lt Gen DS Suhag to be next army vice-chief
New Delhi: The Government on Thursday announced that lt General Dalbir Singh Suhag, Eastern Command chief, will be the next Vice-Chief of Army Staff after incumbent lt General S K Singh retires this month end. Suhag is likely to become the next Army Chief after General Bikram Singh retires in August next year. In other important appointments, lt Gen M M S Rai was cleared to head the Eastern Command while lt General Arun Kumar Sahni will be the South-Western Command chief.
Six lakh posts vacant in Central Govt
New Delhi: More than six lakh posts are lying vacant in different central Government departments and Ministries, Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday. Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy said as on March 1, 2012, there were 36,84,543 sanctioned posts in various central government ministries, departments and Union territory administrations.
Govt mulls according minority status to Jains
New Delhi: The Government is considering a proposal to accord minority status to Jains, the lok Sabha was informed by Minority Affairs Minister K Rahman Khan. He said Govt has received several representations for giving minority status to Jains. "It is under consideration," he said in a written reply to a question as to whether government proposes to provide minority status to Jains in the country. Five communities - Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis) - are notified as minority communities and enjoy benefits and schemes meant for minorities.
150 polluted river stretches identified
New Delhi: The Government on Thursday said that the Central Pollution Control Board has identified 150 polluted river stretches in the country with Maharasthra and Gujarat topping the list of having maximum of them. "The CPCB has identified 150 polluted stretches along various rivers in the country based on Bio-chemical-Demand (BOD)," Environment minister Jayanthi Ntarajan told Rajya Sabha. While 28 such stretches have been identified in Maharashtra, 19 polluted stretches have been found in Gujarat. Uttar Pradesh too has 12 such polluted stretches.
Security clearance: Channels approach govt
New Delhi: News broadcasters have asked the Government to reconsider its decision under which the security clearance for channels is valid for only three years, Union I&B Minister Manish Tewari said on Thursday. Replying to a question in the lok Sabha, Tewari said it had received a representation from News Broadcasters Association (NBA) in November to reconsider the decision as per which the security clearance given to a company and its directors is valid only for three years.
‘Myanmar won't allow forces inimical to India’
New Delhi: Myanmar on Thursday promised that its territories would not be allowed to be used by forces inimical to India. This was conveyed by Chief of Myanmar Army and Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Defence Services of Myanmar, Vice Senior General Soe Win to President Pranab Mukherjee during a meeting here.