Good Morning: August 2024

Saturday, August 31, 2024

NEWS TODAY 31.08.2024

Ta-ta Vistara! Merger with AI set for Nov 12

Govt Approves ₹2K Cr Singapore Airlines FDI, Foreign Carrier To Hold 25% In JV With Tatas

Saurabh.Sinha@timesofindia.com

New Delhi : Vistara will merge into Air India on Nov 12, 2024 and Tata Group patriarch Ratan Tata’s nearly three-decade-old dream of making Air India a world class airline in partnership with Singapore Airlines could soon come true. Govt has approved SIA’s FDI into AI, and the former will have 25.1% stake in the JV by investing Rs 2,059 crore in it.

Starting Sept 3, customers will “progressively no longer be able to make bookings with Vistara for travel on or after Nov 12, 2024. All our flights thereafter will be operated by AI and bookings for them will be redirected to Air India’s website from ours... Our operations continue as usual till Nov 11, 2024,” Vistara said in an internal note to employees on Friday.

Vistara frequent flyer miles are being merged into the AI programme. Customers already booked on Vistara flights after Nov 12 will have their reservations converted to AI flight numbers. “…This will occur in phases during Sept, and customers will be individually informed when this occurs… even though in nearly all cases the aircraft, schedule and operating crew will be unchanged until early 2025,”

AI CEO Campbell Wilson said in email to employees on Friday. The merger date was communicated soon after India approved SIA’s FDI. In a statement, SIA, which owned 49% in Vistara, said on Friday: “SIA and Tata Sons are firmly committed to supporting the growth and success of AI Group, which post-merger will have a significant presence in all key Indian airline market segments (full service, low-cost, international, and domestic). This merger will reinforce SIA’s multi-hub strategy and underscore its long-standing commitment to India through a direct stake in this large and rapidly growing aviation market,” the statement added.

While welcoming Vistara employees into the AI fold, Wilson urged them and AI staffers to “ensure that our collective customers and colleagues experience the smoothest of transitions.” Wilson said: “The joint team looks forward to offering our guests an expanded network, additional flight options an enhanced frequent flyer programme… grateful for the support of our loyal customers through this next phase of building a world class, world scale, global airline with an Indian heart.

Bengal’s new bill seeks death or life in jail till death in rape cases

Legislation To Be Tabled On Monday

Saibal Sen & Srishti Lakhotia TNN

Kolkata : The stringent anti-rape bill to be tabled by West Bengal’s govt in the assembly on Monday proposes to treat all rape crimes — even if the victim survives — as a murder to be punished with life imprisonment or death, irrespective of the victim’s age. It will also call for a time-bound trial and enhanced compensation or fine to be collected from the guilty. In case of rape-murder, the bill proposes only the death penalty and a hefty fine to be collected from the perpetrator’s family.

By introducing the “imprison ment for the remainder of natural life” clause along with the death penalty for all rape cases, the proposed bill will try to differ from and avoid the fate of previous such bills passed by other states. The Andhra Pradesh Disha Bill, 2019 and Maharashtra Shakti Bill, 2020 had only one penalty — mandatory death — for all rape and gang-rape cases. Both the bills are yet to get the President’s assent. The Supreme Court had in the 1983 Mithu versus State of Punjab case struck down IPC Section 303, which stipulated “mandatory death” for life convicts committing murder, saying it violated the fundamental right of equality before the law (Article 14 of the Constitution) and right to life (Article 21) by not allowing courts to exercise their discretion and, therefore, would result in “unfair, unjust and unreasonable procedure” that could deprive a person of his/her life. “We have researched multiple Supreme Court and high court judgments on this issue. We propose to have both death and rigorous imprisonment for the remainder of a person’s life and fine/compensation for trauma, rehabilitation and treatment of the victim. For rape and murder, the provisions will be death and fine (from kin).

A shorter fixed period for investigation and trial is being proposed. Other legal details are also being discussed threadbare and multiple stakeholders are being consulted,” said Sanjay Basu, senior standing counsel for the Bengal govt in SC. Medical professionals shout slogans during a protest to condemn the rape and murder of a doctor, amid rainfall in Kolkata on Friday

Times of India ePaper lucknow - R

Land dispute costs students MBBS seats

Decision To Halt Admission At Kanyakumari College Follows NMC Directive To TN

PushpaNarayan@timesofindia.com

Chennai : The Tamil Nadu Medical Selection Committee has withdrawn the provisional MBBS allotments made to students at Kanyakumari Medical Mission Research Centre, a private university, for 2024-25. The decision comes after the National Medical Commission asked the state govt not to admit students during the ongoing counselling till further notice since the permission granted to the univer sity to start the MBBS course with 100 seats has been put on hold.

