12 December 2014
National:
Tyeb Mehta Canvas sells
for Rs 15 crore at Christie's auction
The second edition of
Christie's Indian art auction was held in Mumbai. The highlight was the auction
of an untitled canvas by renowned artist Tyeb Mehta which was sold for a
whopping Rs 15 crore. The Mehta's canvas, depicting a falling bull, dates back to
1999. The bidding for the canvas started at Rs 5 crore and the price kept going
up till it reached Rs 14 crore when calls with overseas buyers resulted in
longish pauses. The art work was finally picked up through an online bid from
New York. The Switzerland-based Christie's conducted its first India art
auction on December 19, 2013 when it sold a work by the late Vasudeo Gaitonde
for a record Rs 28 crore, the biggest price ever paid for an Indian painter's
work. This year, Christie's auctioned 78 lots, including paintings, sculptures
and diaries. Tyeb Mehta's oil on canvas "Girl in Love" for Rs 3.6
crore and Syed Haider Raza's"Les Toits de la rue St Jacques" painted
in Paris for Rs 3.8 crore. Rabindranath Tagore's pocket book in Bengali having
270 leaves of manuscript notes, poems, songs, calculations, doodles and
drawings fetched Rs 1.7 crore at the auction.
Andhra CM Chandrababu
Naidu launches Debt Redemption Scheme
Andhra Pradesh Chief
Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu formally launched the Debt Redemption Scheme for
farmers which would provide succour to 33 lakh farmers in the State. The scale
of finance rule was made applicable only to farmers whose debts had crossed
over Rs 50,000, with period covering since 2007. In order to bail out the
farmers under horticulture, a decision was taken to give Rs 10,000 an acre.
Govt bans plying of
e-rickshaws on 263 roads in Delhi
Delhi government has
banned the plying and parking of e-rickshaws on 236 roads in the national
capital. The government issued a notification in this regard after getting the
nod from Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung. In New Delhi, 77 roads have been put
under restriction for plying of the battery-operated vehicles. The Central
government had recently notified the Central Motor Vehicles (Sixteenth
Amendment) Rules, 2014, which paves way for plying of special purpose battery
operated vehicles. The new rules provide that e-rickshaws will be allowed to
carry four passengers and 40 kg luggage while e-carts will transport goods up
to 310 kilos. Other roads where the ban on battery-operated vehicles's
operations have been imposed include 12 roads in North Delhi, 15 roads in
North-West district, 11 roads in North-East Delhi,9 roads in East Delhi, 21
roads in South-West Delhi and 9 roads in West Delhi.
Gymnast Dipa Karmakar
appointed to promote voting campaign in Tripura
In Tripura, the Office
of the Chief Electoral Officer has appointed State’s renowned gymnast Dipa
Karmakar, as its publicity icon for pro-voting and new voters’ enrollment
publicity campaign. Dipa, as the first Indian woman and second person from the
country had clinched a Commonwealth Games’ medal in artistic gymnastics,
winning the women's vault bronze in Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014. She has
been appointed following approval of the Election Commission of India.
UP CM Akhilesh Yadav
lays foundation of Trans Ganga City Project in Unnao
In Uttar Pradesh, Chief
Minister Akhilesh Yadav has laid the foundation of Trans Ganga City Project in
the neighbouring Unnao district. The project, propped as a modern and
clean-green city, would be developed by UP State Industrial Development
Corporation UPSIDC. The Unnao project would span 1,156 acres near Ganga Barrage
in Kanpur City. It would be 70 km from Lucknow international airport and had been
conceptualized for spurring investment, job creation, education, health and
industrial development in the region. Under the project, along with industrial
and residential areas, commercial and institutional areas would be developed. A
housing society comprising exhibition centre, multiplex, mega mall and
multi-storied residential complexes are proposed.
Power generation in
Kudankulam plant reaches full capacity of 1000 MW
In Tamil Nadu, the power
generation in Kudankulam Nuclear Power plant reached its full capacity of 1000
Mega Watt, according to its Site Director R S Sundar. The power generation in
the first unit of Kudankulam Nuclear power plant set up has attained its full
capacity of 1000 Mega Watt. The whole power generated is being transferred to Central
power grid in Abhishekapatti Tirunelveli. The Kudankulam nuclear power plant
set up with Russian expertise had to face lot of obstacles because of protests
against nuclear energy in Idinthakarai and other coastal fishermen villages.
More than 2840 million units of electricity has been generated till now which
has been entirely transferred to central power grid.
Indian Naval Academy's
regatta begins in Kerala
In Kerala, the Admiral's
Cup Sailing Regatta has began at the Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala in Kannur
district. 18 countries including India, Australia, Bangladesh, China, France,
Germany, South Africa, USA and UK are participating, being held at the
picturesque Ettikulam Bay. 36 competitors including three women are taking part
in the regatta. The Admiral's Cup will be awarded to best team winning the
championship on the basis of their combined performance. UAE won the Admiral's
Cup Regatta in 2013.
