Change of guard at RBI: Urjit Patel's tenure begins

Mumbai, Sep 6 In a low-key affair, Urjit Patel has begun his innings as Reserve Bank's new Governor with a private off-media 'handover' ceremony today -- a marked departure from his predecessor Raghuram Rajan announcing big-bang reforms on his first day itself three years ago.

Traditionally, the handover of charge by the outgoing Governor to the new head of the central bank has been a public affair and had taken place in the past in front of media cameras and this was also the case when Rajan had taken over from his predecessor D Subbarao.

Change of guard at RBI: Urjit Patel's tenure begins

Mumbai, Sep 6 In a low-key affair, Urjit Patel has begun his innings as Reserve Bank's new Governor with a private off-media 'handover' ceremony today -- a marked departure from his predecessor Raghuram Rajan announcing big-bang reforms on his first day itself three years ago.

Traditionally, the handover of charge by the outgoing Governor to the new head of the central bank has been a public affair and had taken place in the past in front of media cameras and this was also the case when Rajan had taken over from his predecessor D Subbarao.

In contrast, Patel officially assumed charge with effect from September 4 -- a Sunday -- itself, which was made public by RBI through a statement a day later.

However, the 'handover' took place today, the first working day, because of 'Ganesh Chaturthi' holiday yesterday.

An RBI spokesperson said the photographs of the official ceremony of Patel assuming office would be released later in the day by the central bank.

There was no word on whether or when Patel would be talking to media about his priorities and plan of action as head of Mint Street.

After assuming office on September 4, 2013, Rajan had held a press conference lasting more than an hour during which he announced his detailed action plan.

Some commentators have already said that Patel 'quietly' assuming office could be a signal for the things to come at RBI, after the end of tenure for an outspoken Rajan at the helms, who was always vocal with his views on all issues -- economic, social and political -- and always pitched for greater communication on part of the central bank.

On his first day, Rajan had said he would emphasise on transparency and predictability. 'A central bank should never say 'Never'! But the public should have a clear framework as to where we are going, and understand how our policy actions fit into that framework.

Key to all this is communication, and I want to underscore communication with this statement on my first day in office,' Rajan had told mediapersons on the first day.

Change of guard at RBI: Urjit Patel's tenure begins

Mumbai, Sep 6 In a low-key affair, Urjit Patel has begun his innings as Reserve Bank's new Governor with a private off-media 'handover' ceremony today -- a marked departure from his predecessor Raghuram Rajan announcing big-bang reforms on his first day itself three years ago.

Traditionally, the handover of charge by the outgoing Governor to the new head of the central bank has been a public affair and had taken place in the past in front of media cameras and this was also the case when Rajan had taken over from his predecessor D Subbarao.

In contrast, Patel officially assumed charge with effect from September 4 -- a Sunday -- itself, which was made public by RBI through a statement a day later.

However, the 'handover' took place today, the first working day, because of 'Ganesh Chaturthi' holiday yesterday.

An RBI spokesperson said the photographs of the official ceremony of Patel assuming office would be released later in the day by the central bank.

There was no word on whether or when Patel would be talking to media about his priorities and plan of action as head of Mint Street.

After assuming office on September 4, 2013, Rajan had held a press conference lasting more than an hour during which he announced his detailed action plan.

Some commentators have already said that Patel 'quietly' assuming office could be a signal for the things to come at RBI, after the end of tenure for an outspoken Rajan at the helms, who was always vocal with his views on all issues -- economic, social and political -- and always pitched for greater communication on part of the central bank.

On his first day, Rajan had said he would emphasise on transparency and predictability. 'A central bank should never say 'Never'! But the public should have a clear framework as to where we are going, and understand how our policy actions fit into that framework.

Key to all this is communication, and I want to underscore communication with this statement on my first day in office,' Rajan had told mediapersons on the first day.

Man who threw acid on Delhi nurse convicted for murder

New Delhi, Sep 5: A Delhi court has refused to return a man his cattle, caught loaded in a truck, while observing that the animals were being transported for being slaughtered in 'a very cruel and inhumane manner'.

