Cabinet 'nod' for amending Explosives Act

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 11. The Union Cabinet today decided to amend the Indian Explosive Substances Act to make it more stringent as part of an effort to put down terrorism more effectively.

The highlights of the proposed amendments, include provision of a clause prescribing a minimum punishment of 10 years rigorous imprisonment and another to decentralise the power for sanction of prosecution to the District Magistrates. Now, sanction has to be obtained from the Central Government. The amendments would also enable the Centre to include any new special category explosive by the issue of a mere notification to avoid delays.

These changes would be in addition to the amendments that were proposed in a bill that was introduced in Rajya Sabha in 1999, but which could not be passed following the dissolution of the previous Lok Sabha.

The Cabinet, which met here this morning, also decided to promulgate an ordinance to help the Centre to immediately take over the Roorkee University as part of the exercise to convert it into an IIT and integrate it with the IIT system before the next academic year.

Briefing reporters, the Union Minister, Mr. Venkaiah Naidu, said the ordinance was meant to ensure there was no uncertainty in the administrative and academic schedules and to enable the new entrant into the IIT system to become part of the Joint Entrance Examination for 2002. A bill to convert the University into an IIT is scheduled to be introduced in the next session of Parliament.

The Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, approved a proposal for an out-of-court settlement with Pakistan and the heirs of the Nizam of Hyderabad in the case relating to funds of the Nizam which are lying locked up in a British Bank for over 50 years now.

Mr. Naidu said a fund amounting to about £ 1 millions maintained in the name of Nizam's government in the National Westminster Bank, London, had been transferred by the Nizam's Finance Minister into the account of the then High Commissioner of Pakistan in London, Mr. Habib Ibrahim Rahimtoola, without the Nizam's consent in September 1948.

When the irregularity was brought to the attention of the bank, it declined to re-transfer the funds to the Nizam or his government unless there was an order of a British Court.

The present value of the fund was calculated at £ 24 millions. The negotiations for the out-of-court settlement is expected to be completed in about three years, he added.

The Union Cabinet also approved a National Sports Policy, which envisages promotion of sports of Indian origin and integrate sports and physical education with the educational curriculum. It also seeks to formulate model guidelines and legislations to ensure that the national sports federations developed sports in a proper manner.

The new policy, which would replace the National Sport Resolution of 1984, would also accord due recognition to research in sports medicine and physical fitness through yoga and meditation and give priority to upgrading the quality of Indian coaches so as to selectively reduce the reliance on foreign coaches.

The policy also seeks to encourage investment on sports infrastructure in urban and rural areas through measures like tax deductions for donation by corporate houses and individuals, including NRIs and promote indigenisation of sports equipment with a view to make them affordable.

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