Govt to sanction housing loans with subsidy to weaker sections

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government is considering a proposal to sanction housing loans with subsidy to people belonging to weaker sections, Minister for Finance and Housing K M Mani said here on sunday.

The loans would be made available to those having at least two cents of land in their possession, he said in a statement released here in connection with the World Habitat Day to be celebrated tomorrow.

A total of 750 flats and 500 houses would be constructed for landless people under the second phase of the `Saphalyam’ scheme of the government with assistance from HUDCO, he said.

In the first phase of the scheme, 1,008 flats are being constructed in 10 selected grama panchayats at a cost of Rs 30 crore, he said.

The ‘Kalavara’ scheme to make available building materials at cheap rates to the economically backward sections would be extended to all districts, the minister said.

[madym]

Govt to sanction housing loans with subsidy to weaker sections

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government is considering a proposal to sanction housing loans with subsidy to people belonging to weaker sections, Minister for Finance and Housing K M Mani said here on sunday.

The loans would be made available to those having at least two cents of land in their possession, he said in a statement released here in connection with the World Habitat Day to be celebrated tomorrow.

A total of 750 flats and 500 houses would be constructed for landless people under the second phase of the `Saphalyam’ scheme of the government with assistance from HUDCO, he said.

In the first phase of the scheme, 1,008 flats are being constructed in 10 selected grama panchayats at a cost of Rs 30 crore, he said.

The ‘Kalavara’ scheme to make available building materials at cheap rates to the economically backward sections would be extended to all districts, the minister said.

[madym]

Nazir Ahamed murder: investigation on, forty persons questioned

Kozhikode: Police have questioned around 40 persons so far in connection with the murder of newly elected Malabar Chamber of Commerce Secretary and renowned businessman PP Nazir Ahamed, who was found dead at nearby Chevayoor Saturday.

The body of 50-year old Ahamed with multiple injuries was found lying at roadside and his car found abandoned at Shanthi Nagar Colony at Chevayoor, a few kms away from the spot.

Police have gathered information from the Colony residents, neighbors of the deceased, and his friends and relatives.  

The police are looking into the role of the six-member gang spotted at the area in a red-colour Maruti van. However, no specific information has been attained about the van and those who were allegedly in it.

The police are also looking into the details of the phone-calls of Nazir.

[mdym]

Nazir Ahamed murder: investigation on, forty persons questioned

Kozhikode: Police have questioned around 40 persons so far in connection with the murder of newly elected Malabar Chamber of Commerce Secretary and renowned businessman PP Nazir Ahamed, who was found dead at nearby Chevayoor Saturday.

The body of 50-year old Ahamed with multiple injuries was found lying at roadside and his car found abandoned at Shanthi Nagar Colony at Chevayoor, a few kms away from the spot.

Police have gathered information from the Colony residents, neighbors of the deceased, and his friends and relatives.  

The police are looking into the role of the six-member gang spotted at the area in a red-colour Maruti van. However, no specific information has been attained about the van and those who were allegedly in it.

The police are also looking into the details of the phone-calls of Nazir.

[mdym]

CAG not exceeding mandate, rules apex court New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) that contended the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) was not mandated to go into policy decisions of the government to arrive at presumptive losses. The PIL petitioner, economist Dr Rakesh Gupta contended that the CAG exceeded the brief of constitutional mandate by commenting on policy choices of the government in arriving at presumptive losses running into lakhs of crores of rupees in reports on civil aviation, the power sector and the allocation of coal blocks. The apex court bench of Justice R.M. Lodha and Justice Anil R. Dave said the CAG could not be constrained by mere labels of jurisdiction and could look into the efficiency and efficacy of government decisions. The Supreme Court, while rejecting the PIL, said that if the CAG exceeds his constitutional and statutory mandate, parliament could say so while going into the audit reports. Petitioner Rakesh Gupta, who has championed the cause of economic justice for two decades, claimed that the CAG was a constitutional auditor of the government and could not act beyond his brief. The apex court held that the CAG was something more than an auditor of a company or corporation, and could comment on the efficacy of the government's policy decisions. IANS [mdy]

CAG not exceeding mandate, rules apex court New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) that contended the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) was not mandated to go into policy decisions of the government to arrive at presumptive losses. The PIL petitioner, economist Dr Rakesh Gupta contended that the CAG exceeded the brief of constitutional mandate by commenting on policy choices of the government in arriving at presumptive losses running into lakhs of crores of rupees in reports on civil aviation, the power sector and the allocation of coal blocks. The apex court bench of Justice R.M. Lodha and Justice Anil R. Dave said the CAG could not be constrained by mere labels of jurisdiction and could look into the efficiency and efficacy of government decisions. The Supreme Court, while rejecting the PIL, said that if the CAG exceeds his constitutional and statutory mandate, parliament could say so while going into the audit reports. Petitioner Rakesh Gupta, who has championed the cause of economic justice for two decades, claimed that the CAG was a constitutional auditor of the government and could not act beyond his brief. The apex court held that the CAG was something more than an auditor of a company or corporation, and could comment on the efficacy of the government's policy decisions. IANS [mdy]

Congress leader N Ramakrishnan passes away

Kannur: Former minister and veteran Congress leader N Ramakrishnan (76) passed away at a private hospital in Mangalore Monday.

