Sport ministry announces Rs. 10 lakh cash award for Anand

New Delhi: The union sports ministry has announced a Rs. 10 lakh cash award for Viswanathan Anand, crowned the World Chess Champion for the fifth time.

'We have a cash award for any sportsperson who wins in Asian Championships, Worlds, Olympics or any other major event. So, on the basis of that we have decided to give Rs. 10 lakh as a cash award to Anand. It is a standard policy followed by the ministry,' Sports Minister Ajay Maken said here Thursday.

Anand beat Israel's Boris Gelfand in Moscow on Wednesday.

Sport ministry announces Rs. 10 lakh cash award for Anand

New Delhi: The union sports ministry has announced a Rs. 10 lakh cash award for Viswanathan Anand, crowned the World Chess Champion for the fifth time.

'We have a cash award for any sportsperson who wins in Asian Championships, Worlds, Olympics or any other major event. So, on the basis of that we have decided to give Rs. 10 lakh as a cash award to Anand. It is a standard policy followed by the ministry,' Sports Minister Ajay Maken said here Thursday.

Anand beat Israel's Boris Gelfand in Moscow on Wednesday.

India's GDP growth dips to 9-year low of 5.3 percent

New Delhi: India's economic growth slumped to 5.3 percent in January-March quarter, the slowest in nine years, due to poor performance of manufacturing and farm sectors, official data showed Thursday.
For the whole of 2011-12 financial year, the gross domestic product (GDP) growth slumped to 6.5 percent. This is the slowest pace of expansion in the country's economy since 2002-03, when it had registered a growth of just 4 percent. 
'This is the lowest in the contemporary period. It has been substantially down because of the very poor performance of manufacturing sector,' Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters while reacting on the data. 
During January-March 2012 quarter, manufacturing sector contracted by 0.3 percent as against a growth of 7.3 percent registered during the corresponding period of previous year. 
'Because of the manufacturing sector, the overall growth of the GDP has come down substantially,' the finance minister said. 
The GDP growth data is down from the government's estimate of 6.9 percent announced earlier this year, and sharply down from the previous year's growth of 8.4 percent. 
The GDP at factor cost at constant (2004-05) prices in the year 2011-12 is now estimated at Rs.52,02,514 crore as against Rs.52,22,027 crore estimated earlier on Feb 7, 2012, showing a growth rate of 6.5 per cent, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) said. 
In the quick estimate of GDP released in February, the CSO had projected 6.9 percent growth for 2011-12. 
'The downward revision in the GDP growth rate is mainly on account of lower performance in 'manufacturing' and 'trade, hotels, transport and communication' than anticipated,' the CSO said. 
Economic policy makers as well as industry bodies have termed the data disappointing and shocking.
'This is obviously disappointing. Decline in industrial production has not been offset by growth in agricultural production,' said C. Rangarajan, chairman of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council. Rangarajan said farm sector was likely to do better this year on the back of good monsoon. 

'This is the fourth straight quarter of decline and quarterly growth dipped to the same level during Q3 of 2008-09 (5.6%). Nevertheless, this decline in growth is not surprising as FICCI had forewarned in April that the Q3 growth did not represent the bottoming out of the economy,' said Rajiv Kumar, secretary general, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
'The manufacturing sector growth has slumped to (-) 0.3 percent in fourth quarter and 2.5 percent for the year as a whole. This will severely pull down services sector growth in the coming quarters,' he noted. 
'The current global situation remains fragile and all steps need to be taken on the domestic front to guard against such uncertainties,' Kumar said. 

India's GDP growth dips to 9-year low of 5.3 percent

New Delhi: India's economic growth slumped to 5.3 percent in January-March quarter, the slowest in nine years, due to poor performance of manufacturing and farm sectors, official data showed Thursday.
For the whole of 2011-12 financial year, the gross domestic product (GDP) growth slumped to 6.5 percent. This is the slowest pace of expansion in the country's economy since 2002-03, when it had registered a growth of just 4 percent. 
'This is the lowest in the contemporary period. It has been substantially down because of the very poor performance of manufacturing sector,' Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters while reacting on the data. 
During January-March 2012 quarter, manufacturing sector contracted by 0.3 percent as against a growth of 7.3 percent registered during the corresponding period of previous year. 
'Because of the manufacturing sector, the overall growth of the GDP has come down substantially,' the finance minister said. 
The GDP growth data is down from the government's estimate of 6.9 percent announced earlier this year, and sharply down from the previous year's growth of 8.4 percent. 
The GDP at factor cost at constant (2004-05) prices in the year 2011-12 is now estimated at Rs.52,02,514 crore as against Rs.52,22,027 crore estimated earlier on Feb 7, 2012, showing a growth rate of 6.5 per cent, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) said. 
In the quick estimate of GDP released in February, the CSO had projected 6.9 percent growth for 2011-12. 
'The downward revision in the GDP growth rate is mainly on account of lower performance in 'manufacturing' and 'trade, hotels, transport and communication' than anticipated,' the CSO said. 
Economic policy makers as well as industry bodies have termed the data disappointing and shocking.
'This is obviously disappointing. Decline in industrial production has not been offset by growth in agricultural production,' said C. Rangarajan, chairman of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council. Rangarajan said farm sector was likely to do better this year on the back of good monsoon. 

