Mumbai, July 31 (ANI): Fans of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt are a disappointed lot after a special TADA court today sentenced him to six years of rigorous imprisonment for illegal possession of arms in connection with the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.

“All his fans will be very disappointed since a good actor will not be seen on screen for sometime,’ said Dalbir Singh, a Dutt’s fan.

er fan.

He has millions of dollars riding on him in films under production. Dutt’s sentencing is also a setback for directors such as Sanjay Gadhvi, Abbas Mustan and Rajkumar Hirani, who have planned major projects with him.

His major projects include Gadhvi’s ‘Kidnap’, Mustan’s ‘Mr Fraud’, Sanjay Gupta’s ‘Alibaug’ and third in the Munnabhai series – ‘Munnabhai Chale America’.

While ‘Alibaug’ is only 15 per cent complete, ‘Kidnap’ and ‘Mr Fraud’ are half way through.

Dutt has two releases – ‘ Mehbooba ‘ and Indra Kumar’s ‘ Dhamaal ‘ – this year.

The future of Dutt’s films under production will remain uncertain until Dutt finds a way to escape the jail term.

However, he is likely to move the Supreme Court against his sentencing. (ANI)

New Delhi, July 31 (ANI): India today beat England by seven wickets in the second Test at Trent Bridge taking a lead of 1-0 in the three-match series. Pacer Zaheer Khan was adjudged Man of the Match for his nine-wicket haul.

This is India’s fifth Test victory in England.

Starting the day with an overnight score of 10 for no loss, India had to make only 63 runs for the victory. However, after a convincing start by Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik India lost three wickets.

Both Jaffer and Karthik made 22 before getting out by Chris Tremlett.

Sachin Tendulkar became the third and final victim of Tremlett on the last day of the match after scoring one run.

Sourav Ganguly, made the winning run, who was accompanied by skipper Rahul Dravid on the crease.

Ganguly and Dravid remained not out at 2 and 11 runs respectively. (ANI)

New Delhi, July 31 (ANI): With close to two lakh birds culled in the northeast State of Manipur, fingers are now being pointed to Myanmar from where the affected birds may have entered India through the 1600-km long porous border.

The Centre has already alerted neighbouring Mizoram to check illegal smuggling of hens from across Myanmar where incidents of bird flu outbreak have been more often.

Manipur along with Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh share border with Myanmar.

“Government of India has issued an advisory to the northeast States to restrain from imposing any restriction on the Inter-State movement of poultry and poultry product and intensify surveillance especially vigilance on the border with the countries that have reported outbreak of avian influenza,” a release from the ministry of Agriculture stated.

A day before India confirmed the outbreak of bird flu on July 25 after samples sent by Chingmeirong Ira poultry farm in Manipur’s East Imphal district tested positive, there were reports of its outbreak in south Myanmar.

There were also reports of bird flu outbreak in Myanmar during February, April and June this year, and the latest outbreak is reported as recent as Monday in southeast Myanmar.

Meanwhile, the Centre today said confirmed the culling of 1.85 lakhs of poultry birds with operations of control and containment operations continuing on Tuesday.

Culling and disposal will cover all 86 sectors in the 0 to 5 kms zone followed by mopping, clean up and disinfections, the government release stated.

The government has also refuted the reports of ‘unusual’ deaths of birds from East and West Imphal districts of Manipur or in any part of the country. (ANI)

By Pinaki Das

Agartala, July 31(ANI): A team of West Bengal police visited Tripura in connection with the detention of an suspected Al-Qaeda terrorist, who has claimed to be a resident of the State.

Abdul Kayum Rehaman, 47, was arrested by police in Kolkata on May 7, as he is suspected to be associated with the Al Qaeda. Two international passports, one belonging to India and another from Bangladesh, were recovered from him.

However, police are not sure about his true identity since there are various irregularities in his documents. He has a Permanent Account Number (PAN) card where he claims to be a Mumbai resident, while he also claims to be residing in Delhi.

During interrogation Rehaman told police that he was a student of Pathikcherra School in Agartala, which is close to Bangladesh border.

However, police has found that his passport was based on information given by a school certificate of another school, Gandhigram Higher Secondary School.

Police are keeping their lips tight and are looking for more leads. (ANI)

New Delhi, July 31 (ANI): The Indo-Pak Secretary level trade talks today began here with New Delhi asking Islamabad to open its market for Indian tea.

