AICTE decides to allow arts and science courses in engineering colleges
Welcoming this decision, a chairman of a private engineering college said that it would help utilise the resources that now remain idle given the poor patronage for engineering courses.

Published: 04th January 2019 03:50 AM 

Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairperson of All India Council for Technical Education. (AICTE Website)

By S Mannar Mannan

Express News Service

COIMBATORE: The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has decided to allow engineering colleges run arts and science courses in parallelly on the same campus.

Confirming the decision, AICTE chairman Anil D Sahasrabudhe told Express, "If other programmes are to be run, the requirement of each programme should be available separately except playground, parking, canteen, etc." In Tamil Nadu, engineering colleges come under the control of Anna University, whereas arts and science colleges are covered by arts and science universities like University of Madras, Bharathiar University, Madurai Kamaraj University, etc.

When asked if engineering colleges will be allowed to get affiliation for arts and science colleges from other arts and science universities, he said, "It depends on having independent facilities for each of the programmes separately."


Welcoming this decision, a chairman of a private engineering college said that it would help utilise the resources that now remain idle given the poor patronage for engineering courses. The classrooms built for such courses can now be used for arts and science programmes.

Engineering colleges equipped with faculty members for physics, chemistry, and mathematics, and also laboratories for these subjects; these can be used effectively, the chairman suggested. He also recalled how engineering colleges were allowed to run courses like BSc and MSc in Computer Science and Information Technology till the year 2002.

However, the chairman opined that starting the courses for the academic year 2019-20 would be impossible. The last date to apply to the Directorate of Collegiate Education for permission for these arts and science courses ended on December 31. Colleges could ask for the deadline to be extended, the chairman suggested. Meanwhile, Association of Self Financing Arts, Science and Management Colleges of Tamil Nadu president Ajeet Kumar Lal Mohan opined that the AICTE did not have the power to allow engineering colleges to run arts and science courses. The management would need a GO from the Tamil Nadu government. Besides, common land cannot be used for running engineering and arts courses, he claimed.

Five NGOs in Tail Nadu lose registration for violating FCRA norms

The Union Home Ministry has suspended the registration of five Tamil Nadu-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs) under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010.

Published: 04th January 2019 05:26 AM |

By C Shivakumar

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Union Home Ministry has suspended the registration of five Tamil Nadu-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs) under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010. The action was taken because the NGOs allegedly failed to open accounts in banks linked to Public Financial Management System (PFMS).

The organisations include Thanjavur-based All women’s Welfare and Rural Development Society, Dindigul-based Society For Litigation Awareness And Aid For The Public (Slaap), Villupuram district-based Village Development Society, Rural Education And Economic Development Trust at Aranthangi in Pudukottai district and Centre for Rural Women’s development at Ramanathapuram.


These NGOs were served a show-cause notice on June 29 last year for not complying with a Central government notice of December 2017 asking FCRA-registered NGOs to open accounts, as mandated under Section 17 of FCRA, in one or more banks integrated with PFMS.

Since they had failed to file a response within the prescribed 15-day time limit, action was taken. “The registrations granted to these organisations have been suspended for a period of 180 days,” the Home Ministry said. It is learnt that a total of 156 NGOs across India did not open accounts with PFMS-integrated banks.

Pay Rs 25000 to professor for humiliation by police, SHRC tells State
The petitioner said the policeman used foul language and began to swear at them in the presence of the public without even mentioning the reason.

Published: 03rd January 2019 07:37 AM 

For representational purposes (File | Reuters)
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Wednesday recommended to the State Government to pay a compensation of Rs 25000 to a professor who was humiliated by an SI in connection with a matter relating to a property boundary dispute.

According to the complaint by P Anna Roselin, professor in a college in Tirunelveli and her brother P Robin, on January 6, 2014, they were in the house when Jebastin Gracies, SI, Marthandam, barged into the house and began shouting at them.

The petitioner said the policeman used foul language and began to swear at them in the presence of the public without even mentioning the reason.

In his counter-affidavit, the cop denied the allegations and said he stopped his vehicle to enquire the neighbours in connection with the dispute and also advised them not to have any quarrel and they can approach civil court.


The commission headed by D Jayachandran, after perusing the documents, held that the humiliation meted out to the complainants by the SI had been proved. The member recommended the government to pay compensation of Rs 25000 and recover it from the SI.

More lower berths to be saved for elderly and women travelling alone

Elderly passengers and women travelling alone will now have a better chance of getting lower berths, thanks to the Indian Railways’ initiative of increasing the quota.

Published: 04th January 2019 05:49 AM 

Image of a train used for representational purpose only. (Photo |EPS)

By B Anbuselvan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Elderly passengers and women travelling alone will now have a better chance of getting lower berths, thanks to the Indian Railways’ initiative of increasing the quota. The number of lower berths earmarked for the elderly and women travelling alone has been increased from four to seven per coach in sleeper class.

In AC three-tier and two-tier compartments, the number has gone up from two to four berths per coach. The move is expected to reduce the hassle caused to elderly citizens of having to negotiate with other passengers or seek the intervention of onboard staff to secure a lower berth.


The quota in lower berths for the elderly was introduced in 2016 as many were finding it difficult to climb up to the upper berth. Initially, two lower berths were earmarked per coach in sleeper class, which subsequently was increased to six in December 2018 and now seven in 2019. The quota increase was updated on the e-ticket booking system as recently as in the third week of December.

