VOL: 2 ISSUE 40
16, 2009
Big allocation for flagship schemes,
no tinkering in tax rates
New Delhi Feb.16 : Finance Minister Pranab
Refraining from
tinkering with tax and duty
rates in the interim Budget,
Interim Budget raises
defence outlay by 34%
16,
New Delhi, Feb.
Pranab Mukherjee
has presented the interim
budget in the Lok Sabha
for the next fiscal. There
were expectations that
measures would be
announced to cushion the
impact of global meltdown
on the Indian economy,
and help revive consumer
demand, but no major
announcement was made,
( Watch )
The exercise
began with Mukherjee
reading out his budget
speech in the Lok Sabha,
during which he sought
approval to finance the
government's expenditure,
till such time the regular
budget is presented by a
new government after
elections, and passed by
Parliament.
The speech
largely fell short of
expectations with no major
sops being announced by
the stand-in finance
minister. Despite the fact
that revised estimates for
tax collections during
2008-09 is projected at Rs
627,949 crore as against
Mukherjee on Monday
made a huge allocation of
R s
30,100
crore to
Govern
ment's
flagship
r u r a l
employ
m e n t
program
me and
m a n y
other
scheme
s in a bid
t o
counter
the economic recession.
the budget estimate of Rs
687,715 crore, the
minister resisted the
temptation of giving sops
since it is an interim
budget with general
elections just a few
months away.
One of the key
highlights of the interim
Budget was the allocation
to defence with the govt
increasing the defence
expenditure to Rs
1,41,703 crore.
Mukherjee said the
increased plan
expenditure for defence
this year would be Rs
86,879 crore. Last year's
plan expenditure was
only Rs 73,600 crore,
thereby providing an
increase of Rs 13,279
crore this year.
" M u m b a i
attacks have given a new
dimension to cross-
border terrorism. In this
context, I propose to raise
defence allocation to
Rs.1,41,703 crore," said
Mukherjee.
I n o t h e r
highlights, Pranab
Mukherjee announced an
Despite the fact
that revised estimates for
tax collections during
2008-09 is projected at
Rs 627,949 crore as
against the budget
estimate of Rs 687,715
crore, the Minister
resisted the temptation of
giving sops since it is an
interim budget with
General Elections just a
few months away.
In view of the
fact that security
environment has
d e t e r i o r a t e d
considerably with the
Mumbai terror attacks
giving an entirely new
dimension to cross-
extension of interest
subsidies to debt-hit
farmers, one of the first
measures in his budget
speech.
H e a l s o
announced that the India
Infrastructure Finance
Company will raise Rs
10,000 crore from the
market by end of March
2009. India Infrastructure
Finance Company will
finance 60 percent of
commercial loans in
private public partnership
in critical projects, he
said. The organisation is
to raise Rs 30,000 crore
from the market in the
next fiscal year.
The finance
minister refrained from
tinkering with tax and duty
rates in the interim
Budget and made a huge
allocation of Rs 30,100
crore to Government's
f l a g s h i p r u r a l
employment programme
and many other schemes
in a bid to counter the
economic recession.
- Agencies
Feb.
border terrorism, the economy, the interim exports due to the global
Budget increased the Budget for 2009-10 has economic crisis, the
allocation for defence to planned a total interest subvention of two
Rs 141,703 crore expenditure of Rs per cent on pre and post
including Rs 54,824 953,231 crore shipment for certain
c r o r e c a p i t a l comprising Rs 285,149 employment sectors is
expenditure. crore in plan and Rs proposed to be extended.
Aiming at 668,082 crore in non-
enhancing expenditure plan spending. - Agencies
on schemes to provide To counter the
employment and lift the negative impact on
Fiscal deficit quadruples
New Delhi, Feb. 16 cuts to counter economic country needs to grow at
The interim slowdown. 8.0-9.0 per cent per year
Budget presented in the I n d i a ' s on a sustained basis to
Parliament on Monday economy has slipped wipe out mass poverty and
indicated that the from a growth rate of promote employment.
revenue deficit about nine per cent in the If economic
quadrupled due to the past three years, but still expansion slips below six
impact of the fiscal
stimulus to various
sectors.
Mukherjee
looks healthy compared
with most developed
economies, many of
which are in recession.
per cent as some
economists expect in
2009-10, it could lead to
more unemployment.
extended a Rs 40,000
crore relief through tax
Policymakers
and analysts say the
- Agencies
Budget fails to address
recession: Opposition parties
New Delhi, Feb. 16 : session" of parliament. "does not reflect any
The interim According to economic stability and has
budget presented by Communist Party of India been prepared keeping in
External Affairs Minister (CPI) leader Gurudas view the upcoming Lok
Pranab Mukherjee had Dasgupta: "It is an Sabha elections", he
failed to address the election budget; it is a added.
economic recession, Sonia (Gandhi) budget Convenor of the
most opposition parties, and the platform of the BJP-led National
including the Bharatiya parliament has been Democratic Aliance
Janata Party (BJP) and misused to launch the (NDA), Sharad Yadav of
the Left, said Monday. (Congress party's) the Janata Dal-United,
Communist election crusade." said the government had
Party of India-Marxist Expressing his claimed that "it had done
(CPI-M) leader Basudeb party's disappointment, lots of things for youth,
Acharya said the budget Bharatiya Janata Party farmers and aam aadmi
did not address the key (BJP) spokesperson (common man). Actually, it
issues facing the country. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has not done anything at
"There is nothing in the said the interim budget all for these sections".
interim budget to address aimed to confuse the He described it
the major problems being people of the country. as a "desperate budget".
faced by the nation, " I t i s a Samajwadi Party
including job cuts and temporary budget by a MP Ramji Lal Suman
other implications of the temporary central welcomed the budget but
economic meltdown." government and a said the government
He added that temporary finance should have give more
what acting finance minister. Instead of giving attention of agriculture.
minister Mukherjee had any relief to the common "Farmers should be given
presented was a man, the budget aims to more power and water at
"repetition of President confuse people," Naqvi cheap rates," he said.
