Election Commission invited observers from ten countries to observe Sunday’s general election, EC secretary-general Suthipol Thaveechaikarn said on Thursday.Mr Suthipol said the invitation to show the international community that the election complies with international standards.The ten countries are: Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, South Korea, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Switzerland and Japan, the EC secretary-general said.
Election commissioner Prapan Naikowit said the international observers were invited because all five members of the EC wanted to show that the Sunday’s election is transparent, free and fair.EC members also wanted to share points of view on the election's management with the international observers, Mr Prapan added.
The Royal Thai Police Office information technology centre today announced that preparations were now in place to report vote tally results from all constituencies nationwide to the EC, so that unofficial results could be known as soon as possible and prevent confusion and silence unfounded rumours.A police officer stands guard at a polling station in Samut Prakan on June 16, 2011 as voters cast their advance ballots. The police information technology centre was assigned by the cabinet to report results from tally rooms nationwide to the EC as quickly as possible.
The job was given to police because on July 3 more than 100,000 police will be deployed at 91,559 polling units throughout the nation, and because 1,459 police stations nationwide are well equipped with Internet and other communication systems.
Police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said the tally reporting system was tested by police stations nationwide on Thursday and it worked well.Unofficial results from all constituencies were expected to be known by 10pm on July 3, Pol Maj-Gen Prawut said.Boxes containing the ballots would, after being counted, be kept at 305 police stations spread all over the country for one year.Senior police adviser Pongsapat Pongcharoen said police will step up its crackdown on crime nationwide from tomorrow to July 7 to ensure law and order before and after the July 3 election.Pol Gen Pongsapat said that before election day more checkpoints would be set up to block the movement of weapons and gunmen for hire.After the election, emphasis would be given to providing security for candidates and canvassers.
The police election monitoring centre had received a large number of complaints via hotline 1599, mostly about vote buying, particularly in the Northeast. Information from the complaints had been passed to local police and the EC.Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said there are now 10,000 CCTV cameras operating in Bangkok to make the capital safer.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) installed the 10,000 surveillance cameras near junctions and in areas where there was a high crime risk, and near schools, hospitals, community areas and important places around the capital, he said.The city's CCTV cameras had so far recorded 652 crimes and other incidents - robberies, physical assault and other crimes, and accidents, in both risk areas and community areas, said MR Sukhumbhand.Media-agenies
Thursday, June 30, 2011
France's Christine Lagarde is first woman IMF chief
France's Christine Lagarde is first woman IMF chief-French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde was elected as the first woman head of the International Monetary Fund, succeeding Dominique Strauss Kahn, who resigned last month after being arrested on rape charges.
Lagarde, 55, is the first woman named to the top IMF post since the institution's inception in 1944. "The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) today selected Christine Lagarde to serve as IMF Managing Director and Madame Chairman of the Executive Board for a five-year term starting on July 5, 2011," an official IMF announcement said.
The IMF said the selection of Lagarde by the 24-member Executive Board, representing the IMF's 187 member countries, brings to conclusion the selection process initiated by the Executive Board on May 20.
During the process the Board met with Agustin Carstens of Mexico and Lagarde the two aspirants for the post. She also won support from Europe, China and Russia.
"Based on the candidate profile that had been established, the Executive Board, after considering all relevant information on the candidacies, proceeded to select Lagarde by consensus. The Executive Board looks forward to Ms Lagarde effectively leading the International Monetary Fund," it said.
"The IMF has served its 187 member countries well during the global economic and financial crisis, transforming itself in many positive ways. I will make it my overriding goal that our institution continues to serve its entire membership with the same focus and the same spirit," said Lagarde.
Lagarde said she was honoured and delighted by her appointment. "I am deeply honored by the trust placed in me by the Executive Board. I would like to thank the Fund's global membership warmly for the broad-based support I have received. I would also like to express my respect and esteem for my colleague and friend, Agustn Carstens," she said in her first official statement.
Lagarde also has had an extensive and noteworthy career as an anti-trust and labour lawyer, serving as a partner with the international law firm of Baker & McKenzie, where the partnership elected her as chairman in October 1999. She held the top post at the firm until June 2005 when she was named to her initial ministerial post in France.
