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Three more districts in NCR

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Bhiwani and Mahendragarh districts of Haryana and Bharatpur in Rajasthan are now part of the National Capital Region (NCR).

Their inclusion was on Monday approved by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) which will also soon take up proposals on Jind and Karnal districts.

“Based on the request of the participating states, the board today has approved the inclusion of Bharat in Rajasthan, Bhiwani and Mahendragarh in Haryana in the NCR”.

“The planning committee will also meet up shortly to take up Jind and Karnal,” Urban Development minister Kamal Nath said today after chairing the NCRPB meeting in New Delhi.

The NCR till now included nine Haryana districts, five districts of Uttar Pradesh, Alwar in Rajasthan and the National Capital Territory (NCT).

The Minister said that the NCRPB had also approved the Rajasthan government’s request for identification of Jaipur as Counter-Magnet Area.

Counter-Magnet areas are to act as “interceptors” of migratory flows into NCR due the accelerated development and also as regional rowth centres, that would be able to achieve a balanced pattern of urbaniastion.

The Board also approved the Sub-Regional plan for UP sub-region.

Nath also said that the Regional Plan 2021 was reviewed and the Draft Revised Regional Plan 2021 prepared by the NCRPB in consultation with the participating states and stake-holders has been approved for inviting objections and suggestions from the public under the provisions of the NCRPB Act.

He said that there has been 62 per cent urbanisation in NCR and this is expected to go to 73 per cent by the year 2021, when it will become the highest urbanised area in the country.

Noting that the per capita income in the region was the highest in the country and the NCR was a very important hub of economic activity in the country , he stressed on the need to improve Delhi’s connectivity with adjoining areas.

Nath told reporters that the per capita income of the NCR region had consistently been higher than the rest of the country.

He spoke for having an efficient mass transport system as a driver of economic development and highlighted the need for Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) in NCR.

He said the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) had recommended setting up of a National Capital Region Transport Corporation(NCRTC) for implementation of RRTS which in Phase-I will connect Delhi-Panipat (111 km), Delhi-Alwar (180 km) and Delhi-Meerut (90 km).

He said that the matter would be taken up in the cabinet soon.

Giving more details, Nath said that the work on the three corridors would start soon and would be completed by 2016 and NCRPB would contribute Rs 200 crore to begin the work on one of the lines.

Nath said that the NCR region must grow simultaneously to reduce pressure on infrastructure of Delhi.

In the meeting, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had spoken of the burden on capital’s resources due to influx from neighbouring areas.

“The Chief Minister of Delhi had made a very important point that Delhi bears the burden, like in the health sector people for treatment come to hospitals. So there must be health facilities in the NCR set up by the states so that the pressure is dispersed,” he said.

Nath said that to reduce Delhi’s burden states should create infrastructure related to health, sewage treatment and night shelters.

He said that the Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) ministry had agreed to provide 50 of funds for 24 hour shelters and another 20 percent would be provided by NCRPB.

The meeting was attended by Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation minister Girija Vyas, Delhi CM Shiela Dixit, Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the Lt. Governor of Delhi Tejender Khanna and senior officials.

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 Australia enforces stricter visa rule for foreign workers

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Aus enforces stricter visa rule for foreign workers

Australia on Monday implemented a new stringent visa regime for hiring of foreign workers, allowing businesses to recruit expatriates only after exhausting all local options, besides increasing the visa fees.As for the existing 457 visa scheme, the employers will now have to declare that they could not find an Australian for a particular job before hiring any foreign worker.

Under the new rule, companies will have to advertise for four months in a newspaper for a position before sponsoring a foreigner, Sydney Morning Herald reported. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) said there was concern that certain employers were sourcing their skilled labour needs from outside Australia without first checking the availability of labour locally.;”>”While not unlawful, these actions were not in line with the principles of the subclass 457 programme,” it said.

The employers will now also have to give details on how many workers they will sponsor and whether a new nominee meets the English language requirement.

“Employees must now be employed by their sponsor in a direct ‘employee-employer’ relationship,” said Vikram Porous, director of Swastik Migration and Educational services.

“This prohibits on-hire arrangements that fall outside approved Labour Agreements and prevents sponsors from engaging visa-holders under arrangements that resemble independent contracting arrangements,” he added.
As per the new visa fees that came into force from today, applicants for family visas will now be levied with additional charges.

For family members aged over 18, the fee will be half the visa application charge (USD 1530) and for those under 18, it will be a quarter of the charge (USD 765).

“The new pricing structure increases the burden for those with spouses and dependents,” said Ravi Lochan Singh, President of Association of Australian Education Representatives (AAERI).

“While there is no increase in cost for a student visa for an individual, now those with spouses and dependents have to pay out significantly higher,” he added.Also, Australia released an updated Skilled Occupation List (SOL), which saw five occupations of Hospital Pharmacist, Retail Pharmacist, Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Avionics), Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Mechanical) and Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Structures) being removed from the list.

The new list determines which occupations are eligible for independent and family sponsored skilled migration visas.
According to 2011 census, about 295,362 people in Australia declared their birth place as India.>In 2011-12, Indians were the largest source of permanent migration to Australia.<

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Categories : Business, Finnance, Politics, Tourism, Trade, Uncategorized, world News

Torrential Rain in China kill 39 people

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China’s rain

At least 39 people were killed and 13 others missing after torrential rains triggered floods and landslides in China, the government said on Monday.  The Ministry of Civil Affairs said 18 people were dead and four missing in northern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, while nine others lost their lives and another four remain missing in eastern Anhui Province. One person died in central Hubei Province after heavy rains led to flooding and landslides. The natural disaster also led to nine deaths and five missing cases in southwestern Sichuan Province, as well as two deaths in southwestern Chongqing municipality, state-run news agency reported. About 2.44 million people in 34 counties in Sichuan have been affected by the extreme weather conditions and forced the relocation of some 1.20 lakh people. The rainstorms also destroyed more than 5,600 houses and damaged another 10,000, the ministry added. In neighbouring Chongqing Municipality, about 8.76 lakh people have been affected and over 1.04 lakh others were evacuated amid rain-triggered disasters.