Ramakrishnan, who was undergoing treatment for lung cancer breathe his last at around 3pm at the hospital where he was admitted a week before.

He was born at Anjarakkandi on March 13, 1941, as the son of K Raghavan.

Ramakrishnan, who entered politics through Congress party, subsequently became President of Kannure DCC and General Secretary of KPCC. He also served as General Secretary of Youth Congress.  

He was Minister for Labour from 2.7.1991 to 16.3.1995, in the Ministry headed by K. Karunakaran.

Ramakrsihnan had served, at different times, as the Chairman of Kannur Municipality, and the Chairman of Chamber of Municipal Chairmen. He had also served as Chairman, Kerala Handloom Development al Handloom Development Corporation, and SSI Board, Government of India.

He is survived by his wife C K Jayalekshmi, son and two daughters.

Congress leader N Ramakrishnan passes away

Kannur: Former minister and veteran Congress leader N Ramakrishnan (76) passed away at a private hospital in Mangalore Monday.

Ramakrishnan, who was undergoing treatment for lung cancer breathe his last at around 3pm at the hospital where he was admitted a week before.

He was born at Anjarakkandi on March 13, 1941, as the son of K Raghavan.

Ramakrishnan, who entered politics through Congress party, subsequently became President of Kannure DCC and General Secretary of KPCC. He also served as General Secretary of Youth Congress.  

He was Minister for Labour from 2.7.1991 to 16.3.1995, in the Ministry headed by K. Karunakaran.

Ramakrsihnan had served, at different times, as the Chairman of Kannur Municipality, and the Chairman of Chamber of Municipal Chairmen. He had also served as Chairman, Kerala Handloom Development al Handloom Development Corporation, and SSI Board, Government of India.

He is survived by his wife C K Jayalekshmi, son and two daughters.

French spy shot dead Gaddafi on Nicolas Sarkozy's order: report

London: A French secret serviceman shot dead Libya's former strongman Muammar Gaddafi and not a lynch mob of rebels as he lay trapped and cornered in a sewage pipe in his home town of Sirte.

The French secret agent is said to have infiltrated a violent mob which had encircled the Libyan leader on October 20, 2011, in a sewage pipe in his home town, and shot him in the head, the Daily Mail reported.

Quoting diplomatic sources in the North African capital, the Mail said the motive apparently was to stop Gaddafi being interrogated about his highly suspicious links with Nicolas Sarkozy, who was the President of France at that time.

The paper said Sarkozy who once welcomed Gaddafi as the "Brother leader" during a state visit to Paris was said to have received millions of dollars from the Libyan despot to fund his election campaign in 2007.

Sarkozy, the paper said, was not the only Western leader to have close links with Gaddafi and claimed that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair visited Gaddafi regularly and was helping to facilitate multi-billion pounds business deals.

Italian newspaper Corriere della Serra also reported that the French agent was acting on the express orders of Sarkozy.

"Since the beginning of NATO support for the revolution, strongly backed by the government of Nicolas Sarkozy, Gaddafi openly threatened to reveal details of his relationship with the former president of France, including the millions of dollars paid to finance his candidacy at the 2007 elections," the paper said.

French spy shot dead Gaddafi on Nicolas Sarkozy's order: report

London: A French secret serviceman shot dead Libya's former strongman Muammar Gaddafi and not a lynch mob of rebels as he lay trapped and cornered in a sewage pipe in his home town of Sirte.

The French secret agent is said to have infiltrated a violent mob which had encircled the Libyan leader on October 20, 2011, in a sewage pipe in his home town, and shot him in the head, the Daily Mail reported.

Quoting diplomatic sources in the North African capital, the Mail said the motive apparently was to stop Gaddafi being interrogated about his highly suspicious links with Nicolas Sarkozy, who was the President of France at that time.

The paper said Sarkozy who once welcomed Gaddafi as the "Brother leader" during a state visit to Paris was said to have received millions of dollars from the Libyan despot to fund his election campaign in 2007.

Sarkozy, the paper said, was not the only Western leader to have close links with Gaddafi and claimed that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair visited Gaddafi regularly and was helping to facilitate multi-billion pounds business deals.

Italian newspaper Corriere della Serra also reported that the French agent was acting on the express orders of Sarkozy.

"Since the beginning of NATO support for the revolution, strongly backed by the government of Nicolas Sarkozy, Gaddafi openly threatened to reveal details of his relationship with the former president of France, including the millions of dollars paid to finance his candidacy at the 2007 elections," the paper said.