Indian Commerce Secretary G K Pillai told Pakistani delegation led by its Commerce Secretary Syed Asif Shah that while Pakistan can export cement to India, it would be commercially beneficial if the world’s third largest consumer, Pakistan, could buy tea from the world’s largest producer, India.

Addressing at the fourth round of the trade talks under the Framework of Composite Dialogue, Pillai appreciated Pakistan for ratifying South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA), that paves the way for India getting the status of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) from Pakistan.

“Our objective should be to make South Asia a region of free movement of people and goods,” Pillai added.

Emphasizing the need for increased bilateral cooperation, India also called for the need to recognise the sectoral overlap in product baskets, which would help in proper diversification and development of exclusive and niche products on a sectoral value chain.

Both sides expressed hope that the bilateral trade would touch 10 billion dollars by 2010 and also stressed on the need to improve the infrastructure at the designated border crossing points.

India’s exports to Pakistan grew from 521.05 million dollars in 2004-2005 to 1348.32 million dollars in 2006-2007, while Pakistan’s exports to India grew from 94.97 million dollars in 2004-2005 to 323.19 million dollars in 2006-2007. (ANI)

Karachi, July 31 (ANI): Pakistani analysts are speculating on the possibility of President Pervez Musharraf appointing the current Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lieutenant-General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kiyani, to replace him as Chief of Army Staff.

According to a report in the online version of Asia Times, should Kiyani become army chief, Musharraf would then become a civilian president, but it adds that to facilitate Kiyani’s appointment, the government would have to waive aside its restriction on government servants that they cannot participate in politics for two years after demitting office.

“This idea of a civilian president coordinating with a chief of army staff is not possible. Once Musharraf steps down as military chief, no chief of army staff would listen to him,” retired Lieutenant-General Hamid Gul, former ISI chief, told Asia Times.

Washington and London are apparently in favour of a civilian president with the power to handle national security and foreign affairs and a prime minister as chief executive, but Islamabad might not accept this formula.

According to the report, Washington needs someone like Musharraf, but with him under fire from militants, jihadis and politicians, a compromise with Bhutto and her Pakistan People’s Party seems the best alternative.

There is talk of the Musharraf-Bhutto deal being finalized, but doubts prevail over whether it will work. (ANI)

New Delhi, July 31 (ANI): Sujatha Singh, who is presently Joint Secretary in the External Affairs Ministry, was today appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to Australia.

She is expected to take up her assignment shortly. (ANI)

New Delhi, July 31 (ANI): Vijay Singh today took over as Defence Secretary from his predecessor Shekhar Dutt, who has now been appointed as Deputy National Security Adviser.

Prior to his appointment as Defence Secretary, Singh held the charge of Secretary, Road Transport and Highways in the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways.

Like Dutt, Singh too belongs to Madhya Pradesh cadre of IAS officers.

Born on July 13, 1948, Singh joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1970 and has worked in various capacities in Madhya Pradesh between 1971 and 1982.

He held the post of District Magistrate of Gwalior and Bhopal and also became Chief Secretary in the Madhya Pradesh Government in 2004. (ANI)

New Delhi, July 31 (ANI): The Indian Navy will be taking part in a series of bilateral and multilateral exercises, beginning this August, with a host of countries including the United States, France and the United Kingdom at different places ranging from Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Aden and the Bay of Bengal.

The Western Fleet and the Eastern Fleet of the Indian Navy will be taking part in succession in the month-long ‘constructive engagements’ which will see the return of the US aircraft carrier Nimitiz to the Bay of Bengal to participate in the ‘Malabar’ multilateral exercise.

The six-day Malabar exercise beginning September 4 will see the participation of three aircraft carriers, two from US -Nimitiz and Kitty Hawk- and one from India-Viraat.

The navies of Japan, Australia and the Singapore will also be taking part in the mammoth exercise that would see more than a dozen ships criss-crossing the Bay of Bengal waters for honing their skills to prepare themselves to face any ‘multi -threat scenario’.

One of the new manoeuvres that would be adopted in this exercise is the component of Air Defence part in which Jaguar aircraft of Indian Air Force and P3C Orion aircraft from Japan and the US side will be taking part.

