Leave alliance issue to me: Uddhav tells Sena MPs

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January 29, 2019

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has asked party MPs to focus on their constituencies and take up strongly farmers’ problems while leaving the issue of alliance with the BJP to him.

Shiv Sena’s commitment is to the people of the state, Thackeray’s close aide Harshal Pradhan said on Tuesday quoting the party chief.

Thackeray had met Sena MPs and MLAs at his residence ‘Matoshree’ in suburban Bandra on Monday.

“The Sena will fight this election with all its strength. All the sitting MPs should focus on issues related to their constituencies and if they don’t feel confident of winning again, they should make way for others,” Pradhan said quoting Thackeray.

“The issue of alliance with the BJP should be left to me,” he quoted the Sena president as saying.

He said that Thackeray asked the MPs to work on the ground and review the crop insurance payments and waiver of loans to farmers.

Pradhan also said that Thackeray has not received any communication from the BJP about discussion on alliance prospects.

“Last year, BJP president Amit Shah visited Matoshree to meet Uddhavji and decided to keep in touch. However, after that there has been no communication from the BJP,” he added.

The Sena had last year announced to go solo in future elections.

The party had on Monday said it would always be the “big brother” in an alliance with the BJP in Maharashtra.

Till 2014, the BJP and Sena, allies for long, used to have an understanding under which the former would contest a larger share of Lok Sabha seats and the latter would get a greater number of Maharashtra Assembly seats to fight.

In this way, both parties took the role of elder and younger sibling in the general and state polls in their political ‘brotherhood’.

The 2014 Assembly polls, however, ended this ‘sibling’ agreement as the BJP, on the back of a strong ‘Narendra Modi wave’ and contesting alone, won 122 seats against the Sena’s 63 in Maharashtra.

The BJP went on to form a government in the state under Devendra Fadnavis and the Sena had to contend being the junior partner.

India women beat New Zealand in 2nd ODI, clinch series

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January 29, 2019

The Indian women’s cricket team defeated New Zealand by eight wickets in the second ODI to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series on Tuesday.

Brief Scores:

New Zealand Women: 161 all out in 44.2 overs (Amy Satterthwaite 71, Jhulan Goswami 3/23).

India Women: 166/2 in 35.2 overs (Smriti Mandhana 90 not out, Mithali Raj 63 not out, Lea Tahuhu 1/16).

Rustomjee to invest Rs 3,000cr on new housing project in Mumbai; ties up with HDFC, L&T

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January 29, 2019

Realty firm Rustomjee will invest about Rs 3,000 crore over the next four years on construction of its new luxury housing project in South Mumbai, a top company official said.

Rustomjee is expecting a sales revenue of Rs 5,800 crore from this 5.75 acre project, which is being developed in a join venture with the land owner, its CMD Boman R Irani told agencies.

The company has tied up with HDFC for funding of this project and construction work will be done by L&T.

“We have launched a luxurious project ‘Rustomjee Crown’ located in Prabhadevi, Mumbai. We will develop about 700 units in this project,” he said.

Irani said the majority of the units would be sold in a price range of Rs 8-14 crore, while some units would cost about Rs 18-20 crore.

The project has been conceptualized by renowned architect Hafeez Contractor and designed by Bangkok’s leading interior design firm PIA Interiors.

Irani said apartments in this project are ranging from 1,3352,528 sq ft (carpet area) overlooking the Arabian Sea.

Asked about the investment, he said the construction and licensing cost is estimated at around Rs 3,000 crore.

Irani said the project’s USP is 2.52 acre open to sky lush tropical podium landscape.

Commenting on the association, HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh: “HDFC Ltd is the strategic finance partner for Rustomjee Crown and we are confident this project will redefine the way homes and living spaces are imagined in this part of the city”.

Rustomjee has 12.5 million square feet of completed projects; 15 million square feet of ongoing development and another 30 million square feet of planned development in the pipeline, spanning across the best locations of Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

Man stabs wife to death at her office in Bhayander

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January 29, 2019

A man on Tuesday stabbed his wife to death at her office in Bhayander in Maharashtra’s Thane district, police said.

