KIIT Premier League 2012 from Feb 25

BHUBANESWAR: The 5th edition of KIIT Premier League, one of the most lucrative University level cricket tournaments, will commence from 25th February 2012. The prestigious All India Day & Night Cricket Tournament will be participated by 14 teams, which have been divided into four groups. Teams like Utkal University, Bhubaneswar; SRM University, Chennai; and SOA University, Bhubaneswar are in Group A. Delhi University; Geetam University, Hyderabad; and IIT Kharagpur feature in Group B. Mumbai University, Maharashtra; Krukshetra University, Haryana; KIIT, University, Bhubaneswar; and Purusottam, Rourkela are in Group C. Similarly, Group D has teams like Andhra University; Ravenshaw University, Cuttack; Meerut University, UP; All Odisha Medical Colleges (AOMC).

All matches will be played in league basis from 7AM to 11AM, 2PM to 6PM and 6PM to 10PM. Semifinals are scheduled to be played on 2nd March, while the Finale would be played on 3rd March 2012. On 29th February an exhibition match would be played between Odia cine Stars.

This year KPL is offering the highest prize money in university level Cricket matches. Team and individual prizes total Rs. 3 lakh. The Champion would get the prize money of Rs. 1 lakh, while Runner’s up team would get Rs. 50,000. Semifinalists would bag prize money of Rs. 10,000 each and league match winners Rs. 5000 each.

Similarly, Best player, Best Batsman, Best Bowler, Best Fielder, and Best Wicket Keeper would get cash prize of Rs. 3,000 each. The tournament has been designed as per Indian Premier League (IPL) to promote the cricketers of All India University level student. Mr. Ashirbad Behera, Secretary, OCA, would grace the inaugural match as chief guest, while Mr. Debashis Mohanty, eminent cricket player would grace the Final match and Prize distribution ceremony.

PLGA takes responsibility of Mathalput Sarpanch’s murder

SUNABEDA: Srikakulam-Koraput division of People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), the ultra outfit of the CPI (Maoist), took responsible for killing Sarpanch of Mathalput panchayat in Koraput district Bijay Muduli, informed Srikakulam-Koraput divisional committee leader Daya in a letter to the Media here.

In his letter Daya said the Congress leader and Sarpanch was misusing his power for his own benefit in Damanjodi area. During his tenure as president of the Nalco Alumina Girls High School, he was assaulting women and girls. Thereafter bribing the police officers and using his power to close cases against him, he was escaping wisely, he added.

He said the Sarpanch was collecting huge money from contractors and from the Nalco Company taking Maoists name and also taking money from the job seekers to give employment in the Damanjodi plant. Muduli was looting the welfare funds of the panchayat and pretending as well wisher of tribal people, he was cheating them, Daya added.

Daya also said that they didn’t have any relation with the Sarpanch and he was an enemy for them as he had very good relation with the police. They killed him for his awful act against common people, said Daya in his letter adding, “If the associates of the deceased Sarpanch would not leave anti-people activities, they will also not be spared from us.”

  

Anganwadi workers indefinite dharna from March 14

BHUBANESWAR: Demanding hike in stipend and other demands, Nikhil Odisha Anganwadi Karmi Sangha (NOAKS) would stage indefinite dharna from March 14 till their demand is fulfilled, informed its president DK Panda at a Press meet here on Wednesday.

According to the members of NOAKS, they had staged demonstration in front of the Assembly and submitted a memorandum to the Minister for Women and Child Development on August 18 last year and the Secretary of Women and Child Development on August 16 during their dharna. The Minister and the secretary had given assurance to discuss 11 demands out 12-point charter demands in the budget session. They withdrew the dharna believing a positive reply, but they yet to get the solution of the problem as couple of days passed.

The members also said the State Government is delaying in the process of implementing the direction of the Technical Committee instituted by Central Government for their promotion from mere Anganwadi workers to primary school teacher, ANM and village level Government services according to their eligibility.

They also said that attacks on Anganwadi workers by the village level politicians and their senior officers and other problems are increasing and their work load is also increasing day by day with responsibilities given by the Government, but their stipend is not increasing accordingly, for which they will sit on dharna from March 14 till their demand is fulfilled, they added.   