Stating that the multilateral exercise in no way is targeted at any specific country, Assistant chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral Pradeep Chauhan, in an informal chat with reporters here said; “There is no such motive,” adding, “Indian Navy is India-centric.”

China had earlier expressed its concern over the multilateral Bay of Bengal exercise and had alleged that a quadrilateral arrangement, comprising India, US, Japan and Australia, is being formed directed against it. he Indian Navy will also be taking part in the Varuna bilateral exercise in the second week of September with the French Navy off the Gulf of Aden where three Indian ships- Rajput, Beas and Jyoti – will be taking part in anti-submarine exercise with French La Motte Picquet.

Preceding this five Indian ships, Rajput, Beas, Betwa, Delhi and Jyoti, will be visiting Persian Gulf to take part in a series of ‘passage level exercise’ with Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. During these exercises the ships, which would be sailing together, try to interact and fine-tune inter-operability. (UAE).

Over the issue of Indian Navy taking part in a bilateral passage exercise with the Royal Navy of Britain just off the Persian Gulf in the vicinity of Iran, Rear Admiral Chauhan said, “We are conscious of the sensitivities involved.” (ANI)

By Girija Shankar Ojha

garh in Jharkhand to worship Lord Shiva.

The journey started on Monday, the first day of Shravan month.

These devotees, known as Kanwarias, take up this journey as a devotion to Lord Shiva.

“Kanwarias” or the carriers, as these devotees are popularly known as, collect holy water from River Ganges at Sultanganj of Bihar’s Bhagalpur District and carry it to Deogarh in Jharkhand to pour it on “Shivaling” or the phallic symbol of Lord Shiva at the temple here.

These Kanwarias are supposed to carry water pots on their shoulders. The water pots are tied to a wooden stick and every Kanwaria has to carry it on his shoulder.

It is believed offering the holy water of River Ganges to Lord Shiva during “Shravan” month enables to fulfil wishes of the devotees.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, who worshipped along with his wife at Deogarh temple, said: “All devotees of Baba (Lord Shiva) arrive to his town from across the country and abroad to offer sacred water and to pray for fulfilment of their wishes. Anyone, who has ever made a wish here with deep faith, has never been disappointed.”

Sunita Kumari, a devotee, said: “It’s a privilege to be able to walk on foot. I feel really happy. Last year, on the first Monday of the festival, the arrangements were not as good as they are this year.”

Deoghar is believed to be the abode of the Gods and Goddesses. The place, also known as Baidyanathdham, is a very famous Hindu pilgrimage centre. The Ravneshwar Shiva temple of Deoghar, is a “Siddha Peeth” and one amongst the twelve Shiva Jyotirlings in the country..

This place is famous for the “Shravan Mela”. Every year, lakhs of devotees arrive arrive with holy water of Ganga from Sultangunj to offer it to Lord Shiva here.

Chanting “Bol Bam” and “Har Har Mahadev”, the Kanwarias carry the vessels containing ‘holy water’ on their shoulders.

Local authorities estimate that over 2.5 million pilgrims would be visiting the temple in Deoghar during this month-long fair.

In the eastern India, the Kanwarias pay their respect to Lord Shiva in Deogarh whereas in northern parts, the holy water is taken from Hardwar in Uttarakhand. (ANI)

Sugaam (Jammu and Kashmir), July 31 (ANI): About 300 Kashmiri Hindu Pundits were given a warm welcome in Sugaam Tehsil of Kashmir’s Kokernag constituency by Muslim families on Monday on arrival during a Mahayagna ceremony.

Families belonging to Hindu and Muslim communities embraced each other after a gap of 17 years when the Kashmiri Pundits had left Sugaam fearing violence by militants.

The Mahayagna ceremony (a Hindu fire ritual) was marked to celebrate the reopening of a local Shiva Temple in Sugaam, 80 kilometres of Srinagar city. The temple had to be closed due to militancy.

Over one thousand Muslims, including women and children, participated in the celebrations marked to celebrate the reopening of the temple. The residents assured the visiting Kashmiri pundits of special care who were forced who were compelled to leave the Valley due to militancy.

Morifa, a local resident, said: “I cannot explain how ecstatic I am feeling on meeting my friends. I still cannot believe that we have met. I think that such things should be started and continue. We want Hindu brothers to live with us,”

Habibullah Bhat, a local resident, said: “We want them to return as they have their land and property here. We are incomplete without them. They are like a part of our body.”Meanwhile, the reopening the Shiva temple could be possible due to the All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee which is running a campaign to reopen such temples and others. So far, three temples have been reopened.

e Valley, who even participated in religious ceremonies and prayers.

