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New land acquisition law to protect farmers: Jairam Ramesh

New Delhi/Noida, Sep 19 (ANI): India's rural development minister Jairam Ramesh has said that the recently enacted Land Acquisition law would protect the rights of the farmers who were rendered landless. He stated this while addressing a news conference at Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in New Delhi on Thursday. Ramesh contended that protecting rights of land owners as well as the landless would act as a guiding principle for the newly formulated law.

Sep 19, 2013

Sikkim continues to remain India's greenest state

Sikkim, Sep 19 (ANI): Recent satellite data shows Sikkim to be the greenest state in the country with a forest cover of 47.3%, as compared to the national average of 21%. It is the only state in the country whose forest area has increased in the last two decades by over 3 per cent. This has been made possible by implementation of several measures like the Sikkim Green Mission, Ten Minutes to Earth and Smriti Vans, which have also helped increase the flora and fauna significantly. The state government plans to bring an additional 1000 hectares of land under forest cover during the 12th Five Year Plan.

Sep 19, 2013

Muzaffarnagar violence: UP govt putting blame on BJP to escape responsibilty, says Uma Bharti

Varanasi, Sep 19 (ANI): After BJP leader Uma Bharti warned of "more tension" in Uttar Pradesh if politicians from her party are arrested for instigating the riots in Muzaffarnagar, Uma Bharti said that UP government is putting the blame of the riots on BJP and trying to escape the responsibility. Bharti further said that the BJP leaders were there to be arrested and never said anything against that, and that she just said that the consequences of the same is not going to be good.

Sep 19, 2013

Govt will go by rule book: Narayanasamy on Nuke Law dilution reports

New Delhi, Sep 19 (ANI): Rubbishing reports that the government is not going to follow the nuclear law, Minister of State for the PMO V Narayanasamy said that the government will go by the law and the rules as far as the nuclear deals are concerned. According to reports, a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) note suggests that prior to his visit to the United States to attend this year's U.N. General Assembly session and to meet President Barack Obama on its sidelines, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appears to be keen to have a diluted version of the NLB signed. The diluted NLB reportedly overlooks several key factors, including security concerns.

Sep 19, 2013

Political parties play blame game over Muzaffarnagar violence

New Delhi/Muzaffarnagar/Lucknow, Sept 19 (ANI): Political parties on Thursday blamed one another for the violence in Muzaffarnagar which claimed at least 38 lives and forced thousands to flee their homes. The Samajwadi Party (SP), which is known for wooing the minority, has maintained that stringent action would be taken against those found guilty of fuelling the riots. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) blamed the Samajwadi Party for the violence. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) went one step ahead to say that both the BJP and SP were working hand in hand as the main conspirators behind these riots.

Sep 19, 2013

Adequate power supply essential for speedy economic growth: PM

Bilaspur, Sept 19 (ANI): Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh has said that it was important to have adequate power supply as it would help in speedy economic growth and development of the country. Singh on Thursday dedicated the state-run National Thermal Power Corporation___s (NTPC) Sipat thermal power project in Chhattisgarh to the nation. The 2,980 MW coal-based Sipat thermal power plant has three units of 660 MW and two units of 500 MW, which are already operational. As part of NTPC's Western Region II, NTPC Sipat will ensure power supply to the Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and Daman and Diu as well as Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Singh said that the economic sectors could not be strengthened without adequate power supply.

Sep 19, 2013

No merger with BJP but will back NDA under Modi: Yeddyurappa

Bangalore, Sept 19 (ANI): Asserting that there is no question of merging Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), former state chief minister B S Yeddyurappa on Thursday said that his party would support the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and back its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

Sep 19, 2013

Congress lashes out at SP for its softness on Muzaffarnagar clashes accused

Lucknow, Sept 19 (ANI): Congress leader Jagdambika Pal on Thursday said that SP government in UP is being soft on Muzaffarnagar clashes accused, who are responsible for the same and that they are causing hurdles in the functioning of the police because of which ADG Arun Kumar is seeking transfer. He further said that the way BJP leader Uma Bharti warned the SP government from any arrest in the party, claims that UP government is incapable of any action whatsoever.

