111 delegates for 6th International Vedic Workshop
Kozhikode: As many as 111 delegates from across the globe will participate in the 6th International Vedic Workshop 2014 beginning here on January 7. Talking to reporters here today, Coordinator Dr P Vinod Bhattathiripad and Core Hosting Committee Member and former Chairman of Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) Dr M G S Narayanan said the four-day workshop would focus on the Vedic texts and rituals, the scholarly interpretation, traditional performance. It would also focus the Vedic traditions of Kerala such as recitation, texts, commentaries, and rituals and their applications in Srauta, Grhya, Tantra, the general Vedic traditions of other parts of India and Nepal and recent re-surging interest in the field in the West. They said the participants comprise Sanskrit and Veda researchers and writers specialized in the ancient scriptures from prominent universities like Harvard, Texas, Iowa, Georgia, Oxford, Tubingen, Warsaw, Moscow, Tokyo, Kyoto, Michigan, Leiden. The main attractions of 2014 episode of the workshop will be the physical presence of Veda chanting experts and their demonstration of Veda chanting, they said. (UNI)
BJP leader meets Modi
Gandhinagar: Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Dr Harsh Vardhan met Chief Minister Narendra Modi at latter’s residence here on Friday night. Dr Vardhan, who was in Ahmedabad to attend Global Healthcare Summit 2014 organised by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), last evening, drove to state capital Gandhinagar to meet Mr Modi, who is BJP’s prime ministerial candidate. Mr Modi is believed to have decided on Dr Vardhan’s name as the party’s chief ministerial candidate ahead of Delhi Assembly polls. Though Gujarat BJP spokesperson Harshad Patel said the meeting was a courtesy call but according to political observers here, both the leaders might have discussed the political fallout of Arvind Kejrival-led AAP’s assumption of power in Delhi for the BJP. Mr Modi will be visiting Delhi tomorrow to address a convention organised by yoga guru Baba Ramdev. (UNI)
CSC to seek public views for creation of new Adm units in J-K
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir government’s Cabinet Sub-Committee (CSC) would seek views of the people from the Valley on creation of the new administrative units in the state. The programme of the CSC’s visit in Jammu division shall be notified for the information of general public separately, an official spokesman said today. CSC which is constituted to examine the creation of new administrative units in the state is headed by Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand. Chand will pay a visit to various districts of Kashmir Valley to interact with the general public and to seek their suggestions and demands in connection with the creation of new administrative units, the spokesman said. As per a communication of the General Administration Department (GAD), the Committee will visit Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian districts on January 7. In the morning session, CSC will meet the people of Anantnag and Kulgam at Anantnag Dak Bungalow, whereas in the afternoon they will interact with the people of Pulwama and Shopian at Dak Bungalow Pulwama. Similarly, on January 8, the CSC will interact with the people of Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara at Dak Bungalow, Baramulla. The Committee will interact with the people of Srinagar, Ganderabal and Budgam on January 9 at Banquet Hall, Srinagar. (PTI)
Bengal govt begins beneficiary schemes for marginal farmers
Kolkata: The Bengal government has kick-started a pilot project to provide monetary assistance to marginal farmers to own storehouses and vending carts. Although there are an estimated 24 lakh small and marginal farmers, only around 10,000 such farmers would be covered initially with the scheme began on Friday after a decision in this regard was taken at a cabinet meeting at the new secretariat, Nabanna. The two schemes – Amar Fosho, Amar Gola(My Crop, My Storehouse) and Amar Foshol, Amar Gari (My crop, My vehicle). The government has allocated around Rs 170 crore for the two projects for the remaining three months of the current financial year. Under the Amar Foshol, Amar Golaproject, the subsidy provided by the government will vary between Rs 5,000 and Rs 25,000 depending on the nature of the warehouse. In the case of the Amar Foshol, Amar Gari project, the rate of subsidy would be Rs 10,000 flat. (UNI)
Minor shake up in DMK’s ranks
Chennai: In a minor shake up, DMK today dissolved the party’s Madurai Urban division following “indiscipline” and appointed a temporary committee till a new body was elected. The shake-up was initiated after some of the functionaries were found acting against the party interests and despite warning from DMK chief M Karunanidhi, party general secretary K Anbazhagan said in a statement. The action comes in the wake of some posters being pasted by supporters of Karunanidhi’s Madurai-based son M K Alagiri in that town, which had made some critical remarks in the context of the party’s general council held last month here. Alagiri did not attend the meeting. Differences between Alagiri and his Chennai-based younger brother Stalin are well-known. (PTI)
Man dies after being chased by elephant
Bhubaneswar: A 50-year-old man died after jumping into a well in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district while being chased by an elephant, police said Saturday.
The incident took place at Basla village Friday, about 150 km from here, when the victim Bairagi Dehuri had gone to defecate in the open in a nearby forest, District Superintendent of Police Manoranjan told IANS.
The elephant strayed into the area and began chasing him. In an effort to save himself Dehuri jumped into a well. Chasing him, the elephant also went into the well, Mohanty said.
A rescue team managed to save the elephant but Dehury was dead. The local administration has announced Rs.2 lakh compensation for the deceased’s kin, the police officer said. (IANS)