Pratibha Patil's opening said. - Agencies
address to the budget The budget
Page 2
DMK Youth wing to organise
statewide human chain on Feb 21
Chennai, Feb 16:
The Youth wing of
the ruling DMK in Tamil
Nadu today decided to
organise a state-wide
human chain rally on
February 21 to espouse the
cause of Sri Lankan Tamils.
Protests and
demonstrations for the
cause of the Lankan Tamils
were again picking up in the
state with the ruling DMK
and opposition parties,
barring the AIADMK, vying
with each other in
organising protest
demonstrations,
demanding ceasefire in
Lanka.
After Union Home
Minister P Chidambaram
suggested last night that
both the Lankan forces and
the LTTE should come
forward for cessation of
hostilities, the DMK youth
wing called for a human
chain rally in support of the
view expressed by the
Minister.
DMK Treasurer
and Youth wing secretary M
K Stalin, in a statement
here, said ''As Mr
Prof M Viswanathan Gold Medal
award conferred on Seth
chennai,Feb 16: The
National Programme for
Prevention and Control of
diabetes, Cardiovascular
and stroke, which was
launched last year, would
be implemented across the
country in a phased
manner,Dr N K Sethi, M D
Advisor (Health) Planning
Commission of India, said
on Sunday
The Central
Government had allocated
Rs 1,660.50 crore in this
regard, said Sethi, who was
conferred the Prof M
Viswanathan Gold Medal
award by M V Hospital for
Diabetes, the WHO
collaborating centre for
Research and Education
Chidambaram had
pointed out, there can be
a ceasefire in true sense
only if both the parties,
involved in the war
(Lankan forces and the
LTTE) come forward to
lay down arms.'' ''The
youth wing of the DMK
calls upon both the
parties to end hostilities
and save the innocent
Tamils,'' he said, adding
to press the point that the
party volunteers would
join hands throughout the
state at 1600 hrs on
February 21.
The Sri Lankan
Tamils Welfare and
Rights Forum,
constituted by the DMK
executive on February 3
to take up the cause of
Lankan Tamils and the
sub-committee formed to
mobile world support,
pledged support to the
human chain rally.
The Sri Lankan
Ta m i l s P r o t e c t i o n
Committee, an umbrella
organisation formed by
the opposition parties,
including the Pattali
Makkal Katchi (PMK),
Marumalarchi DMK
(MDMK), CPI and
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal
Katchi (VCK) has called
for a human chain rally
tomorrow. This
committee, however,
demanded that there
should be an immediate
ceasefire and the Indian
government should
prevail upon the Lankan
government to declare
and Training in Diabetes
at a function here.
" I n d i a i s
experiencing a rapid
epidemilogical transition,
w i t h a
large and
r i s i n g
burden of
chronic
diseases,
w h i c h
w e r e
estimated
to account
for 53 per
cent of all
deaths
and 44 per cent of
Disability Adjusted Life
Years (DAYS) lost in
2005".
Sethi said the
burden of cardiovascular
diseases was rising in
India and it may become
the largest cause of death
and disability by 2015.
Elango also
conferred lifetime
achievement awards on
Dr Binode Kumar Sahay,
senior consultant
Times Chennai E-Paper
ceasefire.
T h e
Committee, however, do
not subscribe to the view
that the LTTE should lay
down arms.
Committee co-
ordinator and Tamil
National Movement
leader P Nedumaran had
said there was no
question of LTTE laying
down arms as a pre-
condition for ceasefire as
it would help the Lankan
forces to wipe out the
Tamils.
M r
Chidambaram, while
addressing a public
meeting here last night,
said the LTTE should lay
down arms or at least
declare it, so that the
Indian government
would exert pressure on
the Lankan government
to declare ceasefire and
bring both the parties to
the negotiating table to
find a solution.
Meanwhile, a
group of lawyers today
burnt their Voter Identity
cards, driving home the
point that they no more
wanted to be Indian
citizens, when their
brethern were getting
killed in Lanka and the
Indian government
remaining ''mute
spectators.'' Hunger
strikes and mass prayers
were also held in other
parts of Tamil Nadu,
demanding the
ceasefire.
- Agencies
physician and
diabetologist, Hyderabad
a n d D r
Munichoodappa,
P h y s i c a n a n d
diabetologists, Managing
D i r e c t o r, B a n g a l o r e
Hospital for their
exemplary contributions
towards diabetes care in
India. Dr B Kasinath,
professor of medicine,
University of Texas, US
on 'Recent Advances in
Undertaking and
Treatment of Diabetic
Nephropathy', received
the DRC Gold Medal
Oration award-2008.
K a s i n a t h
highlighted the growing
prevalence of kidney
failure among people
with diabetes.
Earlier Dr S
Elango, Director of Public
Health and Preventive
Medicine, Tamil Nadu
Government, conferred
the award on Sethi for his
contributions to medical
science during 2008.
- Bureau Report
MK resumes official work with
final touches to the budget
Chennai, Feb 16:
Ta m i l N a d u C h i e f
Minister M Karunanidhi,
who is recuperating after
undergoing a spine
surgery on February 11,
today virtually resumed
official work, by giving
final touches to the State
Budget to be presented
in the assembly
tomorrow.
The Chief
Minister who was shifted
from the Intensive Care
Unit(ICU) on Februry 13,
after he underwent the
L u m b a r C a n a l
Decompression(LCD)
surgery on Februray 11
at Sri Ramachandra
Medical College Hospital
at suburban Porur ''is
recovering good'' and
virtually taken up some
official work, sources
said.
This morning,
Barnala commissions new war ships,
inspects guard of honour
Chennai, Feb 16:
Ta m i l N a d u
Governor Surjit Singh
Barnala today
commissioned two new
war ships into the Indian
Navy and inspected a
ceremonial guard of
honour at the Chennai
Port.
