THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is no difference among Narendra Modi, Oommen Chandy, NDA and UPA, when it comes to ‘looting’ people. It is just that their policy is one and garb different, CPM State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has posted on his Facebook page.
“The Petroleum ministry’s proposal is to increase the price of LPG cylinder by Rs 250 and kerosene by 50 paisa (every month). This follows a hike in petrol price by more than Rs 2 per litre. The State Electricity Board also recommends doubling the Electric Metre rent and increasing the current charge for domestic consumers,” wrote Pinarayi.
Nurses vow not to go back to Iraq
KOCHI: After about a month's long ordeal in the strife torn Iraq, 46 Indian nurses returned to their homeland today with most of them vowing not to go back risking their lives.
"We will not go back. There is no question of going back. We are not prepared to endanger our lives once again", said Sandra Sebastian, who arrived at the Kochi airport along with 45 other nurses to a warm and emotional welcome from Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and their relatives.
Sandra, hailing from neighbouring Kottayam district, said she had gone to Iraq on August 16 last year. Since the past four months she along with other nurses have not received salaries from the Government Tikrit Training Hospital where they were working.
"Earlier, we were a batch of 23 nurses and then 15 more joined us in February this year" she said.
On being held captive by ISIS militants, Sandra and Neenu Jose, another nurse, said though they had been asked to move out earlier, they refused to do so as the Indian Embassy had not given them permission to do so, she said.
However, on July 3, they were given only 15 minutes time to pack their bag and leave by the militants.
"They told us that you are all our our sisters. You would not be harmed. But we did not believe them", Sandra said, adding, some armed doctors also travelled with them during the seven hours journey from from Tikrit to Mosul. They left the hospital at 12 pm in four buses and reached Mosul by 7 PM.
"They were given food and bed to sleep on," Neenu said. Suni Mol Chacko from Kannur said "they cannot be called terrorists. They are part of the local government".
The families of all the nurses, who had come in large numbers to receive their daughters, were moist eyed as they hugged and kissed them.
Elanji Balakrishnan from Ernakulam, said his daughter, Renu had gone to Iraq in August last year. The family had to take Rs 2 lakh loan to send her and she had not received salary for the past three months, he said.
"I had to mortgage 48 cents of land and my house to send my daughter to Iraq", the frail Balakrishnan said.
All the nurses and their families thanked Chandy and Central government for all the help in ensuring their safe return to India.
Of the 46 nurses, 45 hail from various districts of Kerala and one belongs to Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu. They said the militants treated them well.
Mareena from Kottayam was all in tears as she hugged and kissed her two-year-old daughter Reya and son Merin, whom she was meeting after 11 months. She said they were well looked after by the ISIS and had no complaints.
Shantamma, mother of Shalini, said her daughter had gone to Tikrit five months ago after taking Rs 5 lakh loan. The family is worried.
Chandy who arrived here late last night, received the nurses at the airport and the airport authorities ensured speedy completion of emigration and customs formalities.
Media personnel had a tough time as they were not allowed anywhere inside the International arrival lounge.
Airport sources said besides Chandy, Health minister V S Shivakumar, PWD minister Irabhim Kunju, Chalakudy MP and Malayalam actor Innocent and Kottayam MP Jose K Mani were present at the airport.
Though most of them looked travel weary, there were tears of joy as they spotted their near and dear ones.
As soon as they saw Chandy, they said 'Thank You', 'Thank You'.
NORKA (Non Resident Keralites Association) officials had put up two counters to provide all help to the nurses. The nurses were given Rs 5000 each and offered free taxies to reach their homes.
Children from Janseva Shishu Bhavan, holding placards 'Stop War', politicians cutting across parties, and members of Nursing Associations were seen at the airport to welcome the nurses.
Seventeen of the nurses are from Kottayam district, 7 each from Kannur and Idukki districts and rest belong to other parts of the state.
"We will not go back. There is no question of going back. We are not prepared to endanger our lives once again", said Sandra Sebastian, who arrived at the Kochi airport along with 45 other nurses to a warm and emotional welcome from Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and their relatives.
Sandra, hailing from neighbouring Kottayam district, said she had gone to Iraq on August 16 last year. Since the past four months she along with other nurses have not received salaries from the Government Tikrit Training Hospital where they were working.
"Earlier, we were a batch of 23 nurses and then 15 more joined us in February this year" she said.
On being held captive by ISIS militants, Sandra and Neenu Jose, another nurse, said though they had been asked to move out earlier, they refused to do so as the Indian Embassy had not given them permission to do so, she said.
However, on July 3, they were given only 15 minutes time to pack their bag and leave by the militants.
