular dated September 28, 2006, issued guidelines on Fair Practices Code (FPC) for all Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) to be adopted by them while doing lending business. The guidelines inter-alia covered general principles on adequate disclosures on the terms and conditions of a loan and also adopting a non-coercive recovery method. The same was revised in view of the recent developments with sector including creation of New Category of NBFCs viz., NBFC-MFII and also the rapid growth in NBFCs lending against gold jewellery. Revised circular was issued on March 26, 2012. 

The Banking Ombudsman Scheme has specified 27 grounds of complaints under which complaints can be lodged with the Banking Ombudsman on grievances related to deficiency in banking services provided by commercial banks, Regional Rural Banks and scheduled primary cooperative banks. In so far as NBFCs are concerned, no cases of depositor cheating by the entities regulated by RBI have come to the notice of RBI during the last three years. 

RBI has also set up the Banking Codes and Standards Board of India (BCSBI) as an autonomous body, adopting the stance of a Self-Regulatory Organization in the larger interest of improving the quality of customer service by the Indian Banking System. 

Further, RBI has issued guidelines on Fair Practices Code for Lenders. In terms of these guidelines the banks have been advised to frame the Fair Practices Code duly approved by their Board of Directors. 

This was stated by Shri Jayant Sinha, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today. 

Meeting of Organizing Committee for International Buddha Poornima Diwas Celebration 2016 held

The Meeting of the Organizing Committee for “International Buddha Poornima Diwas Celebration-2016” held under the chairmanship of Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (I/C) and Civil Aviation here today. Shri Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri N K Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Culture and distinguished members of the committee were present.

Buddha Poornima or Vesak is recognized as the thrice sacred day that marks the birth, enlightenment and parinirvana of Lord Buddha. While Buddha was born in Lumbini in present day Nepal, he attained sambodhiprapti in Bodhgaya in Bihar. In Sarnath, he set in motion the wheel of the Dharma, and finally attained mahaparinirvana in Kushinagar.

In order to celebrate these historic occasions that changed the religious and spiritual discourse of human civilization, it is important that Buddha Poornima is celebrated in befitting manner. It is therefore proposed to celebrate this auspicious occasion on a grand scale again on 21 May 2016. Not only will this help Buddha’s timeless teachings to further permeate the Indian consciousness, but will also reaffirm India’s historical status in the eyes of the world, especially the comity of Buddhist nations, as the land of origin of the Buddha Dharma – the land of Buddha’s sambodhiprapti, dharmachakra pravartana and his mahaparinirvana.

It may be recalled that, speaking at the International Buddha Poornima Diwas Celebration last year in New Delhi, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi had declared that henceforth Buddha Poornima will occupy a prominent place in the Indian calendar as a National Celebration.

To oversee the organization of these celebrations, an organizing Committee has been set up under the Chairmanship of the Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Dr. Mahesh Sharma, with the Minister of State for Home, Shri Kiren Rijiju and the Minister of State for HRD, Shri Upendra Kushwaha as Co-chairpersons. Ven. Lama Lobzang, Secretary General of the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), a global umbrella Buddhist body headquartered in New Delhi will be Convener of the Organizing Community in India spanning various Buddhist traditions.

25 Universities & 18 Colleges offering Master’s Degree in Yoga: All India Survey of Higher Education

As informed by the University Grants Commission (UGC), there are 25 Universities & 18 Colleges offering Master’s Degree in Yoga as per All India Survey of Higher Education(AISHE) provisional report 2014-15). UGC has notified Regulation, 2010 on Teacher’s appointment which specify the rules for appointment of Associate Professor, Assistant Professor and Professor. 

The following two Yoga Universities are in UGC list: 

(i) Lokulish Yoga University, Ahmedabad 

(ii) Swami Vivekanand Yoga Anusandhan Sansthan(Deemed to be University), Bangalore. 

The Ministry of Human Resource Development has informed that a Committee has been constituted by the Government on Yoga education in universities under the chairpersonship of Prof. H. R. Nagendra, Chancellor, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana, Samsthana, Bengaluru. The Terms of Reference(TOR) for the committee included prescribing qualification of faculty of Yoga in Colleges and Universities and also to examine whether the existing qualifications for recruitment of the faculty in the Colleges and Universities as presently approved by the University Grants Commission(UGC), will need amendments. 

