Posts Tagged ‘Uttar Pradesh’
Written by admin on 12 December 2012
Agra, Dec 12 (IANS) AstroSageIndia, said to be the country’s first multi-language astrological YouTube channel was launched Wednesday, on the special date of the century – 12.12.12 at 12:12 p.m.
Actress Shreya Narayan inaugurated the new offering.
Shreya, who has acted in films like “Saheb, Biwi aur Gangster” and “Rockstar”, launched the facility from her residence, through a live video-cast. She clicked the website exact at 12:12 p.m.
Shreya feels that the channel AstroSageIndia is an exceptional achievement. Through the medium of this channel, people will not only get access to excellent content, but also the principles of astrology could be understood in a better way, she said.
Singer Kartar Singh inaugurated and launched the channel AstroSageIndia at the Goverdhan Hotel here.
Kartar Singh said he is a firm believer in astrology and hoped this new technology will help in clearing the mist around astrology.
The director of AstroSage Punit Pandey, CA Ashok Jain, Chandra Kant Tripathi (Central Hindi Institute registrar), Surendra Sharma and Rakshit Tandon lauded the foray in the IT sector by Agra-based professionals.
“Our efforts through AstroSageIndia will help remove all the misconceptions and disbeliefs related to astrology,” Punit Pandey, director of the website, told IANS.
“AstroSage’s Astro Kundali software is the most popular and trusted software for android phones and tablets. We hope that our new initiative will help people in every possible manner,” he added.
Pandit Hanuman Mishra said the unique date chosen for the launch of the YouTube channel AstroSageIndia has its historical and astrological significance.
“The date comes once in a century. The number 12 has its own importance in astrology, because there are 12 zodiac signs, 12 houses and 12 Jyotirlingas,” said Mishra, adding that people from every corner of the world will be able to gain knowledge through this channel.
IT specialist Rakshit Tandon spoke on the event and said the popularity and usefulness of YouTube is not hidden from anyone. He further said that the YouTube astrology channel is a matchless initiative and its popularity cannot be compared to the popularity of channels from other mediums.
Tripathi said: “There is a requirement of such distinctive projects in the IT field and this YouTube channel enjoys special importance.”
At the outset, instead of bouquets, the guests were welcomed by presenting them their respective birth charts.
Tags: Uttar Pradesh
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Written by admin on 10 December 2012
Greater Noida, Dec 10 (IANS) Cyclist Pannasenko Nikita of Kazakhstan managed to edge past German Plarre Matthias in a photo-finish to win the final leg of the Tour de India at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) here, also emerging the overall winner with 16 points.
Nikita finished the 25 lap race on the Formula 1 circuit milliseconds ahead of second placed Matthias in 2:57.18 while Akparov Abdullo of Uzbekistan finished third 35 seconds behind.
Matthias also finished second overall with 10 points while third Almansoori Ahmeed of U.A.E. finished third in the standings.
Jeetha Ram was the top Indian, clocking 2:57.53 helping him to finish third in the overall table.
Arvind Panwar finished second in the race to clinch the top spot in the standings with 16 points to be the best amongst Indians.
Surpreet Singh came third in the race to finish second overall with 14 points.
The prize money for the race was Rs. 15 lakh ($35,000).
The Cycling Federation of India (CFI) approved event saw 80 international riders from 54 nationalities taking part in the 128 km race.
The first and second leg of the Tour de India was held in Mumbai and Srinagar.
Tags: Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh
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Written by admin on 09 December 2012
Greater Noida, Dec 9 (IANS) London Olympics bronze medallist M.C. Mary Kom Sunday joked that if she acts in the movie on her life, the movie will flop.
Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali is making a biographical film on Mary Kom depicting her struggle to the top. Actor Priyanka Chopra will be enacting the pugilist.
“If I act in the movie, it will definitely flop. I am not good in acting, only good in the ring. I don’t want it to flop as I want the movie to do well,” said the five-time World Champion on the sidelines of Cycling Federation of India’s Tour de India at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC).
