B4U India

Punjab police seize fake currency worth one million rupees

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:21:00 -0400

Punjab police has seized fake currency worth one million rupees from a woman who arrived here from Pakistan on Thursday.

Additional Commissioner, Customs Jasbir Singh informed the media in Amritsar on Friday.

According to the police, the movements of the woman, who had gone to Pakistan apparently to visit her relatives were suspicious.

When the officials carried out search they recovered from her counterfeit currency notes concealed in her belongings.

“On Thursday, we were able to nab a lady passenger with fake Indian currency of the denominations of 500 notes concealed in her baggage and also concealed in the so called slippers that she was carrying. And (in) late evening we were able to know that the total amount of said currency is rupees ten lakhs. We are doing the follow up action,” said Jasbir Singh.

India has recently witnessed a spate of arrests connected with fake currency and more than two-dozen cases of seizing fake currency have been reported in the northern parts of the country.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded last month that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government should bring out a white paper on circulation of fake currency alleging ISI of Pakistan for launching economic terrorism in the country. (ANI)

Manmohan Singh conferred honorary doctorate degree by Madras University

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:20:00 -0400

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh along with Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, were conferred honorary doctorate degrees by the Madras University.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Friday that the 150-year-old Madras University was a unique and great institution as it had produced several distinguished personalities, including two Nobel laureates C V Raman and S Chandrasekar.

"You have produced two Nobel laureates C V Raman in 1930 and Dr S Chandrasekar in 1983 and S R Srinivasavaradan, winner of the Abel Prize, which is equivalent to Nobel in the world of mathematics," he said.

"There are hundreds of your faculties and students who have won laurels in their respective disciplines nationally and internationally," he said, delivering the special convocation address at the University in Chennai.

He greeted teachers on the occasion of the Teacher''s Day.

"Today it is being celebrated all over the country as Teachers Day. Today, we honour our teachers on the birth anniversary of a great and distinguished student and teacher of the University of Madras, S Radhakrishnan, the former President of India."

"As one who started his professional life as a University teacher, I consider myself as doubly privileged and duly delighted to be in your midst on this very special occasion," he said.

The University was in many ways unique and one of great national institutions and had the distinction of having produced several distinguished personalities, he said.

The University, established in 1857, had fostered the creation of several other great universities like the Andhra University, the Osmania University and the Mysore and the Kerala Universities, the Prime Minister observed. (ANI)

New RBI Governor Subbarao takes charge

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:19:00 -0400

D Subbarao today took charge as the governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from Y V Reddy and set for himself the immediate task of containing inflation.

"The immediate priority for me as the governor of RBI will be to manage inflation and anchor inflationary expectations," Subbarao said here.

He said the priority in short-to-medium term will be to pursue financial sector reforms in the context of financial and price stability.

Inflation eased to 12.34 per cent during the week ended August 23 due to fall in food prices from 12.40 per cent a week earlier.

However, the RBI on Thursday indicated that there will be no softening of its hawkish monetary stance to contain inflation as volatile food and energy prices remain a challenge.

The RBI has been tightening money supply to contain inflation. It raised short-term lending rate five times and the mandatory requirement for banks to keep cash with the central bank 13 times since January 2007.

Subbarao, who relinquished the post of Finance Secretary, also appreciated the role of Reddy as his predecessor. Reddy had earlier this week said that he will settle down in Hyderabad and may take up the job of teaching. (ANI)

Punjab farmers using floodwaters for lotus cultivation

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:16:00 -0400

While floods have caused havoc in north Bihar marooning millions of people, farmers in Punjab’s Dhanouri Village have made a fortune of it, by using the floodwaters for lotus cultivation.

Sukhwinder Singh of Dhanouri has demonstrated by personal example how to make best use of the devastating floods.

"We did not earn profit in cultivating rice. We suffered a loss in that. The floodwater destroyed the rice crop. So we started lotus farming. Lotus is sold as a flower and it is used as vegetables also. Even its stem can be made use of. We earn Rs.50,000 profit in one Qila (land measuring unit)," said Sukhwinder Singh, a farmer.

Agricultural experts also agree that lotus thrives in flooded fields.

"So far it is not cultivated on a regular basis but if it becomes successful as Sukhwinder Singh has shown the path , it could be a very good venture in water logged areas where water remains standing and other crops cannot be grown more successfully," said Milkha Singh, Dean, College of Agriculture.

The lotus is planted in two seasons. Stagnant water or flooded fields are ideal for it. The crop is ready in five months and can be harvested twice a year. The root is in great demand in local vegetable markets.

Stagnant water in fields and areas near water channels are best suited for lotus.

While the root is in great demand as a vegetable, the lotus flowers are a favourite in temples all over the country. (ANI)

Sports Minister Gill hopes India will win more medals at 2012 London Olympics

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:15:00 -0400

Union Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Dr. M.S. Gill has expressed a wish and hope that Indian sportspersons bring more glory to the country by increasing their medal tally at the 2012 London Olympics.

Citing the example of China, which got its first medal in Olympics in 1982 and now stood first in the medal list of Olympics, Gill said; “Though we have won three medals in Beijing Olympics, we would certainly achieve more medals in the next London Olympics in many more games.”

Speaking after inaugurating a Indoor Shooting Range of international standards and the Asia House Building at Guru Nanak Dev University Campus here, Gill said that Government of India through the Sports Authority of India would also lay a new astro turf at the Guru Nanak Dev University Campus costing about Rs.30 million.

The indoor shooting range has been built at a cost of Rs.3.6 million rupees by the university from its own sources.

Twenty-two shooters could shoot the target at a time. It has a sitting capacity of 150 spectators. A separate arrangement has been made for the judges.

Guru Nanak Dev University is the only University of India, which has an indoor shooting range of international standard.

Gill said the old hockey astro turf would be shifted to rural areas of Tarn Taran District.

He further hoped that this university would contribute its maximum talent for the Commonwealth Games, London Olympics and other International sports competitions.

Gill later told media persons that the Government of India is providing maximum sports facilities both in urban and rural areas to promote sports.

While revealing the details of the preparations of Common wealth games Gill said that with the Commonwealth games approaching, preparations are in full swing in Delhi.

He said that the construction of a number of stadiums, fly over and other things were in progress in New Delhi to successfully conduct the games.

Among the other distinguished personalities present on the occasion included Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Jai Rup Singh; Registrar, Dr. R.S. Bawa; Dean Academic Affairs, Dr. Raghbir Singh, Director of Research, Dr. S.S. Chahal, Director Sports, Dr. Kanwaljit Singh and a large number of University teachers, officers, and students. (ANI)