Delhi Police to probe Google’s Mapathon 2013

Delhi Police have launched an inquiry into the mapping contest held in February-March this year by Google, following a formal complaint by the Survey of India.

Mapathon 2013 violates national security interest and violates the National Map Policy.

As per the National Map Policy, 2005, “The responsibility for producing, maintaining and disseminating the topographic map database of the whole country, which is the foundation of all spatial data vests with the Survey of India.”

Mapathon 2013 asked Indians to map their neighbourhoods and send their maps so that they can be uploaded in the search engine’s sites.

Justice Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar is appointed as Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh

Shri Justice Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar, Judge of the High Court of Bombay is appointed as the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh by the President of India in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of article 217 of the Constitution of India.

India Signs Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with Azerbaijan

A Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters was signed between India and Azerbaijan

India and Azerbaijan signed a Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters on 4th April, 2013 in New Delhi.

The Treaty was signed by Shri Sushilkumar Shinde, Home Minister, on behalf of the Republic of India and by Mr.Fikrat Mammadov, Minister of Justice, on behalf of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty is one of the significant legal instruments to improve and facilitate effectiveness of the contracting states in investigation and prosecution of transnational crime including terrorism by providing the necessary legal framework for rendering/receiving legal assistance in criminal matters

CCEA decontrols sugar; companies to save Rs 3,000cr

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs cleared partial decontrol of sugar by abolishing the requirement for private sugar mills to sell a specified amount of sugar to the government at concessional rates. Prior to this notification, sugar collected at concessional rates was distribution under the Public Distribution System. Now sugar industry will be able to sell large quantities on a commercial basis. The removal of the levy sugar burden is expected to save around Rs 3,000 crore.

It is learnt that the decontrol is largely in line with recommendations made by the Rangarajan committee .

levy sugar system, millers were required to contribute 10 percent of their output to the Centre for running ration shops at cheaper rate.

The Centre will continue to provide sugar to the poor under the Public Distribution System (PDS) at the current issue price of Rs. 13.50 per kg. For this, the States will be free to purchase through a transparent system at the current ex-factory price of Rs. 32 per kg which has been capped for two years. The difference between the purchase price and the issue price will be borne by the government.

Renowned historian Bratindra Nath Mukherjee passes away

Renowned historian Professor Bratindra Nath Mukherjee, 79, passed away at his residence.

He was a Padma Shri awardee and author of the author of more than 50 books.

His famous books are Greek and Aramaic Edicts of Ashoka , Rise of Kushan Empire and Indian Gold , a book on ancient coins of the country and Numismatic Art of India and Coins of Bengal .

He was an expert in many languages including Sogdian. His knowledge helped him decipher many ancient scripts such as Shell and Kharoshti Brahmi.

Ashok Khemka, IAS, transferred again

Ashok Khemka, an IAS officer in Haryana transferred from Haryana Seeds Development Corporation (HSDC) to Archives Department as the secretary.

He was transferred in October for cancelling an allegedly irregular land deal between Robert Vadra and DLF.

Mr. Khemka, as an head of HSDC exposed an alleged scam in the purchase of a fungicide Raxil, for treatment of wheat seeds from Bayer Crop Science.

About Him

Ashok Khemka was born in West Bengal He graduated from the IIT Kharagpur in 1988 and followed it up with a Ph.D in Computer Science from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai.

He is an IAS officer of the 1991 batch. He has been repeatedly transferred by various state governments in his home cadre of Haryana after he exposed corruption in the departments he was posted in.

Govt to limit use of beacon lights : Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court questioned the indiscriminate use of red beacon lights. It also expressed its disapproval over the deployment of security for all categories of "VIPs".

Supreme Court said we will have to stop use of red lights as insignia of authority if we don’t get proper replies from them

A Bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and Kurian Joseph asked the States to amend the Motor Vehicle Rules to restrict the use, as well as impose exemplary fines for misuse of the facility. Those allowed to have the red beacons, but found misusing them would incur a Rs. 10,000 fine.

The Bench directed the state governments and union territories to file affidavits giving information on all those enjoying police protection and the cost borne by the government for their security.