“I am very happy and excited about the film. It’s like a dream come true. Never thought a movie would be made on me and on my life history. I am really thankful to the filmmakers,” said the mother of two, who met Priyanka a couple of days back in Mumbai to discuss the movie.
Commenting on the more serious issues of the suspension of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and Indian Boxing Federation (IBF), she said: “I do not know what is right or wrong but what I can say is sportspersons are not happy with this. I don’t have a good feeling about this and the issue is upsetting. Hope the issues get solved quickly.”
Tags: Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh
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Written by admin on 09 December 2012
Greater Noida, Dec 9 (IANS) The differences within the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) are only harming sports and sportspersons and a solution must be found at the earliest, feels Cycling Federation of India (CFI) president Parminder Singh Dhindsa.
The IOA was suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Dec 4 due to “outside interference”.
Talking exclusively to IANS Sunday, Dhindsa said: “This is a very serious matter. The IOA needs to get the government, the IOC onboard and get rid of their apprehensions regarding the elections. We should avoid confrontation with the IOC and try to get back into the Olympic movement at the earliest. The suspension has actually happened because of the internal differences in relation to the elections. They should sort this out. Our first interest is the proliferation of sports and that our sportsmen get maximum exposure and perform at the highest level. These differences are harming sports.”
Commenting further on the controversial issue, Dhindsa said that unless the Indian sports ministry, IOA and IOC don’t work it out together and know what each of them specifically want, the issues will continue.
“All these three bodies should sit and talk it out. We don’t know what exactly the IOC wants. We just got a letter from them and we do not know how to go about it, what all should be done and what changes they want in the election process. We also need to know what is the demand of the Government of India in relation with the sports code,” said Dhindsa here on the sidelines of the Tour de India which he flagged off.
A CFI source told IANS on condition of anonymity that outgoing secretary general of the IOA Randhir Singh used his influence to get the IOA suspended as he withdrew from the presidential candidature.
“Whatever we know as of now is that Randhir Singh used his influence in the IOC to get IOA suspended. People who run international sports don’t bother about what is happening but they should realise that no one is above sports,” said the source.
Tags: Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh
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Written by admin on 09 December 2012
Greater Noida, Dec 9 (IANS) India is not being a major competitor in the sport, but Cycling Federation of India (CFI) president Parminder Singh Dhindsa is optimistic about the country’s chances in the future.
“I won’t go in promising the moon but we are first focusing on Asian medals. It has been a long time since we got an Asian medal so it is time we should get some,” Dhindsa told IANS here Sunday when asked about India’s chances at the Olympics.
“We have a lot of Asian countries doing well in the international area like Malaysia, China, and Kazakhstan. It is high time we also start doing well. But we lag behind when it comes to the technique despite having the talent.”
“Like last year we sent three of our boys to Japan to learn new techniques. They got to know that what they were doing was quite wrong. For example, where exactly should they put force while pedalling and what position should they sit in,” he noted.
“So, we are investing more and for the last one year the sports ministry is also taking interest in cycling and taking it as a serious sport which did not happen earlier,” added Dhindsa, who was elected the CFI head last year in June.
With the 2013 Asian Cycling Championships awarded to India by the International Cycling Union (UCI), Delhi and Noida are set to host a series of races.
“The Asian Championships is a big event. The road races will be held here at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) while the track races at the Velodrome in Delhi,” added Dhindsa.
“Later in the year, we will also prepare for the Tour de India, cyclothons and more mountain biking championships. Mountain biking has seen an upward trend, especially among the youngsters. So we have a basketful of events happening in the new year.”
Tags: Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh
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Written by admin on 08 December 2012
Lucknow, Dec 8 (IANS) A day after the Uttar Pradesh government announced a new state advisory price (SAP) for sugarcane, the opposition Saturday accused Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav of compromising on prices because of the sugar lobby.
