press trust of india
NEW DELHI, 23 JUNE: Retirement fund body Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is likely to pay an interest rate of 8.5 per cent on provident fund deposits for financial year 2013-14 to its over five crore subscribers, the same as provided in 2012-13.
“The rate of interest on PF deposits is unlikely to be changed for the current fiscal at 8.5 per cent,” a source privy to the development said.
EPFO paid 8.5 per cent interest rate to its subscribers in  2012-13 which was higher than 8.25 per cent provided in 2011-12.
The source further revealed that the EPFO office has already worked out the income projections and the feasible rate of return to be provided on PF deposit in the current fiscal.
As per the practice, the EPFO would have to place the proposal before its advisory body Finance and Investment Committee after which it is considered by the apex decision making body Central Board of Trustees headed by the labour minister for taking the final call.
Once approved, the proposal is put before the finance ministry for its concurrence.
EPFO has recently reconstituted the CBT, and thus the FIC would be constituted again in the next meet of trustees.
The CBT meeting is likely to be convened next month as the new Central Provident Fund commissioner K K Jalan, who is executive head of EPFO, has taken charge.

press trust of india 
NEW DELHI, 23 JUNE: Market regulator the Securities and Exchange Board of India has been able to get hold of cash and investments totalling about Rs 52 crore and details of more than 450 acres of land so far through its attachment orders against Sahara group entities.
In the high-profile case involving refund of over Rs 24,000 crore to the bondholders of two Sahara companies, the Sebi had passed orders for attachment of various properties and freezing of accounts in February after the entities failed to deposit the entire money.
The cash totalling over Rs 23 crore, received from various banks pursuant to these orders, has been invested in a term deposit for now, while investments worth about Rs 28 crore in mutual funds and demat accounts have also been frozen, sources said.
After passing its attachment orders, the Sebi informed all banks, depositories, mutual funds and NBFCs, among others, about the matter and also requested the RBI to direct the chiefs of the banks to transfer the money of Sahara firms to a designated Sebi account.
The market watchdog had also approached the collectors of as many as 600 districts to request them not to permit the concerned Sahara entities and persons from any sale or transfer of properties attached by the regulator.
As a result, the district collectors and revenue officers from various parts of the country have provided the Sebi details of more than 450 acres of land belonging to Saharas, sources added.
The regulator has already asked the Supreme Court to allow it to appoint an officer of special duty and other officers to deal with the objections and claims relating to the property to be sold and for conducting the sale of the property to garner funds for refunding the investors’ money.
Saharas have so far deposited Rs 5,120 crore with the Sebi towards the refund and claims that this amount is more than sufficient to meet the outstanding liabilities towards its bondholders as the group has already paid close to Rs 20,000 crore directly to the investors.
The money was raised by Sahara Housing Investment Corporation Ltd and Sahara India Real Estate Corp Ltd from about three crore investors through issuance of certain bonds.
However, these claims have been disputed by the Sebi before the Supreme Court, which is expected to resume hearing on the case next month. In the meantime, the Sebi has begun the process for refund of the money to the genuine investors after verifying their credentials.

press trust of india
NEW DELHI, 23 JUNE: British telecom giant Vodafone has written to the tax department, saying it needs some more time to reply to the latter’s proposal for entering into a non-binding conciliation to resolve the long-standing tax dispute.
“Vodafone has replied. They asked for more time to reply to CBDT’s (Central Board of Direct Taxes) letter as they want conciliation under United Nations Commission on International Trade Law,” sources said, adding that the UK-based company is likely to decide on the proposal in its next board meeting.
Vodafone is facing a tax liability of over Rs 11,200 crore on its 2007 acquisition of Hutchison Whampoa’s stake in Hutchison Essar. The demand included Rs 3,300 crore of interest over delayed payment.
The Union Cabinet earlier this month had approved a proposal for non-binding conciliation with the telecom firm, following which the CBDT formally wrote to the firm.
The conciliation would be under the Indian Arbitration Law and not under the UNCITRAL as sought by Vodafone.
Sources said if Vodafone enters into conciliation under Indian Arbitration Act then it would not be possible for them to seek arbitration under the UNCITRAL.
The Supreme Court last year had ruled in Vodafone’s favour, saying the British company was not liable to pay any tax over its 2007 acquisition of mobile phone assets in India. But the government, later in the year, changed the rules to enable it to make retroactive tax claims on already-concluded deals, drawing criticism from global business groups.
Following that, the income tax department had issued a letter in January to Vodafone International Holdings BV, stating that the company is required to pay tax demand of about Rs 11,217 crore along with interest.