Lagarde has degrees from Institute of Political Studies (IEP) and from the Law School of Paris X University, where she also lectured prior to joining Baker & McKenzie in 1981.
She takes over at a tumultuous time when emerging nations want a greater voice at the IMF and the organisation's reputation has been tarred by a scandal involving Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Strauss-Kahn resigned last month after being charged with sexually assaulting a New York City hotel housekeeper.
Lagarde, 55, is the first woman named to the top IMF post since the institution's inception in 1944. "The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) today selected Christine Lagarde to serve as IMF Managing Director and Madame Chairman of the Executive Board for a five-year term starting on July 5, 2011," an official IMF announcement said.
The IMF said the selection of Lagarde by the 24-member Executive Board, representing the IMF's 187 member countries, brings to conclusion the selection process initiated by the Executive Board on May 20.
During the process the Board met with Agustin Carstens of Mexico and Lagarde the two aspirants for the post. She also won support from Europe, China and Russia.
"Based on the candidate profile that had been established, the Executive Board, after considering all relevant information on the candidacies, proceeded to select Lagarde by consensus. The Executive Board looks forward to Ms Lagarde effectively leading the International Monetary Fund," it said.
"The IMF has served its 187 member countries well during the global economic and financial crisis, transforming itself in many positive ways. I will make it my overriding goal that our institution continues to serve its entire membership with the same focus and the same spirit," said Lagarde.
Lagarde said she was honoured and delighted by her appointment. "I am deeply honored by the trust placed in me by the Executive Board. I would like to thank the Fund's global membership warmly for the broad-based support I have received. I would also like to express my respect and esteem for my colleague and friend, Agustn Carstens," she said in her first official statement.
Lagarde also has had an extensive and noteworthy career as an anti-trust and labour lawyer, serving as a partner with the international law firm of Baker & McKenzie, where the partnership elected her as chairman in October 1999. She held the top post at the firm until June 2005 when she was named to her initial ministerial post in France.
Lagarde has degrees from Institute of Political Studies (IEP) and from the Law School of Paris X University, where she also lectured prior to joining Baker & McKenzie in 1981.
She takes over at a tumultuous time when emerging nations want a greater voice at the IMF and the organisation's reputation has been tarred by a scandal involving Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Strauss-Kahn resigned last month after being charged with sexually assaulting a New York City hotel housekeeper.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
First “Friends of the wild” Initiative
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau Launches Its First “Friends of the wild” Initiative
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), India has launched its Friends of the Wild Initiative calling for enrolment of volunteers from all walks of life above the age of 21. The objective of the initiative is to conserve the country’s rich flora & fauna. With a view to encourage the participation of wildlife enthusiasts in the country, WCCB invites volunteers from rural & urban areas to assist in natural surveillance, capacity building awareness etc.
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), India has launched its Friends of the Wild Initiative calling for enrolment of volunteers from all walks of life above the age of 21. The objective of the initiative is to conserve the country’s rich flora & fauna. With a view to encourage the participation of wildlife enthusiasts in the country, WCCB invites volunteers from rural & urban areas to assist in natural surveillance, capacity building awareness etc.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Get Reforms Back On Track - Rajiv Kumar
Get Reforms Back On Track - Rajiv Kumar
The recent 25 basis point hike in interest rates by the RBI, about which there was a sense of inevitability, has further strengthened the perception that India is faced with some difficult macroeconomic options in the coming months. Inflation does not seem to be headed downwards despite the RBI having raised interest rates 10 times by 275 basis points during the last one year. In May 2011, the WPI, which the RBI apparently continues to use as the basis for its policy decisions, stood at 9.1% year on year (all figures on inflation refer to the year on year) which was higher than the 8.6% in April 2011. Core inflation (minus food and fuel) was also higher in May having risen to 8.6% as compared to 8% in the previous month. Global oil prices are still not showing any significant downward trend and global commodity prices including food prices also remain firm and volatile. Domestically, signs of any relief from a strong supply side response are also not yet visible. There is not so good news about the monsoon with the meteorological department now revising its monsoon forecast downwards and capacity expansion nearly stalled with growth in gross fixed capital formation (investments) having declined from 17.4% in the first quarter of 2010-11 to a mere 0.4% in the fourth quarter of 2010-11. Resources locked up in stalled projects are currently three times the level in 2007-08. Thus, it does seem that the RBI, committed to bringing down the inflation to within its comfort zone of between 5-6%, and egged on this direction by the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Committee, will continue raising rates for the next few months. This could well imply further reduction in growth forecasts which are now already firmly below the 8% level. Is it not time therefore to lower expectations and focus more on the reforms that are required to put growth back on the 9-10% trajectory that seemed to be well within our grasp not so long ago?
