Inside House

Terrorist groups based in Pakistan and Pak-occupied Kashmir have used Bangladesh territory in some cases to launch operations against India, intelligence inputs indicate

Terrorist groups based in Pakistan and Pak-occupied Kashmir PoK have used Bangladesh territory in some cases to launch operations against India, intelligence inputs indicate, the government said in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Replying to a question, Minister of State for Home S Regupathy said several steps had been taken to control infiltration of terrorists and arms into the country. These include strengthening the BSF, reduction of gaps between border outposts, intensified patrolling, provision of surveillance equipment and speeding up construction of border roads and fencing. Responding to another question, the government confirmed incidents of infiltration by Pakistan-based terrorist groups, particularly Lashkar-e-Toiba, through the sea route. MoS of Home Sriprakash Jaiswal, however, declined to discuss details in the interest of the nation.

NREG notified in 17 UP districts

The expansion of the rural job guarantee scheme NREG to 17 new districts of Uttar Pradesh, which had been put on hold because of the Assembly elections in the state, has now been notified by the Central Government. Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh announced this in Parliament today. The new districts from UP, which will come under NREG coverage from this year, include Jhansi, Kanpur Dehat, Mau, Sultanpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Basti, Maharajganj, Siddharthnagar, Bahraich, Balrampur, Shrawasti, Gonda, Ballia, Budaun, Etah, Farrukhabad,and Sant Kabir Nagar districts. The 200 districts included in the first phase had 22 from the state. However, when the scheme was expanded to 130 new districts in the current year, districts in UP could not be added as the model code of conduct for the Assembly elections was in force. The Ministry has already organised a workshop for 113 new districts to sensitise implementation officers. The Ministry is planning to organise a separate workshop for the 17 districts in UP.

MPs under attack from monkey battalions

AIADMK, which had created a storm in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday over attack on the Dinakaran daily, drew the attention of the House on Wednesday to an attack of a different kind 8212; that by monkeys in South Avenue where MPs reside in the Capital. Raising the issue of monkey menace, K Malaisamy AIADMK said 8220;battalions8221; of simians were damaging trees, uprooting plants, snapping electrical wires and snatching food from children besides posing threat to passersby. As Malaisamy drew spontaneous support from other MPs, Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan remarked that all members staying in South Avenue area may associate themselves with Malaisamy8217;s special mention.