“The order to further increase it to seven was issued recently by the Railway Board and will be implemented soon,” said an IRCTC official. As far as Rajdhani/Duronto and fully AC trains are concerned, five lower berths in 3rd AC and four lower berths in 2nd AC class will be allotted per coach for senior citizen and single women passengers. The quota will be applicable only when an elderly person travels alone or two passengers travel on a single ticket (same PNR).

Almost double the number reserved now

The number of lower berths earmarked for the elderly and women travelling alone has been increased from four to seven per coach in sleeper class. In AC three-tier and two-tier compartments, the number has gone up from two to four berths

CB-CID to probe plaint against DVAC official

A two-member bench consisting of Justices Vineet Kothari and Anita Sumanth set aside the interim order.

Published: 04th January 2019 05:53 AM |

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday gave green signal for a CB-CID to probe the sexual harassment complaint against S Murugan, joint director of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC).

The complaint was filed by a woman officer in the rank of Superintendent of Police in April 2018. A single-member bench of the High Court had issued an interim stay for CB-CID probe in September on a petition by Murugan. A two-member bench consisting of Justices Vineet Kothari and Anita Sumanth set aside the interim order.

“The interim orders dated September 10 have been obtained in a writ petition and miscellaneous petitions that were yet unnumbered as on that date and upon an erroneous representation of the petitioner about the category of cases,” said the bench in its order on Thursday.

I-T raids Saravana Bhavan, Anjappar, Grand Sweets and Hot Breads in Chennai

Searches are being conducted in 32 locations, according to a top Income Tax department official.

Published: 03rd January 2019 01:38 PM 

Searches are being conducted at the offices and residences of the directors of Saravana Bhavan and four other hotels. (Photo | P Jawahar)

By Online Desk

CHENNAI: Four top restaurant chains in Chennai were raided by the Income Tax department for alleged tax evasion on Thursday morning. Searches were conducted in 32 locations, according to a top Income Tax department official.

The official told Express that searches took place at the offices and residences of the directors of Saravana Bhavan, Anjappar, Grand Sweets and Hot Breads. All four are popular restaurant chains in the city and some have branches abroad too.

"The raids at many locations in Chennai began at 8 a.m. and continued till late evening," a senior IT official told IANS. "Only after the searches end, the tax evasion can be quantified."

At some places, IT officials examined the records till late in the evening. Roughly, there were over 30 locations where the hundred-strong team of officials descended early in the morning.


The investigation is aimed at finding out if the hotel chains and eateries had suppressed income.

Of the four groups, Saravana Bhavan, established by P Rajagopal in 1981, is the most famous.

"He brought prestige to the vegetarian business," Manoharan, a competitor running another famous chain Murugan Idli said of Rajagopal to New York Times in an interview. "He made a revolution."

Anjappar was established in 1964 and offers traditional Chettinad cuisine at more than 70 outlets.

The Grand Sweets and Snacks was established in 1982 by G Natarajan. Among the most famous customers of the original Grand Sweets is the film director Mani Ratnam.

 

Grand sweets in Spur Tank Road, Chetpet

Hot Breads was started by M Mahadevan, a former Assistant Professor at Madras University, who in an interview claimed that his inspiration to enter the industry came from Arthur Hailey's Hotel.

Further details are awaited.

(With inputs from Express News Service and IANS)

Vijaya Bank’s merger sparks protest in city

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

MANGALURU, JANUARY 04, 2019 00:00 IST

Members of Samana Manaskara Okkoota staging a protest in Mangaluru on Thursday against the decision to merge Vijaya Bank with Bank of Baroda.Special Arrangement

Samana Manaskaru Okkoota criticises Kateel for ‘failure’ to stop it

After the Union government completed all the formalities of merger of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank with Bank of Baroda, several like-minded people in Dakshina Kannada invoked Tulunada Asmithe (pride of Tulu Nadu) to protest against the decision.

The occasion also came in handy for the protesters to criticise what they said the failure of Lok Sabha member Nalin Kumar Kateel in preventing the merger.

The Samana Manaskaru Okkoota staged a demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office here on Thursday evening decrying the government decision. One placard read Shetru Bank Kattidru, Modi Bank Muchchisidru [Mulki Sundar Ram Shetty established Vijaya Bank while Narendra Modi closed it]. Another said: It is not merger, but murder of Vijaya Bank and a black-mark on the pride of Tulu Nadu.

Launching the protest, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) district secretary B.K. Imtiyaz chanted a few slogans which indicated that despite the reservation shown by the people of Dakshina Kannada against the merger, the MP did not raise his voice. DYFI State president Muneer Katipalla, bank union activist B.M. Madhava, activist M.G. Hegde and others were present.

Mr. Madhava told The Hindu that the government had earlier proposed the merger of all three banks to retain their identities. However, what has now been decided is the merger of two small banks with Bank of Baroda, which is detrimental to the interests of people, depositors and employees. Among the three, only Vijaya Bank was under profit with negligible non-performing assets, he said.

Vijaya Bank has a deposit of Rs. 1,57,328 crore, advances of Rs. 1,22,348 crore, 16,000 staff and 2,129 branches, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, the former media advisor to the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Dinesh Amin Mattu said that the coastal districts gave birth to five banks and none has become bankrupt. All the five had been functioning with professionalism.