The state will accommodate five govt school students who were admitted through the 7.5% quota. The provisional admission given to 95 other students has been with drawn. “We have given appointment orders to five govt school students under the 7.5% govt quota. We will accommodate them in other colleges. The number of seats will be adjusted next year,” he said. The results of round 1 allotment for the remaining 95 seats -under the state quota and management quota -have been cancelled as the committee had offered only provisional admissions, he said. Later in the evening, the state released the revised allotment after withdrawing 100 seats from the seat matrix.

"Students have been allotted seats based on their merit in NEET and the rule of reservation," officials said. On Friday, NMC told the state govt that the private university, which submitted its application for the establishment of a new medical college, was granted permission on Aug 10 for 100 seats, NMC, in a communication to the state, said. In the meantime, the apex body has received a writ petition filed by M/s. Michael Builders and Developers Pvt. Ltd. before the Delhi High Court contesting the college's claim to the land. The company has attached a district court order too. The NMC said it had put the “letter of permission” granted to the college for 100 MBBS seats on hold

Vande Bharat meets a long-pending demand of train users in Tiruchi

PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate the Madurai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express on Saturday.

The Hindu Bureau

TIRUCHI 31.08.2024

Rail passengers in Tiruchi will get a daytime train service to Bengaluru with the introduction of the Vande Bharat Express between Madurai and Bengaluru Cantonment via Tiruchi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the train along with the Chennai Egmore-Nagercoil Vande Bharat inaugural specialsthrough video conference on Saturday.

The Madurai-Bengaluru Cantonment Vande Bharat inaugural special will leave Madurai at 12.30 p.m. and reach Tiruchi at 2.05 p.m on Saturday.

The Tiruchi Railway Division has planned a grand reception for the new train. The train will leave Tiruchi at 2.10 p.m. and reach Bengaluru Cantonment at 9.30 p.m. via Karur, Namakkal, Salem and Krishnarajapuram.

The regular service of the Madurai-Bengaluru Cantonment-Madurai Vande Bharat Express (20671/20672) will begin from September 2 for six days a week except Tuesdays.

The train (20671) will leave Madurai at 5.15 a.m. and reach Tiruchi at 6.50 a.m. It will depart Tiruchi at 6.55 a.m. and reach Bengaluru Cantonment at 1 p.m. with stops at Karur, Namakkal, Salem and Krishnarajapuram. In the return direction, the train (20672) will leave Bengaluru at 1.30 p.m. and reach Tiruchi at 7.20 p.m. It will depart Tiruchi at 7.25 p.m. to reach Madurai at 9.45 p.m.

The regular service of the Chennai Egmore-Nagercoil -Chennai Egmore Vande Bharat Express (20627/20628) will be operated from September 2 for six days a week except Wednesday.

The train (20627) will leave Chennai Egmore at 5 a.m. and reach Tiruchi Junction at 8.55 a.m. It will depart Tiruchi at 9 a.m. to reach Nagercoil at 1.50 p.m with stops at Dindigul, Madurai, Kovilpatti and Tirunelveli. In the return direction, the train (20628) will leave Nagercoil at 2.20 p.m. and reachTiruchi Junction at 6.45 p.m. It will leave Tiruchi at 6.50 p.m. to reach Chennai Egmore at 11 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Consumer Protection Council, Tamil Nadu secretary S. Pushpavanam has welcomed the introduction of Vande Bharat between Madurai and Bengaluru via Tiruchi and thanked Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for meeting a felt need of the railway users. The council has reiterated its demand for one more night train from Tiruchi to Bengaluru to meet the growing demand.

Vistara to merge with Air India from Nov. 12

The Hindu Bureau

NEW DELHI 3.08.2024

The sun will set on Vistara on November 12 when the airline will move to the Air India brand with its flights carrying the ‘AI’ flight code instead of its ‘UK’ designator, and flight bookings too, moving to the latter’s web portal thereby completing the merger between the airlines.

Starting September 3, passengers will no longer be able to book tickets with Vistara for travel on or after November 12. Vistara will continue to take bookings and operate flights as usual till November 11.

The merger was announced by Vistara and AI soon after Singapore International Airlines (SIA) said the Indian government approved the plan for foreign direct investment in AI.

SIA, which held a 49% stake in Vistara along with Tata Sons, will now hold 25.1% in the combined entity in return for an investment of ₹2,058.5 crore.