Kumar Bhoir (32) arrived at the office of his wife Veena (35) at around 10:30am and a quarrel ensued between the couple, following which he whipped out a knife and stabbed her multiple times, Bhayander police station senior inspector Rajesh Jadhav said.

“She was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared her dead on arrival. The couple lived in Murdha locality in Bhayander and the victim had left home on January 2. On Tuesday, Bhoir got to know that she was attending office so came here,” he said.

An official said Bhoir allegedly doubted her character and this was causing fights between them.

Bhoir, who was arrested a little later, has been charged with murder, he added.

TMC to assess performance of MPs before giving them tickets for LS polls

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January 29, 2019

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) will evaluate the performance of its MPs, both in and outside Parliament, before considering them for renomination for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, party sources said on Tuesday.

The TMC, which has 34 MPs, lost two of its lawmakers recently — Soumitra Khan of Bishnupur seat defected to the BJP and Anupam Hazra of Bolpur was expelled for anti-party activities.

“Just because a person is a sitting MP, would not ensure that he or she is entitled for a ticket or renomination. The performance of Lok Sabha MPs would be assessed both in the House and outside, especially in their respective constituencies,” a senior TMC leader told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

“How the person has fared as a public representative and if he/she has been able to take up the issues concerning the masses are very important,” the leader said.

It is even likely that some of the MPs would not make the cut as they have not fared well. However, a final call on ticket distribution would be taken by our party supremo Mamata Banerjee, he said.

When asked about the demand for tickets among aspirants, party leaders said it is normal as the TMC is the ruling party.

“You can’t satisfy everybody. Those who won’t get tickets would be accommodated in the party in some other way,” he said.

The party has recently announced that it will contest polls in 13 states apart from West Bengal.

Bajaj Finance posts highest ever quarterly profit at Rs 1,060 cr in Oct-Dec 2018

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January 29, 2019

Bajaj Finance Ltd on Tuesday reported 54 per cent jump in consolidated net profit at Rs 1,060 crore – the highest ever quarterly profit – for the third quarter ended December, 2018.

The company had posted a net profit of Rs 690 crore in the same period of the previous fiscal.

The consolidated results of the company include the results of its wholly owned subsidiaries Bajaj Housing Finance Ltd and Bajaj Financial Securities Ltd, it said in a release.

Total income during the December quarter of 2018 was up by 48 per cent at Rs 4,995 crore from Rs 3,374 crore in the same quarter a year ago, it said.

Company’s gross non-performing assets (NPAs) and net NPAs as of December 31, 2018 stood at 1.55 per cent and 0.62 per cent respectively, Bajaj Finance said.

The provisioning coverage ratio stood at 60 per cent.

Loan losses and provisions for the third quarter were at Rs 454 crore as against Rs 278 crore in year ago period.

Assets under Management (AUM) as of December 31, 2018 grew by 41 per cent to Rs 1,09,930 crore from Rs 78,033 crore year earlier.

Bajaj Finance said that its consolidated net profit for the nine months ended December of the current fiscal year at Rs 2,819 crore has crossed the full year net profit during 2017-18.

Stock of Bajaj Finance closed at Rs 2,511.90, up 2.27 per cent on BSE.

Govt sanctions Rs 7,214 cr to 6 states, 1 UT as relief for calamity damage

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January 29, 2019

The Centre on Tuesday approved the release of Rs 7,214 crore to six states and a Union Territory, including Rs 4,714 crore to Maharashtra, for floods, draught and cyclone damage

A statement by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said a high-level committee, headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, sanctioned the additional central assistance from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) of Rs 7,214.03 crore to six states and one Union Territory.

Among the sanctioned amount, Rs 4,714.28 crore will be given to Maharashtra (drought), Rs 949.49 crore to Karnataka (drought), Rs 900.4 crore to Andhra Pradesh (drought),

Rs 317.44 crore to Himachal Pradesh (flood and landslides), Rs 191.73 crore to Uttar Pradesh (flood), Rs 127.60 crore to Gujarat (drought) and Rs 13.09 crore to UT of Puducherry (cyclone).

The meeting was held here to consider the additional central assistance to these six states and one UT, which were affected by floods, landslides, cloudburst and cyclone Gaja and drought during kharif season 2018-19, the statement said.

