Mamta doles out mix of sops
Saturday, 4 July, 2009
Union Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee presented the 2009-10 Railway Budget in Lok Sabha on Friday which comprised of several sops for the common man.
This included cutting down the tatkal(instant) booking prior to 2 days from the travel day which was earlier 5 days.
The fares and frieght charges remain untouched and concession travel for unorganised sector employees, new 'yuva' fully airconditioned trains for the youth, special trains for women in metros. She also announced 12 non stop trains, 57 new train services, extension of 27 trains and 50 stations to be made world class. --MP
In a historic judgement, the government has legalised gay sex.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday has ruled out the section 377 of the Indian Penal Code which criminalises against homosexual acts thereby allowing gay sex among consenting adults.
The bench comprising 2 judges including the chief justice stated that if not amended, section 377 of the IPC would violate Article 21 of the Indian constitution, which states that every citizen has equal right before law. --MP
In view with the rising international oil prices, the government has announced that the prices of petrol and diesel hiked by Rs 4/lt and Rs2/lt respectively.
However there would be no hike in the prices of domestic LPG and kerosene. This was informed by the Petroleum Minister on Wednesday after his consultation with the Prime Minister and top leadership.
He said that the private oil companies were losing as much as Rs 170 crore a day which prompted him to revise the fuel prices. --MP
Nirupama Rao as Foreign secretary
Tuesday, 30 June, 2009
Its woman in top job again with Nirupama Rao chosen to be the next Indian Foreign Secretary who will succeed Shivshankar Menon who is retiring on July 31st.
A high profile diplomat, this 1973-batch IFS officer is currently India's Ambassador to China and has served as India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and also served in the Indian Missions in Washington and Moscow.
She was former spokeswoman of India's foreign ministry and the first woman to attain that post. --MP
Justice M S Liberhan inquiring the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition has submitted the one man Commission's report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday. Refusing to disclose any details on the report, he said, that there were various things that he have stated in his report.
"It is up to the media to commend or condemn it," he added. Soon after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 6, 1992, the Commission was set up by the then Prime Minister V. Narasimha Rao to probe on the incident.
However many factors including non-cooperation and delay in examining witnesses has eventually prolonged the inquiry. --MP
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