The disinvestment department has sought Cabinet nod to offload five per cent stake in ITDC and 1.02 per cent in STC through the offer for sale route
press trust of india
NEW DELHI, 23 JUNE: The finance ministry has moved a Cabinet note for disinvestment in State Trading Corporation (STC) and India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) to make the PSUs compliant with minimum public shareholding norms of the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
The disinvestment department has sought Cabinet nod to offload five per cent stake in ITDC and 1.02 per cent in STC through the offer for sale (OFS) route, a finance ministry official said.
The department has moved a draft Cabinet note in this regard to seek comments from ministries, the official added.
The government expects the sale of five per cent stake or 42.88 crore shares in ITDC to fetch Rs 23.58 crore. Besides, it aims to garner about Rs 10 crore through disinvestment of 1.02 per cent or 6.13 crore shares in STC.
The government currently holds 92.11 per cent stake in ITDC and 91.02 per cent stake in STC. The government has to bring down its stake in the companies to 90 per cent by 8 August to meet the minimum public holding norms of the market regulator.
At the end of financial year 2012-13, the paid-up capital of ITDC stood at Rs 86 crore and earned a net profit of Rs 19 crore. For STC, the paid-up capital stands at Rs 60 crore and net profit at Rs 18 crore for fiscal 2012-13.
Following the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), the EGoM on disinvestment would decide on the floor price for stake sale in the two companies. Further, the disinvestment department has also sought CCEA approval for allotting shares to employees of the companies at a five per cent discount to the last cut-off price in the OFS.
The government uses the OFS route to divest its stake in PSUs and to make firms compliant with 10 per cent minimum public holding. It has already used the route to sell stake in MMTC, Oil India, NTPC, NMDC and Hindustan Copper.
 

press trust of india 
NEW DELHI, 23 JUNE: With civil aviation ministry fast-tracking privatisation of management of Kolkata and Chennai airports, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has set up a cell to execute public private partnerships process to operate and maintain these and other aerodromes.
The Key Infrastructure Development (KID) cell, which was in existence during the privatisation of Delhi and Mumbai airports, would handle the public-private partnership process for Kolkata and Chennai airports, which are currently owned and managed by the AAI, officials sources said.
KID was the nodal point in the AAI for private players who participated in the bidding process during the modernisation of Delhi and Mumbai airports in 2005. It was not only the data room providing details on traffic flows, projections and area of land available with the two airports, but also put out Requests for Proposal for their modernisation. It was wound up after the process was over.
The decision to set up the KID again with five senior AAI officials was taken soon after Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said global bids would be invited for professional management of new Chennai and Kolkata airports through PPP.
“These two airports have to be managed professionally by engaging private partners through the PPP or joint venture route. The offers in this regard will be invited through an international bid very soon,” Mr Singh had said last month.
Chennai airport was modernised at a cost of Rs 2,100 crore, while the airport in Kolkata was refurbished for Rs 2,350 crore. These airports are currently the highest revenue earners for AAI, after other major metro airports, like those in Delhi and Mumbai, were privatised.
KID would assist the ministry in various aspects to execute the project, including appointing technical, legal and financial consultants, the sources said. KID would also issue RFPs for Kolkata and Chennai airports, they said, adding that the cell would function till the project was complete and disbanded thereafter.
However, the Ministry has not come out with a time-frame for the bidding process, as also the guidelines for the selected bidders. No decision has been taken on whether the selected entity would have to pay for the takeover on an upfront basis or have a revenue-share model like the one in place at Delhi and Mumbai airports, the sources said.
Another crucial issue not decided yet is the fate of the employees of the AAI employed in these two airports. In case of Delhi and Mumbai airports, the joint venture companies had offered to take the AAI employees, but a majority decided to remain with the state-owned airport operator.
The employees, owing allegiance to the Airports Authority Employees’ Union (AAEU), had last week held lunch-hour demonstrations at several cities to protest the government’s move to privatise Kolkata and Chennai airports.

