CBI conducts checks at 150 govt. offices

31/08/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday conducted simultaneous surprise checks at 150 government offices in different parts of the country, as part of a special anti-corruption drive.

Vigilance officers of various government departments were also involved in the exercise.

“The joint surprise checks are primarily being conducted at such points and places where common citizens or small businesspersons feel the maximum pinch of corruption in government machinery. This special drive will sensitise all stakeholders about possible avenues of corruption a common citizen faces,” an official said.

Air India’s Boeing to turn into a billboard
Photos of heritage sites to be put up

31/08/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, ,NEW DELHI

Air India’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane with its special livery will be unveiled on World Tourism Day on September 1.

Air India will turn one of its planes into a billboard in the sky to showcase India’s world heritage sites and spread Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message on promoting domestic tourism. A Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane with its special livery will be unveiled on World Tourism Day on September 27.

“We are looking at promoting tourism and celebrating India through photographs. We are preparing an aircraft which will display photos of world heritage sites in the country on the body of the plane,” Air India CMD Ashwani Lohani said. He added that if the idea is a hit, the same livery will be displayed on all its 42 wide-bodied aircraft used on international routes.

T.N.’s first Aadhaar Seva Kendra set up in Chennai
UIDAI has plans to set up a total of 114 ASKs in 53 cities

31/08/2019, DENNIS S. JESUDASAN,CHENNAI

The ASK will charge ₹50 for updating Aadhaar details. Fresh enrolment is free.

The first Aadhaar Seva Kendra (ASK) in Tamil Nadu has become operational in Koyambedu in . The ASK is set up by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to extend Aadhaar-related services to the general public.

With a capacity to handle 1,000 requests a day, the ASK would charge ₹50 for updates in Aadhaar details and in case of fresh enrolment, it is free of cost. Except for Tuesday, ASK functions through the week between 9.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. The ASK is functioning from Ten Square Mall on Jawaharlal Nehru Road in Koyambedu.

By using the link https://appointments.uidai.gov.in/bookappointment.aspx, citizens could either make fresh enrolments or update details in the existing Aadhaar entries online. Through an OTP sent to the mobile number, prior appointments could be made.

A citizen gets a token for their Aadhaar-related work and then moves to a ‘verifier’ for document checking. Once the verification is completed, the resident moves to ‘cash counter’ for payment of ₹50 (charges for Aadhaar update, if required) and is then assigned an ‘operator counter’ from the 16 operator work stations, according to the UIDAI.

The UIDAI has plans to set up a total of 114 ASK in 53 cities across the country.

HC calls for regular inspection of varsities after ‘historical’ blunder

31/08/2019, B. TILAK CHANDAR,MADURAI

In what could be dubbed a “historical” blunder in the field of higher education in Tamil Nadu, a student managed to get a degree in B.A. History after studying Chemistry for two years and History for a year.

While she pursued her B.Sc in Chemistry at a college in Aruppukottai, she enrolled for the final year in B.A. History programme, offered through the distance education by the Madurai Kamaraj University. And now, years later, the Teachers’ Recruitment Board (TRB) has taken cognisance of the academic infirmity in her basic degree and refused to appoint her as a Post Graduate Assistant in History.

Shocked over such an unheard of “hybrid” degree, the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) has called upon the University Grants Commission (UGC) to regularly inspect universities.

The student, S. Vani of Madurai, had approached the court seeking a direction to the TRB to appoint her as PG Assistant in History.

Dismissing her petition, Justice S.M. Subramaniam observed that such a pattern of education was in violation of the UGC regulations and the candidature of the petitioner was rightly rejected by the TRB.

The court said it was of the considered opinion that large number of such irregularities were found on account of non-adherence of the UGC regulations by various universities across the country. Though the UGC was aware of such irregularities, no effective steps were taken against such universities, the judge said.

