NEW DELHI: Kuldip Singh, director, technical, of telecom PSU MTNL, has been appointed the new chairman and managing director with immediate

effect.

Singh would continue to hold the portfolio of director (technical).

Singh has been given the charge for a period of three months. His appointment came after his predecessor R S P Sinha’s tenure ended on January 9, this year.

When contacted, he confirmed receipt of an official communication in this regard.

MTNL offers the entire gamut of telecom services — basic, mobile, internet and long distance. It faces many big challenges in the midst of fierce competition from private telecom operators.

Set up by the government of India in 1986, MTNL is the leading telecom service provider in the metro cities of Delhi and Mumbai. The government holds 56.25 per cent stake in it.

With its operations in Delhi, Mumbai, Nepal and Mauritius, MTNL is the first service provider to launch 3G services in the country.

MTNL has continued to expand the footprints and make new offerings to maintain its leadership in telecom service space. The PSU has a customer base of over 8.2 million, including about 4.4 million GSM mobile connections.

The company has been facing severe pressure on its financials and had announced near 80 per cent decline in net profit for the second quarter ended September, 2009 and stood at Rs 20.58 crore compared to Rs 91.49 crore in the same period in 2008.

NEW DELHI: Taking a leaf out of its slogan ‘Athithi Devo Bhava’ , the tourism ministry is likely to waive off 50 per cent of the visa fee charged

from visitors of Commonwealth nations as an incentive to boost slagging foreign tourist arrivals.

This is part of its effort to incentivise tourism to India for the Commonwealth Games to be held in October.

“We are considering a proposal to waive off 50% of the visa fee. The expense will be borne by the tourism ministry,” a source said.

The move comes after the positive response to ‘Visit India 2009’ promotion where major stakeholders like hospitality partners, tour operators and others had offered schemes and promotions in addition to what the visitor paid for.

The visa fee waiver will supplement the promotions and the ministry is already in talks with hotels, travel agents and tour operators for extending these incentives for another year.

There are 54 members of the Commonwealth of nations of which visitors from UK, Australia and Canada form a large part of India’s tourist inflow. India received 5.11 million tourists of which 0.5 million come from Commonwealth nations.

source: TOI

NEW DELHI: Competition watchdog CCI may soon issue show-cause notices to leading DTH operators like Tata Sky, Reliance Big TV and ZEE’s Dish TV

for abusing their dominant market position and not allowing users to change the operator, while retaining the hardware cost at about Rs 4,000.

The subscribers get discouraged to change the operator as their Set Top Boxes (STBs) do not provide options of using another player’s card even as the STBs can technically be made inter-operable.

“DTH operators have been found guilty of violating Sections 3 and 4 of the CCI Act. We will soon send them a notice, which is kind of a show cause, to which they would have to respond in 15 days. After that the Commission will take decision on what action to take against the operators,” a senior official of the CCI said.

The move follows the Director General (Investigation) of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) having found DTH operators guilty of limiting consumer’s option to choose one network, while using another company’s set-top box by not making their STB’s technically inter-operable.

“Since a Conditional Access Module (CAM) — a card that facilitates feeds of one or more service provider to be read by STBs of another manufacturer — is absent, the STBs are not technically inter-operable,” the official said.

DTH operators did not respond to the queries sent by PTI.

The DG in his findings added that DTH operators are not following telecom regulator TRAI’s guidelines according to which subscribers should be able to rent, hire or buy STBs.

The CCI, sources said, would decide on the quantum of penalty, if needed, after receiving response from operators.

According to the Competition Commission Act, companies violating sections 3 and 4 could be penalised to the maximum of 10 per cent of the average turnover of the preceding three financial years.

Sections 3 and 4 pertain to anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominance, respectively.

Last year, the Consumer Federation Online had filed a complaint against these DTH operators with the CCI, contending that the practice of not allowing interoperability of STBs is anti-competitive and against the interest of consumers.

VIJAYWADA: The consumers are already burdened with price rise and the state government’s present hike in VAT on a few important goods has put

more burden on them, said Gaddam Subba Rao, president, The Vijayawada Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He feels that the hike is a punishment for honest trader and it also leads to more evasion of tax and corruption.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh issued orders to hike 2 per cent on VAT from 12.5 per cent to 14.5 per cent on certain goods like cosmetics, electrical goods and appliances, automobile spares and some other goods. Most of the entrepreneurs are now opposing the hike.

