Archive for category government
Indian Foreign Secretary to reach out to Tamils in Sri Lanka three-day visit
Posted by ganesh in Communication, Departments, Health, Information, Public, government, meeting, programme on August 30th, 2010
A senior Indian delegation led by Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka today on a three-day visit. The delegation will also include India’s Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar.
During her visit, Rao is scheduled to visit the Tamil heartland of Jaffna in Northern Sri Lanka and meet the local government officials including the Governor of Northern Province Major General G.A. Chandrasiri, Mayor of Jaffna and civil leaders and academics.
The Indian delegation also will visit other cities in the conflict-affected region including Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, and Vavuniya in the North and Trincomalee in the East to observe the progress in the resettlement process of displaced Tamil civilians. She will also inspect the progress of projects funded by India.
Rao will also have a special dialogue with the major Tamil political party, Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Batticaloa district TNA parliamentarian P. Ariyanethram said.
Foreign Secretary’s visit, amid pressures from the Tamil Nadu political power on the Central government of India to do more for the Sri Lankan Tamil community, is seen as an effort to reach the war-battered Tamils in the North and East.
Indian daily Hindustan Times says that India’s hands-off stance during the final stages of the war is seen as a betrayal among the Tamil community in Sri Lanka as well as in Tamil Nadu. Rao’s visit and soon-to-be-followed visit of Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna are an attempt to change that perception and send a message to the Sri Lanka Tamils that India will not abandon them.
HC Bench says no to borewell inside Big Temple premises to celebrate
The Madras High Court Bench here on Thursday restrained the Thanjavur Collector from sinking borewells inside the Brahadeeshwarar Temple premises as part of arrangements to celebrate 1,000th year of building of the temple on September 25 and 26.
A Division Bench comprising Justices D. Murugesan and M. Duraiswamy granted the interim injunction pursuant to a public interest litigation petition filed by Thanjavur Big Temple Rights Retrieval Committee represented by its president C. Murugesan (62) of Ayyanarpuram in Thanjavur Taluk.
According to the petitioner, the Brahadeeshwarar Temple, built by Raja Raja Chola-I in 1910, was a magnificent manifestation of the Chola style of architecture. It was notified as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisations (UNESCO).
Also known as Big Temple or Rajarajeswaram Temple, it was declared as an ancient and historical monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 and protected under the Madras Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1966.
Claiming that the officials had decided to drill a 400-metre deep borewell near the southern corridor, the petitioner said that the location was just 50 metres away from the main structure housing the sanctum sanctorum.
Enquiries revealed that the borewell was being sunk for the Abishekam (pouring holy water on the deity) which, as per the Agama Sastras (religious procedures), has to be done only with water taken from the temple premises.
“We are not questioning such Agamam. If there is any such Agamam, it can be followed by taking water from the Sivagangai Kulam which is also inside the temple premises,” the petitioner’s affidavit read.
His counsel T. Lajapathi Roy claimed that pumping water from the ground might weaken the gigantic main tower of the temple. “A notice board at the entrance states that it is a crime to dig a pit within 200 metres from the temple. But it is surprising to know that now a borewell was being sunk,” he said.
He also contended that neither a serious scientific analysis was undertaken nor any expert body was constituted before giving permission to sink the borewell inside the temple premises.
Tomorrow Power shutdown in Trichy
There will be no power supply from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday in the following areas of the city and its outskirts owing to maintenance work to be taken up by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board in the transformers of the 110 KV Tiruchi Sub-Station, according to a press release:
Central Bus Stand and Railway Junction areas, State Bank Colony, Cantonment, Bharathiyar Salai, Rockins Road, Royal Road, Williams Road, VOC Road, Alexandria Road, Collector’s Office Road, Allithurai Road, Kumaran Nagar, Kallankadu, Srinivasa Nagar, Uyyakondan Thirumalai, Woraiyur, Fathima Nagar, Ramalinga Nagar, Pandamangalam, Seerathope, Linga Nagar, Melapudur, Mudaliar Chathiram, Khajapettai, Sangilandapuram, Palayam Bazaar, New Raja Colony, Goodshed Road, Pudukottai Road Overbridge area, Birds Road, Periyamilaguparai, Ponnagar, Karumandapam, Dheeran Nagar (part), Pirattiyur (part), Podavur, Crawford, Edamalaipattipudur, Anbu Nagar, TSP camp area, Bharathi Min Nagar, Kalyanasundaram Nagar, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, Kollankulam, Thiru Nagar, RMS Colony, Cauvery Nagar, Sakthi Nagar, Jaya Nagar, Viswas Nagar, IOB Nagar, Manthoppu, Vasantha Nagar, Selva Nagar, New Selva Nagar, National College area, Vinayagar Nagar, New Street, Kooni Bazaar, Marsinghpet, Arunachalam Colony, Udaiyanthottam, Peechankulam, Warehouse, Puliyur, Posampatti, Ettarai, Koppu, Vyazhanmedu, Koyyathoppu, Iniyanur, Nachikurichi, Somarasampettai, Vayalur, Adavathur, Santhapuram, Sunnambukaranpatti and Malliyampathu.