NEW DELHI, 23 JUNE: Keen to ease travel facilities for Chinese nationals, the Tourism Ministry has proposed visa-on-arrival provision for them as it senses huge potential for exchanges in this sector.  China is among 30 countries for which the tourism ministry wants visa-on-arrival facility, a proposal if endorsed, will raise to 41 the number of countries that will have such a facility. “We have proposed visa-on-arrival (VoA) facility for 30 countries including Germany, France, Korea, Russia and China,” said tourism minister K Chiranjeevi.
Referring to China, he said there is “very good potential” as far as tourism is concerned. The proposal has to be cleared by Home Ministry, he said. sns

Kochi, 23 JUNE: In a major embarrassment for the Left Democratic Front (LDF), the Opposition in Kerala, the police today registered a case of
sexual harassment against former state transport minister and sitting MLA Mr Jose Thettayil and his son.
The case was registered at the Aluva police station here on the complaint of a woman native to  Angamally, the constituency which Mr Thettayil represents in the state assembly. While he is the first accused in the case, his son, Adarsh, has been named as the second accused.
The police said the woman’s statement has been noted down and that she had been taken to hospital for a medical examination. The woman has also told them that she has a video CD for proof, the police said.
Kerala home minister Mr Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said at Kottayam that since it was a complaint of sexual harassment, a lady officer, Sajita Begum Sultan, superintendent of police with the Ernakulam Crime Branch, would investigate the matter.
Reacting to the charges made against him, Mr Thettayil said he would face the case legally and said it was part of a “political conspiracy” aimed at tarnishing his image.
Mr Thettayil told television channels that he knows the woman and her family, but her complaint was “baseless”. He said that she had approached him to get married to his son. The woman has alleged that the father-son duo sexually harassed her last year at a flat at Aluva.
The case is likely to take the wind out of the sails of the LDF’s agitation on the solar scam both inside and outside the assembly.
Pro-UDF activists took out marches in various parts of the state, shouting slogans against Mr Thettayil. pti

