Six Indian tourists killed in jeep accident in Nepal

NEPAL: Six Indian tourists have been killed when a jeep carrying them plunged into a river in Nepal's Tanahun district. The incident occurred yesterday night when the jeep carrying 10 Indian tourists was heading for Kathmandu from tourist city Pokhara on the New Year's Eve.

The vehicle fell into the Marsyangdi River near Chunpahara area in Bandipur village, 152 km from Kathmandu, at 11 pm (local time), according to the police. The dead have been identified as Binay Kumar Tiwari (58), Hemanta Tripathi(13), Kalawati Tiwari(56), Poonam Tripathi(33), Neha Tripathi(20), and Milan Tripathi(36).
All of them are from Calcutta.

Five persons including the driver have been injured in the accident. The injured, including two children, have been admitted to Laxmi Hospital in Dumre in Udayapur District for medical treatment.
The bodies have been kept at the same hospital for the post-mortem.

Six Indian tourists killed in jeep accident in Nepal

NEPAL: Six Indian tourists have been killed when a jeep carrying them plunged into a river in Nepal's Tanahun district. The incident occurred yesterday night when the jeep carrying 10 Indian tourists was heading for Kathmandu from tourist city Pokhara on the New Year's Eve.

The vehicle fell into the Marsyangdi River near Chunpahara area in Bandipur village, 152 km from Kathmandu, at 11 pm (local time), according to the police. The dead have been identified as Binay Kumar Tiwari (58), Hemanta Tripathi(13), Kalawati Tiwari(56), Poonam Tripathi(33), Neha Tripathi(20), and Milan Tripathi(36).
All of them are from Calcutta.

Five persons including the driver have been injured in the accident. The injured, including two children, have been admitted to Laxmi Hospital in Dumre in Udayapur District for medical treatment.
The bodies have been kept at the same hospital for the post-mortem.

Kerala launches lottery to fund poor women's marriages

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As a New Year gift to poor women in Kerala, the state government Wednesday launched a special lottery where the revenue will go to a fund that will provide a marriage aid of Rs.30,000 each to families of weaker sections.

"This programme was announced in the last state budget and the entire revenue generated through the Mangalaya Lottery would go to every women in the below poverty line category when she gets married," Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting.

The programme would also cover families in the above poverty line category but whose annual income does not exceed Rs.1 lakh. The government decided to go ahead with this new scheme after the success of a similar scheme named Karunya Lottery launched in 2011 by the Chandy government.

The Karunya Benevolent Fund has so far funded the medical expenses of around 22,000 patients to the extent of Rs.286 crore. The fund is providing financial assistance to underprivileged people suffering from cancer, haemophilia, kidney and heart diseases.

The state-owned lottery in Kerala has never made a loss since its inception in 1967. The total revenue from lottery sales then was Rs.20 lakh. The total sales of the lottery in the last fiscal stood at Rs.2,778.80 crore, with a profit of Rs.681.76 crore. Currently, there are more than 35,000 authorised agents and over 100,000 retail sellers in the state who sell lottery tickets.

Kerala launches lottery to fund poor women's marriages

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As a New Year gift to poor women in Kerala, the state government Wednesday launched a special lottery where the revenue will go to a fund that will provide a marriage aid of Rs.30,000 each to families of weaker sections.

"This programme was announced in the last state budget and the entire revenue generated through the Mangalaya Lottery would go to every women in the below poverty line category when she gets married," Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting.

The programme would also cover families in the above poverty line category but whose annual income does not exceed Rs.1 lakh. The government decided to go ahead with this new scheme after the success of a similar scheme named Karunya Lottery launched in 2011 by the Chandy government.

The Karunya Benevolent Fund has so far funded the medical expenses of around 22,000 patients to the extent of Rs.286 crore. The fund is providing financial assistance to underprivileged people suffering from cancer, haemophilia, kidney and heart diseases.

The state-owned lottery in Kerala has never made a loss since its inception in 1967. The total revenue from lottery sales then was Rs.20 lakh. The total sales of the lottery in the last fiscal stood at Rs.2,778.80 crore, with a profit of Rs.681.76 crore. Currently, there are more than 35,000 authorised agents and over 100,000 retail sellers in the state who sell lottery tickets.

No hike in LPG prices: Chandy

Kochi: Chief minister Oommen Chandy said that there has been no hike in LPG prices. Following reports of cooking gas cylinder price increase, Chandy had called up Petroleum minister Veerappa Moily and A K Antony and the petroleum ministry had negated the reports.

The Petroleum minister had conveyed that no decision on price hike has been taken. The CM said if there is any increase, the govt would strongly protest against this.

The minister has also assured that more time would be given for aadhar cards to be made mandatory for getting LPG subsidy. The govt has extended the deadline for linking the gas connection with the consumers Aadhaar number. 

Meanwhile, there were reports that the price of cooking gas cylinders witnessed a steep hike on New Year's day with the price of domestic LPG increasing by Rs 230.16 to Rs 1293.50. Commercial cylinders prices will increase by Rs 385 and would cost Rs 2185.

No hike in LPG prices: Chandy

Kochi: Chief minister Oommen Chandy said that there has been no hike in LPG prices. Following reports of cooking gas cylinder price increase, Chandy had called up Petroleum minister Veerappa Moily and A K Antony and the petroleum ministry had negated the reports.

The Petroleum minister had conveyed that no decision on price hike has been taken. The CM said if there is any increase, the govt would strongly protest against this.

The minister has also assured that more time would be given for aadhar cards to be made mandatory for getting LPG subsidy. The govt has extended the deadline for linking the gas connection with the consumers Aadhaar number. 