Friday, August 30, 2024

NEWS 30.08.2024

Father cannot demand return of divorcee daughter’s ‘stridhan’ from her in-laws:

SC WOMAN IS THE SOLE OWNER OF HER ASSET

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesofindia.com

New Delhi : Supreme Court Thursday ruled that a woman is the sole owner of her ‘stridhan’, the gold ornaments and other articles given by her parents at the time of marriage, and said that after divorce, her father has no authority to demand return of those gifts from her erstwhile in-laws. P Veerabhadra Rao’s daughter was married in Dec 1999 and the couple migrated to the US. After 16 years of marriage, the daughter filed for divorce.

A Louis county circuit court in Missouri granted divorce by mutual possessions, material and financial, were settled between the parties through a separation agreement. She remarried in May 2018. Three years later, Rao filed an FIR against his daughter’s erstwhile in-laws in Hyderabad seeking return of her ‘stridhan’.

The erstwhile in-laws unsuccessfully moved Telangana HC for quashing of the FIR. Then they appealed against HC order in SC.

A bench of Justices quashed the case against the in-laws and said the father had no locus standi to seek return of his daughter’s ‘stridhan’ as that belonged solely to her.

Univ of Southampton first foreign varsity to set up campus in India

UNDER UGC REGULATIONS

New Delhi : The UK’s University of Southampton has become the first foreign university to set up its offshore campus in India as part of University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations under the new National Education Policy 2020. Ranked among the top 100 higher educational institutions globally, the university will set up its campus in Gurgaon and the first academic session is likely to start in July. The de- grees awarded by the India campus of the University of Southampton will be the same as in the host university.

UGC chairman Jagadesh Kumar said the university will offer courses in subjects focusing on business and management, computing, law, engineering, art and design, biosciences and life sciences. In 2023, UGC had announced ‘Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India Regulations’ under NEP 2020.

“This will be the first foreign university to be issued ‘letter of intent’ under UGC regulations for setting up of Indian campuses of foreign universities,” the education ministry said. TNN

Govt staff irked by appointment of retd officials, consultants

Julie.Mariappan@timesofindia.com 30.8.2024

Chennai : Days after Union govt scrapped lateral entry in services due to opposition from various quarters, Tamil Nadu govt employees criticised state govt for hiring retired officials a s consultants in multiple departments. The Tamil Nadu Secretariat Association (TNSA) lodged a complaint with the chief minister, alleging that numerous appointments are being made without any established guidelines.

The association members said retired officials from the law department, formerly holding the positions of additional secretary or joint secretary, have been occupying roles in Secretariat departments and various committees. Retired additional secretaries have been appointed as consultants in departments such as special programme implementation, environment, climate change, and the forest department, all on contract basis. They alleged that even the project monitoring units are managed by consultants.

“Govt tendency to take policy decisions on the advice of consultants, ignoring work of employees, is against social justice,” the TNSA stated in its complaint. The association contended that the previous AIADMK regime had employed a few retired officials, mostly IAS officers, as consultants, in a limited manner. They argued, however, that the current regime appointed consultants without any guidelines. The increasing appointment of consultants by state govt ‘silently’ contradicts its own ‘Dravidian model’ governance, particularly in light of DMK's opposition to recruitment of lateral entrants in Central services, which was deemed against social justice, it said.

Taking to X, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss questioned the process of appointing specialists for the mission management unit for drug-free Tamil Nadu, noting the absence of reservation.

Thursday, August 29, 2024

‘Family invested ₹9 crore in Lankan entity’

‘TRANSFERRED AMONG FAMILY’

Even as the appeal was pending, ED proceeded with the investigation, and the matter was taken up by the adjudicating authority. It accused them of acquiring Singapore foreign shares and transferring them among Jagathrakshakan’s family members in violation of FEMA. “The family invested around ₹9 crore in a Sri Lankan entity,” ED said. During the investigation, Jagathrakshakan approached Madras high court questioning the ED adjudicating authority’s power to proceed with the investigation when the competent authority had set aside the seizure order.

However, the court said the competent authority’s order would not interfere with the adjudicating authority’s power and in July this year dismissed appeals filed by Jagathrakshakan.

Armed with the high court order, ED expedited the adjudicating proceedings. Since charges against Jagathrakshakan and others were proved, the adjudicating authority has levied a penalty of ₹908 crore apart from confiscating the assets seized in 2020.