The purists will argue that with growth still above 7%, this is time to restore the macroeconomic balances and not be distracted by these short term weakening of the growth momentum. There is of course merit in this argument. But the catch is in the recipe to be used for restoring the macro balance. If we continue to rely almost exclusively on monetary policy for achieving this balance, I am afraid we are destined to not only fail in our objective but could end up causing serious damage to medium term growth prospects and inflict considerable pain on the people. Over reliance on monetary policy would imply pushing up rates to squeeze out inflationary expectations even if it implies a major slow down in GDP growth as was experienced in the latter half of the nineties. Given the much higher aspirations now, this could generate serious social stresses and further vitiate the political atmosphere. This is not the advisable way forward. Instead the government will hopefully find the will and the political acumen to push forward with the reform agenda that will remove some of the supply side constraints and improve the investment climate.
There are several steps that the government could take that do not require any legislative action. These include the finalization of the manufacturing policy; announcing a policy on FDI in multi-brand retail; the delisting of perishables from the APMC act; permitting the actual dismantling of the administered oil price mechanism; and bringing down fertilizer subsidies. These measures should be announced as soon as possible as any further delay could make these decisions hostage to the next round of electoral cycle with elections in UP now less than ten months away. The news that the ministry of fertilizers is opposed to the recommendations of the Saumitra Choudhary committee on hiking urea prices does not auger well and if true the ministry should be directed to let the greater national welfare prevail over sectoral considerations.
There is, however, serious effort required to ensure that even the major reforms currently stalled due to lack of sufficient political support need to be pushed forward. These include the GST, which has the potential to raise growth rates by a couple of percentage points on its own; the financial sector and education sector reforms for bills are now pending in the parliament. These reforms are critical for achieving the supply side response. The education sector reforms are specially critical as these are key to accelerating skill formation and expanding training and education capacities in the economy. Without such capacity expansion and improvement in the regulatory framework in the education sector the demographic advantage that the country possesses will be lost. The implementation of these reforms, however, requires broader political consensus that can only happen if political parties set aside opportunistic considerations in deference to national welfare. I am not sure if the gravity of the economic situation and the need to push forward the reform agenda is still sufficiently clear to our leaders across the political spectrum. I hope it is. I am afraid, India's economic story may not be able to bear the cost of another wasted parliamentary session and the continuation of the hysteresis that seems to characterize the present governance situation.
The Hindu Business Line on June 25, 2011.
________________________________________________________
The author is Secretary General of FICCI.
The recent 25 basis point hike in interest rates by the RBI, about which there was a sense of inevitability, has further strengthened the perception that India is faced with some difficult macroeconomic options in the coming months. Inflation does not seem to be headed downwards despite the RBI having raised interest rates 10 times by 275 basis points during the last one year. In May 2011, the WPI, which the RBI apparently continues to use as the basis for its policy decisions, stood at 9.1% year on year (all figures on inflation refer to the year on year) which was higher than the 8.6% in April 2011. Core inflation (minus food and fuel) was also higher in May having risen to 8.6% as compared to 8% in the previous month. Global oil prices are still not showing any significant downward trend and global commodity prices including food prices also remain firm and volatile. Domestically, signs of any relief from a strong supply side response are also not yet visible. There is not so good news about the monsoon with the meteorological department now revising its monsoon forecast downwards and capacity expansion nearly stalled with growth in gross fixed capital formation (investments) having declined from 17.4% in the first quarter of 2010-11 to a mere 0.4% in the fourth quarter of 2010-11. Resources locked up in stalled projects are currently three times the level in 2007-08. Thus, it does seem that the RBI, committed to bringing down the inflation to within its comfort zone of between 5-6%, and egged on this direction by the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Committee, will continue raising rates for the next few months. This could well imply further reduction in growth forecasts which are now already firmly below the 8% level. Is it not time therefore to lower expectations and focus more on the reforms that are required to put growth back on the 9-10% trajectory that seemed to be well within our grasp not so long ago?
