THE HEADLINES
- Reserve Bank of India cuts SLR by half a per cent to boost liquidity; keeps Repo rate steady at 7.75 percent.
- Petrol prices slashed by 2 rupees, 42 paise and diesel by 2 rupees, 25 paise per litre.
- BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleges Congress and Aam Aadmi Party have together wasted 16 precious years of Delhiites; AAP appeals to Supreme Court for a SIT probe into accounts of all major political parties; Congress allelges BJP and AAP using black money for elections to induce voters.
- National Human Rights Commission asks report from Union Home Ministry and Delhi government on yesterday's alleged vandalisation of a Church in Vasantkunj, Delhi.
- Olympian Vijayakumar strikes gold in the 25 metre pistol event; In Weightlifting, Jasvir Kaur breaks National record in 63 kg women category.
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The Reserve Bank of India today kept the key rates unchanged. Thus, the repo rate stands at 7.75 percent. This stance follows rate cut by RBI on 15th of last month to tackle disinflationary pressure. Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) has been slashed by 50 basis points to 21.5 per cent. The cash reserve ratio stands at 4 percent. The apex bank which issued its sixth bi-monthly monetary policy statement in Mumbai today, has estimated the Current Account Deficit (CAD) for 2014-15 at 1.3 percent of the GDP, a figure much lesser then the earlier projection.
The apex bank has fore-cast inflation to be around the target level of 6 per cent by January 2016. Growth outlook for the real GDP in 2015-16 has been retained to be 6.5 per cent.
RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan said, given that there have been no substantial new developments on the disinflationary process or on the fiscal outlook since 15 January, it was appropriate for the Reserve Bank to await them and maintain the current interest rate stance. He said that efforts have been made to give a momentum to the growth process.
"We have maintained status-quo on interest rates. However we have taken actions in a numebr of other directions. Many of these are intended to further the growth process and some I intend to enhance stability of the system".
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Petrol will become cheaper by 2 rupees, 42 paise per litre and diesel by 2 rupees, 25 paise per litre. The new rates will come into effect from midnight tonight. According to Indian Oil Corporation, petrol in Delhi will now cost 56 rupees 49 paise a litre and in Chennai, 58 rupees 88 paise. In Mumbai, petrol will cost 63 rupees 90 paise a litre and in Kolkata, 64 rupees 60 paise. In Delhi, diesel will cost 46 rupees 01 paise, in Chennai, 48 rupees 91 paise, in Mumbai, 52 rupees 99 paise and in Kolkata, 50 rupees 99 paise per litre.
This is the 10th straight reduction in petrol price since August and sixth in diesel since October, and is in line with fall in international crude oil prices.
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With less than 48 hours left for campaigning for Delhi Assembly elections, political parties are making last ditch efforts to woo voters. BJP, Aam Admi Party and Congress are pitching their top leaders in the electoral battle. Parties are using different means of communication to connect with people. Twitter and Facebook are being used to lure the young and tech savvy voters. BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Congress leader Ajay Maken addressed rallies to project their parties' stance on the issues relevant for the people.
"BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to provide houses to the poor in the city by 2022. In a rally in north west Delhi, Mr Modi took an indirect jibe at AAP for allegedly accepting funds from dubious companies. He said, Congress and AAP have together wasted 16 precious years of Delhiites.
"Countering Mr Modi's promise of building houses for poor, Arvind Kejriwal said such promises are meant just to catch votes. He said that BJP's intentions are to demolish dwelling units in slum areas".
"Taking on the Centre, Congress leader Anand Sharma alleged that it misued its authority to close a case against BJP leader Kiran Bedi for what he called misappropriating funds of her NGO".
"With allegations and counter allegations galore, it is upto the voters now to decide which side they are on". With Anand Kumar, Shiela, AIR News.
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Aam Aadmi Party today appealed to Supreme Court for an SIT probe into accounts of all major political parties, including BJP, Congress and AAP. The party said it is open to any probe and any party found guilty of any wrong doing should be de-recognized and the guilty should be punished. Briefing reporters in New Delhi, party leader Ashish Khaitan alleged that there is a political conspiracy behind the allegations of dubious funding . He also claimed that AVAM, the NGO which has levelled allegations against AAP, is hand in glove with BJP.
Earlier in the day, the NGO had reiterated its allegations against AAP.
