For the paramilitary, all’s in a new name

From The Telegraph
Saturday , March 26 , 2011

NISHIT DHOLABHAI

New Delhi, March 25: Before paramilitary forces get the right weapons, they must be rid of the “wrong” name. P. Chidambaram has decided that five central paramilitary forces (CPMFs) will now be officially called central armed police forces (CAPFs), the move prompted by the need to remove the impression, especially among foreign leaders and rights representatives, that the troops are part of India’s military. The Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) will now be described uniformly as CAPFs. “Henceforth, in all references to the forces mentioned above, a uniform nomenclature of central armed police forces (CAPFs) shall be adopted,” said a circular issued by Chidambaram’s home ministry. The change takes effect immediately. At present, government officials and documents use terms such as central police organisations (CPOs), CPMFs, paramilitary forces (PMFs) and central police forces (CPFs) interchangeably. Assam Rifles and the National Security Guard will not be covered by the new nomenclature. While the former is under the operational control of the army, the latter is drawn from the army and paramilitary forces. Chidambaram is known to be a stickler for the right word. Earlier this week, the Rajya Sabha passed a bill on the exchange of international prisoners — Repatriation of Prisoners (Amendment) Act 2011 — which had been brought to Parliament merely because the minister was unhappy with one word, “martial”, in the law and wanted it replaced with “military”. “It sounds jarring. We are a democracy,” Chidambaram had said about “martial”. The name-change circular was issued on Tuesday and was sent to the President’s office, Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament and the Election Commission, among others. “This (the words central paramilitary forces) creates an incorrect perception and the expectations from the forces become unrealistic,” the circular says. A big concern, however, is unwanted international glare. In some countries, “paramilitary” refers to militant groups while in others, it is perceived to be related to the military, officials said. Sending the right picture abroad assumes significance at a time India has become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Rights concerns are another factor. This week, European Union representatives along with the UK high commissioner and other European ambassadors reviewed India’s rights record in Kashmir, the Northeast and in Maoist-hit states, sources said. In all these areas, the forces have been accused of rights violations. But former BSF chief E. Ram Mohan said the name change would have little effect on the forces’ efficiency.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110326/jsp/nation/story_13768094.jsp

Sacked BSF man gets HC relief

From The Indian Express

Posted: Sat Mar 26 2011

Dismissed after failed suicide attempt, punishment modified

Removed from services after attempting suicide following a failed love affair, constable of the Border Security Force (BSF) finally found succour, with the High Court on Friday modifying his punishment.

Adopting a merciful view, a Division Bench headed by Justice Pradeep Nandarajog modified constable Sachin Kumar’s punishment from “dismissal” to “removal” so that he could procure a job outside the forces.

“We water down the penalty from one of dismissal from service to removal from service for the reason that the penalty of dismissal would be a bar for the petitioner from seeking public employment... If the petitioner could find a job that does not require him to carry arms, it should be fine for him,” held the court.

The court, however, refused to entertain the Kumar’s plea regarding his re-instatement in the services after noting that his reaction to the situation was unbecoming of an officer carrying arms and ammunition for paramilitary force.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sacked-bsf-man-gets-hc-relief/767591/

From BD Press:4 Bangladeshis held in Tripura

From bdnews24

Wed, Mar 23rd, 2011

Agartala, Mar 23 (bdnews24.com)—Four Bangladeshi nationals have been arrested in the Northeast Indian state of Tripura for not having valid documents, Tripura police have said.

They said the Border Security Force (BSF) apprehended Sudhir Sarkar, Siva Sarkar and Farukh Mia in possession of Tk 90,000 and 3 voter ID cards from Nandipara village in Khowai area of West Tripura Monday night.

None of them had any valid document for crossing the border, they said.

In another incident, West Agartala police arrested one Noman Bin Sayyed Russel of Dhaka at a hotel in Agartala on Monday night.

Officer in-charge of West Agartala police station Manindra Debnath said they also seized Tk 1.36 lakh, 12,000 Indian rupees (Rs), a Bangladeshi passport, a laptop and two bags from him.

He said Noman was placed before the court with an appeal for his police remand.

Noman claimed that he had paid a man some money to arrange valid travel documents for him to visit Tripura.

The man helped him to cross the border and dupe him afterwards, police quoted Noman as saying.

On Mar 15, four Bangladeshis were also arrested at Agartala airport for not carrying passports.

bdnews24.com/corr/sht/1030h
http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?id=190643&cid=2

Alarm over sat phone use in border districts

From The Times Of India

Vimal Bhatia & Ashish Mehta, TNN, Mar 23, 2011,

JAISALMER/JAIPUR: For the past fortnight, the security agencies are on a high alert in the border districts of Barmer, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur after tracing satellite phone signals.