I N S C a r
Nicobar and INS Chetlat
were the first in the class
of Water Jet Propelled
Fast Attack Crafts,
conceived designed and
built indigeneously by the
Kolkata-based GRSE
Limited.
The ships were
about 52 metres long
with a displacement of
325 tonnes and a speed
upto 30 knots. The ships
had advanced MTU
engines and the latest
communication sets and
C they were built for
Differently abled black belt
Bal for world karate meet
Chennai, Feb 16 :
There cannot
be a more typical
example for the popular
adage where there's will,
there is a way, than 16
year-old differently abled
Gujarat boy Srimanth
Bal, who is all set to
represent India in the
forthcoming world karate
championships in
Isshinryu style, at
Pittsburg in United
States.
S i g n i f i c a n t l y,
rather ubelievably, Bal
will be taking on regular
(able bodied) karatekas
in his bid to win the world
crown, according to his
'guru' Shihan Hussaini,
an eighth dan black belt
the Octogenarian Chief
Minister went through the
budget proposals for the
year 2009-10 and gave
his final touches.
The budget is to
be presented tomorrow
by his senior colleague
and Finance Minister K
Anbazhagan in the
House.
A s M r
Karunanidhi would not be
able to make it to the
House tomorrow, when
the budget is presented,
Mr Anbazhagan is likely
to receive the budget
papers from the hands of
Chief Minister and seek
his blessings at the
hospital, before
proceeding to the
Assembly to present the
same.
T h e D M K
Government is
presenting the budget,
extended coastal and
o f f s h o r e
surveillance/patrol.
The ships
would be based at the
Chennai port under the
Naval Officer-in-Charge
(Tamil Nadu) and would
enhance the force levels
for the coastal security of
Tamil Nadu.
Addressing the
function, the Governor
said the two ships,
named after islands of
A n d a m a n a n d
Lakshadweep, would
strengthen the defence
of this region.
The Fast Attack
Crafts were most suited
for interception of fast
moving enemy surface
craft, apart from
performing anti-
smuggling, fisheries
protection, as well as in
search and rescue
and President of the All
India Isshiryu Karate
Association.
Five years ago,
Bal could not even walk
five steps without help,
Hussaini said.
Hussaini, who
o r g a n i s e d a non-stop and do
demonstration by Bal
here this morning of
taking on able bodied
karatekas, said the
Gujarat boy could ''rise
above his disability'',
thanks to karate therapy
in his training school.
''Eleven years
ago his parents
contacted me after
learning about this
therapy through internet
and sent the boy here'',
Feb. 16, 2009
this year, at least a month
in advance, in view of the
coming Lok Sabha
elections. The shadow of
the Lok Sabha poll is
expected to cast on the
budget proposals and the
Government is expected to
come out with welfare
schemes for the people.
Last year the
budget for the year 2008-
09 was presented by Mr
Anbazhagan on March 20.
C h i e f
Orthopaedic Surgeon S S
K Marthandam, heading a
team of doctors, had on
Februry 13, said that the
Chief Minister looked
cheerful and keen on
resuming his normal work
at the earliest, though
doctors advised him to
take rest for few more
days.
- Agencies
operation in coastal
waters, Mr Baranala said.
The Governor
said the nation was firmly
committed to peace. ''We
stand as a symbol for
peaceful co-existence and
for friendly relations with
the neighbouring
countries. But we are not
silent spectators to any
threat to our territorial
integrity and national
unity'', the Governor
added.
He said the move
of by outside elements in
indulging and encouraging
violence to disrupt and
destablise the country's
economy should be nipped
in the bud. ''Our defence
forces have proved their
mettle and are a shining
example of vigour and
valour'', Mr Barnala added.
- Agencies
he said.
Hussaini said Bal
had made remarkable
progress in karate in the
last five years and became
a black belt. ''As part of the
black belt test, Srimanth
was required to jog 25 km
endurance repetitions
hundreds of times.'' ''He
had to do open hand katas,
weapons and sparring
correctly'', he pointed out.
Hussaini said karate
training has put Bal on to a
miraculous road to
recovery and control of his
limbs. ''He was severely
affected by Qudruplegia'',
he added.
- Agencies
Feb. 16, 2009 Times Chennai E-Paper Page 3

Highlights of interim budget Industry disappointed, says

Following are the highlights of the interim budget presented by interim budget a non-event
Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha on
Monday: New Delhi, Feb. 16 : There was nothing for CFO S Mahalingam said
* Plan expenditure for 2009-10 pegged at Rs.952,231 crore (Rs.9.52 India Inc on any sector, forget about there were two stimulus
trillion) Monday gave a thumbs real estate," Parsvnath packages given in the past
* Budgetary support for 2009-10 at Rs.2,85,149 crore (Rs.2.85 down to the interim Developers Chairman couple of months and they
budget 2009-10, Pradeep Jain said. were going to stay as they
trillion), 17.16 percent proposed by Finance Expressing were. "I am disappointed,"
* Additional plan expenditure between 0.5 percent to 1 percent of Minister Pranab similar sentiments, Kotak he added. Stating that the
GDP may be considered Mukherjee, saying it is a Mahindra Bank government did not have
* Fiscal deficit forecast 5.5 percent of GDP for 2009-10 non-event and more of a Managing Director Uday much of a choice, Hinduja
* Revenue deficit forecast 4 percent of GDP for 2009-10 political statement. Kotak said, "Acting Group CFO Prabal
* Subsidy for food, fertiliser and petroleum at Rs.95,579 crore " I t w a s finance minister Pranab Banerjee said: "They did
completely (a) non- Mukherjee has stuck to what they could best do."