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Congress today asked Aam Aadmi Party, AAP, to disclose the names of companies and individuals who donated 50 lakh rupees and more to the party for Delhi Assembly elections. Party spokesman Anand Sharma demanded a probe into allegations of the use of black money as party fund. He questioned the due-diligence exercised while accepting donations up to ten lakh rupees for which approval of the party's Political Affairs Committee is required. The spokesman also alleged that both BJP and AAP are using black money for elections to induce voters.
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The clash between BJP workers and a section of lawyers outside the election office of party's Chief Ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi today reached a court in Delhi. The court directed Delhi Police to probe into it. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sunil Beniwal of Karkardooma Court asked the concerned Assistant Commissioner of Police to look into the matter and filea report on Thursday.
According to the police, the clash was between a group of BJP workers and a group of lawyers who were yesterday raising slogans against Bedi outside her campaign office.
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National Human Rights Commission has asked for detailed reports including the status of investigation from the Union Home Secretary, Delhi Chief Secretary and Delhi Police Commissioner on the allegations of desecration of the Alphonsa’s Church in Vasant Kunj area of Delhi yesterday. The Commission took suo-motu cognizance of media reports regarding the incident of vandalisation of St. Alphonsa’s Church. The officials have been given ten days time to respond.
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The Supreme Court dismissed the plea of the Centre to stop private firms from challenging the validity of certain provisions of the controversial 2014 Coal Ordinance in various high courts. A Bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu, which rejected the Centre's plea seeking transfer of five petitions of private firms from various high courts to the apex court, also refused to stay an order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court allowing BLA Power Ltd to take part in the auction process for allocation of coal mines in the state. The Madhya Pradesh High Court, on January 29, had allowed BLA Power Ltd to take part in the process of auctioning of two coal mines.
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The Bihar government today decided to provide free education to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and girl students till Post Graduation level in the state. The decision, taken at a meeting of the state cabinet, said no fee would be taken from the SC/ST and girl students at the time of admission in government universities and colleges in Bihar. The government would reimburse the financial loss to such universities/colleges after gathering the actual information about it. Official sources said the move will cost the state exchequer 29 crore rupees annually.
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Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar and his associate were today arrested in Mumbai on charges of extortion and assault. Senior Inspector at J. J. Marg Police Station, Anil Madvi today said that the duo was apprehended after being subjected to hours of grilling. The action against the duo came on a complaint filed by a real estate agent, Salim Shaikh, who claimed that Kaskar demanded Rs. three lakh in extortion money.
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Communications and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Parsad today said, the Digital India programme is a platform which will create enormous business opportunities in the country. Addressing a gathering on Digital India summit in New Delhi, Mr Parsad said, once this platform is created it will help in fast and timely delivery of government services. He said Digital India is a politically neutral program and will benefit poor people.
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Maoist triggered a powerful blast targeting a private bus, injuring four passengers near Maharabeda village in Narayanpur district in Tribal Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. About 50 passengers had a miraculous escape as the blast missed the target.
Our correspondent reports that the incident took place when the bus was on its way from Narayanpur to Orchha. About 15 security personnel were travelling atop of the bus when the Maoists first triggered a blast and later opened indiscriminate fire. However, security forces returned fire forcing Maoists to retreat into the nearby forests.
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A total of seventy one fresh cases of swine flu were reported in the national capital today. With this, the total number of cases of the disease has gone up to 581 so far this year. Five people have died of the disease this year.
The Rajasthan government will extensively campaign to check rising cases of Swine flu in the state. Medical and Health Minister Rajender Rathore has issued direction to all the chief district medical officers in this regard.
With the death of 5 more Swine flu patients, death toll has risen to 57 in Rajasthan. Talking to AIR, Director Public Health Dr B.R. Meena said, the department is working on eleven point programme to check the menace of Swine flu.
Meanwhile, Health Ministry today reviewed preparedness of the states affected with H1N1 to manage the situation. Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Health Minister J P Nadda said, health Secretary held a video conference meeting with senior health officials of states of Telangana, Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh and with government of Delhi.
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In Sports; At the 35th National Games being held in Kerala, Haryana continues to be on top in the medals tally,with 11 gold medals,followed by Services with 9 gold medals. Maharashtra with seven gold medals is in the third position,while hosts Kerala, with six gold medals is in the fourth position.
Olympian Vijayakumar of Services struck gold in 25 metre, Centre fire pistol,shooting with 583 points.
Punjab's Jasvir Kaur set a national record in Women's weightlifting 63 kilogram category.She lifted 94 kilogram in Snatch and 212 kilogram in Clean and Jerk . National Champion Elizabeth Susan Koshy of Kerala won gold in the 50 metre Rifle Prone shooting.This is Kerala's first gold in shooting event.
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