Sep 19, 2013

Prakash Karat on Nuclear Liability Law dilution

New Delhi, Sep 19 (ANI): Reacting over the reports of the UPA Government___s move to attempt a dilution of the Nuclear Liability Bill (NLB) to suit the needs of the U.S. Government and American firms, CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat on Wednesday stated that the government of India can bypass anyone but not the law of India.

Sep 19, 2013

Decisions on Nuclear Liability Bill will be taken on laws and perception: Khurshid

New Delhi, Sep 19 (ANI): As the government is planning to bypass a law that makes foreign suppliers liable for a nuclear accident, India___s Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid said that any decision on the bill will be taken keeping in view laws as well as perception of the people. Further, he also said that adequate measures on the security front and vigilance will be carried out before any decision.

Sep 19, 2013

Diluting nuke liability bill is unacceptable: BJP

New Delhi, Sep 19 (ANI): The BJP on Wednesday stated that if the government is trying to dilute the Nuke Liability Bill (NLB), ignoring the safety concerns of people of the country then it is completely unacceptable. Opposition leaders, security analysts and experts have questioned the UPA Government's reported move to attempt a dilution of the NLB to suit the needs of the U.S. Government and American firms interested in taking bilateral nuclear commerce with India forward. According to reports, a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) note suggests that prior to his visit to the United States to attend this year's U.N. General Assembly session and to meet President Barack Obama on its sidelines, PM Manmohan Singh appears to be keen to have a diluted version of the NLB signed. The diluted NLB reportedly overlooks several key factors, including security concerns.

Sep 19, 2013

Nuclear liability law a 'poll gimmick' of UPA govt: Gurudas Dasgupta

Kolkata, Sep 19 (ANI): As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appears keen to have a diluted version of the Nuclear liability law signed before meeting US President Barack Obama, CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta on Thursday said that the aforesaid law is no more than a 'poll gimmick' and that the UPA government wants to show that they have done something to increase the power generation, before the upcoming 2014 general elections. He also said that such a move can be really dangerous on the part of India.

Sep 19, 2013

Modi not 'Ashvamedha Yajna' horse, but _Narmegh Yagna_: Ali Anwar

New Delhi, Sep 19 (ANI): After Narendra Modi was anointed as the BJP___s prime ministerial candidate by the party President Rajnath Singh, and was thereafter seen as a God for the party, JD (U) leader Ali Anwar said that BJP and RSS is trying to portray Modi as God, but he is nowhere near the 'Ashvamedha Yajna' horse, but is preparing for 'Narmegh Yagna'. Further, talking about Union Minister Jairam Ramesh's statement that Modi will continue to bring more like Muzaffarnagar clashes, Anwar said that Modi and BJP is always up for bringing communal division when elections are approaching.

Sep 19, 2013

Security analyst on Nuclear Liability Law Dilutions

New Delhi, Sep 19 (ANI): Security analyst Uday Bhaskar has said that the interpretation of the Nuclear Liability Bill (NLB) could perhaps be misleading. According to reports, a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) note suggests that prior to his visit to the United States to attend this year's U.N. General Assembly session and to meet President Barack Obama on its sidelines, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appears to be keen to have a diluted version of the NLB signed. The diluted NLB reportedly overlooks several key factors, including security concerns.

Sep 19, 2013

CPI questions govt's rush to dilute nuke liability bill

New Delhi, Sept 19 (ANI): Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Atul Kumar Anjan questioned the UPA Government's reported move to attempt a dilution of the Nuclear Liability Bill (NLB) to suit the needs of the US Government and American firms interested in taking bilateral nuclear commerce with India forward. Talking to mediapersons, he said that the bill is not in favour of the people of the country. According to reports, a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) note suggests that prior to his visit to the United States to attend this year's UN General Assembly session and to meet President Barack Obama on its sidelines, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appears to be keen to have a diluted version of the NLB signed. The diluted NLB reportedly overlooks several key factors, including security concerns. According to a television channel, the CCS note details plans to bypass the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), a move that has raised questions.

Sep 19, 2013