P Kameswara Sarma, president, The Vijayawada Electrical Dealers Association opposed the hike on VAT on electrical goods. He said that though some other states are now collecting only 4 per cent of VAT on electrical goods, why our state Government decided to hike the tax. He said that in this condition, the business from our state may divert to other states, particularly to Karnataka and Tamilnadu.

He said that Karnataka and Tamilandu are collecting only 4 per cent tax on electrical goods. He requested the Government to roll back the hike

A general goods dealer T Sivaramakrishna said that nowadays cosmetics have become essential goods and imposing higher tax on the goods is a burden on common man. Soaps, detergents and toilet powders are essential for common man, he said and government should reduce the tax on these cosmetics.

An electrical dealer Ramesh Jain said that why government had taken such a hasty decision when the Union Government is contemplating to bring Goods and Services Tax instead of VAT from the next financial year.

Gaddam Subba Rao said that all Chamber of Commerce and Industries committees from coastal districts will meet in Vijayawada on 19th of this month to decide the future course of action.

source: TOI

Former chief minister of West Bengal and veteran communist leader of India, Jyoti Basu, breathed his last on Sunday. Announcing his death, CPI (M) state secretary Biman Bose, said that Basu passed away at 11: 47 am. The 95-year-old communist leader was admitted at a private nursing home in Kolkata on January 1 with mildly severe pneumonia.

Jyoti Basu: 1914-2010

His condition deteriorated steadily and he was put on ventilation on January 6. His lungs stopped functioning a few days later. He developed multi organ dysfunction. Senior political leaders from all over the country, including the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, visited Basu during the last 17 days. His condition continued to deteriorate and dialysis was done since the last three days.

On Saturday night, Basu’s heart rate dropped abnormally and a temporary pace maker had to be placed to keep his heart functioning. Doctors had gathered at the hospital on Saturday night itself. Basu was to undergo dialysis on Sunday. But on Sunday morning, doctors decided that Basu was not in a condition to undergo dialysis. Basu’s body is being taken to Peace Haven where it would be kept for today. The CPI (M) state secretariat will meet at 6 pm today to decide about how to pay last homage to Basu on Monday and Tuesday.

All the national leaders of the CPI (M) including party secretary Prakash Karat, rushed to the hospital on Sunday morning. Basu had donated his eyes and body.

Earlier Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee visited the hospital where Basu was being treated. “I respect him as a senior polititian. We have stopped all party programs for the next three days. I demand three days of official mourning,” Mamata said.

Born on July 8, 1914, he was the chief minister of Bengal between June 21, 1977 to November 6, 2000.

Snehesh Alex Philip Haridwar, Jan 15 (PTI) The otherwise bustling Maha Kumbh Mela here has come almost to a complete standstill today due to the solar eclipse with doors of temples shut and the devout taking to meditation to ward off what they believe to be an inauspicious period. The ghats, which witnessed several thousands of people taking a holy dip on the occasion of ”Makar Sankranti” yesterday, are now playing host to people performing ”havans” or those meditating.

The enchanting spell of vedic hymns, bells and conch shells, which reverberated throughout the day on Thursday, when the Maha Kumbh began, can no longer be heard. The only sound that seems to echo at the main bathing ghat here ”Hari Ki Pauri” is the cold water of Ganga flowing strong and hitting against the stone steps.

The green coloured iron railing and chains with ”OM” signage above them, which provided the support to the devotees yesterday from being washed away from by the strong current, continues to rattle as they fight the mighty river.

PTI

Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor on Friday warned Pakistani forces to refrain from the frequent ceasefire violations along the line of control (LoC) or face action.

Gen Kapoor said India’s patience was running out and if the ceasefire violations by Pakistan and intrusions in Jammu and Kashmir did not end, India would be forced to take action.

Just a few days ago, India had lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over the ceasefire violation by its troops along the LoC in Poonch. An Indian Army jawan was killed in the incident.

The army chief said infiltration was on the rise. He said before the snow blocked the passes, Pakistan was making desperate efforts to push in terrorists.