IMA and dental colleges awareness about dental hygiene to the people:Poongothai
Posted by ganesh in Chennai, College, Departments, Health, Information, Public, function, government, hospital, programme on August 30th, 2010
Indian Medical Association (IMA) and private medical and dental colleges should work together to bring an awareness about dental hygiene to the people, Tamilnadu Minister for Information Technology Dr Poongothai Aladi Aruna has said.
She said this during the inauguration of a Continuing Dental Education programme for General Dental Practitioners organised by Indian Dental Association at the Balaji Dental and Craniofacial Hospital here Sunday.
Poongothai invited IMA and private medical and dental colleges to work together in the screening of school children programme.
Pointing out the importance of periodontics in the field on dentistry, (that relates to the care and treatment of gums) she further said, the fast paced lifestyles and changing food habits such as using fatty items, adding preservatives are the reason for the poor health of gums, bleeding and other dental complications.
Nearly 22 primary health centres in the State have been alloted a dentist to work for three days in a week and soon the programme would be extended to all the centres. Steps would also be taken to appoint a dentist in all the PHCs soon, she said.
She also said, despite the increase in the number of dental colleges and the population ratio per dentist, still around 50 per cent of the population in the State experience dental problems and diseases
Tamil Nadu’s value added tax growth has halved: Jayalalithaa
Posted by ganesh in Chennai, Communication, Income Tax, Information, Political, competition, government, programme, tamilnadu on August 30th, 2010
The implementation of value added tax (VAT) regime in Tamil Nadu by the DMK government from 2007 onwards has resulted in slower growth in commercial taxes revenue, AIADMK General Secretary J. Jayalalithaa said here Monday.
‘The state’s commercial tax revenue went up to Rs.16,615 crore in 2005-06 up from around Rs.8,000 crore in 2001-02, more than 100 percent growth. The growth rate has come down to 50 percent during DMK’s regime at Rs.24,819 crore during 2009-10,’ she said.
‘The central government is yet to compensate the state to the tune of Rs.3,500 crore towards tax loss on implementation of VAT.’
According to her, the state lost its power to levy taxes with the implementation of VAT in 2007.
Jayalalithaa ridiculed the resolution passed by the DMK members of parliament at their meeting recently opposing the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST)
She said the decision to implement GST within three years of introducing VAT was taken long back. The DMK government by implementing VAT in the state has in fact given its consent for GST.
TN: SC verdict will act as deterrent: victims’ families
Posted by ganesh in Chennai, Court, Death, Departments, Dharmapuri, Health, Information, accident, illegal on August 30th, 2010
Hailing the Supreme Court’s verdict that upheld the death sentence awarded to three AIADMK workers in connection with the 2000 Dharmapuri bus burning case, families of the victims Monday said the ruling would act as a deterrent to violence against innocent people.
“My daughter may not come back today. But the verdict, though delayed, will act as a deterrent against persons trying to resort to such a crime in the future,” K Kasiammal, mother of Hemalatha, one of the three students charred to death in the incident, said here.
She said any mercy petitions by the accused should not be entertained “considering the gravity” of the crime.
“I am happy that the right punishment has been given to the guilty. This is a lesson to others. It would prevent recurrence of such violence,” Kumaraswamy, father of another victim Kokilavani, said at Paramathivelur in Namakkal district.
Stating that attempts were made to derail the case, he thanked all those who deposed as prosecution witnesses resulting in the conviction.
Senior lawyer R Srinivasan, who was the special government pleader in the trial court in Salem, said justice had been served and the apex court judgement would act as a deterrent against violence aimed at innocent people.
“It is due punishment for killing innocent students,” he said.
Kokilavani, Hemalatha and Gayathri, students of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, were burnt alive when a mob set their college bus on fire at Ilakkiampatti near Dharmapuri during protests against the conviction of AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in Kodaikanal Pleasant Stay Hotel corruption case.
A Salem court had awarded death penalty to Nedu alias Nedunchezhian, Madhu alias Ravindran and C Muniappan, which was upheld by the Madras High Court in 2007. Twenty-five others were awarded terms ranging from two months to two years terms ranging from two months to two years.
Earlier in the day, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and B S Chauhan confirmed the death sentence awarded by the Madras High Court in 2007.
TN govt has paid Rs 484 crore to Hospitals for performing surgeries
Posted by ganesh in Health, Information, Public, budget, function, government, hospital, programme, tamilnadu on August 30th, 2010
Tamil Nadu government has paid Rs 484 crore to Hospitals for performing surgeries under the ‘Kalaingar Health Insurance Scheme’.
Disclosing this on the occasion of the first anniversary of the scheme here last night,State Health Minister M.R.K.
Panneerselvam said it had benefitted 1.8 lakh people.
The smart card under the scheme had been disbursed to 1.3 crore people.The Government had allocated Rs.1000-crore for construction of additional buildings and renovation of Hospitals.Besides Rs.600-crore had been allocated for purchase of equipment.