The purists will argue that with growth still above 7%, this is time to restore the macroeconomic balances and not be distracted by these short term weakening of the growth momentum. There is of course merit in this argument. But the catch is in the recipe to be used for restoring the macro balance. If we continue to rely almost exclusively on monetary policy for achieving this balance, I am afraid we are destined to not only fail in our objective but could end up causing serious damage to medium term growth prospects and inflict considerable pain on the people. Over reliance on monetary policy would imply pushing up rates to squeeze out inflationary expectations even if it implies a major slow down in GDP growth as was experienced in the latter half of the nineties. Given the much higher aspirations now, this could generate serious social stresses and further vitiate the political atmosphere. This is not the advisable way forward. Instead the government will hopefully find the will and the political acumen to push forward with the reform agenda that will remove some of the supply side constraints and improve the investment climate.
There are several steps that the government could take that do not require any legislative action. These include the finalization of the manufacturing policy; announcing a policy on FDI in multi-brand retail; the delisting of perishables from the APMC act; permitting the actual dismantling of the administered oil price mechanism; and bringing down fertilizer subsidies. These measures should be announced as soon as possible as any further delay could make these decisions hostage to the next round of electoral cycle with elections in UP now less than ten months away. The news that the ministry of fertilizers is opposed to the recommendations of the Saumitra Choudhary committee on hiking urea prices does not auger well and if true the ministry should be directed to let the greater national welfare prevail over sectoral considerations.
There is, however, serious effort required to ensure that even the major reforms currently stalled due to lack of sufficient political support need to be pushed forward. These include the GST, which has the potential to raise growth rates by a couple of percentage points on its own; the financial sector and education sector reforms for bills are now pending in the parliament. These reforms are critical for achieving the supply side response. The education sector reforms are specially critical as these are key to accelerating skill formation and expanding training and education capacities in the economy. Without such capacity expansion and improvement in the regulatory framework in the education sector the demographic advantage that the country possesses will be lost. The implementation of these reforms, however, requires broader political consensus that can only happen if political parties set aside opportunistic considerations in deference to national welfare. I am not sure if the gravity of the economic situation and the need to push forward the reform agenda is still sufficiently clear to our leaders across the political spectrum. I hope it is. I am afraid, India's economic story may not be able to bear the cost of another wasted parliamentary session and the continuation of the hysteresis that seems to characterize the present governance situation.
The Hindu Business Line on June 25, 2011.
________________________________________________________
The author is Secretary General of FICCI.
Japan PM may step down by mid-August
Japan Prime Minister Naoto Kan may step down by mid-August if parliament passes key bills for disaster reconstruction, senior lawmakers said today.Kan pledged earlier this month to resign soon, but he has also demanded that bills on reconstruction from the March 11 quake, tsunami and nuclear disaster are passed first, along with legislation to promote renewable energy sources.
"Once things settle in late July or early August, I think the conditions for the prime minister to step down will be there," Jun Azumi, a senior member of Kan's Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), told reporters.
Japan's centre-left government last week pushed through an extension of the parliamentary session by 70 days to the end of August.The DPJ and its coalition partners plan to use the time to pass the key reconstruction bills -another budget bill on rebuilding the disaster areas, as well as a bill to issue bonds for the current fiscal year to help pay for the recovery efforts.
Kan-who started his political life as an environmental campaigner also wants to pass a bill to promote renewable energy, having pushed for a rethink on atomic power since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster.
Once these bills get passed, "That'd be about what the prime minister should be responsible for," DPJ secretary general Katsuya Okada told reporters."I would like to see opposition parties pass these bills unconditionally," he said during a Fuji TV debate show.
Media agencies
"Once things settle in late July or early August, I think the conditions for the prime minister to step down will be there," Jun Azumi, a senior member of Kan's Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), told reporters.
