19 US-bound students stopped from boarding AI flight

Air India last night barred 19 Indian students from boarding its flight to San Fransisco so they are not "inconvenienced" after being told by the US authorities that the two universities to which they had secured admission were under "scrutiny". The national carrier, which did not allow these students to board the flight at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, has decided not to accept students headed to these universities till the time it got clearance from Air India's US office for their travel. "Air India received communication on December 19, 2015 from the US Customs and Border Protection agency that two universities namely Silicon Valley, San Jose, California and North Western Polytechnic College, Fremont, CA are under scrutiny and students who arrived into San Francisco were not allowed to enter the US and were deported back to India," an Air India statement said. "In the past, we have witnessed that students who secured admission in those institutions have been deported to India as soon as they land there. To avoid embarrassment to them and save their money, we prevented them from boarding the flight," an AI official said in Hyderabad. Air India has offered full refund and waived all charges such as cancellation and rescheduling fee. The airliner said it will start accepting students travelling to join these universities, at no additional cost, as soon as clearance is received from Air India's US office. The statement said so far 14 students who travelled on Air India flights to San Francisco have been deported. Students travel on a one-way ticket to the US and, in the event of deportation, incur huge expenditure to buy a ticket back to India on first available service. Further, seats are often not available on any airlines to travel back," it said. "Considering the situation, as a precautionary measure and to avoid inconvenience, students booked for travel to take admission to these universities are not being accepted on Air India flights," the statement said. US Consulate officials in Hyderabad said they are trying to gather information on the episode. "We are indeed aware of the reports that some students were denied entry on the flights to the US. At this time, we don't have any further information to share with you on this particular issue, but we are seeking clarity on the situation. "As soon as we have new information, we will get back to you immediately," an email reply from the US Consulate said. When contacted, an immigration official at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport said that clearance for boarding a flight has to be given by the airline concerned through the issuance of boarding pass. "The students were not issued boarding passes. It is the airline's responsibility to clear passengers. We have nothing to do with the issue," he said.

Centre approves Rs 678-cr aid for housing scheme in Telangana

The central government has approved an assistance of Rs 678 crore for 73 projects to build houses in Telangana for people belonging to economically weaker section, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said today. "Venkaiah Naidu, Minister of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation today sanctioned 73 projects involving 45,217 houses for economically weaker sections in 19 cities and towns in Telangana under the Prime Minister's Awas Yojana (urban) with a total central assistance of Rs 678 crore," Labour Ministry said in a statement. The Telangana government has proposed allocating 45,217 houses for urban poor in 27 cities involving 73 projects with a total cost of Rs 3,716.40 crore. The Telangana State Housing Corporation is to take up the projects for 2 bedroom houses along with development of basic infrastructure. Out of 73 projects, 52 belong to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and 21 projects to 18 urban local bodies (ULBs). Of the sanctions, as many as 29,531 houses are to be build in Hyderabad, Karimnagar (1,038), Janagaon (800), Zaheerabad (400), Bodhan (231), Nagerkurnool (250), Medak (2,353), Palvancha (1,903), Vikarabad (291), Wanaparthy (592), Nalgonda (405), Siricilla (1,680), Achhampet (500), Metpally (1,250), Mahaboobad (800), Nirmal (500) and Armoor (500). Dattatreya also urged Naidu to consider 31 more cities/ULBs under Housing for All Mission of the Prime Minister, to which the latter responded positively.

AP House passes Bill to set up, regulate private universities

Aiming to promote higher education, the Andhra Pradesh Assembly today passed a Bill for establishment and regulation of private universities in the state. The Bill aims at creating world-class centres of learning with an objective to establish universities, said Minister for Human Resource Development Ganta Srinivasa Rao. He said the Government would like to see world-class universities like Stanford set up institutions in the State. "Ultimate intention is to develop Andhra Pradesh as a sustainable 'Knowledge Hub' which would provide high quality, research-oriented and industrial relevant education," he said. Speaking on the Bill, BJP floor leader Vishnukumar Raju said the private universities should not become money- spinning institutions and Government should exercise control on them. The courses offered by them should be guided by requirements of the country and state. Sravan Kumar (TDP) said the Government should have a role in appointment of Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors of these varsities. A Satyanarayana (BJP) said the State should not acquire land for the private universities and let them do it on their own. Replying to the debate, the Minister said there will be no compromise with regard to public interest. An expert committee and a screening panel have been proposed to look into establishment and regulation of the private varsities. The House also passed the Andhra Pradesh Metropolitan Region and Urban Development Authorities Bill, Andhra Pradesh Value Added Tax (Third Amendment) Bill and Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board Bill.