* Defence allocation increased to Rs.141,703 crore (Rs.1.417 trillion) event. It was (more a) w h a t i s g o o d - Agencies
* Urban renewal spending pegged at Rs.11,842 crore (Rs.118.42 political statement than convention."
billion) (an) interim budget. TCS ED and
* Rural sanitation spending at Rs.1,200 crore (Rs.12 billion)
* National rural health mission spending at Rs.12,070 crore
(Rs.120.7 billion)
* Rural infrastructure development outlay at Rs.14,000 crore (Rs.140 RTI brought more accountability
billion)
* Midday meal scheme spending at Rs.8,000 crore (Rs.80 billion) in public servants: Pranab
* India remains second-fastest growing economy in the world New Delhi Feb. 16 : states has "bridged a for improving efficiency in
* Economy expected to grow 7.1 percent this fiscal The Right to critical gap in the public the delivery of public
* Need to make economic growth inclusive Information Act has decision-making process services."
* Government spent Rs.70,000 crore (Rs.700 billion) on 37 brought about greater and ushered in greater The Commission
infrastructure projects in 2008-09 accountability among accountability of public was set up in August 2005
public servants, Finance servants." with a mandate to suggest
* Under public-private partnership (PPP), 54 central infrastructure Minister Pranab He said the measures to achieve "a
projects approved Mukherjee said on Second Administrative pro-active, responsive,
* Total expenditure of PPP projects estimated at Rs.67,700 crore Monday. Reforms Commission accountable, sustainable
(Rs.677 billion) Presenting the had brought out a and efficient administration
* India Infrastructure Finance Company to raise Rs.10,000 crore Interim Budget in Lok number of reports with for the country at all levels
(Rs.100 billion) by end-March Sabha, he said the " p r a c t i c a l of the government,"
enactment of the Act by recommendations, Mukherjee said.
* India has weathered inflation crisis, but no room for complacency the Centre and many providing a starting point - Agencies
* Country's agriculture outlook is encouraging
* Focussed attention to agriculture
* Plan allocation for farm sector hiked 300 percent in past five years
* Three-fold increase in short-term agriculture credit to Rs.250,000
crore (Rs.2.5 trillion)
* Farm debt worth Rs.65,300 crore (Rs.653 billion) waived
* Government will continue to provide additional subsidy to farmers
* Corpus of Rural Infrastructure Development Fund hiked to
Rs.14,000 crore (Rs.140 billion) from Rs.5,500 crore (Rs.55 billion)
* Outlay for higher education hiked 900 percent for 11th Five Year
Plan
* Country's social security net will be strengthened
* New scheme unveiled for young widows in the age group of 18-40
* New disability pension scheme introduced for age group of 18-40
* 15 point programme for welfare of minorities set up
* Record foreign direct investment of $32.4 billion attracted
* Global economic situation not encouraging
* Extraordinary situation merits extraordinary measures
* Need to consider additional fiscal measures in regular budget
* Financial sector reforms need to be accelerated
* Non-performing assets (NPAs) of public sector banks have
declined
* State-run banks see NPAs drop from 7.8 percent to 2.3 percent in
four years
* Number of loss-making state-run units down from 73 to 58
* Profit-making units up from 143 units to 158 units
* In past three years, India grew by average of over 9 percent
* Per capita income expanded by 4.7 percent per annum
* Fiscal deficit was brought down from 4.5 percent to 2.7 percent
* Revenue deficit was cut from 3.6 percent to 1.1 percent
* Exports increased 26.4 percent per annum
* Foreign trade increased from 27.3 percent to 35.5 percent
* Tax to gross domestic product ratio expanded by 9.2 to 12.5
percent
* Agriculture grew by 3.7 percent per annum
* Revised estimates for 2009-09 peg plan expenditure at Rs.282,957
crore (Rs.2.83 trillion)
* Central plan increased for host of areas like telecom, rural
development
* Tax collections expected to fall to Rs.627,949 crore (Rs.6.28
trillion)
* Revised revenue deficit is 4.4 percent of GDP against 1 percent
* Revised fiscal deficit at 6 percent of GDP against 2.5 percent
Page 4
Train movement resumes on
Howrah-Chennai route
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 16:
Train movement
resumed on the busy
Howrah-Chennai route on
completion of restoration
work on Saturday, a day
after the Coromandel
Express mishap that
claimed nine lives even as
a high-level team is likely to
visit the site soon to
ascertain cause of the
derailment.
"Both the tracks
were thrown open to traffic
as the restoration work,
which would have taken
about 72 hours, was
completed in just 36 hours
due to guidance of top
officials, sincere efforts by
railway staff and
Assam on a mission to be first
cleft lip free state
Guwahati: Feb. 16
Assam has
embarked on a mission to
become the first state in
the country to be free from
cleft lip and palate
deformities within the next
two years.
Operation Smile
India (OSI), an
organisation conducting
corrective surgeries, will
work in partnership with
the state government to set
up a permanent cleft care
centre at the Mahendra
Mohan Choudhury
Hospital here, OSI
Chairman Ranjit Borthakur
said.
" W e h a v e
Maha minister hits tribal woman
Nagpur: Feb. 16:
Maharashtra’s
Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay
Vadetivar has landed in a
soup for allegedly hitting a
tribal woman in Nagpur.
According to
reports, the incident took
place when the minister
lost his cool after an
altercation with the tribal
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee’s condition improving
New Delhi, Feb 15:
The pneumonic
infection of former Prime
Minister Atal Bihari
Va j p a y e e , w h o i s
undergoing treatment at
AIIMS, is under control and
he is doing well without
ventilatory support, a
senior doctor said on
Monday.
"He is fully
conscious and breathing
on his own. The infection is
cooperation of local
people," an East Coast
Railway official said.
About 500
personnel with
sophisticated equipment
had been pressed to
clear the debris and
restore the tracks as rails
of about half-a-kilometre
stretch had been
damaged under the
impact of derailment near
Jajpur, about 100 km
from here on Saturday,
sources said.
Apart from men
and machines of
railways, Tata Steel,
Jindal Group, Orissa
Disaster Rapid Action
Force had chipped in to
selected MMCH as it has
the best infrastructure in
comparison to other
states of the country and
our organisation's
mission is to make the
state first in the country to
be free from such
deformities," he said.
Borthakur suggested that
the centre be named
North East Centre for
Cleft Development and
Training to widen its
ambit.