India win 6 golds at
Int'l Junior Science Olympiad in Argentina
A team of six Indian
students have won 6 gold medals at the 11th International Junior Science
Olympiad (IJSO) held in Mendoza, Argentina. There were more than 150 students
under the age of 15 from 32 participant and 1 observer countries. The
competition consisted of two theoretical and one experimental tests. While two
students secured the top two positions for their individual performance; the
two Indian groups secured the top two prizes in the Experimental Competition.
Team India also bagged the Country Winner medal. The syllabus for the
examination includes not only the conventional subjects of science, but also
subjects like environmental and forensic science. The purpose of the programme
is to get students to understand and appreciate science and also to meet like
minded students from other countries.
International:
United Nations declares
June 21 as International Day of Yoga
Twenty First June will
be observed as the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations every year.
The UN General Assembly last night adopted a resolution in this regard with a
record number of 175 country as co-sponsors. It embodies unity of mind and body;
thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature;
a holistic approach to health and well being. He had indicated that 21st June,
one of the two solstices, which is the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere,
has special significance in many parts of the world, and could be considered
for adoption as the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations. It is for
the first time that such an initiative has been proposed and implemented by any
country in the UN General Assembly in less than 90 days.
Australian PM Tony
Abbott vows to sweat blood for indigenous referendum
Australian Prime
Minister Tony Abbott has vowed to sweat blood to secure constitutional
recognition for indigenous people, saying he wants a referendum in 2017. The
constitution currently does not recognize Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islanders as the nation's first people.
EU bars Libyan airlines
from Europe's skies
The European Union, EU,
today barred all Libyan airlines from its airspace fearing violent clashes
between warring factions in the strife-torn country. EU Transport Commissioner
Violeta Bulc said, recent events in Libya have led to a situation whereby its
Civil Aviation Authority is no longer able to fulfil international obligations
regarding passenger safety. The decision followed a regular review of the EU's
air safety list, currently covering 21 countries and more than 300 airlines to
ensure all meet EU standards. Bulc said the review also showed that several
countries including Philippines, Sudan, Mozambique and Zambia had made progress
in safety standards but not enough to take any of their airlines off the banned
list.
Brazilian firms
executives charged in Petrobras scandal
Brazilian prosecutors
have formally charged executives from six of the largest engineering firms in
the country, following further investigations into a corruption scandal at the
state-run oil company Petrobras. They were also indicted on charges of
corruption and money laundering in a landmark case that has shaken President
Dilma Rousseff's government and may further weaken a stagnant economy. The
corruption scandal, in which billions of dollars were allegedly paid by the
companies in bribes to win Petrobras contracts, threatens to paralyze
infrastructure projects because implicated firms could be banned from
government contract bids.
Business & Economy:
Indirect tax collections
rise 7.1% in April-November 2014
Indirect tax collections
has registered an increase of 7.1 percent during April-November 2014 over the
corresponding period in the previous year. Indirect Tax Revenue (Provisional)
collections have increased to Rs 3,28,662 crore from Rs 3,06,814 crore in
April-November 2013. This is mainly on account of increase in revenue from
service tax and customs. Service Tax collections have also increased from Rs
91,982 crore to Rs 1,02,592 crore during April-November 2014, registering an
increase of 11.5 percent. However, excise collection declined by 0.2 percent
during the eight months period to Rs 1,02,762 crore.
SEBI cautions against
ponzi operators; Names 51 banned firms
The Securities and
Exchange Board of India or SEBI has cautioned investors and general public
against investing in illegal schemes of ponzi operators. Making public a list
of 51 banned companies, it asked the investors not be lured by promises of high
returns by such entities. The SEBI also asked investors to report unauthorized
money pooling activities to the market regulator and state authorities
including police immediately, along with appropriate details and documents. The
list of entities banned includes names like Saradha Realty India, Rose Valley
Real Estate and Constructions and Sai Prasad Properties.
India likely to improve
economic growth to 6.3% in 2016: UN
A United Nations report
has said that India's economic growth is expected to improve to 6.3 per cent in
the next two years, with the country leading the economic recovery in the South
Asian region. The UN World Economic Situation and Prospects, WESP, 2015 report,
released today says India is likely to make progress in implementing economic
policy reforms and help in providing support to business and consumer
confidence. This economic growth is despite the continuing financial crisis and
the emergence of new challenges, including geopolitical conflicts such as in
Ukraine, and the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The report also says that India
is estimated to record a 5.4 percent economic growth this year and its GDP will
improve to 5.9 per cent next year and to 6.3 per cent in 2016.