Japan's centre-left government last week pushed through an extension of the parliamentary session by 70 days to the end of August.The DPJ and its coalition partners plan to use the time to pass the key reconstruction bills -another budget bill on rebuilding the disaster areas, as well as a bill to issue bonds for the current fiscal year to help pay for the recovery efforts.
Kan-who started his political life as an environmental campaigner also wants to pass a bill to promote renewable energy, having pushed for a rethink on atomic power since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster.
Once these bills get passed, "That'd be about what the prime minister should be responsible for," DPJ secretary general Katsuya Okada told reporters."I would like to see opposition parties pass these bills unconditionally," he said during a Fuji TV debate show.
Media agencies
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Mayawati backed a separate Telangana
Media-men only allowed to shoot visuals when UP chief minister visited Hyderabad address party workers and gave feeler that BSP is becoming an alternative to the Congress. BJP coming to power at the Centre and in states,including Andhra Pradesh, in the future through social transformation.Mayawati alleged that parties like “Congress & Co” or “BJP & Co” had compromised on their electoral promises of 63 years of banishing poverty and empowering the SCs, STs, BCs, women, weaker sections,religious minorities and had instead gone along with big industrial houses.Uttar Pradesh chief minister Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati backed a separate Telangana on Saturday saying that it was in tune with Dr B.R. Ambedkar’s philosophy of smaller states in the country.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
EGoM on immediate fuel price hike
EGoM on fuel price hike likely tomorrow a high powered ministerial panel is likely to meet on Friday to consider a hike in diesel and domestic LPG prices, as well as a cut in duty rates to combat the high cost of crude oil.
The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM), headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, may meet at 1300 hours on Friday, a sources said in New Delhi.A hike of Rs 2-3 per litre in diesel prices and an increase of at least Rs 25 per domestic LPG cylinder are on the EGoM agenda.It may also consider raising kerosene prices.
Besides, the high powered panel may consider lowering customs or import duty on crude oil to nill from current 5 per cent, and on diesel from 7.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent.
The oil ministry is pushing for equitable sharing of the burden arising from the rise in crude oil prices among consumers, the government and state-owned companies, the source said.
State-owned oil companies now lose Rs 15.44 per litre on sale of diesel.One-third of this will have to be passed on to consumers in stages, while a similar amount will have to be borne by the government by way of either providing a cash subsidy or cutting customs and excise duty.
The remaining would be absorbed by upstream firms like ONGC and the fuel retailers.
A similar formula would apply to the Rs 27.47 per litre loss on kerosene and Rs 381.14 under-realisation on sale of every 14.2-kg domestic LPG cylinder.
The source said the ministry also wants a cut in Rs 4.60 per litre central excise duty levied on diesel to moderate the impact of high crude oil prices.
The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM), headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, may meet at 1300 hours on Friday, a sources said in New Delhi.A hike of Rs 2-3 per litre in diesel prices and an increase of at least Rs 25 per domestic LPG cylinder are on the EGoM agenda.It may also consider raising kerosene prices.
Besides, the high powered panel may consider lowering customs or import duty on crude oil to nill from current 5 per cent, and on diesel from 7.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent.
The oil ministry is pushing for equitable sharing of the burden arising from the rise in crude oil prices among consumers, the government and state-owned companies, the source said.
State-owned oil companies now lose Rs 15.44 per litre on sale of diesel.One-third of this will have to be passed on to consumers in stages, while a similar amount will have to be borne by the government by way of either providing a cash subsidy or cutting customs and excise duty.
The remaining would be absorbed by upstream firms like ONGC and the fuel retailers.
A similar formula would apply to the Rs 27.47 per litre loss on kerosene and Rs 381.14 under-realisation on sale of every 14.2-kg domestic LPG cylinder.
The source said the ministry also wants a cut in Rs 4.60 per litre central excise duty levied on diesel to moderate the impact of high crude oil prices.
Government wants strong Lok Pal Bill
Nksagar-Sagar Media Inc:
Anna has given an ultimatum to the government that he will undertake fast - unto - death from August 16 and would not be go back on his decision even if the government makes any request.To Anna ,Corruption is more serious threat than terrorist and Pakistan terrorism and believes that companies ought to be brought under anti graft draft for -ombudsman -empirically called Lokpal.