The agencies have taken steps to ensure safety at the state's border districts. An investigation is on to find out whether foreign tourists visiting these districts are unknowingly using satellite phones or the drug and arms peddlers are becoming active.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-03-23/jaipur/29178005_1_satellite-phones-border-districts-jaisalmer

Spurt in Assam blasts shows peace is a far cry: Prafulla Kumar Mahanta

From Mail Today

Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, Asom Gana Parishad leader.

Anirban Roy  | Guwahati, March 23, 2011
Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, the tallest Assam Opposition leader, has claimed the ruling Congress's "politics of peace" can lead the insurgency-ravaged state towards a catastrophe.

His comments come at a time when the state is gearing up for a two-phased assembly poll next month.

Mahanta, who had created political history in 1985 by becoming the youngest CM of India, told Mail Today in an interview on Tuesday that Assam CM Tarun Gogoi's experiment of peace with the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa) could be dangerous for the state.

"The recent spurt of explosions in Guwahati, and that too at the Congress headquarters, is an indicator that peace is a far cry in Assam," the veteran Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leader said, adding that the " pick-and-choose" peace initiative could be risky.

During the last few months, the Congress-led government in Assam has claimed to have restored peace in the state as a section of Ulfa leaders, led by chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, has been engaged in peace negotiations with New Delhi. Senior pro- talks Ulfa leaders even met PM Manmohan Singh and vowed to resolve their political demands through peaceful negotiations.

BSF court hears Kashmir teenager killing case

From IndiaBlooms.Com

Srinagar, Mar 22 (IBNS) 

To record the statements of the witnesses in the Zahid Farooq murder case in Jammu & Kashmir, the Border Security Forces (BSF) Court here on Tuesday called several doctors and officials and enquired about the incident.

Those who appeared before the court included, Dr Ruby Reshi, Dr Bilal, Dr Kaunsar and a dotor from police headquarters.

While talking to IBNS the father of the slain youth, Farooq Ahmed said that he is satisfied the way BSF officers are conducting the proceedings.

प्रापर्टी डीलर ने बीएसएफ जवान पर हमला किया

दैनिक भास्कर से

मार्च २४, २०११ 

जम्मू। दोमाना थाना अंतर्गत उदयवाला क्षेत्र में पैसों के लेनदेन को लेकर एक प्रापर्टी डीलर ने बीएसएफ जवान पर तेजधार हथियार से हमला कर दिया जिसमें वह गंभीर रूप से घायल हो गया। घायल जवान को जीएमसी में भर्ती करवाया गया है।

मंगलवार को बीएसएफ का जवान सुभाष चंद्र निवासी उदयवाला किसी काम से बाजार जा रहा था। तभी रास्ते में उसी क्षेत्र में रहने वाले प्रापर्टी डीलर संजय राना ने रोका।

दोनों में किसी बात को लेकर कहासुनी हो गई। जिस पर संजय राना ने तेजधार हथियार निकाला और जवान पर कई वार कर दिए। जब मौके पर लोग जमा होना शुरू हो गए तो हमलावर मौके से फरार हो गया।

लोगों ने पुलिस को सूचना दी और घायल जवान को जीएमसी में पहुंचाया गया। मौके पर आई पुलिस ने घायल जवान के बयान लिए जिसमें उसने हमलावर के बारे में बताया।

पुलिस को जांच में पता चला कि दोनों में पैसों का लेनदेन था। उसी को लेकर प्रापर्टी डीलर ने जवान पर हमला किया है। पुलिस ने प्रापर्टी डीलर के खिलाफ मामला दर्ज कर लिया है।
http://www.bhaskar.com/article/JK-property-dealer-attacked-the-bsf-men-1955525.html

Borders on alert as World Cup faces terror threat

From Daily Bhaskar

March 24, 2011

Jodhpur: The BSF has stepped up the security at the India-Pakistan border along Rajasthan following the terror threat that looms over the cricket World Cup.

The Home Ministry has instructed the BSF to keep extra vigil in the Barmer sector in wake of the threat.

Special security arrangements have also been made at the Jaisalmer and Bikaner border.

It must be noted that the Babbar Khalsa group had two years back brought explosives from Pakistan through the Barmer border.

