Goa: With 81 per cent polling, state records highest voter turnout ever

Panaji:  Goa witnessed a huge turnout for the Assembly elections today with record 81 per cent voters casting their ballots.

North Goa district reported a big turnout with constituencies of Poriem, Sanguem and Madkai recording 89 per cent voting followed by Sankhalimat 87 per cent while an estimated 75 per cent voters cast their ballots in South Goa.

Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi told reporters in New Delhi that an estimated 81 per cent voters had cast their ballots in the coastal state. The previous highest voting in the state was in 2007 when 70.51 per cent voters had voted.

The Election Commission officials were in for a surprise when a booth in Dovorlim locality near Margao reported 100 per cent voting by 3.30 pm, 90 minutes before the close of polling. Two booths, one in Poriem and another in Sankhalim constituency, had recorded 95 per cent voting by 4 pm.

The figures received till 4 pm indicated that people in the mining belt came out in large number for polling.

Minor scuffles reported during the day with Congress' Panaji candidate Yatin Parekh hurling abuses against BJP workers while Public Works Department minister Churchill Alemao threatened a senior police officer in front of the media in his Navelim constituency.

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Madhuri Dixit to unveil her wax statue at Madam Tussauds!

By Hindustan Times

Mumbai, March. 2 -- On March 6, actor Madhuri Dixit will fly to London to unveil her wax statue at Madam Tussauds the following day. The museum already houses the lookalikes of Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

Though a contract prevents her from divulging details about what her 'double' will be wearing, the actor herself plans to go 'desi' since she will be representing India. "It's flattering to be the chosen one and it makes all the hard work that went into a career spanning two decades worth it. Everyone at home is looking forward to a weekday for a change," says Madhuri.

Her sons, Arin (9) and Rayan (7), along with husband, Dr Sriram Nene, will accompany her to London, but her parents, Shankar and Snehlata Dixit, will not make the eight-hour trip. "As much as I'd like them to be with me on my big day, I know they are too old to travel that far. Besides, London is really cold now and I don't want them to fall ill," Madhuri reasons, adding, "So, I'll just take their blessings before I leave. Thanks to technology, we can mail them pictures within minutes of unveiling the statue, so they will virtually be sharing the moment with me."

Her boys are particularly excited and can't wait to see their mother's wax twin. Madhuri had planned to surprise them, but an announcement on TV stole her thunder. "As soon as th announcement was made, Arin and Rayan were wondering if my double would look exactly like me and if they'd be flying out to London too," she laughs.

"Well, they have the answe to the second query by now but as far as the first one goes, it is still a surprise waiting to be unwrapped." Meanwhile, Madhuri insists that she hasn't signed any new film yet. Talk of her working in the Indira Gandhi bio-pic, a Malayalam remake with Akshay Kumar and sequels to Fashion (2008) and Ishqiya (2010) are nothing but idle gossip. "I'm in talks for a couple of projects, but the ones mentioned are not on the list," she says. "All I can tell you at this stage is that you can expect some announcements soon."

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Government puts disinvestment in top gear

New Delhi: 

The union cabinet approved buyback of shares for public sector enterprises to meet the daunting Rs 40,000 crore disinvestment target set in the budget of February 2011. The cabinet also cleared cross-holdings among various state-owned enterprises. So far the government has managed to raise about Rs 1,100 crore and is looking to mobilise another Rs 12,500 crore with the offer for sale of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation today.

Here are key highlights:

• Public sector units or PSU boards will decide on implementation of the share buyback. Cash rich public sector companies like Coal India (cash of Rs 45,862 crore, 90 per cent government ownership), Oil and Natural Gas or ONGC (Rs 28,688 crore, 74 per cent government ownership), National Thermal Power Corporation or NTPC (Rs 17,859 crore, 84.5 per cent), Steel Authority or SAIL (Rs 17,747 crore, 85.82 per cent), National Mineral Development or NMDC (Rs 17,228 crore, 90 percent) among others can execute the buyback plan. These companies would purchase government shares using the cash on their balance sheet.

• The Cabinet has empowered a group of ministers to decide on pricing and number of shares that the government would tender in the buyback offer. However, not all public sector companies want to participate. NTPC has expressed reservations since it needs money for funding capacity.

• The government has also approved a cross-holding scheme wherein cash rich state-owned companies or financial institutions like LIC and State Bank of India would buy government holding in other public sector companies. The two financial institutions have agreed to participate in the process. This would allow government to raise money and still maintain an indirect ownership. 

• Buybacks, cross-holdings are a way to increase divestment proceeds. Economists estimate that the government may be able to raise Rs20,000-30,000 crore through this route. The government needs significant non tax revenue to improve the fiscal situation. The fiscal deficit has already exceeded the limit set in budget 2011 and is set to be close to 6 per cent of GDP. This is much higher than 4.6 per cent target.

• LIC has said that it would participate in the disinvestment programme. It would consider buying PSU stocks at attractive prices. The LIC board will take a decision on individual investments and that that the institution has enough cash to participate in the programme.

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Saif's Agent Vinod to premiere in Oman

By Hindustan Times

Bollywood actors Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor will attend the premiere of their film Agent Vinod at the seventh edition of the Muscat International Film Festival (MIFF) on March 25. Gulf News quoted the organisers, as saying in a press release that the Bollywood spy thriller is being premiered for the first time at the festival.

The film has been directed by Sriram Raghavan under the banner of Saif Ali Khan's home production, Illuminati Films.

"A bit of Tintin, a bit of Bond, a bit of Alistair McLean and well, a little bit of fun and frolic and a lot of adventure…that is what Agent Vinod, the much awaited Bollywood flick is all about," said Saif Ali Khan in a statement issued here.

The movie was shot in Morocco, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Latvia, besides other countries.

MIFF Chairman, Dr Khalid Al Zadjali, who has the honour of making Oman''s first ever feature film Boom, was quoted, as saying: "This movie''s entry is ground-breaking as far as the nascent cinema industry in Oman is concerned."

He said that it would be great to have movie stars like Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor visiting Muscat for the MIFF.

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Doctor arrested for allegedly raping differently-abled teen

Kolkata:  A junior doctor who allegedly raped a differently-abled teenager at a government hospital in West Bengal's Bankura district, about 150 kms from Kolkata, has been arrested.

The girl, who is hearing and speech impaired, was found naked and unconscious in the Bankura Sammilani Medical College by her mother. She was admitted there on Monday night for chest pains. Yesterday, she was sent to Kolkata for medical tests.

"They asked me to wait outside and they took her inside. For two hours, they were inside. Then I went inside and saw that her clothes were not on her and she was crying. Then I shouted at the doctor, asked him is this how you do treatment?" the victim's mother said. She added that her daughter later told her everything using sign language.

Hospital officials insist that the family has mistakenly accused the doctor in question of rape. They say he was examining the victim.  The hospital has also formed a three-member committee to investigate the complaint.

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