Foundation stone for the first phase of the ORR in chennai
Posted by ganesh in Chennai, Departments, Health, Information, Transport, function, government, modification, programme on August 30th, 2010
Chennai is set to get another infrastructure project. Deputy Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday laid the foundation stone for the first phase of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) to be developed along the periphery of the Chennai Metropolitan Area. The ORR is aimed at easing congestion in the city.
The project, to be taken up in two phases, would start from Vandalur in National Highway 45 and go up to Minjur, through Tiruvottiyur-Ponneri- Panchetty for a length of 62 kms linking Bangalore, Tirupathi and Kolkata roads.
Stalin launched the commencement of work for the first phase from Vandalur to Nemilicheri at a cost of Rs 1082 crore, covering a distance of 30 km under public-private partnership mode.
Addressing a function at suburban Pattabiram, Stalin said the government had allotted funds for the first phase and began acquistion of land for the second phase.
The Deputy Chief Minister also declared open the newly-built Avadi Municipality Building and two Railway Oerbridges at Pattabiram and Thiruninravur on the city outskirts.
Stalin said the idea of building an ORR was first mooted during the DMK government’s regime in 1967 when Chief Minister M Karunanidhi held the Public Works and Highways portfolios.
Several highways on Chennai’s periphery, like the Tambaram-Chengalpet, Poonamallee-Bangalore, Avadi-Tirupatji and Gummidipoondi-Kolkata, were not linked then.
‘It was he (Karunanidhi) who set up the Madras Area Transportation Study panel to go into the transportation requirements and ways to decongest the city,’ he pointed out and added that the committee had later come up with the proposals like the ring roads.
Stalin said elected representatives and officials should function responsibly and people ought to stand by the government led by Karunanidhi for more welfare schemes to reach them.
Elaborating on the welfare schemes implemented by the ruling DMK ever since it assumed office in 2006, Stalin said that about 1.35 crore out of 1.52 crore beneficiaries have received free colour TVs in the State.
Necessary orders have already been issued to the officials concerned to distribute CTVs to remaining beneficiaries before the yearend.
Recalling the Independence Day announcement by the Chief Minister in connection with the Kalaignar Housing Scheme, Stalin said the ruling DMK had increased subsidy by Rs 15,000 to Rs 75,000 for each concrete house built under the scheme.
Other works
On Sunday, Stalin also laid the stone for a bridge over the Buckingham Canal on Sadayankuppam Road at an estimated cost of Rs 16.50 crore.
The Deputy Chief Minister also inaugurated a road over bridge at Pattabiram, and one between the Pattabiram and Thiruninravur railway stations.
In addition, he declared open the new Avadi Municipal building besides three other bridges in Tiruvallur district.
The coverage
Spanning over 62.3 km from Vandalur to Minjur, the width of the ORR would 122 metre. The first phase that we are inaugurating Sunday would stretch from Vandalur to Nemmilichery and it spans over 30 km.
Authorities are already in the process of acquiring land for the second phase, which would stretch from Nemmilichery to Minjur. The total cost of construction for the projected is estimated at Rs 1,082 crore.
Another Madras HC judge recuses from Jaya bday gift case
Posted by ganesh in Chennai, Court, Health, Information, Political, government, illegal, lawyer, modification on August 28th, 2010
Another judge of the Madras High Court on Friday recused himself from hearing a petition by AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa seeking to quash the 1996 ‘birthday gift case’ filed by CBI against her.
The recusal by Justice T Mathivanan comes four days after Justice C T Selvam withdrew himself from hearing the petition after Jayalalithaa filed a memo stating that the judge had appeared against her when he was additional public prosecutor for the state government.
The former Tamil Nadu chief minister wanted the petition to be listed before some other judge. She had sought to quash the case citing ‘inordinate and unexplained delay’.
On August 23, when the petition came up for hearing, Justice Selvam directed that it be placed before the Chief Justice for posting before another judge.
Accordingly, the petition was posted before Justice Mathivanan, but he also declined to hear it. The Judge did not state any reason for recusing himself from the case.
According to CBI, on the occasion of her birthday in 1992 Jayalalithaa had accepted 89 demand drafts worth Rs two crore from 57 people drawn on various banks favouring her.
The CBI claimed that two former AIADMK ministers K A Shengottaiyan and Alagu Thirunavukarasu had also presented her with DDs for Rs 22.53 lakh and Rs 22.50 lakh respectively.
TN in two lakh employees will get a hike in their salaries
Posted by ganesh in Communication, Health, Information, Other, Public, budget, government, programme, tamilnadu on August 27th, 2010
Over two lakh employees in Tamil Nadu will get a hike in their salaries with the state government accepting the recommendations of the one-man Commission to set right “anomalies” arising out of the implementation of the sixth pay commission recommendations.
The decision to accept the recommendations of the Rajiv Ranjan Commission would cost the exchequer Rs 223 crore per annum, an official press release said.
The one-man commission under Industries Secretary Rajiv Ranjan was set up to look into complaints of anomalies in the revised pay structure of state government officials in line with the Sixth Central Pay Commission.
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