Operation
Smile India will help the
state health department
by running regular
training camps to hone
the skills of medical
woman, who is a district
Congress leader, over
some issues.
The minister
then threw a bundle of
files at the woman, who
lost consciousness
immediately.
The woman was
then rushed to a near by
hospital for medical aid.
under control. We are
waiting for the chest to
clear now. We have kept
him under observation,"
Dr Sampath Kumar, chief
of Cardio Thoracic
Va s c u l a r S c i e n c e s
Department at the
hospital, told a news
agency.
Kumar said
Vajpayee is doing well
without the respiratory
support. "We have
Times Chennai E-Paper
rescue to injured,
provided them medical
aid and also clear the
mangled bogies, they
said.
Meanwhile, an
inquiry is likely to begin in
a day or two at the
mishap site as part of the
high-level probe ordered
by Railways.
Nine persons
were killed and over 150
injured as 14 bogies of
the Howrah-Chennai
Coromandel Express
derailed leading to
cancellation of about two
dozen trains and
diversion of more than
20.
- Agencies
volunteers.
Assam Health
Minister Himanta Biswa
Sarmah said that more
than 500 children with
deformities have turned
up at MMCH, but
currently only 200
surgeries could be
performed.
"As the rest will
have to go back, we have
requested OSI to
undertake another round
of surgery in the last
week of May. We assure
t h e m t h a t o u r
involvement will be more
intense both physically
and financially," he said.
- Agencies
The tribal woman is still in
hospital but said to be out
of danger.
No police
complaint has been
lodged against the
m i n i s t e r, w h o h a s
categorically denied
hitting the woman.
- Agencies
removed the ventilatory
support and all the basic
parameters are normal,"
he said.
The 84-year-old
veteran BJP leader was
admitted to AIIMS on
February 3 following
chest infection. He was
later diagnosed with
pneumonia and put on
ventilatory support.
-Agencies
Browsing child porn will
land you in jail
Mumbai, Feb. 16 :
The newly
passed Information
Technology Bill is set to
make it illegal to not only
create and transmit child
pornography in any
electronic form, but even
to browse it. The
punishment for a first
offence of publishing,
creating, exchanging,
downloading or browsing
any electronic depiction
of children in "obscene or
indecent or sexually
explicit manner" can
attract five years in jail
and a fine of Rs 10 lakh.
In its first
comprehensive
amendment nine years
after it was first enacted,
the Act proposes to bring
"cyber terrorism",
"identity theft" and
"violation of privacy" into
the domain of cyber
crime. Critics of the Bill,
which is awaiting
Presidential assent, say
it enables the
government to snoop into
citizens’ computers while
investigating "any
offence". The bill has,
however, broken new
ground by identifying
Fog disrupts flights at IGI
New Delhi, Feb 16:
Early morning
fog on Monday once
again disrupted
operations at the Indira
Gandhi International
Airport here, affecting the
schedule of around 20
d o m e s t i c a n d
international flights.
"About 18
flights, coming to the
national capital or going
out, have been delayed
by upto two to three
hours due to dense fog
which wrapped the
airport early this
morning," sources at the
Will arrange for talks if LTTE lays
down arms: Chidambaram
Chennai, Feb.16:
India would
arrange for a dialogue
between Sri Lanka and
LT T E t o s t o p t h e
hostilities in the island
nation if the government
suspended military
operations against the
Tigers and the outfit laid
down arms, Union Home
Minister P Chidambaram
said here on Sunday.
"If this fructifies,
the union government will
arrange a dialogue
between the two warring
parties," he told a public
meeting at Mylapore here
yesterday night.
several new offences
and making them
punishable.
Section 67 of
the existing act deals with
"publishing obscene
information in electronic
form". It is a generally
worded section that does
not specifically define
"pornography" or make it
an offence, and does not
mention "child
pornography" at all. But
in its amended avatar,
Section 67B proposes
specifically to punish
involvement in sexually
explicit online or
electronic content that
depicts children. It will
also be an offence to
"cultivate, entice or
induce children to online
relationship with other
children for a sexual act."
" T h e
amendments will
certainly have a huge
impact on the way cyber
crimes are handled and
investigated in India,"
said advocate Pavan
Duggal, a cyber law
specialist in Delhi.
Mumbai-based cyber
security expert Vijay
Mukhi concurred. Both
airport said.
Two flights have
to be diverted to other
cities due to poor visibility
at the airport, they said.
The general
visibility dropped to
below 50 metres at
around 5.30 am while the
runway visibility to 100
metres, much below the
required minima of 150
metres for flights to take
off. Some flights landed
using CAT-IIIB
instrument landing
system (ILS), which
allows planes to land
when the runway visibility
He said the
situation in the island
nation would not have
reached such a grave
stage had the LTTE
utilised the 48-hour
window period given by
Sri Lanka recently to
allow civilians to move to
safer areas.
He pointed out
that India cannot directly
interfere in the war
against the LTTE, as
demanded by some,
since the country had
itself not held talks with
militant outfits in the
North-East and Kashmir,
who had refused to give
Feb. 16, 2009
experts noted that an
offence of "cyber terrorism"
punishable with life
imprisonment, for
instance, is a vital new
addition, and that its
definition is exhaustive.
Duggal said,
"Once the bill becomes an
act, Section 67B will have a
huge positive impact,
primarily because India
does not have a special
legislation to tackle child
pornography. To that
extent, the new IT law is
path-breaking".
Legal experts
note that while the
amendments don’t make it
illegal to view adult porn,
they do make watching
child porn an offence (the
law would apply to
"whoever creates text or
digital images, collects,
seeks, browses,
downloads" child porn).
The fear is that the section
would kick in even if sites
were opened accidentally,
because a computer may
store information about
such a site being
accessed.
- Agencies
is as low as 50 metres.
Fog began to
develop around 4.30 am
when the visibility dropped
to 100 metres and the
runway visibility to 250
metres.