Meanwhile, there were reports that the price of cooking gas cylinders witnessed a steep hike on New Year's day with the price of domestic LPG increasing by Rs 230.16 to Rs 1293.50. Commercial cylinders prices will increase by Rs 385 and would cost Rs 2185.

Application for transfer of Devyani to UN still under review: US

WASHINGTON: The US is still reviewing the application for the transfer of senior Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade to UN and issue the necessary documents for full diplomatic immunity, a top official said here, giving no timeline for its decision.

'It is under review. We cannot predict when that review will be complete,' said a state department spokesperson on Tuesday in response to a question on the status of the UN request to grant full diplomatic status to Khobragade.

The state department had received her application from the United Nations in New York on December 20. Normally, the state department takes a decision on this very quickly, but this time the US is taking an unusually long time. 
'We cannot compare this to previous requests as each request is evaluated on its own merits,' the spokesperson said.

Khobragade was arrested on December 12 on charges of visa fraud and misrepresentation. At the time of her arrest, she was deputy consul general at the Indian Consulate in New York. The US says, in this capacity, she did not had full diplomatic immunity.

Days after her arrest, the Indian government has transferred Khobragade to the permanent mission of India to the United Nations (UN), with the view that this would give her the necessary diplomatic immunity from arrest.

India has strongly objected to her arrest, and in protest has withdrawn many of the diplomatic privileges granted to the American diplomats in India.

As one enters the New Year, the Indian diplomat continues to remain in the US without diplomatic immunity. She is currently on bail bond of $250,000 and her passport is in possession of the court.PTI

Application for transfer of Devyani to UN still under review: US

WASHINGTON: The US is still reviewing the application for the transfer of senior Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade to UN and issue the necessary documents for full diplomatic immunity, a top official said here, giving no timeline for its decision.

'It is under review. We cannot predict when that review will be complete,' said a state department spokesperson on Tuesday in response to a question on the status of the UN request to grant full diplomatic status to Khobragade.

The state department had received her application from the United Nations in New York on December 20. Normally, the state department takes a decision on this very quickly, but this time the US is taking an unusually long time. 
'We cannot compare this to previous requests as each request is evaluated on its own merits,' the spokesperson said.

Khobragade was arrested on December 12 on charges of visa fraud and misrepresentation. At the time of her arrest, she was deputy consul general at the Indian Consulate in New York. The US says, in this capacity, she did not had full diplomatic immunity.

Days after her arrest, the Indian government has transferred Khobragade to the permanent mission of India to the United Nations (UN), with the view that this would give her the necessary diplomatic immunity from arrest.

India has strongly objected to her arrest, and in protest has withdrawn many of the diplomatic privileges granted to the American diplomats in India.

As one enters the New Year, the Indian diplomat continues to remain in the US without diplomatic immunity. She is currently on bail bond of $250,000 and her passport is in possession of the court.PTI

Chennithala joins Chandy cabinet

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala today joined the UDF ministry headed by Oommen Chandy as part of a move to boost prospects of the coalition in the coming Lok Sabha polls by setting factional and equations correct.

In a limited cabinet expansion, Governor Nikhil Kumar administered oath of office and secrecy to 57-year-old
Chennithala.

He is tipped to get the Home portfolio in the ministry, replacing his party colleague Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan, who has been retained in the cabinet. Chief Minister Chandy, his cabinet colleagues, senior party functionaries, leaders of the UDF partners and deputy
leader of opposition in the assembly Kodiyeri Balakrishnan were present at the function.

A thinking has been strong in Congress in Kerala that induction of Chennithala will help Congress firm up its support base among the majority community in general and the Nair community in particular to which he belongs to.

Influential Nair outfit NSS had in the past had come down heavily on UDF alleging that the coalition leadership breached its poll-eve promise of giving Chennithala a 'key position' in the cabinet, in which nominees from Christian and Muslim communities outnumber those from various Hindu sections.

The idea to rope in Chennithala, mooted by the party high command, was endorsed by the state unit yesterday after senior leader and Defence Minister A K Antony conveyed it at a leadership meeting attended by Chandy, Chennithala and others.

Chennithala will continue as the KPCC chief till the organisational and a ministerial shuffle after the budget session of the state assembly, beginning on January 3, is concluded.PTI

Chennithala joins Chandy cabinet

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala today joined the UDF ministry headed by Oommen Chandy as part of a move to boost prospects of the coalition in the coming Lok Sabha polls by setting factional and equations correct.

In a limited cabinet expansion, Governor Nikhil Kumar administered oath of office and secrecy to 57-year-old
Chennithala.

He is tipped to get the Home portfolio in the ministry, replacing his party colleague Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan, who has been retained in the cabinet. Chief Minister Chandy, his cabinet colleagues, senior party functionaries, leaders of the UDF partners and deputy
leader of opposition in the assembly Kodiyeri Balakrishnan were present at the function.

A thinking has been strong in Congress in Kerala that induction of Chennithala will help Congress firm up its support base among the majority community in general and the Nair community in particular to which he belongs to.

Influential Nair outfit NSS had in the past had come down heavily on UDF alleging that the coalition leadership breached its poll-eve promise of giving Chennithala a 'key position' in the cabinet, in which nominees from Christian and Muslim communities outnumber those from various Hindu sections.

The idea to rope in Chennithala, mooted by the party high command, was endorsed by the state unit yesterday after senior leader and Defence Minister A K Antony conveyed it at a leadership meeting attended by Chandy, Chennithala and others.

Chennithala will continue as the KPCC chief till the organisational and a ministerial shuffle after the budget session of the state assembly, beginning on January 3, is concluded.PTI