press trust of india
Birmingham, 23 June: India clinched the ICC Champions Trophy with a nerve-wracking five-run victory over hosts England in a rain-hit final here today, giving their captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the unique record of being the first captain to win three world titles.
After frustrating showers reduced the contest to a T20 affair, India first scored 129 for seven and then restricted England to 124 for eight in a topsy-turvy game that went down to the wire. Ravindra Jadeja (33 no and 2/24) made another all-round contribution which proved to be telling in the context of the match.
The sizeable Indian crowd erupted in joy when Ravichandran Ashwin (2/15) finished the final over with James Tredwell unable to hit the required six off the last delivery.
Skipper Dhoni jumped in joy as the delirious Indian players hugged each others while the others were busy collecting souvenir stumps to mark another remarkable chapter in Indian cricket history.
This was India’s second Champions Trophy title having won the first one jointly with Sri Lanka back in 2002. That India won the championship two days before the 30th anniversary of maiden World Cup triumph back on 25 June, 1983, was icing on the cake.
India got a big breakthrough when skipper Alastair Cook guided one to Ravichandran Ashwin at first slip off Umesh Yadav’s bowling. England’s form-man Jonathan Trott (20) hit a couple of sweetly timed boundaries but Ashwin got better of him.
Coming from round the wicket, he drew Trott forward with an off-break that pitched on leg-stump and turned as rival skipper Dhoni completed a smart stumping.
From 28 for two, it soon became 40 for three as Ashwin accounted for Joe Root with his ‘leg-theory’. It was another delivery tossed in line of the leg-stump as Root mistimed a pull-shot and was holed in the deep by Ishant Sharma.
Ian Bell (13) could consider himself unlucky as he got a raw deal from third umpire Bruce Oxenford. He was adjudged stumped off Jadeja’s bowling when TV replays showed that Bell had got his foot back before Dhoni was able to whip off the bails.
At 46 for four, England were in dire straits with their best T20 player Eoin Morgan (33) at the crease. Along with Ravi Bopara (30), the duo added 64 runs for the fifth wicket before Ishant dealt a double blow.
First he removed Morgan who fetched a slower to be caught by Ashwin at mid-wicket. Then he bowled a short one which was again gobbled by Ashwin standing at square leg this time.
From 110 for four, England slumped to 113 for eight losing four wickets in the addition of only three runs. The last few overs turned out to be interesting as man-of-the-match Jadeja gave only four runs of the penultimate over and also got Jos Butler out.
With 15 required of the final over, Ashwin kept his cool to mix it up well and gave only 10 runs in the end.
Earlier, Indian top-order failed to deliver when it mattered the most as they were restricted to a modest 129 for seven by a disciplined England attack.b Couple of stoppages after the match finally started also didn’t help India’s cause. Barring in-form Shikhar Dhawan (31) and Virat Kohli (43, 34 balls, 4×4, 1×6), none of the other top-order batsmen made significant contribution after India were put into bat. Kohli and Jadeja (33 no)added 47 runs for the sixth wicket after India were reduced to 66 for five.
Ravi Bopara’s (3/20 in 4 overs) brilliant incisive spell in the middle overs proved to be invaluable for England’s cause as the largely untested Indian middle-order couldn’t stand up and be counted on the D-Day.
Rohit Sharma (9) yet again baffled one and all as he played an irresponsible shot off a Broad delivery which came in after pitching. Rohit didn’t have any footwork as he played across the line to get castled.

*Bodies beneath debris yet to be pulled out *Bad weather hits rescue ops
sns & pti
DEHRADUN, 23 JUNE: At least 5,000 people may have been killed in the Uttarakhand deluge, a state minister said today, as rescuers evacuated by road and air 12,000 more stranded people while 10,000 survivors still remained to be taken to safety.
Kedarnath Valley, the temple town which was the epicentre of the floods and landslides, was also cleared of all stranded pilgrims in stepped up rescue operations amid intermittent rains which led to evacuation of 12,000 pilgrims and tourists.
With the MeT department warning of adverse weather in the region from tomorrow, the multi-agency operations involving Army, IAF, ITBP and NDRF among others raced against time to try to rescue the remaining 10,000 people stuck in three areas, including Badrinath. Air operations had to be also briefly suspended due to bad weather. “At least 5,000 people must have been killed in the deluge that inflicted heavy damage on vast tracts of land especially in Kedarnath valley,” Disaster Management Minister Yashpal Arya told reporters at Jolly Grant airport on his return from an aerial survey of affected areas. The official death toll as of yesterday was put at 680 while chief minister Vijay Bahuguna said the death toll is likely to be around 1,000. However, Mr Arya did not give a specific figure, saying extrication of bodies from under tons of debris in affected areas which is yet to be taken up may take some time. So far, over 80,000 people have been evacuated, including 12,000 today, to safer areas in the rain-ravaged state with some 10,000 people still stranded in various places, DG, Press Information Bureau Neelam Kapur said in Delhi.
A Defence Ministry release said 45 choppers airlifted more than 3,200 people in 250 sorties in the IAF operations.
The NDRF also deployed its Unmanned Aerial Vehicle  ‘Netra’ to help locate survivors in various areas. NDRF DIG S S Guleria said the UAV will operate tomorrow as well to ensure all survivors are located and eventually evacuated.
Rope bridges and foot tracks were also being built and new routes opened to speed up the mammoth evacuation work, offering a “silver lining” for the stranded people.
Kedarnath valley has been totally evacuated while over 3,000 stuck in Badrinath, Junglechatti and Harshil areas were evacuated to safe locations by the security forces today, officials said. Scores of dead bodies also lay strewn in Kedarnath temple area presenting a gory picture. “Rains on Tuesday are our main worry…if we get three to four hours of window tomorrow, we can do well,” Air Marshal S B Deo, DG, Air Operations told reporters in Delhi. Meanwhile, 12 foreigners were among the 150 airlifted today by IAF helicopters from various places in rain ravaged Kinnaur district in Himachal.