For next three
hours, the general visibility
remained below 50 metres
while the runway visibility
fluctuated between 100
metres to 150 metres. At
one point, the runway
visibility dropped to 75
metres at the new runway,
sources said.
- Agencies
up arms.
“This fact has
been understood only by
the DMK, Congress and
AIADMK in the state," he
said, adding that PMK
leader Dr S Ramadoss and
Viduthulai Chiruthaigal
K a t c h i l e a d e r To l
Tirumavalavan (pro-Eelam
parties) should also try to
see this viewpoint.
Chidambaram
opined that the LTTE would
have got political status
long back had they
accepted the 1987 India-Sri
Lanka accord.
- Agencies
Feb. 16, 2009 Times Chennai E-Paper Page 5
Page 6
Fight for No 1 position will
pressurise SA: Ponting
Sydney, Feb 16:
W i t h Te s t
cricket`s number one
position at stake, Australia
skipper Ricky Ponting feels
South Africa will be under
more pressure than them
when the two sides clash in
the return Test series.
Australia, who
were humiliated 1-2 at
home by Greame Smith`s
men last December, have a
slender five-point lead
going into the three-match
Test series starting in
Johannesburg from
February 26.
South Africa,
following their series
triumph over Australia in
the one-dayers Down
U n d e r, h a v e a l r e a d y
cornered the top spot in the
shorter version of the
game.
They now have a
chance to snatch the top
Test ranking also if they
beat Australia in the home
series.
RBS blew up 200 mn pounds on
Sachin and other sports stars
London, Feb 16:
The Royal Bank
of Scotland blew up as
much as 200 million pound
on top sports stars,
including Indian cricket
maestro Sachin Tendulkar,
under the bank`s former
chief Executive Fred
Goodwin, media report
says.
"Royal Bank of
Scotland (RBS), bailed out
with billions of pounds of
taxpayers money, hired top
sports stars on "reckless"
contracts to entertain
clients as part of a 200
million pound sponsorship
binge," it said.
Times Chennai E-Paper
"They have alongside the 5-0 Ashes
probably been striving for whitewash of England.
a long time to be the "I`ve been
number one or around a long time, I`ve
recognised as being the played a lot of games, but
number one Test team in this will be as big a series
the world," Ponting said for me as any I`ve every
played in, I think," he
prior to the
said.
t e a m ` s
departure for The skipper
also pinned his hopes on
South Africa.
"Mayb pacers Mitchell Johnson,
e that will Peter Siddle, Ben
weigh on Hilfenhaus and Doug
their minds Bollinger to make a mark
in the rainbow nation.
more than
on ours," he "It`s a great
s a i d , opportunity here for a
stepping up Siddle or a Hilfenhaus or
the mind a Bollinger to really make
g a m e s a name for themselves
started by and forge their own
rival captain identity at international
Smith who in level," said Ponting and
his column hoped Bryce McGain`s
wrote he spin could unsettle the
Proteas.
s a w a n
"It`s always nice
opportunity "to open a
few cracks" if his team to have a very good and
played well in the first highly skilled leg spinner
Test. in your side, which Bryce
Ponting made it is. There`s every chance
clear they would do he could be that factor
everything possible to that we need over there."
stop Smith`s men from Ponting also
attaining the Test double said they have plans in
and said the burden of place to nullify the threat
expectations could go of middle-order batsman
against the hosts. J P Duminy.
"With them "We`ve had an
being favourites and with opportunity to have a
a lot of expectation from good look at him
their people and the (Duminy) for a long
crowds, then who knows, period of time. We`ve got
things could turn against some things up our
sleeve that we will be able
them pretty quickly,"
to execute well when we
Ponting told reporters.
get the opportunity
He also felt
winning this series in against him over there."
South Africa would rank - Agencies
S i r F r e d Goodwin.
Goodwin, the bank`s This news
former chief executive, follows a row over RBS`s
agreed contracts of up to plan to defy public
five years just weeks opinion by paying almost
before he was ousted one billion pound in
last October, a business bonuses.
daily said, adding that Reacting to this
"Sachin Tendulkar, the
Indian cricket hero,
J o h n M a n n M P, a
member of the Treasury
signed a five-year deal, select committee, said:
just weeks before "They (RBS) have been
Goodwin was ousted." reckless yet again. This
RBS, which doesn`t seem to be a
announced a 28 billion bank that could do
pound loss last month, anything in moderation. It
the biggest in British now needs to realise the
commercial history, said golden days are over.”
it was obliged to honour
deals agreed under -Agencies
Dashing Strauss century
puts England on top
St John`s, Feb 16:
E n g l a n d
captain Andrew Strauss
put the disastrous first
Test behind him as he
struck 169 to lead
England to an impressive
301 for three at stumps
on the first day of the third
Test.
Strauss was
ably assisted by Alastair
Cook (52) and Owais
Shah (57) as England
bounced back from their
mauling in Kingston to
put themselves in a
strong position at the
Antigua Recreation
Ground.
West Indies
won the first Test of the
series in Jamaica by an
innings after bowling
England out for 51 in their
second innings.
After all the
problems with the ground
in Antigua, resulting in
the second Test being
abandoned, that defeat
felt a long time ago but no
doubt the batting
collapse remained in the
minds of the upper order.
It took just one
and a half sessions for
England to show that
they are a much better
side than the one that
surrendered so meekly at
Sabina Park.
Sania returns to top 100 in WTA rankings
New Delhi, Feb 16:
Her sizzling run
at the Pattaya Open,
where she made the title
clash, has propelled
Sania Mirza back to the
top 100 as she jumped 39
places to be at 87 in the
latest WTA rankings
issued today.
The semi-final
appearance in the
doubles competition at
the same event also
Bopanna-Niemenin finish runners-up at SAP Open
New Delhi, Feb 16:
R o h a n
Bopanna and Jarrko
Niemenin's dream run at
the USD 600,00 SAP
Open ended in
disappointment as they
lost the title clash 2-6, 3-6
to Germany's Tommy
Haas and Czech Radek
Stepanek.