The Committee in its report has recommended as follows: 

I. Appointment of a sub-committee to finalise the NET syllabus. 

II. Implementation of seven programmes in universities viz. (i) Certificate Course in Yoga (CCY) of 6 to 12 months duration; (ii) Bachelor of Science (Yoga)- BSc. (Yoga) of 3 to 6 years; (iii) Post Graduate Diploma in Yoga (PGDY) of 1 to 2 years; (iv) Post Graduate Diploma in Yoga Therapy (PGDYT) of 1 to 2 years; (v) Masters of Science (MSc.) – Yoga of 2 years to 4 years; (vi) Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) -Yoga of 3 years to 5 years; and (vii) Doctor of Philosophy (Integrated) – Yoga of 4 to 6 years. The committee has also prescribed the qualifications for faculty of yoga. The committee has made other recommendations for promotion of yoga in universities. The recommendations of the committee are being examined. 

This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today. 

Steps taken by India for Ethnic Medicinal Practices

National Medicinal Plants Board supports setting up of Medicinal Plant Conservation Areas(MPCAs), augmentation and plantation activity for conservation of medical plants in-situ and ex-situ under “Central Sector Scheme on Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants” and under National Ayush Mission (NAM) for cultivation of medicinal plants by farmers with backward and forward linkages.  In addition, the Government of India has established a National Institute “The North Eastern Institute of Folk Medicine (NEIFM) at Pasighat, East Siang District, Arunachal Pradesh under Ministry of AYUSH with a view to revitalize, promote and harness these local health traditions for the wellbeing of wider public especially living in North Eastern Region. The activities of the Institute will further help in protecting the knowledge and resources of folk medicines in the North Eastern Region.

 With the mandate to conduct various research activities on traditional medicines,  the activities undertaken in the matter by four autonomous Research Councils under Ministry of AYUSH, namely, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Central Council for Research in Unani Medicines (CCRUM), Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) and Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy are as under:

CCRAS: The Tribal Health Care Research Programme is a continuous programme since 1982 with activities including collection of folk medicines/ traditional practices. 

CCRH: The Council has carried out recording of folklore and ethno-medicinal practices from the tribals of Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu.

CCRS: The ethno medicinal knowledge of folklore practitioners are documented through survey tours.

CCRUM: Folk medicinal uses of plants  from the tribal and rural folks have been recorded.

In addition to these, the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) under its scheme has also supported some R&D projects on ethno-botanical records in Assam, Karnataka, Mizoram, Manipur, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh on medicinal usage of local flora by tribal people.

     The details are as under:

(i) CCRAS has conducted five Intra Mural Research(IMR) projects on ethnic medicinal practices.

(ii) 23 medicines are used in Homoeopathy.

(iii) 750 folklore claims documented and one IMR project initiated by CCRS.

     The NMPB through Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT), Bangalore has developed a database on Indian medicinal plants which contain information about the habitat and therapeutic uses of more than 7,000 medicinal plants species. This database is in public domain and can be accessed at www.medicalplants.in.

Some of the R&D projects supported by NMPB has worked upon various medicinal and nutraceutical potential of Cassia tora, Cissus javanica and Discorea floribunda which are equally prevalent amongst the tribal populations of States like Kerala, Manipur and some North-East region, as a medicine or food supplement.

     To prevent misappropriation of the country’s traditional medicinal knowledge, the Ministry of AYUSH in collaboration with Council for Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR) has established a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) which entails transcription of Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha codified texts into English, German, French, Japanese and Spanish. The database is shared with patent offices of other countries and forms part of their pre-grant searches.

This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

Eicher Motors Q4 beats estimates, net profit surges 71% to Rs 334.5 cr

Eicher Motors Q4 results: Net sales of the company surged 46.15 per cent to Rs 3,702.01 crore during the quarter under review as against Rs 2,532.97 crore in the year-ago period.

Eicher Motors Q4 results: Net sales of the company surged 46.15 per cent to Rs 3,702.01 crore during the quarter under review as against Rs 2,532.97 crore in the year-ago period.

Beating estimates, Eicher Motors on Thursday posted 71.3 per cent rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 334.5 crore for the quarter ended March 2016 on account of robust sales. It has net profit of Rs Rs 195.3 crore in the same period last year.

Net sales surged 46.15 per cent to Rs 3,702.01 crore during the quarter under review as against Rs 2,532.97 crore in the year-ago period, Eicher Motors said.

The revenue of the company jumped 46.6 per cent year-on-year at Rs 3764.90 cr.

According to Religare Capital markets, Eicher Motors margins and net profit beat estimates. The brokerage has a ‘Buy’ rating on Eicher Motors shares with a target price of Rs 22,300 cr.

The board has declared an interim of 1000 per cent on the quity share capital (Rs 100 per share) for the quarter ended March 2016. Eicher Motors has a face value of Rs 10 per share.

Shares of the company ended 0.30 per cent down at Rs 19,687.45 on Thursday.