BSNL helpline
NEW DELHI, 23 JUNE:
State-run BSNL has opened helpline numbers — 1503 and 09412024365 — to enable people to find out the last mobile phone location of their relatives and friends stranded in flood-hit Uttarakhand. Private sector telecom major Airtel too has started free Emergency Alert Service for customers registered in the Visitor Location Register in affected districts. pti

press trust of india
NEW DELHI, 23 JUNE: Accusing Mr Narendra Modi of politicising the Uttarakhand tragedy,  Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari today said that after making a “tourist detour” via the deluge-hit state, some people were tom-tomming “myths” that they had rescued thousands of people.
“It is indeed unfortunate that when a part of India is trying to grapple with a natural disaster, there are some people who are absolutely unabashed in politicising it. They had to go to Pathankot so they make a tourist detour via Uttarakhand and then started claiming, that solo, they were able to rescue 15,000 people,” Mr Tewari said in an apparent reference to Mr Modi.
“If someone can put out such myths, I leave it to the people of the country, how reliable are their utterances and how profound are their achievements,” he said. The minister was referring to reports which said Mr Modi, on his trip to Uttarakhand, had with the help of a team of his officials managed to evacuate 15,000 people from the deluge-affected areas of the hill state.
He also took pot-shots at the Gujarat CM, saying his criticism of the UPA government’s Bharat Nirman campaign reflected that the Opposition was scared.
“The Bharat Nirman campaign has indeed hit where it hurts. And the hurt manifest themselves whenever the chief minister of Gujarat speaks. He has only seen phase-I of Bharat Nirman, there are other phases coming,” Mr Tewari said.
In his speech at Pathankot this afternoon, Mr Modi took a dig at the Bharat Nirman advertising campaign run by the UPA government on various TV channels.
“The advertisement said ‘bharat ke nirman pe haq hai mera’ (I have a right to India’s development). I say ‘bharat nirman pe shaq hai mera’ (I have doubts over India’s development),” Mr Modi had said.
Mr Tewari told reporters here, “…If somebody wants to become a Rambo and claims that he alone in a span of two days during a trip of disaster tourism brought out 15,000 people, I am afraid for the lack of a better word, it just reflects rank opportunism and sheer desperation to try and politicise and even milk a tragedy for political reasons.”

press trust of india
NEW DELHI, 23 JUNE: US Ambassador to India Nancy J Powell today announced that Washington is providing $1,50,000 through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to NGOs working in the most-affected areas of Uttarakhand.
“The support will provide emergency relief to the families residing in remote areas of the state in coordination with the state authorities,” a US embassy press release said.
On behalf of the American people, Ms Powell also offered her condolences to the families of those killed and to those rendered homeless in the recent flood and landslides in the hill state.
“We are deeply saddened by the tremendous personal loss and the damage to houses, public buildings, temples, roads, and bridges, as well as safe drinking water sources, livestock, and agricultural land,” she said.
Ms Powell iterated the commitment of the USA to help those affected by the floods.

