Regional

Bhopal, Sep 13 (IANS) At least two persons died while over 20 others were got injured after a private bus fell into a river in Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa district on Tuesday.

The bus (MP-09/FA6658) carrying around 40 passengers was heading toward Indore from Khandwa when it fell into Satsoi river.

Officials said the injured persons have been rushed to nearby hospitals and the bus has been pulled out of the water. Preliminary inquiry by the local police revealed that the incident occurred due to overtaking at high-speed due to which the driver lost control of the bus.

The deceased have been identified as Kailash Chetram (45) and RadhaVerma (50).

"At least 20 passengers got injured, out which the condition of two is critical. All the injured passengers are being treated in Khandwa," the police said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan extended his condolence to the deceased and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the incident.

"Received the sad news of the accident that took place when a bus full of passengers going from Indore to Khandwa fell into the river. I pray to God to give the departed soul a place at his feet and give strength to the family members to bear this deep loss and speedy recovery of the injured," Chouhan said.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) In view of the year-long celebrations of 'Hyderabad State Liberation' planned by the Centre from September 17 this year to September 17 next year, UGC Chairman M. Jagdish Kumar asked various universities in Telangana, Karnataka and Marathwada to take part in the programme.

The UGC Chairman said, "I request the vice-chancellors of universities and principals of colleges in the state of Telangana, and districts of Marathwada and Karnataka to hoist the national flag at your respective institution. You may also take out 'Prabhat Pheris' on the morning of September 17."

UGC Secretary Rajhish Jain on Tuesday sent an official letter to the concerned institutions, stating that suitable activities on the theme of Hyderabad State Liberation may be undertaken during the year between September 17, 2022 and September 17, 2023.

The indicative list of activities comprises talks by eminent people on the liberation of Hyderabad state, street plays, exhibitions, social media awareness campaigns, quiz contests, essay competitions, film screening, painting competitions etc.

The UGC secretary wrote in his letter that the concerned universities and colleges are requested to encourage their faculty members, students and stakeholders to actively participate in these activities and also share the details regarding participation on their website and through emails.

He also informed that the inaugural programme will be organised at Parade Grounds in Hyderabad on September 17.

September 17 is remembered as 'Hyderabad Liberation Day'. On September 17, 1948, the then Hyderabad state was merged with the Indian Union following India's military action 'Operation Polo', also known as 'police action'.

--IANS
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Hyderabad, Sep 13 (IANS) Telangana Finance Minister T. Harish Rao on Tuesday claimed that the Union government owes over Rs 1 lakh crore to the state in the form of pending funds, grants, and compensation.

He told the Assembly that the Centre owes it Rs 1,05,812 and if the pending funds are released, the state can clear one-third of its Rs 3.29 lakh crore debt.

If the Centre releases these funds, the state would not even be required to raise new debt, he said in his reply to the short discussion on "Central government dual policy in implementation of FRBM Act - Impact on state progress"

Harish Rao alleged that the Centre's unilateral decisions and imposition of restrictions against the state to obtain loans under Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) limits was having an adverse impact on the state.

He dismissed the criticism by BJP on the state's debts and claimed that unlike the Union government which obtained loans to repay its loans, the state government spent the borrowings on capital expenditure and created assets. He pointed out that the state took up irrigation projects like the Kaleshwaram project Mission Bhagiratha, Mission Kakatiya and other programmes which created assets for the state.

He said that as per the Reserve Bank of India report, Telangana's debt rank is 23rd in the country.

Harish Rao also rubbished the allegations by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and other BJP leaders over the per capita debt on each citizen of the state.

He stated that while the Central debt resulted in the per capita debt of Rs 1,25,679 on every individual, Telangana's debt amounted to Rs 94,272 per capita.

During her recent visit to Telangana, Sitharaman has claimed that every child born in Telangana carries a debt of Rs 1.25 lakh.

Harish Rao stated that Telangana's debt to GSDP ratio at 23.5 per cent is much lower than the country's ratio at 55 per cent.

He claimed that in the last eight years, Telangana assumed top position in terms of increase in state-owned-tax-revenue with 11.5 per cent growth. Odisha came second with 9.7 per cent, followed by Haryana with 9.2 per cent growth.

Telangana's contribution to GDP also increased from 4 per cent to 4.9 per cent in the last eight years, despite having just 2.9 per cent of the nation's population.

"Unlike the BJP government which waived off the corporate loans to benefit its friends, we distributed the State's wealth among the poor," he said.

Harish Rao reminded that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) found fault with the Union government for obtaining off-budget loans which amounted to about Rs 6 lakh crore in the last five-six years.

He said if the BJP MLAs and MPs from the state succeed in getting the dues from the Centre, he would felicitate them.

The Finance Minister also slammed the Centre for adopting double standards in implementation of the FRBM Act by imposing restrictions on the states, but not practicing them itself.