"They told us that you are all our our sisters. You would not be harmed. But we did not believe them", Sandra said, adding, some armed doctors also travelled with them during the seven hours journey from from Tikrit to Mosul. They left the hospital at 12 pm in four buses and reached Mosul by 7 PM.
"They were given food and bed to sleep on," Neenu said. Suni Mol Chacko from Kannur said "they cannot be called terrorists. They are part of the local government".
The families of all the nurses, who had come in large numbers to receive their daughters, were moist eyed as they hugged and kissed them.
Elanji Balakrishnan from Ernakulam, said his daughter, Renu had gone to Iraq in August last year. The family had to take Rs 2 lakh loan to send her and she had not received salary for the past three months, he said.
"I had to mortgage 48 cents of land and my house to send my daughter to Iraq", the frail Balakrishnan said.
All the nurses and their families thanked Chandy and Central government for all the help in ensuring their safe return to India.
Of the 46 nurses, 45 hail from various districts of Kerala and one belongs to Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu. They said the militants treated them well.
Mareena from Kottayam was all in tears as she hugged and kissed her two-year-old daughter Reya and son Merin, whom she was meeting after 11 months. She said they were well looked after by the ISIS and had no complaints.
Shantamma, mother of Shalini, said her daughter had gone to Tikrit five months ago after taking Rs 5 lakh loan. The family is worried.
Chandy who arrived here late last night, received the nurses at the airport and the airport authorities ensured speedy completion of emigration and customs formalities.
Media personnel had a tough time as they were not allowed anywhere inside the International arrival lounge.
Airport sources said besides Chandy, Health minister V S Shivakumar, PWD minister Irabhim Kunju, Chalakudy MP and Malayalam actor Innocent and Kottayam MP Jose K Mani were present at the airport.
Though most of them looked travel weary, there were tears of joy as they spotted their near and dear ones.
As soon as they saw Chandy, they said 'Thank You', 'Thank You'.
NORKA (Non Resident Keralites Association) officials had put up two counters to provide all help to the nurses. The nurses were given Rs 5000 each and offered free taxies to reach their homes.
Children from Janseva Shishu Bhavan, holding placards 'Stop War', politicians cutting across parties, and members of Nursing Associations were seen at the airport to welcome the nurses.
Seventeen of the nurses are from Kottayam district, 7 each from Kannur and Idukki districts and rest belong to other parts of the state.
Kerala to get 4th intl airport; commercial ops by May 2016
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will lay the foundation stone of the state's fourth international airport at Kannur tomorrow and its commercial operations are expected to start in May 2016.
The state government has 35 per cent stake in the airport, and the terminal would have the capacity to handle 2,000 passengers at a time, Minister for Ports and Airport K Babu said here today.
The work contract for the 75,000 sq ft integrated terminal building has been awarded to L&T Construction Buildings and Factories at an estimated cost of Rs 498 crore.
As per the contract, work has to be completed by May 2016. If the company failed to do so, it would have to pay five per cent fine. In case of completing the project before time, they would be paid bonus, he said.
Construction of runway would also be carried out by the same company with an estimated cost of Rs 694 crore and nearly 10 per cent of work had already been completed, he said.
The runway work is expected to be over by December 2015, the minister said.
On equity participation, he said, though 21 per cent of shares were earmarked for public sector undertakings, only 19 per cent had been purchased so far.
Kerala-based Federal Bank, South Indian Bank and State Bank of Travancore had already taken shares, he said.
The other airports in the state are at Thiruvananthapuram, Neddumbassery in Kochi and Karipur in Malappuram district.
The state government has 35 per cent stake in the airport, and the terminal would have the capacity to handle 2,000 passengers at a time, Minister for Ports and Airport K Babu said here today.
The work contract for the 75,000 sq ft integrated terminal building has been awarded to L&T Construction Buildings and Factories at an estimated cost of Rs 498 crore.
As per the contract, work has to be completed by May 2016. If the company failed to do so, it would have to pay five per cent fine. In case of completing the project before time, they would be paid bonus, he said.
Construction of runway would also be carried out by the same company with an estimated cost of Rs 694 crore and nearly 10 per cent of work had already been completed, he said.
The runway work is expected to be over by December 2015, the minister said.
On equity participation, he said, though 21 per cent of shares were earmarked for public sector undertakings, only 19 per cent had been purchased so far.
Kerala-based Federal Bank, South Indian Bank and State Bank of Travancore had already taken shares, he said.
The other airports in the state are at Thiruvananthapuram, Neddumbassery in Kochi and Karipur in Malappuram district.