     

  

Communal Violence Bill is UPA’s jihad against Hindus: Togadia

-- Chidambaram should roll back on the decision of NCTC

BHUBANESWAR: “The UPA Government is not sincere at all against terrorism, if it is sincere, why it removed the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA). Chidambaram should roll back on the decision of National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) as we need stronger law than POTA,” said Executive President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Dr Pravin Bhai Togadia delivering his opinion on NCTC at a Press meet here on Wednesday.

He lashed out the UPA Government on Communal Violence Bill. The Bill is not only a ‘draconian law’ but also it is UPA’s jihad against Hindus, said Togadia. He also criticised the Government for not initiating consultation with the State Government on the issue of NCTC matter.

On the issue of reservation for some particular minorities and Ranganath Mishra Commission report, he opposed reservation for some minorities from the portions of Hindus. In his seven-point charter demand, he said the Government should dismiss the report of the Ranganath Mishra commission and Sachar committee report and don’t provide reservation unnecessarily to some minorities for getting minority vote bank.

To protest the reservation policy of the Government for some minorities, Togadia and his organisation have started ‘Hindu Roti-Sikshya Bachao’ movement in all over the country to create awareness among the Hindus about the UPA Government’s apathy and negligence.

He informed about ‘Hindu Sarbajati Maha Panchayat’, a meeting to unite all the castes of the Hindus, organised by the VHP at Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh on February 4.        

Home guard arrested on rape charges

BHUBANESWAR: A home guard Prasanna Kumar Lenka was arrested by the Commissionerate police on Wednesday for allegedly causing sexual assault to a city woman on Shivratri night. After this incident, Lenka has been terminated from services.

On the day of the incident, the woman from Gautam Nagar area under Badagada police station in the city was going to Lingraj temple on Monday night to offer prayers on the occasion of Shivratri. On the way to temple, the home guard asked her to avail lift on his motor-cycle and she agreed. But the home guard instead of going to the Lingraj temple, he took the woman to a resort near Bapujinagar and allegedly sexually assaulted her forcefully.

The father of the victim called the mother and sister of the victim inquiring her arrival at the temple, but the mother, who was waiting for her elder daughter in the temple, got worried over the delay and informed the father of the victim to inquiry about her. When the father called her daughter, the victim, he could not connect with her as the mobile was switched off. Suspecting any danger he searched her on the way, but he could not find her.

Thereafter, the victim lodged complaints in the Mahila police station against the home guard. The police arrested him on Wednesday. The Commissionerate police detained the manager of the Dwarka resort. The manager of the resort admitted that he had received Rs 600 from a man and provided a room number 208 for them on Monday night. The police have started investigations into the matter.

US-India Education Foundation announces Fulbright-Nehru Fellowships for Study, Research and Teaching in the U.S

HYDERABAD: The United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) announces the opening of its annual competition for Fulbright-Nehru and other Fulbright fellowship opportunities for study, research, teaching, and professional development in the United States.

Outstanding Indian students, academics, teachers, policy planners, administrators, and professionals in all disciplines are encouraged to apply. The India-U.S. bilateral Fulbright agreement has resulted in a significant increase in the number of fellowships awarded each year -- USIEF expects to offer approximately 100 Fulbright-Nehru fellowships for Indians in 2013.

Fellowship details are posted on the USIEF website at www.usief.org.in. Each type of fellowship opportunity has a different application deadline; the earliest program application deadline is July 16, 2012. For more information, applicants may contact the USIEF offices in New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, or Mumbai through the USIEF website.

1 killed, 3 injured in Ganjam poll violence

BRAHMAPUR: Due to clash between two different political parties, one person died and another three were injured, one critically, at Dayapali village 15 km away from here under Hinjlikatu police station in Ganjam district on Sunday. The deceased was identified as S Pitambar. Critically injured B Pitambar along with other two injured persons was going under treatment in a hospital here.

Regarding election matter, two groups on Monday evening started fighting with each other which was later came to normal condition, but the collective anger turned violent on Tuesday morning. The defeated group in recently ended panchayat poll started attacking the rival group workers with swords and other sharp weapons.

During the violence, S Pitambar was killed on the spot. Male members of both the political parties have deserted the village apprehending police action. Ganjam police have deployed one platoon of police force to maintain law and order in the village.