The victim, a mother of two minor children, was found dead in a condemned building of a local health centre. A farm labourer was arrested. He had been accused of molestation and rape several
times earlier, police said
statesman news service 
BEHRAMPORE, 23 JUNE: A 32-year-old housewife was allegedly raped and murdered early this morning at Kharjuna village in the Barwan police station area of Murshidabad. The victim, a mother of two minor children, was found  dead in a condemned building of a local health centre. Police recovered her body amidst an agitation by local residents who demanded immediate action against the guilty.
Prakash Das, a farm labourer, was arrested. Das had been accused of molestation and rape several times earlier, police said.
Responding to nature&’s call, the housewife went to a field near her residence early this morning. As she did not return home, her family members came out looking for her. Her body was found with multiple injury marks in the deserted quarters of the health centre, said locals. The victim is suspected to have been raped before being murdered. The victim’s husband has lodged a written complaint of rape and murder with police. He joined the protest by local residents urging police to arrest the offenders without delay. The SP, Murshidabad, Mr Humayun Kabir, rushed to the spot and assured the agitators of prompt action. 
In the past couple of weeks, three incidents of rape and murder were reported in Murshidabad. On 15 June a class IX student was allegedly raped and killed at Sonadanga village in the Ranitala police station area. Protesting the incident, the Congress called a bandh in Murshidabad on 19 June, the same day that a middle-aged widow was raped and murdered at Makhaltore village in the Salar police station area.      
 

statesman news service
DIAMOND HARBOUR, 22 JUNE: A Youth Congress leader of South 24-Parganas has allegedly been collecting money from hotel owners and others in the name of party election fund.
Some Congress leaders and its youth and student wing leaders, too, were allegedly involved.
Members of the Hotel Owners’ Association of Diamond Harbour lodged a complaint alleging that Mr Shamim Hosain Mollah, Youth Congress president of Diamond Harbour Assembly, had forcibly been collecting lump-sum amounts from them using the party’s letterhead and giving receipts in the name of the Diamond Harbour-II block Congress.
The association had submitted a written complaint to the party’s district committee office and informed the party leaders.
Mr Bijan Patra, the district committee leader of Congress, said the alleged Youth Congress leader was suspended from his post and was expelled from the party after party leaders investigated the allegations. Congress will never support such illegal work, the leader added.
District congress committee sources said they have evidence that some Congress leaders accompanied its youth and students’ wing leaders and had assisted the accused Youth Congress leader in extorting money. The party will take action against them soon, sources said. Police said they have started an inquiry on the basis of the complaint.

pritesh basu
KOLKATA, 22 JUNE: For many film producers and directors, the easy route to box office success is sex and titillation. But what has psychologists concerned, especially against the backdrop of the recent spate of crimes against women, is the increasingly frequent depiction of rape, or the use of rape themes in Tollywood.
Some psychologists feel that watching rape sequences on screen may be what pushes people possessing anti-social traits, often in combination with alcohol or drugs, to actually go out and commit the crime.
Psychologists also feel that the protest rallies and marches organised to protest against the repeated incidents of attacks on women in the state help to create awareness, but such moves don’t help the society in any way unless the intellectuals and administration come up with workable measures to check such incidents.
There has been a series of movies recently produced in Tollywood, that include rape sequences, with some directors and producers justifying it saying it is intended to create awareness. 8.08-er Bongaon Local, a movie which was apparently based on the murder of a school goer at Barasat, who was killed when he tried to save his sister from being molested, was released in April 2012. Another film, Teen Kanya, was apparently based on repeated incidents of attacks on women in the state, including the Park Street rape. Incidentally, Teen Kanya was in the limelight a few months ago as screening of the Bengali movie, was initially stopped at Star Theatre as the theatre authorities thought that the movie features “anti-state statement”.
Prof. Nilanjana Sanyal, psychologist and former head of department Psychology, Calcutta University, says violent subjects attract the common viewer to a particular film.
"Such movies do not leave any effect on people who do not have possess any criminal tendency. But the primitive impulses of those with anti-social tendencies may be affected by seeing rape sequences on screen," she said.
Psychiatrist Dr Muktananda Kundu, said he had recently found violent attitudes among children. "I had asked a child to deliver a dialogue, as his favourite passtime was watching television. He said ‘Marbo Ekhane Lash Porbe Sashane (I will beat you here and your body will  be found at  the  burning ghat)’," he said, adding that this shows that violent attitudes among children develop when they watch violent sequences on television.
He maintained that crime stories from police files that are often shown on television leave far-reaching impact on children. "Steps should be taken to stop showing such programmes," he said.
Mr Haranath Chakraborty, director and a board member of the Central Board of Film Certification, said: "It is true that such sequences leaves deep impact on common people. But no one in the country has the right to stop a director or a producer from making a film. But we always ask directors to shorten the length of such violent sequences."