The explosives used to attack the Calcutta Trade Centre and Ludhiana cinema hall were also brought this way.

http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/RAJ-JOD-borders-on-alert-as-world-cup-faces-terror-threat-1958609.html

RMC to arrange for fans, coolers for jawans on Pak border

From IBN Live

PTI | 09:03 PM,Mar 23,2011

Rajkot, Mar 23 (PTI) With BSF jawans posted on the border battling scorching heat with not even a pedestal fan at their disposal, the Rajkot Municipal Corporation has decided to call for donations from public to arrange for appliances like water coolers and fans for them. RMC Commissioner Dinesh Brahmabhatt has called for donations from the public to provide pedestal fans, refrigerators, air coolers, water coolers and television sets to Border Security Force (BSF) jawans posted at Tharad Desert near Palanpur in North Gujarat. Brahmabhatt recently visited the border area located about 130 km away from Palanpur where three companies of BSF are posted and from where Pakistan is just 15 km away. During his visit to the place, the Commissioner observed that the jawans did not have basic necessities like a fan to fend the heat where the temperature goes upto 50 degrees Celsius during summer or television set for entertainment. "Following my call for donation, I have got good response and few industrialists and builders have come forward to donate the appliances." the commissioner said adding that he plans to provide jawans with 50 pedestal fans, 50 television sets, five refrigerators, five air coolers and five water coolers within a fortnight. Nearly 100 students from different schools would be accompanying the Commissioner when he goes to the border to hand over these products, Brahmabhatt added.

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/rmc-to-arrange-for-fans-coolers-for-jawans-on-pak-border/620432.html

BSF soldiers wearing traditional Punjabi dress

From  GETTY IMAGES
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers wearing traditional Punjabi dance as they celebrate 'Holi' at their headquarters in Srinagar on March 20,2011. The 'Holi' festival of colours marks the onset of spring across the country.

http://themes.thestar.com/photo/07cgdPQ2NRa7I

Cabinet approves 6% dearness allowance hike for central government employees

From The Times Of India

March 22, 2011

NEW DELHI: Nearly 50 lakh central government employees and 38 lakh pensioners can look forward to a 6% increase in their dearness allowance with the Union Cabinet approved the proposal on Tuesday.

If the move is approved, the dearness allowance, which is linked to the consumer price index, will rise from 45% currently to 51%, triggering a further change in the allowance structure. For instance, payments like conveyance allowance and children's education allowance will also increase by 25%.

Further, special compensatory allowance for those posted in remote areas such as the north-east and Jammu & Kashmir as central government employees in these areas are entitled to a Special Compensatory Allowance. Their special allowance goes up by 25% the moment the 50% trigger is breached.

While the move will provide some relief to government employees and pensioners whose salaries and pension are usually revised once a decade, the increase will cost the exchequer Rs 1,500 crore annually. Households have been combating high inflation, which in recent weeks was led by rising fruit and vegetable prices. Wholesale price index-based inflation is expected to be around 8% at the end of March.
Sources said the additional installment of DA will be released with effect from January this year. Typically, the increase takes place in two installments effective January 1 and July 1.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Cabinet-approves-6-dearness-allowance-hike-for-central-government-employees/articleshow/7758807.cms

Re-classification of cities / towns for grant of House Rent Allowance (HRA)

No.2(13)12008-E.II(B)
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Expenditure
*****

New Delhi, 4^th March, 2011.

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Decision of the Government on the recommendations of the sixth Central Pay Commission relating to re-classification of cities/towns for grant of House Rent Allowance (HRA).

The undersigned is directed to refer to para 6 of this Ministry’s O.M. of even number dated 29.08.2008 on the above mentioned subject, vide which the special dispensation for grant of HRA has been allowed to continue to (i) Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Noida & Gurgaon at “X” class city rates and (ii) Jalandhar Cantt., Shillong, Goa & Port Blair at “Y” class city rates and to state that the special dispensation allowed to Panchkula for grant of HRA at par with Chandigarh vide this Ministry’s O.M. No.2(2)/2001E.II(B) dated 16.06.2003, shall also continue.

2. In this context, it is also clarified that any other similar special dispensation allowed by this Ministry in the past in respect of other cities for grant of HRA at higher rates and not specifically mentioned in this Ministry’s O.M. of even number dated 29.08.2008, shall continue to apply, if the same has not been superceded / dispensed with or the existing classification of such city has not been revised to a higher classification on account of the population criteria, vide O.M. dated 29.08.2008.

3. These orders shall be effective from 1st September,2008.

4. All other conditions governing grant of HRA under existing orders shall continue to apply.

5. In so far as the persons serving in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department are concerned, these orders issue in consultation with the Comptroller & Auditor General of India.

6. Hindi version is attached.

(Anil Sharma)
Under Secretary to the Govt. of India

http://finmin.nic.in/the_ministry/dept_expenditure/notification/hra_cca/reclass_cities_HRA.pdf