The state government Friday announced a SAP for sugarcane at Rs.275-290 per quintal for the current year.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a state-wide demonstration on the decision.
State BJP chief Laxmikant Bajpayi told IANS that the government announcing SAP two days after the assembly was adjourned smacked of a conspiracy against farmers and cane growers.
“What is the point of declaring it (SAP) after the assembly? They knew if they did not give a good price when the winter session was going on, they would have been put on the mat,” he said.
Bajpayi said the stand of the ruling Samajwadi party (SP) was paradoxical since it was staging a walk out in the Lok Sabha over paddy purchases while it was pushing cane growers in Uttar Pradesh to the brink.
The BJP wanted SAP to be fixed at Rs.400 per quintal, he said.
Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president and MP Nirmal Khatri too said the SAP was “indeed a disappointment”.
“We regret to say that this is not going to help cane growers who have huge pending payments from sugar mills from last year’s crushing season,” he said.
State president of Rashtriya Lok Dal Munna Singh Chauhan told IANS that the SAP had exposed the SP leadership and their “crocodile tears for farmers”.
“This is a joke on cane growers. They will not even be able to take out the money they had put into the crop, forget profits,” he said.
However, UP Cooperative Sugar Mill Federation Managing Director R.P. Arora lauded the support price and said it would benefit sugar mill owners as well cane growers.
The previous Bahujan Samaj Party government had paid Rs.240-250 per quintal as SAP for sugarcane.
Tags: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
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Written by admin on 07 December 2012
Lucknow, Dec 7 (IANS) Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Friday said he shared an emotional bond with the people of his parliamentary constituency as he asked party workers to begin work for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and propagate the UPA’s good work and people-friendly schemes.
In his meetings with party workers at different places in Amethi, he said he shared an emotional bond with the people there.
“I have an emotional bonding with people here and that is why I am drawn to Amethi every now and then,” he said. The relationship is family like and not political, he added.
Gandhi patiently heard the problems faced by them and asked them to forget the past and begin work for the 2014 general elections.
Stressing that he wanted to carry forward the work left behind by his father and late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, he said unemployment would be tackled very soon and hoped that opening of Malvika Steel in Jagdishpur and an ordinance factory in Munshiganj would create jobs.
He also exhorted party workers and people of his parliamentary constituency to make the best use of Rajiv Gandhi Industrial teaching Institute at Teekarmafi, the Indira Gandhi Nursing school in Munshiganj and Rajiv Gandhi Petroleum Institute and also spread word about development initiatives taken by the Congress in the region.
Tags: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
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Written by admin on 07 December 2012
Lucknow, Dec 7 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh’s Samajwadi Party (SP) government Friday announced the state advisory price (SAP) – price at which sugar mills in the state are supposed to buy the cane from farmers – at Rs.275-290 per quintal for the current year.
A statement issued on behalf of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said that Rs.290 per quintal price had been fixed for early variety crop while Rs.280 per quintal was for the normal crop.
For the sub-standard crop, the farmers would be entitled to Rs.275 a quintal.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government led by Mayawati had kept the SAP at Rs.240-250 per quintal.
The decision by the state government would mean that sugar mill owners will have to cough up Rs.21,000 crore as price for the sugarcane purchased through farmers – a sum Rs.3,300 crore more than the total amount paid to farmers in the last financial year.
The Akhilesh Yadav government has also increased the transport expense deduction by Rs.3 to Rs 8.75 per quintal this year.
The delay in announcing the SAP had led to vocal protests by all opposition parties – the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, BSP and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). They accused the state government of ganging up with sugar mill owners and working against the interest of cane growers of the state.
Tags: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
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Written by admin on 07 December 2012
Lucknow, Dec 7 (IANS) Traffic across toll plazas in Uttar Pradesh resumed Friday after the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) withdrew its 37-day-old agitation by farmers in the wake of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav promising to look into their demand of free toll plaza-access across the state.
