CMYK Students of Calcutta University staged a demonstration demanding for online examination in front of University Gate in Kolkata on Monday. 34 34 27 After Srirangapatna mosque another row brewing over K'taka's Malali Masjid PG 3 MAY 24 TUESDAY PG 5 Precipition: 50% Humidity: 68% Wind: 13 KM/H Rs. 3 KOLKATA TUESDAY, 24 MAY, 2022 PG-12, YEAR—8, ISSUE—359 (RNI NO.: WBENG / 2014 / 56803) Morning India Centre relaxes family pension rules for missing Central government employees MI News Service, New Delhi: In a major relief, the Centre on Monday relaxed family pension rules for missing central government employees, particularly those serving in militancy affected areas like Jammu and Kashmir, North-East as well as Naxal prone pockets. As per the new Office Memorandum (OM), in all cases where a Government servant covered by National Pension System (NPS) goes missing during service, the benefits of the family pension will be immediately paid to the family of the employee and in case he re-appears and resumes service, the amount paid as family pension during the intervening time of his missing period can be accordingly deducted from his salary. According to the earlier rule, the next of kin of an employee would not receive the family pension, if he went missing and the family pension would not be paid till he was declared dead in accordance with the law or till seven years had passed since he went missing. Union Minister Jitendra Singh made the announcement today. Referring to the new OM of the Department of Pension in this regard, the Minister said, this is going to provide huge relief, particularly in those regions where instances of government employees going missing are reported more frequently. The changes in the pension rules were brought about following cases of abduction of central government employees working in violence-prone areas, said the Minister, adding the move was taken "to instil confidence and to protect them and their family interests". Minister informed that if a government servant covered by the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 goes missing, the benefits of arrears of salary, family pension, retirement gratuity and leave encashment are paid to the families of the missing employees in accordance with the instructions issued dated June 25, 2013. Singh said the matter has been examined in consultation with the Department of Personnel and Training, Department of Financial Services and Department of Expenditure and considering the hardship faced by the family of such government servants. The other provisions of the OM state that in all cases where a Government servant covered by NPS goes Continue PG 3 missing during service, ❑ Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a Press Meet after cabinet meeting at Nabanna, on Monday. Deaths of two students at Kolkata Lake raise uncomfortable questions MI News Service, Kolkata: The tragic deaths of Pushan Sadhukhan and Souradeep Chatterjee will haunt the memories of many Kolkata residents for years to come. The teenagers weren't juvenile delinquents who sneaked out of school for a swim at a nearby lake. Students of a prestigious south Kolkata school, the 14year-olds were part of the school rowing team. They were practising for an upcoming event with three others at Rabindra Sarobar on Saturday when a nor'wester, accompanied by strong winds of up to 90 km/hr, struck the city. Their boat 'India, Japan natural partners': PM Modi chairs Business Roundtable in Tokyo MI News Service, New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday chaired a roundtable in Tokyo with Japanese business leaders, including top executives and CEOs of 34 companies which have investments and operations in India. The companies represented diverse sectors including automobiles, electronics, semiconductors, steel, technology, trading and banking and finance. Stressing that India and Japan are natural partners, he lauded the business community as brand ambassadors of the immense potential of bilateral ties. Modi noted that during the visit of his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida to India in March this year, both countries had set an ambitious target ❑ Continue PG 3 Sindh water crisis skyrockets due to 'indecisive' water governance CMYK overturned. While three teammates swam to safety, Pushan and Souradeep drowned. The incident has thrown up several uncomfortable questions regarding the safety of children participating in such sports in the country. A question raised by a senior Indian Coast Guard (ICG) official is why children who aren't expert swimmers weren't allotted personal flotation devices (PFDs) such as life jackets. He is also appalled as to why there were no chaser (rescue) boats with life guards in the lake during the practice session. An office-bearer of one of the clubs that manages the lake said that rowers do not wear life jackets as they are bulky and affect their performance, causing unnecessary fatigue. The ICG official, who has participated in several national and international events, pointed out that lightweight life jackets have now been specifically designed for rowers that are little more than vests covering the chest and shoulders. These jackets do not inflate or bulge when it rains but only when the wearer is underwater. Such jackets are now readily available in Continue PG 3 India. ❑ Mamata demands full autonomy for central agencies MI News Service, Kolkata: Mamata Banerjee has expressed massive anger over the central investigative agencies and their work, termimng it as ‘unidirectional’and biased’. She also took the center with one hand. Speaking at a Press conference at Nobanno Mamata said, "The Center is running Tughlaq Raj all over the country by using the central agency." “The BJP is interfering in the affairs of the opposition states. " Let them work impartially. Agencies are not able to function impartially under the pressure of the Center, ”she added. Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly spoken out against the Center for using agencies like the CBI and the ED for political gain. This time, Mamata demanded that the central investigative agencies be given autonomy to save the country from the 'agency rule'.She also mentioned that Modi rule is worse than Hitler and Stalin and a mass movement should be made to get rid of ‘agency raj’. Modi to interact with beneficiaries from Shimla MI News Service, Chandigarh: As part of the series of programmes under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact directly with beneficiaries of welfare schemes of the Central government from various states on May 31, Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal said MI News Service, Karachi: on Monday. He will connect virtually with the Chief Ministers, Union ministers, MPs, MLAs and public representatives of the states from Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. The Prime Minister will assess the impact of these schemes and also take suggestions from the beneficiaries on how these Amid the ongoing water shortage in Pakistan and incessant rise in water theft, a high profile committee has been appointed during the proceedings of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Water Resources in Islamabad to deal with the alarming schemes can be improved. Selected beneficiaries from all districts of Haryana will participate in this programme, while the Prime Minister will interact with beneficiaries of one or two districts of Haryana. Chief Secretary Kaushal held a meeting with Additional Chief Secretaries, heads of depart Continue PG 3 ❑ crisis. The meeting was attended by Sindh irrigation minister Jam Khan Shoro while the core investigative team included the ministry's joint secretary, the chairman of Indus River System Authority (IRSA), IRSA Punjab and Balochistan Continue PG 3 members, ❑ Ankit Chhaparia, Director - CEO of Coffee planting a tree as a part of a save the environment awareness campaign, the Pre Mixture and tea coffee vending machine brand has undertaken to make citizens realise their social responsibility regarding the environment.