Candidates are participating in recruitment process by virtue of such illegal and invalid degrees granted by such universities. The Madurai Kamaraj University is also involved in such irregularities. Thus, an inspection in this regard by the UGC was undoubtedly imminent and warranted, the court said.

GRH doctors remove four-foot-long rod from youth’s body
It pierced him below the neck
31/08/2019, STAFF REPORTER,MADURAI

A four-foot-long iron rod that pierced below the neck of a 27-year-old man was successfully removed by doctors at Government Rajaji Hospital here.

Gurusamy, a daily wage worker from Vadipatti, and a friend were returning home from Madurai on a two-wheeler in the night of August 26 when they accidentally fell into a roadside ditch near Thuvariman, where the State Highways department is widening the road. One of the protruding iron rods pierced Gurusamy below his neck and his friend sustained minor injuries. The duo were rushed to Government Rajai Hospital.

Hospital Dean K. Vanitha said that a five-hour-long surgery was conducted on the patient by a team of doctors, including surgeons, anaesthetists and plastic surgeons, without significant blood loss. “The patient was lucky as the villagers did not try to remove the iron rod, which would have complicated the situation,” said Dr. Vanitha.

A.M. Syed Ibrahim, professor of surgery, said that the rod pierced the youth in a crucial place near the jugular vein and carotid artery, which supplies blood to the brain.

“This is the first time that an operation of this magnitude was performed here. The availability of experts and medical assistance at the right time helped us make it a success,” said Dr. Vanitha.

The patient had been shifted to the post-operative ward, where he would be kept under observation for a few days, said Dr. Vanitha.

Retired TNSTC staff stage demo seeking disbursal of pension
Madurai Division alone accounted for ₹ 165.66 crore

31/08/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,MADURAI

Claiming their right: Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Retired Employees’ Association members staging a demonstration in Madurai on Friday. G. MoorthyG_Moorthy

The State government evinced interest only in launching new bus services and not in settling the mandatory finances on superannuation of its employees, said members of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Retired Employees’ Association here on Friday.

Leading a demonstration as part of a State-wide stir, State deputy general secretary Devaraj said that the government had failed to honour its employees with pensionary benefits at the time of retirement.

Explaining the reasons for poor financial position, he said that TNSTC and the government were keen on introducing new buses. There were 35,000 retired TNSTC employees across the State.

Though several agitations were staged in the last 45 months for grant of pensionary benefits, nothing tangible had come out so far, he claimed and said that they would gather in front of the Secretariat in Chennai on September 24 to show their protest and draw the attention of the government.

In the past, the association, through a delegation, made representations to the Transport Minister and Secretary four times, but in vain, he said in response to a query from reporters.

The State government had, in its supplementary budget in April 2018, informed that ₹1,093 crore would be earmarked for disbursal of pension to all retired TNSTC /employees.

A Government Order to this effect was issued in August 2018, which stated that Madurai Division alone would get ₹165.66 crore, he said.

TANCET admissions end with 82% seats vacant

31/08/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Around 82% of the seats for postgraduate programmes in engineering colleges in the State will go vacant this year. The counselling for Tamil Nadu Common Admissions was held this week and of the 15,574 seats in the State, 12,801 remained vacant. Even in Anna University, of the 2,198 seats, 895 lie vacant.

Professors say one of the reasons is poor job opportunties for candidates with a PG qualification. AICTE’s decision to alter the faculty-student ratio from 1:20 to 1:25 also played a part, a faculty member said.

A faculty in a self-financing institution in the western region said the vacancies were higher in some departments alone. Of the 18 seats in civil engineering in the college 17 had been filled, he said. “We have to factor in the issue of students getting placed after applying for PG,” he noted.

Until a couple of years ago, IIT-Madras faced a similar situation. While UG candidates got placed easily, the institute struggled to place PGs.

It then made an effort to improve job opportunities for the students through their alumni network. Last year, it saw a turn around with PGs and research scholars also being placed with handsome pay package.