'This is the fourth straight quarter of decline and quarterly growth dipped to the same level during Q3 of 2008-09 (5.6%). Nevertheless, this decline in growth is not surprising as FICCI had forewarned in April that the Q3 growth did not represent the bottoming out of the economy,' said Rajiv Kumar, secretary general, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
'The manufacturing sector growth has slumped to (-) 0.3 percent in fourth quarter and 2.5 percent for the year as a whole. This will severely pull down services sector growth in the coming quarters,' he noted. 
'The current global situation remains fragile and all steps need to be taken on the domestic front to guard against such uncertainties,' Kumar said. 

India infringing Italian law: minister

Rome:There was no reason for 'triumphalism' as India was still violating Italian law, Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi said after an Indian court granted bail to two Italian marines charged with murdering two fishermen.
'There are no reasons for triumphalism because Indians are still infringing the Italian law,' Terzi was quoted as saying Wednesday by ANSA news agency.
'The Indian behaviour not only is against the principles of international law...', the minister said. India was also compromising 'the anti-piracy initiatives on the international level', the minister stated. 
'Thus we will evaluate along with Defense Minister Giampaolo Di Paola the concrete meaning and conditions of India's decision,' he added.
The marines, Latorre Massimillano and Salvatore Girone, were granted bail by court in India's Kerala state Wednesday on the condition that each of them would deposit Rs.1 crore as personal bond and provide two Indian sureties.
The court asked the two marines to surrender their passports and asked them not to leave the area falling under the jurisdiction of Kochi police commissioner. They were told to report to the police commissioner everyday between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.Two Indian fishermen -- Ajesh Binki, 25, and Gelastine, 45 -- were allegedly mistaken as pirates and shot dead off Alappuzha in Kerala by the marines, who were serving as the security crew aboard Italian cargo vessel Enrica Lexie.The two accused have been in judicial custody since Feb 20.The incident has sparked a diplomatic row between the two countries, as Italy insisted that the marines should be tried in Rome because the incident occurred on international waters while India claimed it took place in its territorial waters, reported Xinhua. Relatives of the two marines have welcomed the Indian court's decision. 'This is great news. They are serene, and sounded positive for the first time since their 100-day imprisonment. We hope they can come home soon,' said one of Latorre's nephews, Christian D'Addario. One of the marines' lawyers, Rajendran Nair, reportedly said the pair could be released as early as on Thursday, after precautionary conditions set by the court are met. Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti last week called Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and reportedly asked him to ensure the release of the marines. 
Under Indian Penal Code, the marines could be jailed for life or get capital punishment if convicted of murder charges by the court. 

India infringing Italian law: minister

Rome:There was no reason for 'triumphalism' as India was still violating Italian law, Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi said after an Indian court granted bail to two Italian marines charged with murdering two fishermen.
'There are no reasons for triumphalism because Indians are still infringing the Italian law,' Terzi was quoted as saying Wednesday by ANSA news agency.
'The Indian behaviour not only is against the principles of international law...', the minister said. India was also compromising 'the anti-piracy initiatives on the international level', the minister stated. 
'Thus we will evaluate along with Defense Minister Giampaolo Di Paola the concrete meaning and conditions of India's decision,' he added.
The marines, Latorre Massimillano and Salvatore Girone, were granted bail by court in India's Kerala state Wednesday on the condition that each of them would deposit Rs.1 crore as personal bond and provide two Indian sureties.
The court asked the two marines to surrender their passports and asked them not to leave the area falling under the jurisdiction of Kochi police commissioner. They were told to report to the police commissioner everyday between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.Two Indian fishermen -- Ajesh Binki, 25, and Gelastine, 45 -- were allegedly mistaken as pirates and shot dead off Alappuzha in Kerala by the marines, who were serving as the security crew aboard Italian cargo vessel Enrica Lexie.The two accused have been in judicial custody since Feb 20.The incident has sparked a diplomatic row between the two countries, as Italy insisted that the marines should be tried in Rome because the incident occurred on international waters while India claimed it took place in its territorial waters, reported Xinhua. Relatives of the two marines have welcomed the Indian court's decision. 'This is great news. They are serene, and sounded positive for the first time since their 100-day imprisonment. We hope they can come home soon,' said one of Latorre's nephews, Christian D'Addario. One of the marines' lawyers, Rajendran Nair, reportedly said the pair could be released as early as on Thursday, after precautionary conditions set by the court are met. Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti last week called Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and reportedly asked him to ensure the release of the marines. 
Under Indian Penal Code, the marines could be jailed for life or get capital punishment if convicted of murder charges by the court. 