FEMA violation: ED slaps ₹908cr fine on DMK MP Chennai : The adjudicating authority of Enforcement Directorate (ED) has imposed a penalty of ₹908 crore on DMK Lok Sabha member S Jagathrakshakan and his family members under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

The central agency had charged them in 2021 for violations of various FEMA provisions including their investment of ₹42 crore in a Singapore-based shell company. Their immovable proper ties worth ₹89.19 crore, which were seized in 2020, have been confiscated now. In 2020, ED had conducted an investigation under FEMA against Jagathrakshakan, his family members and their Indian entity. While the competent authority set aside the order the same year, ED approached the appellate tribunal

Twin tunnels to be ready by Dec ’26 To Operate Driverless Trains

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 29.08.2024

Chennai : Twin tunnels to operate driverless metro trains from Venugopal Nagar near Madhavaram to Kellys near Purasaiwalkam are likely to be ready by Dec 2026. The 18-km stretch, constructed by Tata Projects, is part of the 45.4 km Madhavaram Milk Colony-Siruseri Sipcot corridor-3 of the 116.1km phase-2.

On Wednesday, on the sidelines of the launch of anupskilling programme, K Ramesh, project directorCMRL, Tata Projects, said a 7.5km tunnel was completed and seven tunnel boring machines are at work between Venugopal Nagar and Kellys. “We have completed more than 60% of work inclu-ding diaphragm walls of three stations and work on the fourth is nearing completion. By Dec 2026, we will complete tunnelling. We may take another six months to complete other work and the project.” The stretch where tun-nels have been built includes Venugopal Nagar to Madhavaram Milk Colony, Madhavaram Milk Colony to Madhavaram High Road, Aynavaram to Otteri and Aynavaram to Perambur. While TBMs are being operated between Madhavaram High Road and Moolakadai, tunnelling from Purasaiwalkam shopping hub to Kellys will begin in two weeks. “We have hired international experts who are advising us on cutting tools we can use, ways to operate machines and parameters to maintain in each location based on the geology,” he added.

Tata Projects’ upskilling initiative involves comprehensive training, accreditedcertification, and financial support to make workers experts and improve their employability. On completion, workers will receive certificates, diplomas and degrees accredited by Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC) and Kalinga University. The company has nearly 3,000 people working for CMRL. “Our programme is not just an investment in our employees; it’s an investment in the future of the construction industry. It’s a testament to our commitment to their professional growth and well-being, ensuring they have skills and support needed to advance their careers,” said Ritesh Pratap Singh, CHRO, Tata Project

Madras Medical College among 6 institutions selected for ICMR’s research project

Research studies are concentrated in urban areas. This project aims to take research to the rural parts of the region

E. Theranirajan,

Dean of MMC and RGGGH

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI 29.08.2024

ED slaps ₹908 crore in penalty on Jagathrakshakan for violation of foreign exchange rules

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI 29.08.2024

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has imposed a penalty of ₹908 crore on S. Jagathrakshakan, the DMK MP from Arakkonam, for violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). The ED passed the order on Monday. It was based on an order dated September 11, 2020, issued under Section 37A of FEMA, for the seizure of properties held in the names of Mr. Jagathrakshakan and his family members, valued at ₹89.19 crore.

In a press release, the ED said that the penalty was levied after the Madras High Court dismissed the writ appeals of Mr. Jagathrakshakan through an order dated July 23. On November 30 last year, the court refused to interfere in the functioning of the ED, which had followed due process while serving show-cause notices on Mr. Jagathrakshakan and his family members on December 22, 2021.

The ED had charged Mr. Jagathrakshakan and his family members with violation of provisions of FEMA, especially in the investment of ₹42 crore in a shell company incorporated in Singapore in 2017, and acquisition/holding of Singapore shares and their transfer among the family. The ED also found violations of the Act in the investment of ₹9 crore in a Sri Lankan entity.

Private hospitals being empanelled under Muthulakshmi Reddy maternity scheme

Some doctors and officials argue that the number of deliveries in the government sector will drop in the long run due to the decision

Serena Josephine M.

CHENNAI

The Health Department has initiated the process of empanelling private hospitals under the Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme (MRMBS). The decision to extend the benefits of the scheme to eligible pregnant women availing themselves of maternity services at the empanelled private hospitals has raised apprehensions among a section of doctors and officials, who argue that it may affect the State in more than one way. Mainly, the number of deliveries in the government sector will drop in the long run, they say.

The scheme, under which financial assistance was given to poor pregnant women, mandated delivery at government institutions till 2017. Thereafter, the government approved the extension of the scheme to those who availed themselves of free health services at private medical college hospitals. In 2018, it was co-branded with the Union government’s Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana. In its present form, the scheme extends financial assistance to the tune of ₹18,000 that includes two maternal nutritional kits worth ₹2,000 each.