Akhilesh Yadav invited a BKU delegation to meet him in the state capital Dec 13.
Government officials had been negotiating with the agitating BKU activists and their leader Rakesh Tikait throughout Thursday. A “deal” was made following a phone call from the chief minister’s office wherein the activists were informed that Akhilesh Yadav had agreed to meet them and would look into their “justified demands”.
The message from Akhilesh Yadav was communicated to BKU leaders by Meerut District Magistrate Vikas Gothalwal and Senior Superintendent of Police K. Satya Narayan.
The agitating farmers then allowed traffic to pass through the Sivaya toll plaza on National Highway (NH) 58. By midnight, officials told IANS, toll was being charged on vehicles.
As news of the negotiation and the chief minister’s assurance spread, farmers ended their seige of toll plazas at Bijnore barrage, Saharsawa in Saharanpur and in Gorakhpur.
Earlier, the Western Toll plaza management had filed a petition before the Allahabad High Court seeking damages for the losses on the toll plaza due to the farmers’ agitation. The hearing of the case is listed Dec 11.
Officials said the petition spurred the government into action and principal secretary (home) asked district officials to find a solution to the impasse.
District officials Thursday had pasted recovery notices worth Rs.11.8 crore at houses of 11 BKU and farmer leaders. The state government softened its stand when farmers threatened mass self-immolation if action was taken against their leaders.
Tags: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
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Written by admin on 06 December 2012
Meerut, Dec 6 (IANS) A criminal case was registered against farmer leaders of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) for disruption of toll collection on national highways in Uttar Pradesh, police said Thursday.
The case was registered at Daurala against the farmer leaders on a complaint from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Those booked included Naresh Tikait, Rakesh Tikait, Elam Singh Tikait and 200 other farmers who disrupted toll collection at Sivayan in Meerut on National Highway-58.
The farmers also threatened to capture the toll plazas at two other points in Firozabad and Moradabad.
On Wednesday, they took over the Gorakhpur toll plaza and opened it for free to all vehicles.
They are already holding on to the Dasna toll plaza for the fourth day. The union also holds the Shahjahanpur toll plaza.
The BKU has also advanced a mahapanchayat meeting, initially set for Dec 18. It would now be held at Meerut Dec 8 at the Sivayan toll plaza.
The farmers want free movement across the toll plazas in Uttar Pradesh.
In a letter to the NHAI, the BKU demanded that since most toll roads were built on land acquired from them, they should be made toll-free.
The farmers have been protesting against the toll tax on the Yamuna Expressway for more than a month.
BKU Meerut division president Rajvir Singh said toll collection on highways involved corruption bigger than that was seen in the 2G Spectrum scandal.
Meerut Divisional Commissioner Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan said a meeting was being organised to end the stalemate over the issue. The government is playing a role of facilitator between farmers and NHAI officials.
Tags: Meerut, Uttar Pradesh
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Written by admin on 06 December 2012
Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh), Dec 6 (IANS) From heated arguments and the mob frenzy of Dec 6, 1992, to animated discussions on foreign investment in retail trade, Ayodhya seems to have come a long way since the Babri mosque was razed, triggering riots across the country.
Twenty years on, most residents of Ayodhya, 135 km from the state capital Lucknow, say the Ram temple movement does not excite them any more. They candidly admit that bread and butter issues have “superseded all other urges”.
After the demolition of the 16th century mosque, brought down by radical Hindus who believed it was built on the birthplace of Lord Ram, a makeshift Ram temple has come up at the site.
Anmol, a tea shop owner along the Saryu river, says: “The frenzy, even the zeal (for a Ram temple), ebbed long back.”
“Ab to rozi roti ki maraamari hai” (Now we are all caught in the bread and butter battle), the 47-year-old says, recalling the days when the “kar sewaks” were all over the town.
“Things have changed now,” he says, adding that those who led the movement to build a temple at the Babri mosque site appear to have forgotten the agenda after “making it big in politics”.
