DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016 (PAGE 15)

NEET to be held in 8 languagesNEW DELHI, Dec 21:

The National Eligibility cumEntrance Test (NEET) for admis-sion in medical colleges will beheld in eight languages- Hindi,English, Assamese, Bengali,Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil andTelugu- for the academic year2017-18.

Also, the candidate qualify-ing NEET will be eligible for allIndia quota and other quotasunder the State Governments andInstitutes irrespective of themedium taken by candidates,subject to other eligibility crite-ria, the Union Health Ministrysaid in a statement.

In May, Union Health

Minister J P Nadda had held ameeting with the HealthMinisters and Health Secretariesof 18 States/Union Territoriestowards implementation ofNEET across States.

Joint Secretary, MedicalEducation, A K Singhal said,"The collaborative efforts ofCentral Health Ministry with theState Health Ministries have leadto this decision so as to bring par-ity for the students who havetaken the State Board exams."

NEET has replaced AIPMTand has been made mandatoryfor admissions in all-India med-ical/dental colleges which meansno other State can conduct itsseparate medical entrance. (PTI)

31 dead in Mexicomarket blast

TULTEPEC, Dec 21:

A massive explosion guttedMexico's biggest fireworks mar-ket, killing at least 31 people andinjuring 72, the authorities said.

The conflagration in theMexico City suburb of Tultepecset off a quick-fire series of multi-colored blasts that sent a vastcloud of smoke billowing over thecapital.

The market had been packedwith customers buying pyrotech-nics for traditional end-of-yearfestivities. Christmas and NewYear parties in many LatinAmerican countries often wrap upwith clattering firework blasts.

"You just heard the blast. And

everything started to be on fire.People came running out on fire,"Walter Garduno said.

"People were alight -- chil-dren," he added before trailing off.

From a few kilometers away,the multiple explosions that start-ed at 2:50 pm almost looked fes-tive, alight in blue, red and white.They were anything but.

Of the 31 confirmed dead, "26(died) at the scene and five in hos-pitals," local media reportedMexico's chief prosecutor MilenioAlejandro Gomez as saying.

Forensic experts are workingon genetic analyses of the bodiesbecause "almost all of them areimpossible" to identify, MexicoState's Governor Eruviel Avilatold the Televisa television net-work.

At least 72 were wounded, theauthorities said. The injured weretransported to emergency rooms,and 21 have since been released.(PTI)

200 political parties under scannerNEW DELHI, Dec 21:

The Election Commissionwould write to Income Taxauthorities asking them to lookinto the finances of over 200political parties it has ‘delisted’for not contesting elections, sus-pecting these could have beenused for converting black moneyinto white.

The poll panel believes thatmost of them exist on papers tohelp people convert their backmoney into white by acceptingdonations.

The EC has, over a period oftime, identified various partieswhich have not contested pollssince 2005 and ‘delisted’ over200 of them.

In the next few days, theCommission will send the list ofthese delisted parties to theincome tax authorities seekingaction against them under rele-vant laws if they are found to be

involved in money laundering.The poll panel has the man-

date to register a political partybut does not have the powerunder electoral laws to deregis-ter any party.

As its demand for power toderegister a party is pendingwith the Law Ministry, theCommission used its powersunder Article 324 of theConstitution to delist parties forbeing dormant and not contest-ing elections for a long time.

There are over 1780 regis-tered but unrecognised politicalparties in the country. Besides,there are seven national parties— BJP, Congress, BSP, TMC,CPI, CMI-M and NCP — and 58state parties.

Seeking to stem flow ofblack money in elections, theCommission has proposed aslew of electoral reforms butmost are pending with theGovernment. (PTI)

I-T detects Rs 3,300 cr blackincome; seizes Rs 92 cr new notes

NEW DELHI, Dec 21:

Over Rs 3,300 crore of un-disclosed income has beendetected while Rs 92 crore worthnew notes have been seized tillnow by the Income Tax depart-ment as part of its country-wideoperations against black moneyhoarders post the demonetisa-tion of two high value curren-cies by the Government.

Official sources said the tax-man has carried out a total of734 search, survey and enquiryoperations under the provisionsof the Income Tax Act since thenote ban was declared onNovember 8, even as the depart-ment has issued over 3,200notices to various entities oncharges of tax evasion andhawala-like dealings, till yester-day.

The department, they said,

has seized cash and jewelleryworth Rs 500 crore during thesame period even as the newcurrency seized (majorly Rs2000 notes) is valued at aboutRs 92 crore.

About 421 crore cash hasbeen seized by the departmentout of the total Rs 500 croreassets seized till now, theyadded.

"The total undisclosedincome admitted or detected aspart of this action, till December20, is more than Rs 3,300crore," they said. (PTI)

Khajuria nominatedas Jt Sec of NC

Excelsior CorrespondentJAMMU, Dec 21: Vijay

Khajuria has been nominated asJoint Secretary,Jammu Provinceof NationalConference (NC).

The order inthis regard hasbeen issued by

President, J&K NationalConference, Farooq Abdullah,Working President OmarAbdullah and ProvincialPresident Jammu ProvinceDevender Singh Rana.

LPEF protests atKathua

Excelsior CorrespondentKathua, Dec 21: All J&K

Low Paid EmployeesFederation led by its PresidentPC Sharma held a protestdharna at Shaheed BhagatSingh park in support of theirdemand. They were raising slo-gan in favour of their demandswhich includes the permanentstatus for daily wagers whohave completed seven year,release of pending salary,release of all allowance, pricehike allowance.

They warned the Govt toimmediately solve thier prob-lem. He alleged that theemployees are facing hardshipto earn thier livelihoods. Eventhey are not school fees of thierchildren's.

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Tyagi, 2 others seek bail in VVIP chopper scam caseNEW DELHI, Dec 21:

Former IAF chief S P Tyagi today sought bailfrom a special court on the ground that there wasno apprehension of him fleeing from justice as allevidences in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopperscam case were documentary in nature and havealready been seized by the CBI.

"Please let me (Tyagi) go home," Tyagi'scounsel urged before the Special CBI JudgeArvind Kumar who put up the matter for furtherhearing on December 23.

The court heard the arguments from the coun-

sel of Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi and lawyerGautam Khaitan, all three accused in the case, andadjourned the matter after the probe agency said itneeded time to argue on the bail pleas.

While seeking relief, Tyagi's advocate ManekaGuruswamy said "my client cannot languish injail for an indefinite period for no reason... Hehas voluntarily cooperated to the best of hisabilities. My client has appeared on every date(when he was) summoned by CBI and evenwithout the summons. All evidences are docu-mentary in nature and already in the custody ofCBI." (PTI)

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