(23 Nov) Chennai: With the North East monsoon leaving a trail of destruction in Tamil Nadu, the state government today pegged the damage at Rs 8,481 crore, with Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately release Rs 2,000 crore to sustain relief work. In a letter to the Prime Minister, she said that 169 lives have been lost in various rain-related incidents since October 1, 2015. Detailing the extent of the damage, Jayalalithaa told the PM that despite her government’s preventive efforts, the state had suffered severe damage on account of the “extremely heavy and sustained” rainfall which, she said, had left a trail of destruction and that her government had allocated Rs 500 crore for relief work.

The assessment of damages and requirement of funds for immediate relief and restoration of infrastructure which she said had been speedily carried out indicated a much higher financial requirement. “The requirement of funds for immediate rescue and relief and the temporary and permanent restoration of infrastructure has been worked out at Rs.8,481 crore in all..” “This assessment has been made as an immediate measure since the Government of Tamil Nadu requires assistance from Government of India to meet the very high expenditure requirements that such a severe calamity has caused. The funds required are well beyond the resources available with the state, including the State Disaster Response Fund,” she said. She requested Modi to depute a central team immediately to make its on-the-spot assessment of damage and to release central financial aid without any delay keeping in view the urgency of restoring many of the infrastructure facilities and services to the flood affected people. “In the meanwhile, I request that an on account release of Rs 2,000 crore may be sanctioned immediately to enable the state government to sustain the relief and restoration operations with the same vigour,”

Jayalalithaa said. Jayalalithaa recalled that a deep depression of ‘high intensity’ in the Bay of Bengal had hit the Tamil Nadu coast near Marakkanam on November 10, 2015, causing extremely heavy rains, particularly in the four northern coastal districts of Cuddalore, Kancheepuram, Chennai and Tiruvallur. “Based on the forecast received from Indian Meteorological Department and the alerts received from the National Disaster Management Agency, adequate precautionary measures were taken which minimised loss to life and property,” she said, adding state-level agencies and the local administration in the affected districts were put on high alert. In addition, the services of the National Disaster Response Force, Army, Air Force, Navy and the Coast Guard were requisitioned wherever the need was felt. I thank you for the promptness in the dispatch of these forces,” she told Modi. However, despite all efforts taken by the state Government, “as the rainfall was extremely heavy and sustained for several days, it has left a trail of damage and destruction,” she said. The CM said many parts of the state had been severely affected due to flooding. One hundred and sixty nine lives were lost during this North East monsoon since October 1 and there was widespread damage to property, including dwelling units and crops, she said.

(23 Nov) New Delhi : The Congress Party on Monday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Assam Governor P. B. Acharya’s ‘Indian Muslims are free to go to Pakistan or Bangladesh’ remark and alleged that he recruits communal people at important constitutional positions. “This is the character of Narendra Modi ji. He is recruiting people, who induce communal hatred in the society at important constitutional positions. First he says, ‘sabka saath, sabka vikaas’ and then he recruits people who spread hatred on constitutional posts,” said Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed.

The Assam Governor had during a book launch yesterday said that ‘Hindustan is for Hindus’ and that the name of a single Bangladeshi should not be in the updating of the National Register for Citizens (NRC). Acharya’s comment came in reply to a question on updating the NRC list and on the controversy surrounding the Centre’s notification of allowing religious minorities from Pakistan and Bangladesh fleeing persecution to seek shelter in India. “Hindustan is for Hindus. There is nothing wrong with that. Hindus from different countries can stay here. They cannot be outsiders. There is nothing to be feared about that. But how to accommodate them is a big question and we should think about that,” he said.

23 Nov) Seven people, including a pilot, were killed on Monday when a helicopter ferrying pilgrims to the Vaishno Devi temple crashed near Katra in Jammu and Kashmir, police said. The helicopter was privately operated. Following the crash, helicopter services between Katra and Vaishno Devi have been suspended.

India Today reports that the helicopter landed barely meters away from a thickly populated locality, somewhere near the base camp in Katra. In October, over 2.7 lakh pilgrims visited and paid their obeisance at the holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi during Navaratras in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. The Finance Department, headed by Haseeb Drabu of the PDP, issued a notification on September 2, asking the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) to impose a 12.5 per cent service tax on pilgrims travelling by helicopter to and fro from Katra to Sanjhi Chhat. 5 dead in Helicopter crash near Katra(J&K), pilgrims were on their way to Sanji Chhat.

will star in Rajkumar Hirani and UTV Motion Pictures’ SAALA KHADOOS. The bilingual in Hindi and Tamil marks the reunion of Rajkumar Hirani and UTV Motion Pictures post Aamir Khan starrer PK. R Madhavan, who plays a boxing coach in this sports drama, will be working with Raju Hirani after 3 IDIOTS. Newcomer Ritika Singh makes her debut with this film.

Swati A. Dandekar India-born Swati A. Dandekar, a Nagpur and Bombay University alum was nominated as the United States director of the Asian Development Bank and given the rank of an ambassador by President Barack Obama on Friday. The White House also announced the remaining eight key administration posts.

“I am confident that these experienced and hardworking individuals will help us tackle the important challenges facing America and I am grateful for their service. I look forward to working with them,” Barack Obama said. According to her White House biography, Swati received a BS from Nagpur University and a Post-Graduate Diploma from Bombay University, is a former Iowa state legislator and member of the Iowa Utilities Board. She served on the Iowa Utilities Board from 2011 to 2013. Prior to joining the Utilities Board, Dandekar served in the Iowa State Senate from 2009 to 2011 and in the Iowa State House of Representatives from 2002 to 2008. From 2000 to 2003, she was a member of the Vision Iowa Board of Directors. Dandekar also served on the Linn-Mar Community School District Board of Education from 1996 to 2002 and was a member of the Iowa Association of School Boards from 2000 to 2002.

News24 Bureau New Delhi: Underworld don Chhota Rajan was sent to Tihar prison on 14 days of judicial custody on Thursday evening. Rajan has been kept in jail number 2 of the high security prison, the Hindustan Timesreported. The don has been kept alone under constant CCTV surveillance with a Tamil Nadu state police personnel ensuring that he’s not ‘attacked’, the English daily added. Meanwhile, CBI has taken over all 71 cases against Rajan and it will soon start re-registering FIRs in them. Chhota Rajan, whose real name is Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, was arrested in Bali on October 25. The 55-year old don, who has been on the run for 27 years, arrived at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on November 6 in a special aircraft. He was being accompanied by officials of the CBI, and Delhi and Mumbai police.
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