Tag Archives: Smriti Irani

India

AAP’s campaign bordering on political hysteria, says HRD Min

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Newsroom24x7 Staff

smriti iraniNew Delhi : Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani today slammed Aam Aadmi Party on the allegations that it had thrown over Finance Minister regarding the CBI raid conducted in the CMO (Chief Minister’s Office). Irani said the AAP was running ‘blasphemous, preposterous’ campaign against the Central government in general, and finance Minister Jaitley in particular. She strongly came out against Kejriwal and lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for its allegations against Arun Jaitley, using strong words like — the party was running a ‘blasphemous and preposterous campaign bordering on political hysteria’.

Taking a dig at AAP, Irani stated that AAP spokespersons had been citing untrue facts. She said — The BJP resolutely stands behind FM Arun Jaitley and condemns malicious attempt of AAP to deflect public attention from a corrupt officer.

The series of event of allegations and counter-allegations between Delhi government and Central government resulted in Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) earlier hitting out at the Central government for not allowing a probe into the alleged Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) scam, and got adamant on demanding Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s resignation. Addressing a press conference at the Constitution Club, AAP leader Kumar Vishwas had alleged that the main objective of CBI raid at Delhi Secretariat and taking control of ACB was to prevent alleged graft in DDCA during Arun Jaitley’s tenure coming to light.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Aam Aadmi Party Government has been exposed by the Transparency International, and was hence trying to slam Jaitley on the issue of an alleged scam in the Delhi District and Cricket Association (DDCA). The Centre has backed Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, saying he need not resign from his post, and added that there would be no need of any Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe against him, after the Congress Party alleged financial irregularities in the DDCA during his tenure as president of that sports body.

India

HRD Ministry appoints review committee to scrutinize NET and Non-NET Fellowships

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Newsroom24x7 Desk

scholarshipNew Delhi: Keeping a direct focus on improvement in quality of admission, process of recruitment and ease of availability of seats, the ministry of HRD (Human Resource Development), under the leadership of HRD Minister Smriti Irani, has devised strategy to implement systems and procedures for proper facilitation of fellowships in the NET and non-NET category.

As part of overhauling the higher education sector, Ministry of Human Resource Development has decided to set up a review committee to go into issues related to the research fellowships provided by the UGC, covering both NET and non-NET fellowships. The committee will scrutinize, analyse and prepare an extensive report which would be submitted to the ministry latest by year end of this calendar, i.e., December 2015.

Thrust areas for scrutiny by the committee are – firstly, the feasibility of enhancing the number of NET fellowships, which are purely merit based. Secondly, establishing a transparent system of transfer of fellowship amounts each month to the Non-NET fellows- a procedure presently being done on a reimbursement basis, without Direct Benefit Transfer mandated by the Government. Thirdly, making way to reach benefits and opportunities of the Non-NET fellowship scheme to a larger number of Universities – including State Universities. Fourthly, considering economic and other criteria for eligibility for non-NET fellowships, and lastly, recommending guidelines for the selection, coverage, award, and administration of the non-NET fellowships.

The present pattern of distribution of fellowships under all existing and continuing fellowships schemes within NET as well as Non-NET categories would be continued without any change retrospectively. Ministry of Human Resource Development has enhanced support provided to Research Fellowships based on the NET since December 2014 within which – Junior Research Fellows would receive, for the first two years Rs. 25,000/- per month and 30% House Rent Allowance (HRA) as well as a contingency grant for each year; and Senior Research Fellows would receive, for the next three years Rs. 28,000/- per month, 30% HRA and a contingency grant for each year.

India, Politics

Politics is the art of deception

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Newsroom24x7 Desk

modiNew Delhi : The debate of ruling government versus opposition has reached its boiling point wherein there are no holds barred in war of words and deeds between BJP and Congress. Elections forced Congress to vacate the centre and paved way for a promise-laden Modi-led BJP’s NDA Union government. However, while Congress wore the crown of thorns…oops scams, BJP has managed to adorn its crowning glory with jumlas, degree rows and miscalculated promises.

Result – Congress President Sonia Gandhi, while addressing a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting this Tuesday, called Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a leader who made “Hawabaazi” (read empty hollow promises). She highlighted that Modi government has failed abysmally and stated evidence in support of her words – U-turn on land acquisition, downward slide of Indian economy, failure of Make In India’s job creation effort, total indecisiveness and random fluctuations on Pakistan policy, rewriting history by defaming Nehru and his clan, repression of media and being an RSS-controlled government (Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh).

Immediately, Minister of HRD Smriti Irani mounted a counter attack on Congress President and  Vice-President. Speaking on the Mother-Son duo,  Irani stated that Sonia Gandhi was attacking Modi just because Congress wanted to cover up its own failures.  Rahul Gandhi is the real Hawabaaz, said Irani, referring to Amethi land row, and added that Rahul was pretending to become the messiah of farmers. Irani accused Congress of emptying the coffers of government via innumerable larger-than-life scams.

To this, Veteran Congress Leader Ghulam Nabi Azad reacted saying, those without degrees could become Ministers and MPs, thanks to Congress contribution – which brought independence and democracy. Other spokespersons from Congress maintained that Irani should first come clean  on her fake degree scam and then speak on Sonia matters.

A blog written by senior Congress Leader Manishankar Aiyar highlighted the U-turn on Land ordinance. Referring to the original Land Bill passed by Congress-led UPA in 2013, Aiyar recalled how Sumitra Mahajan and Arun Jaitely, the present Lok Sabha Speaker and present Finance Minister, respectively, themselves sat through the entire bill-making process and validated it. Then, when BJP came into power, how these very own politicians joined the chorus of criticizing the 2013 Bill as anti-farmer and made amendments and imposed it via ordinance route. Aiyar smelled a Gujarat Model redo in centre on the recent lapse of Land ordinance. Aiyar claimed that Land ordinance was in total support of industrialists and resulted in farmers getting sidelined and financially being rooted out in the bargain.

NDA government’s U-turn and decision of not going forward with the ordinance and letting it lapse, conveys the dilemma of ruling union government. Connecting the dots, one reaches to the Patel reservation demand, which initiated from Modi-land Gujarat and is threatening to spread nationally, thanks to Hardik Patel. Can the land ordinance (imposed forcefully after NDA takeover in centre) be held responsible for threatening uncertainties in agriculture professionals, resulting in fear of joblessness and forcing them to demand reservation even via protests and agitations, is a point to ponder. Because, the same Land Bill which was criticized by one and all from ruling government stands accepted today by the very same government. All this is fueling the raging debate of Modi government having fallen flat on its face on promises, and lacking in deliverance.

India, Other States

Smriti Irani filmed trying clothes at a popular clothing store in Goa?

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Newsroom24x7 Desk

smriti iraniPanjim (Goa): India’s high profile HRD Minister Smriti Irani was in for a rude shock at Fabindia, the popular clothing brand store, at Candolim, 20 kms from Panjim in Goa on Friday when she spotted a CCTV camera placed at a mischievous angle pointing towards the trial room.

BJP MLA from Calangute Michael Lobo, who has filed an FIR with the police in this matter, told media persons that along with the police, he was involved in scanning the computer hard-disc linked with the CCTV footage. He said there is footage of women changing clothes in the trial room.