Serving women army officers won their first round of legal battle with the Government on Monday assuring the Supreme Court that it will be consider giving them permanent commission in legal and educational branches. However, these officers demanding permanent commission in combat, infantry and other wings of the army will have to wait for a longer period to get this recognition. Seven years after the protracted legal battle, Government, which was at the receiving end in the apex court, gave an undertaking that women serving officers of Short Service Commission will be considered for permanent commission in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) and educational branches of army.
The undertaking in this regard, which stated that the exercise will be completed within two months, was submitted by Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium before a Bench comprising Justices J M Panchal and Gyan Sudha Mishra. The Bench recorded the undertaking which said, "The Solicitor General on instruction states that women short service commission officers in service shall be considered for permanent commission in JAG and educational branch of Army." The court also recorded the undertaking that the case of Major Lina Gurung, a short service commission officer, who is retiring in August will be considered on priority subject to the requirements.
A memorandum of understanding(MoU) between the Rajasthan Government and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation(DMRC) was signed today for beginning construction work on Jaipur metro project with aim to run first metro train in the Pink City by July 2013. The State Principal Secretary Urban Development GS Sandhu and DMRC Director Mangu Singh signed the memorandum in the presence of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, DMRC Chairman and Managing Director E Sridharan and other authorities at the Chief Minister's Office here. Urban Development and Home Minister Shanti Kumar Dhariwal, Tranpsort Minister Brij Kishore Sharma and several dignitaries were also present.
The largest stone astronomical observatory in the world -- Jaipur's Jantar Mantar -- has been accorded world heritage status by Unesco. The decision was taken at Unesco's World Heritage Committee meeting currently being held in Brasilia in Brazil. "This is India's 28th and Rajasthan's second site (after Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur) which has been given this status and it is a matter of proud for us and for nation as well," tourism minister Bina Kak told reporters here. In fact, Jantar Mantar is the first monument to find a place in the cultural heritage site list of Unesco as Keoladeo National Park is included in the list of natural heritages. The observatory, built between 1727 and 1734 by Maharaja Jai Singh II at his new capital of Jaipur, is among the seven sites in the world which have been added to Unesco's World Heritage list this year.
Rajasthan was on Saturday lashed by heavy rains with Ajmer receiving a maximum rainfall of 36 mm followed by Dabok at 35 mm till this morning. Jhalawar received 34 mm, while Kota got 22 mm of rains, Met department said. Banswara got 14 mm of rain followed by Sriganganagar and Bundi with 12 mm. Mount Abu received 10 mm of rains followed by Sawaimadhopur 9 mm. Vanasthali, Dholpur and Bikaner and a few other places of the state received rains.