"We`ve had a
hard couple of weeks.
After being bowled out 51
in the last Test you want
to come out and play
positively and prove to
everyone that as a
batting unit we have a lot
of good players.”
"In that respect
it`s very satisfying," he
said.
After batting all
day, with 24 fours and a
big six to bring up
England`s hundred,
Strauss looked well set to
continue his innings into
the second day but a tired
attempted pull shot near
the close resulted in a
simple caught and
bowled for Fidel
Edwards.
The game at the
Antigua Recreation
Ground had been hastily
arranged following the
abandonment of the
second Test Friday after
just ten balls, when the
field at the Sir Vivian
Richards stadium was
deemed unfit.
T h e Fellow opener
replacement venue, the
traditional home of Test
matches on the island,
provided a more intimate
and authentic Caribbean
cricket atmosphere and a
wicket that offered plenty
for strokeplayers.
After rain
delayed the start by 45
minutes, England made
just the kind of start they
needed, bringing up 40 in
the first eleven overs and
forcing West Indies
skipper Chris Gayle to
turn to spin before lunch.
Jerome Taylor,
who had ripped through
England`s top order in
Kingston, was far less of
a threat against the
sturdy Strauss.
The largely
helped Sania gain seven
places and she is now 63
in the doubles ranking.
Sania's ranking
had plummeted to 126 as
she spent almost half the
2008 season out of
courts due to a wrist
injury.
I n t h e AT P
rankings, appearance in
the doubles final at the
SAP Open in the United
States helped Rohan
The unseeded
Indo-Finnish pair, who
had created a flutter
upsetting Mike and Bob
Bryan in the quarter-
finals, found the going
tough against their
opponents and lost the
encounter in just 50
minutes.
Haas and
Feb. 16, 2009
English crowd in a ground
that had been rapidly
turned from a training
venue into a Test match
facility, made a point of
applauding as England
passed the 51 mark.
There was a
nostalgic feel to the game
with the ramshackle
stands, old-fashioned
West Indian food stands
and an absence of giant
screens and umpire
referrals.
But there was
also something in
England`s display that
recalled the past.
In 1994, England
bounced back from a
humiliating low score - 46 in
Trinidad - to score 355 and
394 as they won by 208
runs with Alec Stewart
commanding with two
centuries.
Strauss has
helped his team to achieve
at least the first part of that
performance - bouncing
back from the potentially
confidence-shattering
defeat.
Alastair Cook helped put
on 123 for the first wicket
before Cook went caught
by Devon Smith off Chris
Gayle`s off-spin for 52.
Strauss had
survived a scare when he
was dropped by Gayle at
slip off Suliemen Benn.
Then Owais
Shah, drafted in for Ian
Bell, struck a confident 57
off 100 balls before he was
run out looking for a quick
single.
After Strauss`s
departure nightwatchman
James Anderson (3 not
out) saw out the final overs
of the evening with Kevin
Pietersen (8 not out).
-Agencies
Bopanna gain seven
places and he now stands
at 78.
H o w e v e r, t h e
same result for Leander
Paes at the World Tennis
tournament did no help
improve his current ranking
of seven.
M a h e s h
Bhupathi, who did not play
last week, remained
stationary at number five.
- Agencies
Stepanek converted all the
four breakpoints and
dropped their serve to run
away with the winners
trophy.
Bopanna and
Niemenin fetched 150 ATP
ranking points for their
brilliant effort and split the
USD 15,800 prize money
between them.
- Agencies
Feb. 16, 2009
Markets extend losses as Pranab
presents Interim Budget
Mumbai, Feb 16: I
India stock
markets extended losses
minutes after acting
Finance Minister Pranab
Mukherjee began
presenting the Interim
Budget in Parliament on
Monday.
The Bombay
Stock Exchange
benchmark Sensex, which
opened more than 82
points lower, was trading
141.92 points or 1.47%
lower at 9,492.82 at 11:23
hrs.
The broader
National Stock Exchange
Nifty lost -1.72% to 2897.65
points.
Stock brokers
said that investors were
reluctant to create fresh
positions ahead of the
Interim Budget and even
booked profits at prevailing
levels in some counters,
dragging the Sensex down.
Cos not filing full disclosures face fine
They said,
however, that market is
likely to stage a
comeback later in the day
after the announcements
of budgetary proposals
which may unveil a
stimulus package to
revive economy and
some sops for the
corporate sector.
Major losers
which pulled down the
Sensex were Reliance
Industries by 0.79
percent to Rs 1,379.90,
State Bank of India by
1.18 percent to Rs
1,179.90, Infosys
Technologies by 0.53
percent to Rs 1,248,
HDFC Bank by 2.17
percent to Rs 925, BHEL
by 1.35 percent to Rs
1,446.95, Bharti Airtel by
2.63 percent to Rs 635
and ACC by 1.45 percent
to Rs 569.
In other Asian
Times Chennai E-Paper
markets, a key Japanese
index, the Nikkei of the
Tokyo Stock Exchange,
was ruling at 7,767.41
points, 0.15 percent
lower than its previous
close.
The Hang Seng,
a key index of the Hong
Kong Stock Exchange,
was trading 1.71 percent
down.
In the US, the
blue-chip Dow Jones
Industrial Average shed
82.35 points, or 1.04
percent, to close at
7,850.41 points.
The broader
Standard and Poor's 500
Index fell 8.35 points, or 1
percent, to close at
826.84 points. The
technology-heavy
Nasdaq Composite Index
lost 7.35 points, or 0.48
percent, taking it to
1,534.36.