Gopinath Bhat, a Kashmiri Pundit, said: “They have shown a lot of cooperation with us in making all the arrangements. We heartily thank them.” By Mohd.Afzal Bhat (ANI)

New Delhi, Mumbai, July (ANI): The Confederation of Indian Industries and National Commodity and Derivative Exchange today welcomed the announcement made by Reserve Bank of India Governor Y V Reddy on the occasion of release of the First Quarter Review of Annual Statement on Monetary Policy for the Year 2007-08.The CII had earlier suggested that the Reserve Bank of India should consider desisting from increasing headline interest rates any further since that may be detrimental to the medium term growth prospects of the economy.

The unchanged Repo, Reverse Repo and Bank Rates are very welcome, and the 50 basis points increase in CRR would suck out excess liquidity from the system, said the CII.

However, the CII and said Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said that the Small and Medium companies will find it very difficult to access funds in this kind of a monetary environment, since effective rates and availability of bank credit are an issue for them.

“The increase in CRR will obviously has a element of impacting the investment capital formation and growth,” said FICCI Secretary General Amit Mitra.

The Government bond yields rose sharply. The yield on the 10-year bond was at 7.87 per cent soon after the policy review, 12 basis points higher than before the review was released and up from previous close of 7.76 per cent.

The Bombay Stock Exchange indices fell sharply into negative territory after the central bank raised the cash reserve ratio for banks, knocking shares in banks and auto makers on concerns credit would become tighter, but then pared its losses.

The Sensex soared by 290 points with almost all indices showing positive signs. (ANI)

Manila, July 31 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today expressed hope that the Nalanda University project will reinforce the soft linkages between India and Asia Pacific countries.

Briefing the media after attending the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ meeting here, Mukjherjee said that he had informed the meeting of the progress in developing the project, which was proposed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the EAS Summit in Cebu in January this year.

He said a Nalanda Mentor Group has been appointed under the chairmanship of Nobel laureate Professor Amartya Sen. Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo is also a member of the group, which had its first meeting in Singapore on July 13-14.

Calling the EAS forum an opportunity to create a regional architecture for cooperation and deeper integration in the Asia-Pacific region, Mukherjee said there is immense scope for enhancement of current levels of regional cooperation within it.

He further recalled Manmohan Singh’s vision of an Asian Economic Community stretching from the Himalayas to the Pacific, which would be an “arc of advantage” and would facilitate free flow of people, ideas, trade and investment across the region.

Mukherjee also announced a proposal to hold the EAS meeting on disaster management in November this year in New Delhi.

Earlier in the day, Mukherjee met Foreign Ministers of Malaysia, Australia and Laos on the sidelines of the EAS meeting.

He reaffirmed India’s friendly relations with Laos during his meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister of that country, and reiterated New Delhi’s commitment to assist the country in its development.

ion Foreign Ministers conference, which is will be dominated by economic issues like free trade agreement, apart from maritime security and energy. (ANI) By Pankaj Chaudhary

New Delhi, July 31 (ANI): Union Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chaudhry today urged people to be sensitive towards children suffering from HIV/AIDS.

Addressing a seminar here, Chaudhry said: We are working towards meeting international norms on dealing with people affected with HIV/AIDS, Chaudhry said.

“But this may not be enough in itself to respond to the needs of each and every child who lives the life of risk or abuse, and even a child who is a victim of exploitation, unless the systems becomes more humane and are sensitive to these issues,” she added.

Chaudhry further said that the Government has prepared an Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), which will essentially create a strong backbone at State and districts levels to prevent and respond to any form of child protection failures.

Under the scheme, all states and districts will have child protection units with a budget of over two billion rupees, she added.

In March this year, self help-group ‘Plan India’ took up the cause of paediatricAIDS in the country after cases of discrimination against children suffering from HIV/AIDS started cropping up.

They even launched special kits to generate awareness on HIV/AIDS with focus on stigma and discrimination through a variety of communication tools.

These kits would enable help groups to reach out to greater audience and bring about a change in perception of the people towards HIV/AIDS as a manageable chronic illness rather than a taboo.

