Government to introduce law to streamline Wakf boards

October 1st, 2009 DC councilman to introduce gay marriage billWASHINGTON — A Washington, D.C., councilman says he'll introduce a bill next week to allow same-sex couples to wed. D.C. Councilman David Catania says he plans to introduce the bill Tuesday.

September 20th, 2009 House GOP leader: health care needs refocusedWASHINGTON — The top House Republican says President Barack Obama's proposed health care overhaul would create 51 new boards or commissions and isn't needed. Ohio Rep. John Boehner says Washington doesn't have to throw away the existing system.

September 15th, 2009 KOLKATA - Desperate to tone up the state administration after a string of electoral drubbings, the West Bengal government has decided to introduce a Chief Minister's Office (CMO) on lines of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), an official said here Tuesday. "The office will function like the PMO and will expedite the ongoing projects and intra-departmental surveys across the state.

September 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government has rejected a recommendation of the Sachar Committee to create Indian Wakf Services on the lines of the civil services to appoint officers to boards that manage Muslim religious and community properties. A Right To Information (RTI) application was filed to know the reasons behind the rejection of the recommendation by the minority affairs ministry, but it has refused to reply.

August 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The following are some salient features pertaining to the new Direct Tax Code proposed by the government, for which a draft and a discussion paper were released by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday: What does it seek: The Direct Tax Code will replace the existing Income Tax Act that was enacted in 1961, which had replaced an earlier legislation of 1922 enacted prior to the country's independence. When will it be introduced: The government intends to present the relevant bill during the winter session of parliament, after considering and incorporating, if seen fit, the opinions on its provisions from the public.

August 3rd, 2009 HYDERABAD - Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Monday said he would not go back on his plans to introduce cooperative farming in the state.

July 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - In a bid to find a suitable husband for her daughter, a Chinese woman has posted personal ads on the bulletin boards of Tianjin University and Nankai University. The woman, surnamed Liu, wants to personally interview all the candidates before introducing them to her daughter, who is completely oblivious of the ads, reports the China Daily.

July 20th, 2009 KOLKATA - A day after Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee flagged off the first ladies' special local train, hundreds of jubilant women showered their blessings upon the West Bengal leader and wished her well. The first ladies' special train was flagged off Sunday and started plying from Howrah to Bandel station Monday.

July 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Union Government has made it mandatory to include at least one-woman member in the panel of selection boards and committees during the recruitment process. In a circular issued by the Department of Personnel (DoPT) asked all Ministries, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), and Service Selection Commission (SSC) to ensure that a woman member is in the selection committees and boards.

July 7th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Centre today informed the Lok Sabha that in light of the recommendations made by the Soli Sorabjee Committee there is no proposal under government's consideration to introduce a Bill on police reforms. "Police is a state subject under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution and therefore, police reforms is primarily the responsibility of the state government," Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullapally Ramachandran said in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Plan Outlay of the Ministry of Minority Affairs has been enhanced from Rs. 1,000 crore in BE 2008-09 to Rs.1,740 crore in 2009-10, registering an increase of 74 per cent.

July 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The National Commission for Women (NCW) has proposed to set up a board at district level to rehabilitate rape victims. The NCW has drawn a rehabilitation scheme for rape victims, which would help them to resume normal lives.

February 10th, 2009 HYDERABAD - In a move to woo the Muslim community before the ensuing elections, the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh Wednesday returned 50 acres of prime land on the city outskirts to the state Wakf Board. Chief Minister Y.S.

January 26th, 2009 NEW DELHI - England players will participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction Feb 6 and will play in the tournament for a minimum of three weeks. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the England Cricket Board (ECB) said they have agreed to work together to seek similar dates for the IPL in 2010 within the international fixture schedule so that the players do not have any commitments.

January 19th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Tuesday rejected a plea of a group of residents from south Delhi seeking direction to the Wakf Board to shift a 128-year-old mosque elsewhere though it asked devotees not to crowd the area. Hearing the petition from the residents of the Aravali Apartments from Alaknanda area, a division bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul asked police to ensure that the rights of the devotees who come there to perform Namaz are protected.