Nurses to reach Kochi tomorrow morning, says Chandy
NEW DELHI: Nurses who were in the hands of Sunni insurgents in Iraq have been released, said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. Talking to the media, he said that the nurses will reach Kochi Saturday morning at 7 am.
The nurses are presently in Kurdistan and are safe. Within an hour, they will reach the airport. The nurses were freed with the collective effort of all, he said.
Chandy expressed satisfaction on external affairs ministry’s intervention on the issue. It is not a person’s success issue instead a humanitarian one.
The nurses are presently in Kurdistan and are safe. Within an hour, they will reach the airport. The nurses were freed with the collective effort of all, he said.
Chandy expressed satisfaction on external affairs ministry’s intervention on the issue. It is not a person’s success issue instead a humanitarian one.
Notice for govt on HM’s plea
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The central administrative tribunal issued a notice to the state government on the plea filed by former headmistress of the Cotton Hill School Urmila Devi, who was transferred for criticizing education minister in a public function.
The headmistress was first transferred to a school in Attingal, 25 kilometers away from the capital city. She was later posted to the model school in the capital city following a plea filed.
The headmistress was first transferred to a school in Attingal, 25 kilometers away from the capital city. She was later posted to the model school in the capital city following a plea filed.
No need to panic on price rise; states should take action: FM
NEW DELHI: Blaming hoarders for the rise in food inflation, finance minister Arun Jaitley today said there is "no panic situation" and asked the states to take measures to crackdown on hoarding and black marketing to rein in prices.
"When production of food items is higher than last year and still prices rise, then it means that intermediaries are keeping the stock somewhere," Jaitley said at a conference on food inflation.
He said the test of the good governance is how to de-hoard the stock kept by intermediaries into the market to rein in prices. "This is the biggest challenge."
Stating that prices of some food items increase every year during the July-December period due to hoarding, Jaitley said: "There are reports of below normal monsoon this year. Hoarders are taking advantage of the situation."
"Prices of some items had touched Rs 70-100 per kg last year. Prices are still lower this year. There is no panic situation," he said.
The Minister asked the state governments to assess the problem as action taken after price rise creates panic in the market.
Noting that prices of crude oil have increased due to tension in Iraq, Jaitley said there are, however, indications of softening of prices.
He was addressing the conference of state food and consumer affairs ministers to discuss measures to check food inflation. The meeting was also attended by Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan and Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh.
Jaitley also mentioned that prices of onion, potato, rice, pulses and milk have increased because of different reasons.
Inflation rose to five-month high to 6.01 per cent in May due to rise in prices of essential items like vegetables, fruits and cereals.
In order to check prices during the coming festival season, Jaitley urged the states to assess the supply-demand situation and take effective measures in advance to boost supply.
He also asked the state governments to set an example of good governance as there is no reason for price rise when production is at a record level and supplies are adequate.
Emphasising on the need for coordinated efforts to control prices, Jaitley said both the Centre and states should prepare a joint-action plan in this regard.
The Finance Minister highlighted measures taken by the Centre in the last few weeks including additional allocation of 5 million tonnes of rice for poor and imposition of minimum export price on onion and potato.
"When production of food items is higher than last year and still prices rise, then it means that intermediaries are keeping the stock somewhere," Jaitley said at a conference on food inflation.
He said the test of the good governance is how to de-hoard the stock kept by intermediaries into the market to rein in prices. "This is the biggest challenge."
Stating that prices of some food items increase every year during the July-December period due to hoarding, Jaitley said: "There are reports of below normal monsoon this year. Hoarders are taking advantage of the situation."
"Prices of some items had touched Rs 70-100 per kg last year. Prices are still lower this year. There is no panic situation," he said.
The Minister asked the state governments to assess the problem as action taken after price rise creates panic in the market.
Noting that prices of crude oil have increased due to tension in Iraq, Jaitley said there are, however, indications of softening of prices.
He was addressing the conference of state food and consumer affairs ministers to discuss measures to check food inflation. The meeting was also attended by Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan and Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh.
Jaitley also mentioned that prices of onion, potato, rice, pulses and milk have increased because of different reasons.
Inflation rose to five-month high to 6.01 per cent in May due to rise in prices of essential items like vegetables, fruits and cereals.
In order to check prices during the coming festival season, Jaitley urged the states to assess the supply-demand situation and take effective measures in advance to boost supply.
He also asked the state governments to set an example of good governance as there is no reason for price rise when production is at a record level and supplies are adequate.
Emphasising on the need for coordinated efforts to control prices, Jaitley said both the Centre and states should prepare a joint-action plan in this regard.
The Finance Minister highlighted measures taken by the Centre in the last few weeks including additional allocation of 5 million tonnes of rice for poor and imposition of minimum export price on onion and potato.
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