The approach behind the whole programme is to promote children as agents of change in the society rather than mere recipients, a point that Chaudhry stressed on.

Apart from it, the ICPS is being implemented in five States – Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Andhra Pradesh with a budget of 900 million rupees.

The structure proposed for the ICPS scheme would include a team of 25 persons in the state unit and 10 officers in the districts level unit.

These units shall be provided support through various other programmes like Child Line Scheme that will help in reporting and tracking the progress of each child in the concerned district.

The Minister expressed hope that new child protection structure would adequately support children and families for better health, education and protecting rights of children. (ANI)

Islamabad, July 31 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has hinted that the intelligence provided to his country by the United States with regard to terrorist hideouts in Pakistan may not have always been accurate, though the intention was honourable.

In an interview given to the Washington Post here, Aziz said Pakistan is a proud and responsible nation, and valued its ties with the United States, but the recent alleged statements coming out of Washington vis-a-vis the launching of independent strikes in Pakistan’s volatile tribal belt, has disappointed the leadership and the general public here.

Asked to comment on whether Pakistan felt that it was being made a scapegoat in Washington for shortcomings in the global war on terror, Aziz said: “I know many people around the world, and in this country, feel that.”

“All I can say is that we keep getting intelligence. And, as you know, intelligence does not mean that it is always — I’m not saying it’s inaccurate, but it need not always be accurate,” Aziz said, adding that such intelligence, whenever received, had to be actionable, but after due verification.

He further emphasised that Pakistan’s war against terrorism and militancy was not aimed at pleasing any particular country (Read US), but to remove a global scourge.

He also said that he saw a co-relation between what was going on currently in the country’s North West Frontier Province, and what had happened at the Lal Masjid in Islamabad earlier this month.

ady onto, you know, the core of — the seminary which was next to the mosque doesn’t exist anymore. No country wants such a situation to exist. . . . Having said that, we tried every method to appease, to negotiate, to discuss so that these people don’t challenge [the writ of the government],” Aziz said.

He described the situation in North Waziristan as an evolving one, and added that Islamabad would determine what the best option was to deal with it.

“We must be sensitive to each other’s views and national interests, and we must work to create ownership. That to me, for any major effort, is critical,” the Pakistan Prime Minister said.

Asked whether he would you like to serve another term as prime minister, Aziz said it was up to his party (The Pakistan Muslim League-Quami) to decide on the issue.

He also maintained that Pakistan is moving towards a genuine form of parliamentary democracy, engaging all parties through direct or indirect contact, and added that in such a system, everything, including holding general elections before presidential elections, was possible theoritically.Meanwhile, a report prepared by Strategic Forecasting (STRATFOR), a private American intelligence information gathering agency, has said that the one thing that could rebuild Musharraf’s credibility is more raids like those he carried out against Muslim extremists in the Lal Masjid, notwithstanding the hurdles in the way of such operations.

It predicts that such military operations will continue in Pakistan, since Musharraf sees them as the only way to extend his time in office.

But STRATFOR warns that all such operations may not succeed, as the “Pakistani system is sprinkled with Islamist-minded personnel whose presence has regularly hindered operations against Muslim militants in the country’s northwest.

“Intelligence agencies only operate well when they excel at covert action and keeping secrets. Hence, if even one percent of personnel are willing to leak information to potential targets, the entire intelligence infrastructure becomes useless,” it says.

Without such intelligence, a military crackdown against extremists is almost guaranteed to fail in reality, and it will be even more unsuccessful in the minds of the already disenchanted Pakistani public. This means the world needs to start thinking about what Pakistan will look like without Musharraf, it adds. (ANI)

By Pankaj Chaudhary

Manila, July 31 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said that Australia has assured India of its support in the crucial Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) meeting that would clear the decks for New Delhi to buy Uranium fuel from various countries for its civilian nuclear reactors.

“They (Australia) assured us that they will cooperate with us in NSG,” Mukherjee told reporters after his meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on the sidelines of the East Asia Foreign Ministers’ Conference here.

Mukherjee also said that Australia has agreed to supply Uranium to India once the India-specific arrangement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is in place.

“They will extend cooperation by supplying Uranium as and when IAEA-India specific arrangement will be finalised,” he added.

The 45-member NSG has to make amendments in its guidelines for paving the way for export of nuclear fuel to India by it member nations.