The court, while dismissing Rajasthan native Jagdish Banjara's plea for release of 25 buffaloes and calves of which eight had died, directed that the animals be kept in care and protection of Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre.

'Taking into consideration entire facts and circumstances wherein it has come up that the animals were transported for being slaughtered in a very cruel and inhumane manner, the previous involvement of the same vehicle, it is possible that the animals might be subjected to more cruelty and suffering in contravention of the provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960...the revision is dismissed.

'The animals, however, be kept in the care and protection of Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre which is a recognised animal care centre cum pinjrapole working as an animal welfare and rescue facility for sick, injured and rescued animals so long as the matter is under trial,' Additional Sessions Judge Sudesh Kumar said. Pinjrapoles are home to frail and abandoned cattle.

According to the police, Banjara was caught with a truck loaded with 25 buffaloes and calves on June 22 on the complaint of an officer from Wildlife Crime and Cruelty Cell.

He was booked for offences under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and provisions of the IPC and the case is under investigation, the police said.

On July 1, the application of Banjara for the release of the animals was dismissed by a magisterial court and a revision plea was filed by him before sessions court.

AP CM directs officials to make 1,000 villages ODF by Oct 2

Vijayawada, Sep 6: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today directed officials to take intensive measures to make 1,000 villages in the state Open Defecation Free (ODF) by October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
In a teleconference with all 13 district collectors from his office here, he also asked them to prepare an action plan to make the entire state Open Defecation Free by October 2, 2019 under Swachh Bharat campaign.
He said the state has attained 12.26 per cent growth rate in the first quarter of this financial year though the national growth rate stood at 7.3 per cent.
The Chief Minister said the primary sector, agriculture, and its allied sector like fisheries, animal husbandry and horticulture achieved 22.7 per cent growth. He asked officials to take measures to maintain the present growth rate in agriculture by facing the challenges from drought conditions.

Farmers flee with Congress' cots after Rahul Gandhi's speech in UP | Video

Rudrapur (Uttar Pradesh): Hundreds of string cots bought by the Congress for its leader Rahul Gandhi's event here on Tuesday were taken away by crowds as the event ended.

There was chaos as scores of villagers, many of them youths, pounced on the cots soon after Gandhi's speech ended and started taking them away to their houses. No one stopped them.

Even some women and elderly men were seen taking hold of a cot each.

The 'charpoys' had been bought by the Congress for Gandhi's "khat chaupal" as he started a 2,500-km Yatra in Uttar Pradesh, where assembly elections will be held next year.  

Anna Hazare expresses grief over AAP’s condition, says ‘I had lot of expectations from Kejriwal’

Hazare said that he had expressed his apprehensions at the time of formation of the AAP with regard to the selection of candidates for the party whose main agenda was to fight anti-social elements.

Visibly upset with the present controversies surrounding the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), veteran social activist Anna Hazare on Tuesday said that he had high expectations from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with whom he has worked in the past.

Hazare said that he had expressed his apprehensions at the time of formation of the AAP with regard to the selection of candidates for the party whose main agenda was to fight anti-social elements.

“Kejriwal has worked with me for several years, I always told him that workers of an organisation should be well-mannered and behaved, they should be people with pure thoughts and should be people with clean image,” said Hazare.

“When Arvind floated a party, I parted ways with him and I told him that my ways are different. I told him that if he wants to form a party he may but how will he confirm that people who are joining the political outfit are not tainted,” he added.

The social activist also pointed out that Kejriwal did not do a proper scrutiny before inducting people in his party.

“Today the scene I am witnessing shows that no check was put on people before admitting them in to the party. I had lots of expectations from Arvind but unfortunately his ministers have been expelled,” he added.

Hazare’s reaction comes in wake of the recent controversies surrounding AAP leaders.

Kejriwal had last week sacked Sandeep Kumar from his Cabinet after the sex CD row

Earlier, AAP’s former Punjab convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur was sacked post his allegations against the party of seeking a bribe for election tickets.

In further embarrassment for the AAP, Bijwasan MLA Colonel Devinder Sehrawat claimed he has received “disturbing reports” of women being “exploited” in Punjab with promises of election tickets from the party.