Security forces have been asked to remain vigilant round the clock along the borders in view of the increase in infiltration attempts.

source: Indian Today

Pakistan security forces on Saturday violated the ceasefire at the international border by firing a rocket from across Wagah border into Punjab and exchanging heavy firing in Sidhwarah area in Jammu.

A total of four rockets were fired at the Wagah border shortly after midnight. Two of hem landed near the Kaangarh area that is hardly 500 metres from Wagah.

The other two landed in Mote gaon which is about 2 km from the border. The village has a population about 5000.

As of now, there has been no report of any damage.

The BSF held a meeting with the Pakistan Rangers at 3 am and lodged a strong protest. Pakistani Rangers have denied firing the rockets.

In a familiar incident last September, it was found that it was terrorists who had fired two rockets.

In another incident of violation, Pakistan security personnel exchanged heavy firing with the Indian troops in the Sidwarah area of Pargwal about 50 km from Jammu.

The firing started around 3:25 am and lasted for about 20 minutes in foggy conditions.

The BSF returned the fire. The firing from the Pakistani side followed a familiar pattern and it is suspected that they were trying to push in terrorists.

The Army, BSF and the local police have rushed to the spot to check if the fencing has been breached.

Heavy fog had prevented an immediate search operation.

A red alert has been sounded on the Jammu-Akhnoor highway to nab any possible infiltrator.

A 29-year-old man was attacked and set on fire by four men on Saturday.

According to police, an Indian couple had left a dinner party in Essendon between 1.30am and 2am on Saturday to drive to their nearby home in Grice Crescent in the suburbs of Melbourne.

As the man was getting out of the car, four men attacked him, pushed him back against the vehicle and poured a fluid on him.

One of the men then ignited the fluid with a lighter before all the four attackers fled.

The man suffered 15 per cent burns on his body including his arms, chest and face. His condition is stated to be critical.

The arson and explosives squad of Australian police is investigating the attack. The police claim they are not sure why the Indian was targeted.

This attack comes nearly a week after 21-year-old Indian man Nitin Garg was stabbed to death on his way to work in West Footscray.

Nitin’s death has sparked an outrage and has led to a diplomatic row between Indian and Australia over continuing race attacks Down Under.

SRINAGAR: Jammu & Kashmir police commandos fought their way into a Srinagar hotel at the crack of dawn on Thursday, killing two heavily-armed terrorists who took positions there after lobbing grenades and shooting at security forces on Wednesday.

Two people, including a constable, were killed, and 10 others injured in the protracted gunbattle — the first such attack on Srinagar’s business hub of Lal Chowk in more than three years. Srinagar’s SMHS Hospital sources said a civilian, Mohammed Akbar Lone, died because of his wounds on Thursday.

Punjab Hotel, where the two suspected LeT terrorists had holed up, was in flames when police announced the end of the 22-hour siege. Hours after the encounter ended, soldiers were still searching the area for leftover explosives.

Home ministry sources in New Delhi said the terror duo was in constant touch with their Pakistani handlers during the siege. ‘‘Their communication with their handlers revealed that more attacks are in offing,’’ a source said. ‘‘The shifting focus of security forces on Jammu resulted in the attack.’’

J&K police chief Kuldeep Khoda said the hotel’s top floor was first cleared by commandos, who then nailed the first terrorist. ‘‘The other terrorist tried to set the building on afire,’’ he said. ‘‘He was looking to escape but was shot down.’’

Khoda said the attack was planned in Pakistan and LeT was instructed not to own it up. ‘‘That’s why Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack,’’ he said. He identified the two terrorists as Abu Qari, a Pakistani national, and Manzoor Ahmad, from Sopore.

Earlier, darkness forced suspension of the operation on Wednesday evening. ‘‘The operation resumed at 7pm, but the terrorists kept firing at security forces through out the night,’’ Khoda said.

Joginder Singh, owner of another hotel in Lal Chowk, said the assault was a scary experience. ‘‘Heavy firing was on and my staff and I were unable to come out,’’ he said. ‘‘We thought we could die any moment.’’ He said a stray bullet hit one of his employees.

Cops said the two terrorists were planning a suicide attack, which was thwarted when police prevented them from approaching a CRPF camp. The two were stopped during a routine check. The ultras panicked when stopped and began firing indiscriminately besides hurling three grenades. They then took positions and fired at the security forces from the hotel.

source: TOI