mamata says bill is a political gimmick
sns & pti
BANKURA, 22 JUNE: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today asked why the UPA government was in a hurry to legislate the Food Security Bill when its continuance was in doubt, while denying that Trinamul Congress was opposed to it.
“The Congress is saying that they are going to pass the National Food Security Bill and the Trinamul Congress is obstructing it,” Miss Banerjee told a panchayat election meeting here in Bankura district.
“You (UPA government) have not done it for over four years and now when it is time for immersion what is the hurry?” she asked.
“We support the Food Security Bill. But the Centre should ensure it reaches the people,” she said, doubting the efficacy of the proposed cash transfer in lieu of foodgrains when banking facilities were unavailable in remote areas.
Questioning if it was feasible for a villager to spend Rs 40 on transport to go to collect Rs 12, she said her government was already providing rice at Rs 2 per kg in Junglemahal despite its limited financial resources.
Claiming that it was a "political gimmick" and that the Centre did not have the required funds to implement the scheme across the country, she said: “The responsibility of food security should be left by the Centre to the states.”
Dwelling on her party quitting the UPA on allowing FDI in retail and other “anti-people” policies, she said her party had allied with the Congress after assurance from it at the time that it would not compromise with the CPI-M. “But I found that they did not change,” she added.
She reiterated that the Centre was getting huge interest from the state on loans taken by the former Left Front government.
Addressing a rally in the Khatra area the chief minister promised another university for South Bengal.
Miss Banerjee said: “Bankura has always fared well in all examinations. We need to have a university here. If the Christian College authorities allow us to use its premises, it can be started anytime.”
The Burdwan University covers 77 colleges across five South Bengal districts. The state has declared one university at Asansol after poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. Now the chief minister has proposed another university in Bankura today. Miss Banerjee said: “Besides universities in Cooch Behar, a university in Diamond Harbour will also start operating soon.” She also hinted that a private university would soon come up in Bankura.
Miss Banerjee was addressing a rally at the tribal-dominated Khatra area which was once a Maoist den and witnessed several bloodbaths in the past decade. She, however, reiterated that Maoists are now hand in glove with the CPI-M and Congress. She said: “I trust Left politics. But those who come out of the jungle and butcher innocent people are goons.”
Miss Banerjee stressed on the need for setting up a tourism circuit across Jhilimili-Mukutmoni-pur besides setting up rock climbing centres in Jhilimili, Bihar-inath and Susunia hill areas. These areas are popular amoung amateur trekkers in the state.
 

press trust of india
Birmingham, 22 June: India have not devised any “special plans” for the ICC Champions Trophy final against hosts England, according to captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who said his team will just go in with the same approach like they did in the previous matches.
“We don’t have any special plans. We will go with the same approach like we did in the match against Pakistan and the semi-final (versus Sri Lanka),” Dhoni said at the pre-match Press conference today. He said his bowlers have done a good job in the tournament so far but death bowling was a bit of a concern.
“We have exploited the condition well and we have bowled in the right areas, which I feel is very important.
“But still, death bowling is a concern. It’s an area we need to improve as a team,” Dhoni said. India have so far played very good cricket in the Champions Trophy and Dhoni said the first 10 overs,  whether bowling or batting, could determine how the final shaped up.
“So far in this tournament that’s what we have seen.
 If you get off to a very good start, batting or bowling, you are able to put pressure on the middle order and then you can restrict the opposition from scoring freely,” the Indian skipper said.
“Or, when you have wickets in hand while batting first, you can get those extra 20 or 25 runs in the end which could prove crucial.”
 Dhoni admitted that England’s pace attack has the quality to test the best of batsmen, but said India’s top-order was fully prepared to tackle the English bowlers.
“The English are a very good team, especially the bowlers. What we are positive about is the fact that our top-order has done well against some of the best bowlers in world cricket in this tournament,” Dhoni said.
“Our batsmen are well prepared to face the England bowlers. But, like in every game, they have to apply themselves. So we will wait and watch how it goes,” he added.
Dhoni was full of praise for his spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who according to him are “hunting in pairs” in the ongoing Champions Trophy.
“What’s important is to realise that they are a bowling unit. If one of them is bowling brilliantly, it can actually lift the pressure from the other guy who’s bowling from the other end.
“So I think it’s very important that they hunt in pairs, and I think that’s what they have been doing really well so far.
When Jadeja puts the pressure, Ashwin gets the wicket; when Ashwin puts the pressure, Jadeja gets the wicket.
Both of them are very crucial for each other’s success and for the success of the team,” he said.

