Guv promulgates ordinance on salary as per govt request

Disbursal Of Govt Employees’ Wages To Begin From May 4

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Thiruvananthapuram:1.5.2020

In a huge relief to the cash-strapped state government, governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Thursday gave his stamp of approval to the request for promulgating an ordinance that gives legal credence to the government decision to defer a portion of government employees’ salary for the next five months.

Though there was lack of agreement among legal experts regarding the legal strength of the ordinance, the governor promulgated the ordinance without out raising questions. The draft ordinance was approved by the cabinet on Wednesday as an emergency measure to circumvent the high court order that questioned the government’s right to defer salary payment on the basis of an executive order.

Welcoming the promulgation of the ordinance as requested by the government, finance minister T M Thomas Isaac said the salary disbursement of government employees would start on May 4. “Priority would be given to the salary disbursal of healthcare workers and police personnel. The approval to employees who fall under various other categories would follow,” Isaac said.

The ordinance gives government the right to set aside up to 25% of the salary of government employees, teachers and others employed in institutions that receive government grant. The government, however, now plans to set aside only 20% of the salary, by deferring six days’ payment from the monthly wages for five months.

Isaac repeated that the government was bound to return the money set aside from the salary of employees. “If the economic condition improves significantly in the coming months, the amount would soon be given back in cash or by merging the same in provident fund. The deferred payment would be kept in a separate account in government treasury and the same would be transferred to CMDRF. A total of Rs 2,500 crore would be thus transferred to CMDRF over the next five months,” he said.

The governor has also given approval to the ordinance that allows the government to deduct 30% of salary/honorarium of people’s representatives including ministers, MLAs and elected members of local bodies.

Meanwhile, employees’ organizations owing allegiance to UDF and BJP are planning to challenge the ordinance in the high court.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan with a mask at his press meet on Thursday

Govt sanctions ₹13.78cr for CCTVs in treasuries

KP.Saikiran@timesgroup.com

Thiruvananthapuram:1.5.2020

Despite raising concerns regarding the poor financial condition of the state, the finance department has allotted Rs 13.78 crore for purchasing CCTV cameras and generators as part of the implementation of Information Security Management System (ISMS) in the treasury department.

As per a government order issued on Tuesday, the purchase includes CCTV surveillance system, diesel generator sets, fire extinguishers and queue management and token system equipment.

The ISMS will help obtain ISO 27001certification for the integrated financial management system in the state treasury. The consultancy service for the ISMS was given to M/s Ernest and Young LLP, at a cost of Rs 1.54 crore which was sanctioned in January 2019. The consultant companies considered were Price Waterhouse Coopers Pvt Limited, KPMG and Wipro.

The treasury department’s move to set up additional facilities in its offices comes at a time when bills even to the tune of a few lakh rupees are pending before it and the government is struggling to pay the salaries of the employees. The harsh treasury restrictions that have been put in place due to the financial crunch means only those bills from the administrative departments that are up to Rs 50,000 are being immediately passed.

However, the finance department is of the view that the project cannot wait as it is part of a fool-proof system needed for the treasury going digital.

“As much as 95% of data of financial transactions in our treasury is in the digital mode. The volume is more than that of any commercial bank. So, we need to ensure data security. This project was sanctioned last financial year and 60% of the work has been completed. In order to complete the project, some physical infrastructure need to be set up,” said treasuries director Jafar A M.

A technician installing a CCTV camera in Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala guv OKs ordinance on salary deferment

Thiruvananthapuram:1.5.2020

In a huge relief to the cash-strapped Kerala government, governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Thursday gave his stamp of approval to the request for promulgating an ordinance that gives legal credence to the government decision to defer a portion of government employees’ salary for the next five months.

Though there was lack of agreement among legal experts regarding the legal strength of the ordinance, the governor promulgated it without raising questions. The draft ordinance was approved by the cabinet on Wednesday as an emergency measure to circumvent the high court order that questioned the government’s right to defer salary payment on the basis of an executive order. TNN

RISHI KAPOOR 1952-2020

Mulk Mourns As Kapoors Lose A Son

April has been a cruel month. Now the first family of Bollywood has lost its biggest star. Son of a legendary showman, Rishi Kapoor never allowed the illustrious record of his elders to weigh him down. He was a versatile artiste with a nearly 50-year career

Avijit.Ghosh@timesgroup.com

1.5.2020

In a long, glittering career, Rishi Kapoor acted in romantic thrillers (Khel Khel Mein) and love yarns of different shades (Kabhi Kabhie, Laila Majnu, Sargam, Prem Rog, Tawaif, Saagar, Henna). He danced better (Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahi, Karz) than most contemporaries. A lesser actor would have got lost in masala multi-starrers (Amar Akbar Anthony, Naseeb) but Rishi’s easy charm and comic timing helped him sail through. And yes, his movies were synonymous with chartbusting tracks, generally composed by RD Burman and Laxmikant-Pyarelal.

With passing time, he abandoned the mannerisms that came in the way of his growth as an actor. In the coda of his career, when character actor parts were more etched out, Rishi Kapoor found a second wind. A garrulous Bollywood producer (Luck By Chance), a gay dean (Student of the Year), a loathsome trafficker (Agneepath), a spirited grandfather (Kapoor & Sons) and an aging Muslim laywer battling for honour (Mulk) -- he invested each part with a sense of the real.

“My second phase as a character artiste is particularly gratifying because I could disprove certain misconceptions that people have about senior actors,” Rishi wrote in Khullam Khulla, the autobiography he co-authored with Meena Iyer.