In the past few months, the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine has tasked its officers with empanelling private hospitals under the scheme. Once the decision is implemented, eligible women who avail themselves of maternity services at the empanelled private hospitals will get both financial assistance and nutritional kits. While officials say that the decision is aimed at ensuring safe deliveries for pregnant women irrespective of where they are treated, some doctors and officials disagree.

Official sources said that district officers were given a check list and told to inspect a list of private hospitals for the availability of facilities. Some hospitals had already been empanelled and given access to the Pregnancy and Infant Cohort Monitoring and Evaluation (PICME) portal.

A number of doctors felt that it would cause a setback to maternity services in the government sector. “MRMBS is one of the reasons for a woman to choose a government facility for her delivery. Why should the government extend financial assistance to those who have the paying capacity to avail themselves of services at a private hospital? In the long run, it will definitely impact the number of deliveries in the government sector. This is a wrong decision,” a doctor pointed out.

Another official source cited the Health Minister’s recent statement that 59% of the institutional deliveries in the State occurred in government institutions. “If the decision is implemented in full, there will be a shift from government facilities to private hospitals, leading to a decline in deliveries in the public health facilities. Even if we say that the place of delivery is the woman’s choice and right, such a move will end up increasing the out-of-pocket expenditure of the middle income group,” he said.

Director of Public Health T.S. Selvavinayagam said that currently, 60% of the pregnant women were getting treated in the government sector, and the remaining 40% in the private sector. “Not all women who go to private hospitals are rich; there are women belonging to the middle-income and low-income groups as well. So, we need to have a collective system. With 40% going to the private sector, we thought it was time to open up by empanelling hospitals that will ensure that they have minimum standards in place,” he said.

“From the public health perspective, the safety of the mother is of primary importance rather than where she is getting treated. The aim is that there should be no maternal deaths,” he added.

“While a view that this amounts to privatisation may come up, for us, reaching mothers is important, and whether government or private is multifactorial. From deliveries at home at one point in time, we moved to health sub-centres, then to Primary Health Centres, and now to hospitals. Safe delivery is important,” Dr. Selvavinayagam said.

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

NEWS TODAY 28.08.2024

Hefty fines, journal publication costs hit Ph.D scholars at BDU

THE HINDU 28.08.2024

The thesis of one of my candidates got delayed up to five years due to personal reasons, and she is unable to pay the ₹50,000 fine that the university wants her to clear before granting the Ph.D degree

Associate professor

Thanjavur college

The delays begin when research scholars are unable to publish at least two articles in journals approved by UGC-CARE list

Nahla Nainar

TIRUCHI

Aspiring research scholars at Bharathidasan University (BDU) in Tiruchi are in a fix over mounting penalties and additional fees as the approval of their dissertations gets delayed due to a number of reasons.

The issue was discussed at BDU’s annual Senate meeting held recently, and continues to be a cause for concern for students and their guides.

The delays begin when research scholars are unable to publish at least two articles in journals approved by the University Grants Commission-Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics (UGC-CARE) list, said academics.

Most candidates pay journals upwards of ₹20,000 to have their articles published, before they submit their synopsis for consideration at the university.

If the journal is not on the UGC-CARE list at the time of submission, the article has to be re-sent with amendments to a different (approved) publication.

“Since this step has become problematic in recent times, with an ever-changing list, the University Grants Commission has specified that publication is not mandatory to apply for Ph.D. But BDU continues to insist on it, which makes it difficult for scholars to get started on their actual dissertation,” a Senate member told The Hindu. Doctoral studies can be extended up to seven years from the date of registration.

“At present, there is no standard on the penalty being levied on late submissions. The thesis of one of my candidates got delayed up to five years due to personal reasons, and she is unable to pay the ₹50,000 fine that the university wants her to clear before granting the Ph.D. There are instances of students being fined up to ₹1. 5 lakh as late fee. Those who have the means will pay, but candidates from economically weaker sections cannot afford such large amounts,” said an associate professor from a Thanjavur college.

The academic added that repeated requests urging BDU to set a limit for fines had been overlooked.

When contacted, R. Ramesh Babu, director (in-charge) Research, BDU, said, “A total of 1,090 candidates have sat for the Ph.D entrance exams this year. The actual number of those applying for doctoral studies will be known by September. We are trying to improve the standard of research dissertations at the university, which is why they pass through several levels of scrutiny.”