Union Finance Minister Piyush Goel, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and senior officers of the ministries of Home Affairs, Finance, Agriculture and NITI Aayog were present in the meeting.

Gadkari to launch 7 road, river projects worth Rs 872 cr in Bihar

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January 29, 2019

Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for seven road and river projects in Bihar, entailing Rs 871.61 crore investment, on Wednesday.

He will be accompanied by Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Radhamohan Singh and others.

Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources Gadkari will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of several road projects and river development works in Bihar tomorrow (Wednesday), Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement.

The statement said that the minister will inaugurate/lay foundation stone for two national highways projects worth Rs 505 crore in Raxaul.

These include foundation stone for work of widening of 69 km section of NH-28A from Piprakothi to Motihari and Raxaul with a cost of Rs 333.60 crore, and inauguration of 2-lane 40 km section of NH-28B from Chhapra to Misrauli with a cost of Rs 171.40 crore, it said.

The minister will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of four national highway projects worth Rs 353.71 crore at Bagaha, Pashchim Champaran.

These include widening to 2-lane and strengthening of 24 km road from Misrauli to Parsauni with a cost of Rs 93.84 crore, widening and strengthening of 37 km road from Manuvapul to Yagnapatti-Navalpur-Raywal Chowk with a cost of Rs 128.90 crore under central road fund (CRF), and construction of rail over bridge (ROB) at 91 km and 94 km with the cost of Rs 131.97 crore respectively.

Gadkari will also initiate the development of 300 km long river route from Hajipur to Triveni Ghat at a cost of Rs 12.9 crore under dredging work in river Gandak for facilitating water transport.

The project will provide cargo connectivity from river Ganga and transport facility up to Nepal by waterway.

10 NE political parties, JD(U) oppose Citizenship Bill

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January 29, 2019

Ten political parties of the northeastern region, including BJP allies and the JD(U), on Tuesday unanimously decided to oppose the citizenship amendment bill, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the political parties convened by Sangma and AGP President Atul Bora.

“The meeting was a natural process, considering the opposition of the northeast states to the bill and it is not politically motivated,” Sangma told reporters here.

“Most political parties in the region were protesting against the bill in their own states and so we decided to come together and discuss measures to protect our people and the region,” he added.

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga, who was also present at the meeting, said that a resolution was taken to unanimously oppose the bill which was “dangerous and harmful for the people of the northeast.”

AGP President Atul Bora said that the meeting was “historic” as political parties have unanimously decided to oppose the bill and ensure that it is not passed in the Rajya Sabha

The ten political partes who participated in the meeting were Mizo National Front (MNF), United Democratic Party (UDP), Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF), National Peoples’ Party (NPP), National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), Hill State Peoples Democratic Party (HSPDP), Peoples Democratic Front (PDF), Indigenous People Front of Tripura (IPFT) and the Khnam.

The JD(U) was represented at the meeting by its north east incharge, NSN Lotha.

Govt petition on Ayodhya land aimed to appease Sangh Parivar: CPI(M)

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January 29, 2019

Criticising the government’s petition in Supreme Court, seeking permission to return the excess land around the disputed Ayodhya site to its original owners, the CPI(M) alleged that it was aimed at appeasing the Sangh Parivar ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

In a statement, the party’s Politburo said it was a “devious” effort on the part of the government to “pre-empt” the decision of the Supreme Court.

“The politburo of CPI(M) expresses its strong disapproval of the petition moved by the central government in the Supreme Court to remove the status quo in the non-disputed land that it had acquired in Ayodhya. It wants to handover the land to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas that has been set up by VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) to undertake the construction of the Ram temple at the site,” it said.

In 1993, the Supreme Court had ordered that status quo be maintained on the 67 acre of land that had been acquired, the statement said.

“The Centre now claims that only 0.313 acres is actually disputed. This move of the centre is clearly aimed at appeasing the Sangh Parivar which is demanding immediate construction of the temple at all costs. Obviously, all these moves are being orchestrated keeping the impending Lok Sabha elections in mind,” it said.

The Centre on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking its permission to return the excess or superfluous land around the disputed Ram Janambhoomi Babri Masjid site to its original owners.