He said the Centre took a unilateral decision to impose restrictions on the state's borrowings without constituting the committee as per the recommendation of the 15th Finance Commission. The high-powered inter-governmental committee should comprise the Central and the State governments to review the borrowings.

He claimed that though Telangana was eligible to avail loans up to 4 per cent of its GSDP, it had let go 0.5 per cent of loans for the sake of farmers, after the Centre insisted on fixing smart meters to agricultural pump sets. The Union government also ignored the 15th Finance Commission's recommendations to release Rs 6,268 crore to Telangana under various heads based on its performance.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to increase the tax share of states from 32 per cent to 42 per cent by GST implementation but by imposing more cess, the Centre has reduced the tax component to the state.

While the Central government was mobilising around 22.26 per cent of its revenue through cess and surcharges, the states are losing their revenue and ending up with only 29.6 per cent of total revenue earned by the Centre. Telangana has suffered revenue loss of Rs.33,712 crore, he said.

He remarked that the state would have received more revenues if Value Added Tax (VAT) would have continued.

He alleged that the Centre has also not released Rs 1,350 crore towards development of backward districts, and accused the BJP for destroying the federal spirit to achieve its motto of "weaker states, stronger centre".

--IANS
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Bengaluru, Sep 13 (IANS) Continuing its drive against encroachment, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the civic agency, carried out a ruthless demolition drive at 18 locations in Bengaluru on Tuesday, the second day.

The official note from BBMP stated that the demolition drive has been carried out in the Mahadevapura zone and Yelahanka zones. In Mahadevapura zone, demolition drives were carried out at Shantiniketan Layout, Papaiah Reddy Layout and Challaghatta localities.

These areas were inundated and saw major water-logging problems during heavy rains. The team of engineers, revenue officers, marshals and police personnel were present during the drive in which two Hitachi and eight JCB machines were used.

Nalapad Academy in Challaghatta has encroached upon 2.5 meters of width, and 150.5 meters of storm water drain has been encroached. Fifty meters of encroachment has been cleared and the drive will continue.

In Shantiniketan Layout, seven buildings and four compound walls have been cleared. Meanwhile, owners of flats and buildings complained that they have purchased from builders and banks have also given loans for them. Now, BBMP is demolishing without any notice and they don't know where to go.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has informed the session that Rs 600 crore has already been released to build infrastructure across the state. He also announced that he would give Rs 1,800 crore for development of storm water drains in Bengaluru. The work would be finished within a set time-frame.

Krishna Bhairegowda, Congress MLA, stated in the session that brand Bengaluru is affected globally and the government must ensure that all storm water drains in Bengaluru must be developed.

--IANS
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Amaravati, Sep 13 (IANS) With Andhra Pradesh registering a significant increase in expenditure on cancer treatments over the last seven years, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has instructed the health department to set up an oncology department in all medical colleges of the state. The decision taken during the Health and Family Welfare Department review meeting on Tuesday, covers new medical colleges that are currently being established in the state.

"Build and strengthen the government healthcare facilities in the state and people would avail the Aarogyasri services at our hospitals. It is a win-win situation for the state if we set up the oncology departments in all medical colleges for prevention and treatment. It will help us with more PG seats along with the resources to treat the patients at government facilities," said the chief minister.

Health department officials informed the chief minister that the state's expenditure for cancer treatment has increased four times since 2015. They further said that 1,40,639 virtual accounts have been created under Aarogyasri scheme for the people availing of the services, for the state government to deposit the treatment amount which would then be auto-debited in the hospital accounts.

The chief minister directed the health department to work towards eradication of anaemia in the state within one year. "Take it as a challenge and work towards the complete elimination of anaemia in Andhra Pradesh," he said while asking the officials to monitor the functioning of the Anganwadi centres. "Like Sampoorna Poshana, provide protein kits to severe anaemia patients," the chief minister added.

With the state government set to soon launch the family doctor concept, the chief minister proposed appointment of a special officer to monitor the progress.

"Give incentives to doctors who would be deployed in rural and tribal areas. No one should say that there is a pending in recruiting doctors. Take all the necessary help and do whatever needs to be done to recruit and retain doctors in the government hospitals and clinics," the chief minister said.

--IANS
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Bhubaneswar, Sep 13 (IANS) Home buyers in Odisha do not need to pay GST, cess and any other charges above the fixed price to the builders, as per new norms.

Following the direction of Orissa high court, the Odisha government has amended the Odisha Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Rules, 2017. As per the amended rules, the builder cannot charge any additional tax or charges above the fixed price.

"The total price should include taxes paid or payable by the promoter by way of GST, cess and such other taxes which may be levied, in connection with the construction of the project payable by the promoter up to the date of handing over the possession of the (apartment/plot) to the allottee," read the notification issued by housing and urban development department.

However, in case there is any change or modification in the taxes, the subsequent amount payable by the allottee to the promoter will be increased or reduced based on such change or modification, it said.