As for parties other than the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), they never bothered about a Ram temple and only pandered to “minority votes”, alleges Ram Khilawan, seated at the tea stall.
“No one is concerned about Lord Ram, all that politicians want is vote,” he says in a matter of fact tone.
Ayodhya’s discourse has changed, says Lala B.D. Gupta, who lives near the Kanchan Bhawan on Rinmochan Ghat.
“Most people have come to terms with the fact that a temple on the disputed land is a long way.”
Gupta added that everyone now wants the town to develop, they want the Uttar Pradesh government to create more jobs, and spruce up law and order.
Business management student Naveen Tripathi cannot even think of a Dec 6 happening now.
“I have heard of the episode and seen the clips on video but a repeat of this in modern day India is not going to happen.”
The modern day Indian youth is far more “mature, large hearted” than the past generation, Tripathi says. “We don’t have time for all this, time wastage is money wastage.”
Shahabuddin Khan, president of the Sunni Board of India, is for reconciliation on the temple-mosque row.
But former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh says the issue of a grand Ram temple at the former site of the Babri mosque was a “purely emotive” one that has to be settled between Hindus and Muslims.
P.N. Mishra, lawyer for the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Punaruddhar Samiti, is hopeful. “The delay by the Supreme Court in hearing the important case is because all case records are yet to reach it.”
Lawyer Zafaryab Jilani, while admitting that memories of 1992 still send shivers down his spine, is happy that a majority of Indians have denounced the mosque destruction.
Supporters of Ram temple agree the campaign has lost the vigour.
Most of those in the temple movement in the 1990s have died, says a VHP leader, referring to people like Deoraha Baba, B.P. Singhal, Ram Phal, Nana Bhagwat, Mahesh Narayan Singh, Bal Thackeray and Onkar Bhave.
Those alive from both sides, he says, are too feeble and old to carry on the battle.
Whatever the change in Ayodhya’s mindset, security forces remain on high alert, Additional Director General of Police Arun Kumar told IANS.
Mahant Bhaskar Das of the Nirmohi Akahada, the main petitioner favouring a temple, says they are waiting for the apex court hearing to begin.
“Only God knows how long will it take to come to a final verdict,” he says.
But Hashim Ansari, who is contesting the case from the Muslim side, is tired of the court proceedings that have dragged on for years. He says he has now left it to the will of Allah.
(Mohit Dubey can be contacted at mohit.d@ians.in)
Tags: Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh
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Written by admin on 06 December 2012
Lucknow, Dec 6 (IANS) The protests by famers in Uttar Pradesh led by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), seeking free access at all toll bridges in the state, is spreading fast and wide.
The farmers Thursday threatened to capture the toll plazas at two other points in Firozabad and Moradabad.
On Wednesday, they took over the Gorakhpur toll plaza and opened it for free to all vehicles.
They also seized the Sivayan toll plaza on national highway 58. They are already holding on to the Dasna toll plaza for the fourth day. The union also holds the Shahjahanpur toll plaza.
The BKU has also preponed a maha panchayat meeting, initially set for Dec 18. It would now be held at Meerut Dec 8 at the Sivayan toll plaza.
The farmers want free movement across the toll plazas in Uttar Pradesh.
In a letter to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), the BKU had demanded that since most toll roads were built on land acquired from them, they should be made toll free.
The farmers have been protesting against the toll tax on the Yamuna Expressway for more than a month and say that it was just a matter of time before they lay seize of toll plazas across the state.
BKU leader Chowdhary Rakesh Tikait warned the Samajwadi Party government not to think of arresting them.
Farmer leaders say if Tikait was arrested, they would resort to mass self-immolation.
Tikait has claimed he has received a telephonic threat demanding that his men vacate the toll plazas or face dire consequences.
“This is a bizarre situation. On the one hand the government is inviting industry and on the other it is not acting against unreasonable demands of such people,” rued an industrialist.
Tags: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
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