The government on Friday assured Parliament that the spread of swine flu was under control due to continuous efforts of doctors and was limited to only a few individuals. "We have managed to limit such cases to a few individuals, considering the size of our population and country," Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told Rajya Sabha during Question Hour. Seeking to allay fears of the common man about the disease, he said, "There are guidelines and constant reviews."
The three-member panel of Law Minister M Veerappa Moily, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad met in New Delhi on Tuesday evening and "critically analysed" the pros and cons of the Delhi High Court judgement legalising gay sex.
Conservative estimates put the money spent annually on this exercise at Rs 10 crore as cost of transportation and other allowances for the employees working in the civil secretariat.
The Hajjis were carried in luxury buses owned by the State Road Transport Corporation from the Tourist Reception Centre.
Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, who rejoined the party recently, has stoked a controversy when he questioned whether Kashmir was part of India after he said there is only one Muslim minister in the Union cabinet who is not from this country but who is from Kashmir.
According to the returning officer, former chief minister and NC president, Dr Farooq Abdullah polled 27 votes while as Mohammad Shafi Uri got 25 votes in the third and final round of elections, held through Single Transferable Vote System.
The election is scheduled for February 13. Their names have reportedly been cleared by the coalition government of the NC and the Congress.
You seem determined to go down in history, which ever ministry you are given. I thank the Gods that they did not give you defense. I believe you would have started the mother of all wars.
Senior leader P Chidambaram whose Rajya Sabha tenure is ending from Maharashtra is under consideration from Tamil Nadu as the Congress is all set to get the support of alliance partner the DMK. The G-23 leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and Vivek Tankha, are also said to be in contention.
The Congress high command held long discussions with former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and state congress chief Saifuddin Soz, but no decision was taken during the meeting whether to support the National Conference to form new government headed by Omar Abdullah.
The Congress has a lot to consider before taking a decision on which party to align with in Jammu and Kashmir, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti says.
All India Congress Committee General Secretary Prithviraj Chavan, former Chief Minster Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Union Minister Saiffudin Soz, along with Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee and A K Antony are likely to take part in the deliberations. Congress sources said the election results clearly indicate that National Conference will be in a position to form the government with support of Congress and from some independents.
Thirty-five of the 77 Union ministers have failed to file annual details of their assets and liabilities before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh even over a month after the passage of the deadline.
State Congress chief Ghulam Nabi Azad will head the nine-member committee that will monitor the implementation of the Common Minimum Programme of the coalition government in the state.
Describing the Congress veteran as a "symbol of socialism and secularism", Azad said Reddy functioned with utmost integrity.
As the prime minister asked the Group of Ministers on Bhopal tragedy to meet immediately, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is a member of the GoM, said on Monday that the panel can probe under what circumstances the industrial disaster took place and how the punishment for the culprits was reduced.
The decision to revoke the order was taken by the state cabinet which met in Srinagar under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi has called off her Maharashtra visit on Sunday because of health reasons, party sources said.
Rejecting the appeal of Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, the protesters poured on the streets and thorough fares of the city early Saturday morning, demanding revocation of order under which 39.88 hectares of forest land were transferred to the Amarnath board last month. However, the police action proved futile as the protesters, after dispersing temporarily, reassembled to continue their agitation, they said.
Defence Minister A K Antony will head a seven-member high-level group constituted by Congress chief Sonia to give suggestions to revive the party against the backdrop of series of debacles including in Karnataka and Gujarat Assembly elections.
Patil, who is visiting the state for the first time after she assumed office as President, went to a bunker located at 9,600 ft altitude and interacted with army officers and jawans. "I am so delighted to visit this very important and strategic post. I simply admire courage and morale of the jawans who are keeping vigil on the border day and night in such a hazardous area and climatic conditions," Patil wrote in visitors book at Tangdhar.
A single bench comprising Justice Hakim Imtiyaz Hussain quashing the detention of Abdul Rashid said the order of the detention was not sustainable. Release the detenue forthwith if he is not involved in any other case, the court directed the state government.
Dr Singh, who arrived at Jammu airport by a special plane from New Delhi on Friday afternoon, flew in a helicopter to the Chenab bridge site, about 27-km from Jammu, and dedicated it to the nation. Governor Lt. Gen. (retd) S K Sinha, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig and former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed were among others who received the prime minister at the airport and also accompanied him to the bridge site.
About 450 athletes from 18 teams including from ten states would contest for the honours at the five-day event.
Rahul Gandhi had earlier indicated that he might be present at the Patna rally.
In the wake of repeated faults in planes carrying Haj pilgrims from Srinagar, the Union home ministry on Monday summoned civil aviation officials following a strong protest by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
A resident of Gurdaspur area of Punjab, Singh had a tiff with the mess commander on January 8, 2001 and opened fire killing his platoon commander and a constable.
Kashmir's Grand Mufti Mufti Bashir-ud-Din, Saturday asked Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to undertake penance for his recent utterances asking people to adopt Gandhian philosophy for worldly success. In an edict (Fatwa) issued by him, the Grand Mufti said that in case "he does not undergo penance for his utterance, his act would be considered as anti-Islam."
The Budget session of the Parliament is likely to begin from February 25 with the Presidential Address to a joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha followed by presentation of rail budget and general budget on February 26 and 28.
Qazi had submitted his resignation on Tuesday after he was stripped of forest portfolio on Sunday.
"I am optimistic of some tangible movement forward on these crucial issues in the coming days," Mufti told PDP functionaries in Srinagar.
Sources said Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad made a presentation on the swine flu situation in the country before the Cabinet following which the issue was discussed in great detail.
It comprises 200 flats, a temple, shopping centre, sewerage treatment plant and other basic facilities. It will cost about Rs 20 crore.
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