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Diesel prices hiked by 50 paise per litre

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Oil companies on Monday hiked the price of diesel by 50 paise per litre, effective from midnight as the hike is excluding value added taxes (VAT).

 Public face  the sixth hike in diesel prices since January when the government permitted state-run oil companies to hike the price of the fuel by 45-50 paise per litre per month till the losses incurred on the sale of the fuel below market rates are wiped out.

Oil firms are currently losing around Rs. 5.50 on the sale of every litre of diesel.

Diesel prices were last increased May 31, by 50 paise.

Along with diesel, the government sells cooking gas (LPG) and kerosene at subsidized rates, and compensates the oil firms for selling the fuels at lower prices.

Diesel in Delhi will cost Rs 50.84 per litre from tomorrow as against Rs 50.26 currently.

Oil firms on Saturday hiked petrol price by Rs 1.82 per litre, excluding VAT, as rupee depreciation made import of raw material (crude oil) costlier.

Buddhists rioters assault Muslims in Myanmar

Clashes between Buddhists and Muslims in Myanmar continue, as about 50 rioters set ablaze two houses belonging to Muslim families in retaliation for alleged rape of a woman from the Buddhist community. Three Muslims were injured in the incident. Over the last year at least 237 people have been killed in Myanmar in religious violence, about 150,000 people have been displaced.

Forty dead in Pakistan blasts

Bombings in Pakistan have claimed the lives of at least 40 people on the day when Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif discussed security with his British counterpart. At least 17 people were killed when a remotely detonated car bomb exploded outside the market in Peshawar barely missing its intended target of an army convoy. In the second attack a suicide bomber killed at least 24 people in the city of Quetta near a mosque. At least 65 were wounded. Another explosion targeting a vehicle in Pakistan’s northwest, left four servicemen dead. No organization has claimed responsibility yet.

SF Bay Area unions go on strike, halting train service

San Francisco Bay area commuters were affected on Monday by a Bay Area Rapid Transit train strike. Two of BART's largest unions went on strike at midnight, halting train service for the first time in 16 years. The walkout may affect the more than 400,000 passengers. Another 60,000 vehicles could be on the road, clogging highways and bridges, transportation officials said. The strike was called after an 11th-hour effort to resume negotiation failed to produce a new contract by the deadline of midnight Sunday. Both the unions and management were far apart on salary, pensions, healthcare and safety.

Tunisia parliament begins debate on draft constitution

Tunisia’s National Assembly on Monday began debating for the first time the draft constitution, which has been criticized by opponents of the Islamist-led government. The debate, which began at around 10:00 GMT, was suspended after less than half-an-hour, AFP said. Opposition MPs protested articles that exempt laws adopted under the ruling Islamist party Ennahda from constitutional control for three years. They would also extend indefinitely the legislative powers of the National Assembly and fail to draw up a plan to replace it with a permanent parliament.

Nazarbayev tells Cameron to stop lecturing Kazakhstan on human rights

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said Monday nobody had the right to lecture his country after British Prime Minister David Cameron raised concerns about human rights in Kazakhstan. “People from your island see the post-Soviet space as being in the Middle Ages, whose residents ride camels and horses,” Reuters quoted Nazarbayev as saying during a news conference after the British PM’s brief visit. “Democracy for us is not the beginning of the journey, but the end of the journey. We’re moving forward,” Nazarbayev said. Cameron said he had discussed “at length” allegations about alleged government repression.

7 cruise ships to accommodate 60,000 guests at Sochi Olympics

Seven cruise ships that will serve as floating hotels during the Winter Olympic Games in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi will accommodate over 60,000 fans and volunteers. “For 17 days of the 2014 Olympic Games we hope to accommodate from 50,000 to 60,000 fans in Sochi on board cruise liners," Itar-Tass quoted the head of Svoi TT travel company, Sergey Voitovich, as saying on Monday. “Of those, 80 percent are Russian tourists and 20 percent are foreigners,” he said. About 7,000 volunteers will be also accommodated. The cruise liners provided by Russia’s state-run seaport operator Rosmorport will serve as three- to five-star hotels.

Russia sues US Library of Congress over Schneerson books

The Russian Culture Ministry and the State Library have filed a motion at the Moscow Arbitration Court to compel the Library of the US Congress to return seven books from the Schneerson Library. The books from the collection of the RSL center of Oriental literature were reportedly received for temporary use under the international library exchange system, Interfax said, citing the ministry’s statement. Agudas Chasidei Chabad nonprofit organization, to which the Library of Congress lent the books, is also party to the litigation. Rare books from the disputed Schneerson Library collection were exhibited at the Jewish Museum and Center of Tolerance in Moscow earlier this month.

Thousands call for democracy at Hong Kong rally

Tens of thousands of protesters marched in Hong Kong to denounce the city’s leaders and demand universal suffrage on the 16th anniversary of the territory’s handover to China. Demonstrators started off from the city’s Victoria Park to the financial district bearing banners reading “Democracy now” and “Down with the Chinese Communist Party.” The main goal was “to push through for genuine democracy” and to ask for Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to step down, Jackie Hung, of the Civil Human Rights Front, which is organizing the march, told AFP. A widening income gap and soaring property prices have also contributed to the turnout.