-Agencies
Page 7
Tainted PW auditor appointed to
11 ICAI committees
Hyderabad, Feb. 16 : committee, and the appointment was not just
Tainted Price assurance and auditing "disappointing but also
Waterhouse partner S standards board, that unethical". A senior CA
Gopalakrishnan may be reviews existing and said: "Apart from being
in jail for his alleged emerging auditing under scrutiny for the
involvement in the practices worldwide, Satyam fiasco, ICAI itself
Satyam fraud, but that among others. has pointed fingers of
hasn't stopped Institute A g a r w a l suspicion towards
o f C h a r t e r e d confirmed that he had Gopalakrishnan's
Accountants of India indeed appointed involvement in the Global
(ICAI) from appointing Gopalakrishnan to the Trust Bank case. To then
him member of 11 of its committees but argued appoint him member of so
41 non-standing that "until the charges many important
committees for the year against Gopalakrishnan committees is rather
2 0 0 9 - 1 0 . T h e are not established in disgraceful."
appointments were the court of law and as Interestingly, the
made last week after a long as he continues to new ICAI chief who was
new president - Uttam be member of the on Hyderabad on
Agarwal - took over on central council of ICAI, Febraury 6 - the day after
February 5. he has to be included in he took over - wanted to
T h e some committees." He visit Chanchalguda jail to
committees to which asserted that the jailed call on Gopalkrishnan and
Gopalakrishnan has auditor had not been Ta l l u r i . " T h e j a i l
been appointed include given the chairmanship authorities had given me
that on internal audit of any committee. permission but I could not
standards - which S e v e r a l m a k e i t e v e n t u a l l y, "
reviews internal audit chartered accountants Agarwal said.
practices in the country - t o l d t h a t - TNN
- the expert advisory Gopalakrishnan's

Mumbai, Feb. 16 Secretaries of India is compliant with Clause

Companies
delaying or not filing full
disclosures with stock
exchanges and with market
watchdog SEBI as
mandated, will have to face
a penalty of up to Rs 1
c r o r e , a S E B I
representative said.
"Under certain
categories, companies
which acquire shares
beyond a certain
percentage stipulated
under the regulations, are
required to make
dislosures. Under the SEBI
Act, offenders are liable for
a maximum penalty of up to
of Rs 1 crore for not filing
diclosures," a SEBI
representative said at a
seminar on corporate
governance organised by
the Institute of Company
(ICSI) here.
"The names of
offending companies will
be put up on our website,
which people and
investors can read. That
is the only way to punish
them," he added. The
SEBI representative
said the standard of
corporate governance in
the country still had a
long way to go. "We have
taken action against
offenders in the past and
will impose penalties
even in the future," the
representative said.
The SEBI
official said many
questions need to be
addressed in this regard
and cautioned investors
not to get carried away
with anyone who says he
49. Clause 49 is an
important aspect of
corporate governance
relating to independent
directors on a company's
board. The Sebi
representative said that
"it is indicative and is only
about 10% of corporate
governance."
On the Satyam
fraud, he said the scam
had been concocted in
collusion with the entire
system and would take
time to unravel. "It (the
scam) has been going on
for so many years...a
very well-planned
incident like this cannot
be unlocked so easily
and quickly," he said.
- Agencies

LIC credit card before end-fiscal: Official

Mumbai, Feb 16:
Life Insurance
Corporation of India (LIC),
which had earlier
scheduled the launch its
credit card for January will
now do so before end-
March, a senior company
official said.
"We plan to
launch our credit card
before the end of this
fiscal," a LIC spokesperson
said here.
LIC has tied-up
with Karnataka-based
Corporation Bank for its
white-labelled credit cards.
The bank will be the card
issuer.
The launch was
deferred due to "some
technical reasons," the
LIC spokesperson said.
LIC had asked
Corporation Bank to sort
out the problems before
the launch itself so that
there were no issues later
on, the spokesperson
said.
W h e n
contacted, a Corporation
Bank official said that the
bank had sorted out all
technical problems and
was now ready for the
launch.
"The launch
was delayed since the
card is a white- label
credit card which
requires some formalities
(to be completed). But
now we are ready and
awaiting the launch
date," Corporation
Bank's General Manager
(New Initiatives), B R
Bhat, said.
“In any case, we
will launch the credit card
in this financial year
itself," Bhat said.
-Agencies
Page 8 Times Chennai E-Paper Feb. 16, 2009

Milan 2009 celebrating life

Chennai, Feb. 16
Milan 2009 an intercollegiate culturals conducted
by the SRM University concluded on Sunday with a bang.
Over 70 colleges with student strength touching 1200
stormed the culturals with their inherent talent.
The programme saw some excellent talent of
college students spread all over India. The overall
performance was judged with parameters not only
highlighting talent but also team performance and
execution of the event.
In the choreography event NIT Trichy topped the
list followed by Dream Team of Loyala and James Dance
School of St. Josephs Arts and Science. Chennai
It was a dream come true for the Dream Team
from Loyala College Chennai to bag the overall
championship and Gurunanak Chennai were the runner
up.
Addressing the gathering the Vice Chancellor
Prof. P Sathyanarayanan said, "We always felt that
education alone is not enough for a person to develop but
the culturals and sports also play an important role. These
programmes definitely is a platform to express and develop
one's skill which will benefit them in future."
The chief guest G. Ramkumar Managing Director
of Shivaji productions awarded the Sivaji award to C
Yokesh a second year BCS student of Gurunanak
College, Chennai, whose performance was spell bound.
Ramkumar showering encomiums on the Prof. P. Sathyanarayanan Vice Chancellor of SRM University presenting the Sivaji award to C Yokesh a
University said that, " He would extend all support to the second year BCS student of Gurunanak College in the presence of
proposed SRM Shivaji Institute of Film Technology which G. Ramkumar Managing Director of Shivaji productions
is slated to be opened in July or August this year wherein all
celebrities of the filmdom including Rajnikanth, Kamal Hassan and Senior technical personnel and Directors would visit the institute as faculty to train the students. He also said
he would invite Bharat Ratna Dr. Lata Mangeshkar on Oct. 01 to the SRM University to inaugurate the programmes of the Film Institute.
Earlier, Anuradha Parakat welcomed the gathering. Officials from various departments of the University including the Registrar N Sethuraman were present on the
occasion. - Staff Reporter

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