Manmohan in Srinagar, says Centre ready to talk to anyone shunning violence, but will not yield to terror

SRINAGAR: On a visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday expressed government's readiness to talk to anyone who shuns violence but made it clear that it would not succumb to terrorists efforts to destabilise the state.

"I have always said that those who shun violence, we are ready to talk to them," he said in a brief interaction with select journalists. The Prime Minister was replying to a question whether the government was willing to consider holding talks with separatists Hurriyat Conference and others. Singh said Monday's terror attack in Srinagar that had claimed the lives of eight soldiers was "most unfortunate".

However, he hastened to add that "this should not frighten leaders or our opponents to conclude that we will succumb to terrorists efforts to destabilise Jammu and Kashmir, destabilise our economy. "I can only say that this is most reprehensible and cowardly act on the part of the terrorists."

The Centre has often made clear its intentions for holding a dialogue with the separatists and other organisations, who have not taken to arms. Moderate factions of Hurriyat Conference have always maintained that they would be ready to participate in any dialogue with the Centre but before that they would prefer some Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) like withdrawal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and repatriation of all Kashmiri prisoners lodged in various jails.

Mehsana chips in with helping hand

AHMEDABAD: A group of citizens from Mehsana will set off for Dehradun with relief material for flood-ravaged Uttarakhand on June 26. Mitra Mandal, the group, will go door-to-door to markets, societies and different parts of the town for three days to collect donations for victims.

"We collected food items like rice, jaggery, cooking oil, biscuits from wholesale market on the very first day. The footwear market has promised to donate 1,000 pairs of shoes," said Jaydeep Dabhi, president of Mitra Mandal. They will start their journey to Uttarakhand in trucks and hand over the collection to the Army.

The Gujarat government on Monday held a review meeting to enable easy transit and provide greater relief to those affected by the flash floods in Uttarakhand.

The Gujarat government announced Rs 2 lakh ex gratia each for the kin of pilgrims from Gujarat who died whle on the char dham yatra. Moreover, the state government has decided to grant another Rs 3 crore to the Uttarakhand government as part of the relief package. Earlier, the government had announced Rs 2 crore relief. The total amount now is Rs 5 crore.

Maharashtra to get 15,000 micro-ATMs from Centre for rural inclusion

Mumbai: In order to facilitate financial inclusion of people from remote areas in the state, Maharashtra will get around 15,000 micro-ATMs from Centre.

Moreover, as many as 20,000 Business Correspondents (BCs) will be appointed for the purpose of taking banking to the doorstep of the people in remote areas by allowing them to do transactions at Point of Sale or PoS (the micro ATM).

The four Aadhaar-enabled basic types of banking transactions can be done through micro-ATMs are balance enquiry, cash withdrawal, cash deposit and Aadhaar to Aadhaar funds transfer.


At present, there are about 500 BCs and their number will be enhanced considerably so that Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) funds can be disbursed to the labour force immediately.

This assurance of micro ATMs was given by Nandan Nilankeni, Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan here recently.

According to Information Technology Secretary Rajesh Agrawal 6.35 crore Aadhar card enrolments have been done in Maharashtra.

"On a daily basis, we are doing 1.5 to 1.8 lakh enrolments which is the highest in the country. At 70-75 per cent, one crore enrolments have been done in Mumbai," he informed.

He said that 50 per cent of Aadhar card machines in the state will be shifted from schools to housing societies to facilitate the penetration.

"50 per cent of the total 4000-5000 Aadhar card machines in the state will be shifted from schools to housing societies. There are about 500 machines in Pune and Thane," Agrawal said, adding that the state will cross 85 per cent enrolment by March 2014.

PTI

Maha govt plans biometric system to facilitate pensioners

Mumbai: In a bid to provide relief to pensioners from submitting yearly life certificates to avail pension, Maharashtra government plans to set up biometric reader machines for online finger print authentication.

Officials in the Department of Information and Technology (IT) said the plan is to set up biometric reader machines in all villages. The machines are proposed to be in PDS shops, citizen service centres and government offices providing e-services.

"The initiative will be useful to state government employees who settle in their native place after retirement. Every year, they have to produce life certificates from tehsildar offices to be submitted to respective banks.

"Instead, the pensioners with Aadhar cards can do their finger print authentication, which will be directly matched with the UID card number stored in the data hub in Ba

ngalore and the banks will get direct intimation about it," the officials said.

They said the state government is awaiting clearance of its proposal by the Centre.

Aadhar card numbers would be made mandatory for sale and purchase of property so that benami transactions can be curbed, officials said.

PTI

Goa may adopt two Uttarakhand villages for rehabilitation

PANAJI: Goa government plans to rehabilitate two villages of flood-ravaged Uttarakhand and announce a relief fund.


Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar said here on Monday that a special account has been opened in the State Bank of India in the name of 'Chief Minister's Uttarakhand Relief Fund', to which the state government would seek donations.

Goa government plans to contribute Rs 5 crore to the fund while Parrikar has also decided to donate his month's earnings, which amounts to Rs 1,29,500, to the fund.

Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's legislative wing will also appeal to all members to donate their one month's salary to the fund, Parrikar said.

Goa has set a target to collect Rs 15 crore to be spent on rehabilitating two villages in Uttarakhand.

Parrikar recalled Goa government had taken up a similar project by adopting a village in Gujarat when that state was hit by a major earthquake in January, 2001.

Andhra Pradesh to issue notification on recruiting 20,000 teachers: CM

Hyderabad: In a major recruitment exercise, Andhra Pradesh government would issue notification for recruitment of 20,000 teachers by end of this month, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy said.

Speaking at an event organised in East Godavari district today as part of the 'Education Fortnight', he said the state government has filled up 30,000 vacancies in recent times.

The government has filled about 1.23 lakh vacancies in government departments and another 60,000 would be recruited this year, he said, adding the recruitment was done in a transparent manner.

He said notification to recruit 20,000 teachers would be issued by end of the month.

He said the 'education fortnight' was being organised for the last three years during which several measures were taken.

He also said that the government has involved several departments to ensure that all children in the state go to school.

Humanity is above all religions, Godhra muslims set example for everyone !!

Many Hindu widows could barely make two ends meet with her meager earnings. There are many who struggles with the expenses of their children. But on this historical Sunday, they got help from a society they least expected.

A Godhra-based Muslim charitable trust ( Hamdard Charitable Trust) ensured that widows of Hindu family does not go hungry for the next three months by giving them provisions and eatables.

This initiative comes from a place (Godhra) which was epicentre of communal Riots in 2002. They call it sadbhanva and setting an example for many humanitarians.

" First we are humans, then we follow any religion." It is such an example which has to potential to create history of 'Sadbhavna".

"Godhra earned a bad name after the 2002 riots and there was a general perception that Hindus and Muslims don't stay in harmony here. The trust decided to extend support to Hindu widows and strengthen the unity between two communities," said Mufti Haroon Sindhi, president of HCT.

Leaders of Hindu and Muslim communities shared the stage at the Sardar Nagar Hall at the function that displayed community camaraderie.

"I am sure that this Sadbhavna will go a long way in forging strong ties between both the communities. Women, especially widows, are neglected in our society, so we felt the need to help them lead a respectful life. We will continue supporting Hindu widows," Sindhi said.

"It was a touching gesture from the Muslim trust and I cannot express how much this means to me," said Sharda Bhoi (50), whose husband died in an accident 15 years ago.

Nalin Bhatt, a community leader from Dahod who attended the event, said, "It's a sign of Sadbhavna from Muslims and I hope that Hindus too reciprocate. Both the communities have always stayed together in Godhra.