AP enacts law; no money lending without license now

In the wake of the call money racket issue that rocked the state in recent weeks, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly today passed a bill aiming to regulate the private money lending business. Andhra Pradesh Money Lenders Bill, moved by Deputy Chief Minister (Home) N Chinna Rajappam, was passed by the Assembly. The act provides that money lending cannot be done without a license, and the government may, from time to time, specify the maximum rate of interest chargeable by money lenders for any local area. As per the act, accounts of money lenders shall be audited at least once a year and punishment for charging a rate of interest higher than that shown in the account is up to one year and may extend up to three years. TDP's G Buchaiah Chowdary and BJP floor leader Vishnukumar Raju said the borrowers are getting into a vicious cycle as the private lenders charge exorbitant rates. However, the opposition YSR Congress boycotted the proceedings in protest against the House not taking up debate on the call money racket and not reviewing the suspension of its member R K Roja who was suspended for one year last week for alleged unparliamentary comments on the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Call money racket refers to harassment and exploitation of borrowers by private money lenders who provide easy loans 'on telephone call'. As many as 188 persons were arrested in connection with the racket in the state after it surfaced earlier this month, CM Naidu had said on December 18.

SC dismisses DCW's plea against juvenile's release

Supreme Court today dismissed the plea of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chief to stay on Juvenile convict's release in December 16, 2012 gangrape case. "If anything has to be done, it has to be done according to the law.", said the vacation bench comprising justices A K Goel and U U Lalit, while refusing to entertain the petition. The bench did not agree with the submission that the juvenile offender can be subjected to the reformation process for a further period of two years under the juvenile law. There is nothing in the law to take away somebody's right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, the bench said when the counsel for DCW cited provisions to drive home the point that the delinquent juvenile can be allowed to go through the further reformation process. On Saturday, DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal had moved the Apex Court seeking a stay on the convict's release. The convict, who is 20-years old now, was released yesterday evening amidst wide protests. He was sent to an NGO at an undisclosed destination with police no longer guarding him. In her reaction, DCW chief Swati Maliwal said that a proposed law which could have allowed stronger punishment to the juvenile convict remains pending in Rajya Sabha. Talking to reporters outside the Court campus, Maliwal said, the Judges shared DCW's concerns but there is no provision to subvert the existing law. She added, the time for candle marches is over. Instead, women should pick up mashaals (torches) to demand for justice. Saying that their fight against the system will continue, the Gangrape victim's parents in their reaction on Court's judgement asked how many Nirbhayas would it take for the laws to change. Meanwhile, a demand for expeditious passage of the amendments to allow children between 16-18 years to be tried as adults in heinous crime cases was made in the Rajya Sabha today, soon after the Supreme Court's verdict. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas assured house the bill is listed for tomorrow. However, if all agree it can taken up for discussion today itself, added the Minister.

Maha govt in ''dilemma'' over demand for liquor ban on Milad un Nabi

Maharashtra government is in a "dilemma" on whether to prohibit liquor sale on Eid-e-Milad, which is falling on Christmas eve, days after a delegation of Muslim MLAs sought a ban on booze citing religious sentiments. "This is the first time that the government has got a request to ban alcohol on Eid-e-Milad. No legislator or a private citizen has ever made this demand," Khadse told PTI. "On one hand, we respect the sentiments of Muslims whose religion forbids them from consuming alcoholic beverages, and on the other it is Christmas Day on 25th," he said. "Sentiments of both these religions have left us in a dilemma. Though we have not decided on what has to be done, we will reach a final conclusion in a day or two," he said. A delegation of Muslim legislators had on Friday submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking that December 24, which will be celebrated as Prophet Mohammed's birthday, to be declared a 'dry day' (no liquor sales). Senior Congress leader and former minister Naseem Khan, who led the delegation, in a statement had said that they urged Fadnavis to consider their demand, like it is done on Mahavir Jayanti and Gandhi Jayanti every year. Khan was accompanied by Waris Pathan and Imtiyaz Jalil (both belonging to the AIMIM) along with Samajwadi Party state president Abu Asim Azmi and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil.

YSRC boycotts AP session over call racket, Roja's suspension

The Opposition YSR Congress today decided to boycott the ongoing winter session of AP Legislative Assembly in protest against the House not taking up the debate on the 'call money racket' and reviewing the suspension of party MLA R K Roja. Opposition leader Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy led his party members out of the House. The five-day winter session, which began on Thursday, has been rocked by opposition protests on the 'call money racket' issue. Roja was suspended for one year last week for her allegedly unparliamentary comments against Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Legislative Affairs Minister Y Ramakrishnudu said the debate on 'call money racket' had already concluded. He also made it clear that there is no question of reviewing the suspension of Roja. The 'call money racket' involves the allegations of harassment of borrowers by private lenders who provide easy loans on call at exorbitant interest rates.