Few Bollywood autobiographies – barring those by Dev Anand and Naseeruddin Shah -- are so honest. Rishi spoke about fearing his father before coming to admire him, his bouts with alcohol, depression and chauvinism. He wrote how he had objected to Rajesh Khanna -- whom he initially disliked -- being considered for Raj Kapoor’s Satyam Shivam Sundaram, and admitted to a drunken fight with fellow actor Sanjay Khan. He admitted how he had gone to Javed Akhtar’s home to bait him after Imaan-Dharam scripted by Salim-Javed had flopped and expressed regret at not being able to help RD Burman when the down-and-out maestro asked for work late in his career.

Kapoor was born on Sept 4, 1952 in Bombay’s no. 1 film family. “I have a vault filled with priceless memories, and a unique vantage point since birth. I have seen four generations of Kapoors at work -- from my grandfather, my father, uncles and brothers, to Karisma, Kareena and Ranbir (his son),” he said in his autobiography.

He was a natural. In his debut role as a boy besotted by his school teacher in his father’s Mera Naam Joker, Rishi projected the right degree of infatuation with heartbreak. Bobby was made primarily by Raj Kapoor to tide over the losses suffered after Joker flopped. The love story oozing with teen glamour became a monster hit. Songs such as Hum tum ek kamre mein band hon – now revived in these times of social distancing -- were frowned upon by aging India but lapped up by the young and the loveless. Kapoor and his co-star Dimple Kapadia became the vanilla of the season.

The film shaped his image as a romantic star. He was yoked to the template of youthful entertainers, where he lipsynced to peppy songs in pullovers. He was often paired with debutantes (Shoma Anand in Barood, Kajal Kiran in Hum Kisi Se..., Ranjeeta in Laila Majnu).

Always in step with the times, Rishi Kapoor was a regular on Twitter. He tweeted honestly and, sometimes controversially, to his 3.5 million followers. The actor’s last tweet, posted on April 2 was straight from the heart. He wrote, “An appeal to all brothers and sisters from all social status and faiths. Please don’t resort to violence, stone throwing or lynching. Doctors, nurses, medics, policemen etc… are endangering their lives to save you. We have to win this Coronavirus war together. Please. Jai Hind!”

Trichy doc, assn donate thermometers to PHCs

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Trichy:1.5.2020

Highlighting the use of infrared thermometers instead of conventional thermometers when checking patients to avoid likely Covid-19 infections, Rotary Club Rock City of Trichy and a citybased cardiologist on Wednesday provided 14 infrared thermometers, each worth ₹5,000, to primary health centres (PHCs) in Trichy city.

Dr Senthilkumar Nallusamy, chief cardiologist at Rana Hospital, who organised the project, said the main advantage of infrared thermometers is that it would not require physical contact with the patient. It would not cause discomfort to the individual being assessed and can be used to screen large groups.

A team comprising Nallusamy and club president Rajesh and secretary Thilakchander first handed over an infrared thermometer to Trichy collector S Sivarasu and then disrtibuted the rest to UPHCs in Woraiyur, Gandhipuram, Ramalinga Nagar, Periyamelaguparai, E pudur, Beemanagar, Iruthaiyapurm, Beerangikulam, Airport, Subramaniyapuram, Thennur, Tepakulam and E B Road.

Nallusamy also donated 10 face shields to each UPHC and highlighted the importance of those on teh frontlines using such protective gear.

Wedding gifts through google pay

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  1.5.2020

A home guard personnel, who got married at Thiruvottiyur on Wednesday, received cash gifts from family members and friends through google pay.

The newly-married couple gave food packets to the poor people gathered at the Angala Parameshwari temple, the venue of their marriage which was witnessed by limited family members.

The home guard personnel Ram Ganapathy, 26, attached to the Thiruvottiyur police station, was engaged to Roopavathi in February this year.

As per their earlier plan, their marriage was fixed on April 29 in the city.

Due to the state-wide lockdown, they cancelled their plan to conduct marriage at a kalyana mantapam, which they had booked soon after the engagement.

Kovilpatti’s kadalai mittai gets GI tag after 5-yr delay

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:1.5.2020

After a five-year wait, Kovilpatti kadalai mittai (chikki or a jaggery with peanuts) has finally got Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

Now, members of the Kovilpatti Regional Kadalai Mittai Manufacturers and Retailers Association, based out of Kovilpatti and some towns and villages in Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu, will have an exclusive right over the tag.

GI tags are granted for produce or products originating from and having unique qualities corresponding to a geographical area. The tag gives exclusive right to its holders over the uniqueness of the product. This also ensures that none other than the right holders to claim or use the product name attributing to its geographical origin. The GI tag has been granted to the groundnut sweet by the Geographical Indications Registry recognising the uniqueness of the ingredients used for its manufacture procured from the geographical area of Kovilpatti. The ingredients include groundnuts grown in the native black soil of Kovilpatti, organic jaggery and water sourced from the Thamirabarani river, said IPR attorney and the associations counsel P Sanjai Gandhi.

The other recognised uniqueness includes the production process which is done using ‘veragu aduppu’ (firewood stove), he added.

Though the application seeking GI tag for the sweet was made by the Kovilpatti Regional Kadalaimittai Manufacturers and Retailers Association on July 3, 2014 the same was published in the official GI journal only on November 29, 2019 inviting objections if any.

“Once the publication is made in the official journal, objections must be made within a maximum of four months from the date of publication. Since no objection has been received by the GI registry till the expiry of the said period, GI tag has been granted for Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai,” IP attorney K Muthu Selvam said