India

Sushma Swaraj to brief Parliament on resuming Indo-Pak talks

Published

5 years ago

December 10, 2015

FILE PHOTO

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is set to make a statement in Parliament on Thursday on the proposed ”composite dialogue” between India and Pakistan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the neighbouring nation for SAARC in 2016.

Sushma will brief the parliament how Modi government is progressing to resume “Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue” on all issues, including Jammu and Kashmir to bring peace in the entire region.Foreign secretaries of both the countries will draw up the schedule of the talks.

“The two nations have decided to resume talks… It will be a new comprehensive bilateral dialogue,” announced Swaraj, with Adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister Sartaj Aziz.

The discussions will involve “peace and security, CBMs, Jammu & Kashmir, Siachen… Economic and Commercial Cooperation, Counter-Terrorism.. Humanitarian Issues, People to People exchanges and religious tourism,” said a joint statement.

“The Indian side was assured of the steps being taken to expedite the early conclusion of the Mumbai trial,” the joint statement read.

Sushma and Aziz addressed a joint press conference : “Both sides have decided to begin composite dialogue. It will have all the pillars of the composite dialogue and some other aspects. The foreign secretaries of both sides are to draw up the schedule and at what level the talks are to be held,” Sushma said.

Both sides agreed to a “Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue and directed their foreign secretaries to work out the modalities and the schedule of the meetings under the Dialogue, including Peace and Security, CBMs, Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project, Economic and Commercial Cooperation, Counter-Terrorism, Narcotics Control, Humanitarian Issues, People to People Exchanges and Religious Tourism.

wefornews bureau

Up Next

Democracy can’t be restricted to elections only: PM Modi says at Jagran forum

Don't Miss

Rahul Gandhi opting prison in National Herald case

Aarti Bali

India

Centre convenes all-party meet on Jan 30 ahead of Budget session

Published

6 hours ago

January 20, 2021

IANS

The Modi government has called an all-party meeting on January 30 to hold discussions ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget in Parliament on February 1.

The Centre has invited leaders of all political parties in both the Houses to the proposed meeting slated to begin at 11.30 am through videoconference. Sources said the National Democratic Alliance parties too will meet on the same day.

Parliament’s Budget session will be held in two phseses amid all precautions against coronavirus — from January 29 to February 15, and from March 8 to April 8.

The all-party meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP’s Rajya Sabha leader Thawarchand Gehlot, Deputy Leader Piyush Goyal, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi, Arjun Ram Meghwal and V Muralitharan.The one-hour Question Hour has been restored in the Budget session, which was suspended during the Monsoon session in September 2020 during corona pandemic.Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Tuesday that corona tests for members att

ending the Parliament session will be mandatory.

India

Right to salary a fundamental right: Delhi HC

Published

6 hours ago

January 20, 2021

IANS

New Delhi, Jan 20 : The Delhi High Court has pulled up the municipal corporations for the non-payment of salaries and pensions to their employees, noting that paucity of funds cannot be an excuse and that right to receive pay is a fundamental right enshrined under the Constitution of India.

A division bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli was hearing a batch of petitions in relation to the non-payment of salaries and pensions to the employees of Delhi municipal corporations, particularly North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NrDMC) and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC).

“Reason assigned for non-payment of timely salaries is stated to be paucity of funds which, as is well settled, cannot be an excuse for non-payment, keeping in view the fact that the right to receive salary and pension is a fundamental right enshrined under Article 21 of Constitution and non-payment would have direct bearing on quality of life,” the court stated.

India

NCP should decide on poll alliance soon: Goa leader

Published

6 hours ago

January 20, 2021

IANS

The Nationalist Congress Party should decide its political strategy for the 2022 Assembly polls in Goa well ahead of time, NCP state president Jose Philip D’Souza said on Wednesday.

D’Souza also said that party supremo Sharad Pawar was scheduled to arrive in Goa on Wednesday for a brief visit to meet with the state executive committee members and discuss strategy for the upcoming polls.

“We will be discussing our electoral agenda with Sharad Pawarji, because elections are just a year away,” D’Souza said.

“Planning should be done in advance. If like minded parties want to go together for the 2022 elections, it has to be decided now. We will be discussing this issue,” D’Souza also said.
The party had fared poorly in the 2017 Assembly polls winning just one seat in the 40-member Goa Assembly, after much delayed talks for an alliance with the Congress failed.

D’Souza claims that it was imperative for the party to ensure that if the party was to ally with a “like-minded” party for the 2022 polls, the deal had to be sewn together sooner rather than later.

“Whether we should go with an alliance with other parties or not, it has to be decided now. If we leave it for too late, with a month or two to go for elections, then there is limited scope for discussion and things can go wrong. The talks should begin now,” D’Souza said, adding that he would be discussing the matter with Pawar.