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Nilekani to head Unique Identification Authority

Quits Infosys UID numbers planned for citizens to access government services

NEW DELHI: Nandan M. Nilekani, co-chairman of the Board of Directors of Infosys Technologies, is all set to join the Central government, as chairperson of the Unique Identification (UID) Authority of India. It is a new agency set up to provide unique identification numbers or UID numbers to all citizens for accessing various government services.

According to reports from Bangalore, following the Cabinet decision, Mr. Nilekani has resigned from the membership of the Infosys Board of Directors as also as its co-chairman.

The Union Cabinet on Thursday cleared the creation of the new post, which will have the rank and status of a Cabinet Minister. The authority will have the mandate to own and operate a database of the UID numbers and be responsible for its updating and maintenance regularly.

The cards will serve as a means to access a variety of government-related activities. For instance, the UID numbers and the database will be linked to agencies such as the Election Commission of India and the Income Tax Department, which deal with the general public and issue special number cards such as voters photo identity cards in the case of ECI and PAN Cards in the case of IT Departments.

In addition, it will be used for providing services under government schemes such as the public distribution system, and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for families living below the poverty line. It will also be used for delivering financial and other assistance to the needy.

Mr. Nilekani has been chosen to head the authority considering that the project will be based on various tools and techniques of Information Technology and there will be need to keep updating the system.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/26/stories/2009062658170100.htm

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Fasting for Peelam Dummies : The Five Hour Method by Karunanidhi

Talks in interest of both nations, says Pakistan
Nirupama Subramanian

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Thursday that finalising the date and venue for a meeting of the Foreign Secretaries, as decided upon during the Manmohan-Zardari meeting in Russia, was a work in progress.

Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit told journalists at a weekly briefing that the two sides were discussing when and where the two officials would meet.

But hinting at difficulties, the spokesman said, Talks are not a favour by one country to another.

The Foreign Secretaries are supposed to meet before the mid-July NAM summit in Egypt, at which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will once again meet the top Pakistani leadership on the sidelines this time Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani in all likelihood.

But India and Pakistan have vastly different expectations from the Foreign Secretaries talks, and this may be one reason why the two sides have not been able to set a date for this meeting, although there are still three weeks to go before the NAM summit.

India has said the two officials will meet to discuss steps taken by Pakistan to address New Delhi s concerns on terrorism, including the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, and underlined that it is not to be seen as the resumption of the stalled composite dialogue process.

Pakistan, on the other hand, says they must discuss all issues, including an early resumption of the composite dialogue process.

There are concerns in the Pakistan establishment that India is trying to impose a new model of engagement, with terrorism as the central subject.

Observers believe that Pakistan must, on no account, agree to any talks that will deal only with this issue.

A meeting earlier this week between Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik and Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon was reported in a section of the Pakistani press as having failed to produce a date for the Foreign Secretaries talks. The envoy is now in the Pakistani capital for discussions with the government.

Pakistan is stressing the value of the composite dialogue process at every opportunity. On Thursday, the spokesman said it was in the mutual interest of both countries. is also unavoidable should our two countries desire stability and lasting peace in the region. So India s aversion to the resumption of the composite dialogue process is incomprehensible. Especially when they know that Pakistan is moving in the matter of the Mumbai attacks with sincerity, methodically and comprehensively.
U.S. role sought

Mr. Gilani has urged the U.S. to play a role in the resolution of the Kashmir and water-sharing issues with India, saying this would help Pakistan focus on fighting extremism and terrorism .

He was talking to U.S. National Security Adviser General James Jones, who called on him .

He renewed his appeal to Sthe U.S. to write off debts owed by Pakistan. A release from the Prime Minister s office said this would help in overcoming immediate economic difficulties and make up for the economic losses it has suffered as a frontline state in the fight against terrorism.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/26/stories/2009062659731000.htm

UNP MP John Amaratunga yesterday (25), told Parliament that the government had given powers of a Deputy Head of Armed Forces to Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence.

He said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was the head of armed forces and a new Bill presented in Parliament to legalise the post of Chief of Defence staff had vested the Defence Secretary with powers of a Deputy Head of Armed Forces.

Participating in the debate on the Bill on Chief of Defence staff, the MP said that there was no urgent need for this particular Bill as there wouldn t be any conflict between the President and the Defence Secretary.

He said that the Bill had envisaged more powers to the Defence Secretary and some of them exceed even that of the Minister of Defence.

This would be very dangerous, he said, pointing out that the Defence Secretary had been given the power to control the armed forces without being answerable to Parliament.

Saina Nehwal claims Indonesian Open

First Indian to win a Super Series event

BIG MOMENT: Saina Nehwal scripted a remarkable victory over her higher-ranked opponent China s Wang Lin in the Indonesian Open.

JAKARTA: Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal on Sunday scripted history by becoming the first Indian to win a Super Series tournament after she clinched the Indonesian Open title with a stunning victory over the higher ranked Chinese Lin Wang in Jakarta.

Saina clinched her maiden Super Series title beating Wang 12-21, 21-18, 21-9 in a thriller that lasted 49 minutes.

In the men s singles, World s No. 1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia defeated Indonesian ace Taufik Hidayat 21-9, 21-14.
Best ever

Saina s triumph is the best ever performance by any Indian woman and on par with All England Championship titles won by Prakash Padukone and her current coach Pullela Gopichand.

In the final, World No. 8 Saina came from behind to outsmart World No. 3 Wang and avenge her last week s Singapore Open Super Series loss to her.

Saina took time to get into the groove as she struggled to gauge the gameplan of Wang in the first game. Wang opened a 9-4 lead and rode on her smashes and better net play to pocket the first game.

But the Indian ace rallied her way back in the second game. Saina levelled the score at 5-5 and then moved together with her Chinese rival till 17-17 before surging ahead to pocket the second game 21-18.

In the decider, Saina was at her attacking best and displayed better nerves in crucial moments.

After moving neck and neck till 7-7, Saina engaged her rival in soft dribble and net play to widen the gap to 15-9 before reeling off six straight points to seal her victory.
Bonanza

Hailing Saina s victory as an important milestone in Indian badminton, Badminton Association of India announced a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh as recognition of her feat.

It is a big moment in Indian badminton. We are proud of her achievement. We are announcing a cash reward of Rs. 2 lakh as an acknowledgment of Saina s hard work and achievement, BAI president V.K. Verma said.

The results (finals): Women: Saina Nehwal (Ind) bt Lin Wang (Chn) 12-21, 21-18, 21-9. Doubles: Eei Hui Chin & Pei Tty Wong (Mas) bt Shu Cheng & Yunlie Zhao (Chn) 21-16, 21-16.

Men: Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Taufik Hidayat (Ina) 21-9, 21-14.

Mixed doubles: Bo Zheng & Jin Ma (Chn) bt Yong Dae Lee & Hyo Jung Lee (Kor) 21-17, 8-21, 21-16. PTI

http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/22/stories/2009062259161600.htm

Observing that a lot needs to be done in Sri Lanka, Obama Administration's point man for South Asia today said the US would continue to press for the 'political reconciliation' with the ethnic Tamil community.

Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake said there has been an improvement in access to the internally displaced persons after the end of the war between the Tamil Tigers and Lankan security forces

We continue to press the Sri Lankan government to grant humanitarian relief organisations full and unfettered access to the internally displaced persons residing in camps in the north, and to engage in political reconciliation with Sri Lanka's Tamil minority,' Blake said.

'The actions the Sri Lankan government takes now, in the aftermath of the war, with respect to both humanitarian relief and political inclusions for minorities, will be important to securing an end to terrorism and a lasting peace,' he added.