agencies
BIRMINGHAM, 22 JUNE: Aleem Dar has apparently lost the opportunity of officiating Sunday’s Champions Trophy final after his role in the changing the ball during England’s defeat to Sri Lanka at the group stage.
The three-time ICC’s best umpire of the year has been demoted to the fourth umpire’s position for the title clash between India and England here at Edgbaston.
The Pakistani angered England after he changed the ball, leading to speculation of ball tampering.
Kumar Dharmasena and Rod Tucker will be the on-field umpires Sunday and will be closely monitoring the condition of the balls while with Bruce Oxenford will be the third umpire. Ranjan Madugalle will be the match referee.
HIV awareness
The final of the ICC Champions Trophy will be dedicated to the highly successful HIV awareness campaign THINK WISE, a partnership between ICC, UNAIDS and UNICEF.
UNAIDS deputy executive director Jan Beagle will attend the final between England and India at Edgbaston Sunday. She will join International Cricket Council (ICC) president Alan Isaac, chairman of England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Giles Clarke, and two representatives of people living with HIV, will walk out with the teams for the national anthems in solidarity of people around the globe living with HIV.
Over the past decade, the ICC has been promoting awareness for the AIDS epidemic, which led to the creation of the THINK WISE partnership in 2009. During the final, both the finalists, as well as match officials, ICC and ECB staff will wear red ribbons to raise awareness about the stigma surrounding people living with HIV.
Beagle congratulated the ICC on its commitment to AIDS awareness. “I am moved to see the incredible dedication of the ICC and cricketers to promoting HIV prevention and reaching zero discrimination for people living with HIV. For a decade, UNAIDS and the ICC have been using cricket as an effective avenue to convey lifesaving messages and reach large numbers of people on key issues around AIDS.”
Isaac said: “I would like to extend a warm welcome to Ms. Beagle and it brings me great pleasure that the ICC&’s partnership with UNAIDS and UNICEF is flourishing."
Pietersen speaks
Kevin Pietersen admitted yesterday he had made mistakes over the incident that saw him dropped by England on disciplinary grounds last season before he returned to the side.
Former England captain Pietersen returned to competitive cricket after three months out with a right knee problem by playing for Surrey in a four-day match away to Yorkshire. He marked the occasion by giving a radio interview to former England team-mate Darren Gough broadcast while he fielded at Headingley. It was at the Leeds ground, where having made a superb Test hundred against his native South Africa, Pietersen gave a Press conference where he said "it’s tough being me in this dressing room."

‘India way ahead’
“KOLKATA, 22 JUNE: "India are definitely the favourites going into the final. Going by the form of Dhawan, Jadeja and Kumar, England will find it very difficult to turn it their way, even if they are the home side," Laxmi Ratan Shukla said at the Calcutta Sports Journalists’ Club today. Asked about the recent spot-fixing scam, he commented, "while the recent happenings have undoubtedly tarnished the image of the game, there are still players whose integrity and honesty will ensure that the spirit of the game lives on."  sns