As per the amendments, the promoter will have to abide by the time schedule for completing the project as disclosed at the time of registration with the authority. Any imposition or increase of development charges after the expiry of the deadline of a project will not be charged from the allottees.

Besides, the allottees will also have the right to visit the site to assess the extent of development of the project and his/her apartment or plot.

The promoters will have to assure the allottees that the project in its entirety is in accordance with the provisions of the laws, rules and regulations for the time being in force.

Similarly, the promoters will have to hand over the common areas to the association of allottees after duly obtaining the occupancy certificate from the competent authority.

The builders will also have to hand over the necessary documents and plans including common areas to the association of allottees or the competent authority within 30 days after obtaining the occupancy certificate.

Moreover, the promoter undertakes that it has no right to make additions or to put up additional structure(s) anywhere in the project after the building plan, layout plan, sanction plan and specifications, amenities and facilities has been approved by the competent authority and disclosed.

--IANS
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Ramnagar, (Karnataka) Sep 13 (IANS) The Fire Force and Emergency Services personnel have launched a search to locate three medical students who are suspected to be washed away in Bengaluru lake.

According to police, the students are suspected to be washed away in Mavattur lake near Kanakapur. Sachin (26), Javed Ahmad Mulla (26) and Niranjan (26) are students of Dayananda Sagar Medical College in Bengaluru. Their friends told police that the trio had left the college campus on Monday noon and did not return.

The students are suspected to have gone to Mavattur lake in Kanakapura near Ramnagar and washed away while swimming.

Following the missing complaint, the police have found the bike of one of the students near the Mavattur Lake. Mavattur police have lodged a case in connection with the case.

The lake is filled to its maximum capacity and overflowing owing to heavy rains.

Further investigation is on.

--IANS
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Lucknow, Sep 13 (IANS) A labourer was killed and four others injured after the shuttering of an under-construction forensics institute collapsed in state capital Lucknow's Sarojini Nagar, Police said.

The incident took place on Monday evening.

The victim has been identified as Akram a.k.a. Anwar Ali. He was rushed to the trauma centre at King George's Medical University where he died during treatment.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has constituted a three-member committee comprising the Principal Secretary, Additional Director General and Chief engineer of the Public Works department to investigate the incident.

He also directed the officials to release compensation to Akram's family. Police said the identity of those injured is yet to be ascertained.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS) Petitioners in the hijab ban case on Monday told the Supreme Court that Karnataka High Court faulted by holding wearing of the headscarf is not an essential practice of Islam, contending that since the court had no expertise in the field, it should not have gone into the issue of whether hijab was an essential religious practice by interpreting the Quran.

Senior advocate Yusuf Mucchala submitted before a bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia that human dignity is a constitutionally protected facet and scriptures say people have to observe modesty and wearing of the headscarf may be a personal marker in this context.

He said interpreters and scholars may disagree, but if a woman thinks wearing hijab is right, then she should follow it. "It is not the job of the courts to say follow one and don't follow the other," he said.

He added further that the Karnataka High Court used one interpretation of the Quran against another to give a finding on the essentiality of the hijab, which is objectionable.

The bench replied that it had no option, as the petitioners claimed it to be essential religious practice. "What option does the high court have but to point it out? Now you say the high court cannot do this."

Muchhala said it is only judicial wisdom to not touch a field in which the court has no expertise and the court should have stayed away from it. "When HC encountered the question, it should have said hands off, we cannot look into that," he said.

He said whether hijab is a fundamental right or not is applicable here and the question here is not about religious denomination but an individual's fundamental rights.

The apex court was hearing submissions on the fourth day against the Karnataka High Court's judgement of March 15 upholding ban on hijab in pre-university colleges.

The high court found no infirmity in the state government's order that virtually banned the wearing of hijab by Muslim girls studying in pre-university colleges.

The top court scheduled the matter for further hearing on September 14.

--IANS
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Bengaluru, Sep 12 (IANS) The Karnataka government's cyber security centre of excellence, CySecK, has tied up with IT major Dell Technologies to develop enhanced security practices in the state, especially among students.

After the MoU was signed on Monday, Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, Karnataka minister for higher education and IT/BT, said that the MoU will facilitate imparting cyber security awareness and practices to students, start-ups and public offices. He added that this will also benefit small and medium scale enterprises.

As per the agreement, Dell will provide learning of cyber safety practices through its interactive courses and will be available both in Kannada as well as in English, the minister informed.

Dell will also contribute to the start-up ecosystem of the state through its 'Ascend' initiative. This will help in expanding the start-up market in the state, he opined.

To achieve the target of the state becoming a 300 billion dollar digital economy by 2025, putting in place an efficient cyber security system is very necessary, Narayan stated.

Dr Karthik Rao Bappanadu, Head, CySecK, stated that the centre is working to expand the cyber security practices to tier 2 and 3 centres also.

--IANS
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