India is one of only four countries not to have signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT), which limits the spread of nuclear weapons.

With the text of the 123-agreement, the operational part of the Indo-US civilian nuclear energy cooperation, been finalised, three more steps are required for the formalisation of the deal that include, passing of the 123-agreement by the US Congress, formalisation of the India-IAEA specific arrangement, and amendment in the NSG guidelines. (ANI)

New Delhi, July 31(ANI): The Department of Posts and the Indian Railways signed a Memorandum of Understating (MOU) here today to provide computerized rail travel tickets through select post offices.

S.Samanth, Chief General Manager (Business Development) on behalf of the Department of Posts, while A.K. Goyal, Additional Member (Commercial) Railway Board, signed the MOU. It was signed in the presence of the Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Communication and IT Minister A.Raja, Minister of State for Communication and IT, Dr.Shakeel Ahmad, Minister of State for Railways, Naranbhai J.Rathwa.

This facility will be available in about 30 identified post offices throughout the country.

The Post Offices will be extending e-ticketing facilities to the public. With its huge network of over 1, 55,000, the post offices, the department of posts is best suited to provide this service. (ANI)

By Pankaj Chaudhary

Manila, July 31 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said that a decision on reinstating the visa of Doctor Mohamed Haneef will be taken after Australia completes its investigation into the failed UK terror plot.

Mukherjee, who is in Manila to attend a East Asia Foreign Ministers’ Conference, told reporters: “After investigation a final decision on (Haneef’s) visa will be taken.”

the visa “if they find that somebody had some association with non-desirable activities.”

When asked whether India had protested Haneef’s detention, Mukherjee said, “What should I protest?” and added “Various countries have various (detention) laws”.

Haneef has returned to Bangalore after his release from custody on Friday.

He claimed that he was victimised by Australian authorities, and wanted the John Howard Government to apologise to his peace-loving nation for his 25-day-long ordeal in Brisbane. (ANI)

New Delhi, July 31 (ANI): The Fertiliser Advisory Forum will meet here tomorrow to discuss some key issues plaguing the sector.

The availability and distribution of fertilizer will be at the top of the meeting’s agenda. Issues such as fertilizer pricing, Nutrient Subsidy, alternative methodologies for delivery of fertilizer subsidy to farmers and usage of water-soluble fertilizers will also be discussed.

Steel, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ram Vilas Paswan will preside over the meeting. Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers B.K.Handique will address the meeting.

Representatives from state governments, Fertiliser Industry, Farmers and central governments departments will be attend the day long deliberations.

Meanwhile the Department of Fertilisers has taken a several steps to ensure timely and adequate availability of fertilisers throughout the country after the forum’s first meeting in March 2006.

The steps include adoption of the New Pricing Scheme Stage – III for Urea, monitoring of fertiliser availability up to the district level, creation of a buffer stock up to 5 per cent of the seasonal demand in major fertilizer consuming states and payment of rail freight as per actual expenditure for transportation of urea.

Rationalisation of road freight has also been carried out. The freight is being revised to account for increase in rail and road transport costs for Phosphatic and Potassic fertilisers.

State governments have been advised to strengthen the State Institutional Agencies to coordinate with manufacturers and importers for streamlining fertiliser supplies. (ANI)

New Delhi, July 31 (ANI): The Supreme Court today deferred to August 7 the Centre’s application seeking removal of a stay on the implementation of 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) students in institutions of higher education.

An apex bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said: “A five-judge Constitution Bench, will hear the Centre’s plea.”

The five-judge bench will also hear the main petition on the constitutional validity of the controversial act providing quota for OBCs, the apex bench added.

Earlier, the court had fixed August 7 as the date for examining the constitutional validity of the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act 2006, which provides reservations for OBCs.

Reserving its order on the issue on May 9, an apex bench comprising of Justices Arijit Pasayat and Justice L S Panta had asked Solicitor General G E Vahanvati and senior advocate Harish Salve to respond to various questions put forward by concerned parties.

In a major setback to the Centre, the apex court had stated that it found no reason to vacate the stay imposed by its March 29 interim order, directing the government to put on hold the implementation of OBC quota in the academic session 2007-08.

The government wants to increase the number of seats in colleges for lower caste students to 49.5 percent from 22.5 percent, a move strongly opposed by mainly upper caste students. (ANI)