1 killed, 3 hurt as car hits lorry in Kerala

Thrissur : A 54-year-old man was killed and three injured when their car collided with a lorry at Kecheri, near Kunnamkulam in the district in Kerala, today.The dead was identified as Mohammad, native of Koonammoochi, near here, police said.The car was proceeding to Koonammoochi after the victims see off their relatives at the Nedumbassery Airport, when the lorry coming from the opposite direction rammed into it.The injured were admitted to the nearby hospitals, police added. (UNI) 

1 killed, 3 hurt as car hits lorry in Kerala

Thrissur : A 54-year-old man was killed and three injured when their car collided with a lorry at Kecheri, near Kunnamkulam in the district in Kerala, today.The dead was identified as Mohammad, native of Koonammoochi, near here, police said.The car was proceeding to Koonammoochi after the victims see off their relatives at the Nedumbassery Airport, when the lorry coming from the opposite direction rammed into it.The injured were admitted to the nearby hospitals, police added. (UNI) 

CPI(M) should take against Mani: Shanavas

Kochi : Terming the reported utterance of CPI(M) Idukki District Secretary M M Mani that his party had prepared a list of people to be finished off and killed three of them as an 'extra judicial confession statement', KPCC General Secretary and Member of Parliament M I Shanavas today said the CPI(M) should show courage to take action against Mr Mani and suspend him from the party. 
Talking to reporters here, he said the recent statements by the Polit bureau, the highest party forum of the CPI(M) and the State Secretariat that they would take action against the Idukki District Secretary was nothing but creating a 'smoke screen' before the people in view of the ensuing Neyyattinkara bypoll.
Reiterating that the CPI(M) would never take action against the Mr Mani, who has been holding the District Secretary post for the past 25 years, he alleged that the CPI(M) leadership had no courage to take action against him, as Mr Mani would disclose more shocking information against the party leadership, in case action was initiated against him.
If the CPI(M) leadership had the courage and it was sincere on the statement, they should take action against Mr Mani before the Neyyattinkara by-election, scheduled to be held on June 2, as it was a serious allegation against the party that 'it had finished off their political rivals.' 
Mr Mani had said in a public meeting that the party had prepared a list of people to be finished off and killed three of them. One of them was shot dead,the second beaten to death,and the third was stabbed to death. Mr Shanavas also alleged that the CPI(M) leadership was trying to divert the ongoing investigation into the brutal killing of Revolutionary Marxist (RMP) party Leader T P Chandrasekharan, by threatening the investigating officials and changing their statements frequently on the crime.
Though the CPI(M) had come up with allegation against the UDF and Kerala Chief Whip P C Geroge that they were responsible for the killing of the RMP leader, now they were changing their stand for the sixth time putting the blame on a business man behind the crime, he said.
The CPI(M) was virtually isolated in society following the murder, as 21 of the arrested in connection with the murder belonged directly or indirectly to the party and that was why they were in a self protection process and misleading the public with allegation that the police was severely torturing the accused brutally, he claimed.

CPI(M) should take against Mani: Shanavas

Kochi : Terming the reported utterance of CPI(M) Idukki District Secretary M M Mani that his party had prepared a list of people to be finished off and killed three of them as an 'extra judicial confession statement', KPCC General Secretary and Member of Parliament M I Shanavas today said the CPI(M) should show courage to take action against Mr Mani and suspend him from the party. 
Talking to reporters here, he said the recent statements by the Polit bureau, the highest party forum of the CPI(M) and the State Secretariat that they would take action against the Idukki District Secretary was nothing but creating a 'smoke screen' before the people in view of the ensuing Neyyattinkara bypoll.
Reiterating that the CPI(M) would never take action against the Mr Mani, who has been holding the District Secretary post for the past 25 years, he alleged that the CPI(M) leadership had no courage to take action against him, as Mr Mani would disclose more shocking information against the party leadership, in case action was initiated against him.
If the CPI(M) leadership had the courage and it was sincere on the statement, they should take action against Mr Mani before the Neyyattinkara by-election, scheduled to be held on June 2, as it was a serious allegation against the party that 'it had finished off their political rivals.' 
Mr Mani had said in a public meeting that the party had prepared a list of people to be finished off and killed three of them. One of them was shot dead,the second beaten to death,and the third was stabbed to death. Mr Shanavas also alleged that the CPI(M) leadership was trying to divert the ongoing investigation into the brutal killing of Revolutionary Marxist (RMP) party Leader T P Chandrasekharan, by threatening the investigating officials and changing their statements frequently on the crime.
Though the CPI(M) had come up with allegation against the UDF and Kerala Chief Whip P C Geroge that they were responsible for the killing of the RMP leader, now they were changing their stand for the sixth time putting the blame on a business man behind the crime, he said.
The CPI(M) was virtually isolated in society following the murder, as 21 of the arrested in connection with the murder belonged directly or indirectly to the party and that was why they were in a self protection process and misleading the public with allegation that the police was severely torturing the accused brutally, he claimed.