Social movement of Anna within constitution to bring Lokpal bill has been the center of all media to gauge the ongoing process of creating authority of Ombudsman. In Press release from the Team Anna Lak Pal bill will have jurisdiction over 65000 Central government Group A employees,4.5Lakh registered NGO's and to many Lakh to unregistered NGO's of both central and state this bill will not be applicable to the companies.With minimal deliberations and only exchange of points at the nine meetings in two months produced enormous divergent vision and vie on the subject.
Government and civil society exercise to work out an agreed draft of the Lokpal Bill has diverged into two paths thus total collapse of the nine meeting in which both parties had little deliberations,government members asked for the ideation of civil society.In event of failure of the process of two sides reaching divergent goal Government to retain the supremacy of the authority.Team Anna addressing press conference at Press club of India today at 4.30 PM gave an interesting features in the content of the draft submitted by the government is that Minimum punishment against a corrupt person is six months and minimum punishment against fake complainants is two years.With Team Anna desire to be part of drafting a bill has been completed and the process of government to draft the bill has initiated.
The Government version has following the highlights
1. Prime Minister is not under the purview of the Lokpal
2.No Cheif Minister will be under the purview of the Lokpal, and twenty three states CMs has opposed the draft.
3.No state lokayukta will be part of Lokpal hence there is no state (lower) level authority of Lokpal. If there is any corruption at district level also, it has to be complained to the Lokpal in Delhi.
4. Seven of the Ten member Lokpal section committee will be politicians (PM, Speakers of both the houses, Opposition leaders of both houses, etc.
5. Government has the power to appeal in Supreme court, to remove the Lokpal Chairperson. An ordinary citizen cannot complain against Lokpal.
Anna Hazare said,it was important to bring the Central Bureau of Investigation CBI government nodal investigating agency under the Lokpal to give autonomy to the organisation and decimate corruption in the country the organisation being an arm of government has full control over the CBI. and is the reasons for despite corruption ministers don’t go to jail,” Hazare said. Lokpal need to be an independent body to be beyond government’s interference,” he added.
“The CBI has investigated so many corruption cases but how many ministers have gone to jail since independence? This is because the government has full control over the CBI. That is why despite corruption ministers don’t go to jail,” Hazare said.“This is why the CBI should be brought under the Lokpal. This is what we are demanding,” he added.
Indian government has said it wants a strong Lokpal Bill that will not disturb the Constitution. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi yesterday, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said that, government will introduce a strong anti-corruption bill in the Monsoon Session of Parliament as promised to the people of India. Mr. Sibal said that differences between the representatives of Government and Civil society in the Joint Drafting committee, remain on six key issues which will be now taken up to the all party meeting next month before sending it to the Cabinet for final approval.
The differences on the six points, that were mentioned to you earlier persists, there are differences of positions that we have taken with reference to the existing constitutional structure and the existing system of Government and I hope that those differences are resolved. In any event, we wish to give to the people of India a strong Lokpal Bill.
Speaking on the issue, Law Minister Veerappa Moily said, the civil society activists and the government have exchanged their versions on various aspects of the bill. Mr Moily said, the government wants a robust Lok pal bill to provide for a corruption free government.
Financial administrative autonomy total is given to the Lokpal and Lokpal will have quasi judicial powers, it's not just an executive body. That means, when you are placing it into very high pedestal. They will have contempt powers.
After the ninth and final meeting of the joint drafting committee on the Lokpal Bill yesterday, Civil society representative Prashant Bhusan said that, the government draft does not include the Prime Minister within the ambit of the Bill as also the higher judiciary and conduct of MPs inside the House, besides there are differences on procedural issues.
A meeting of UPA leaders was held in New Delhi last night to ascertain the views of alliance partners on the Lokpal Bill. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who is the UPA Chairperson and leaders of several of the constituents attended the meeting among others. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee briefed the meeting on the discussions with the Anna Hazare team on the Lokpal Bill.
DMK Parliamentary Party leader T R Balu represented the party at the high level meeting. DMK, a constituent of UPA, has favoured the Prime Minister being brought under the ambit of the Lokpal.
The UPA government is opposed to bringing the Prime Minister under the purview of the proposed anti-corruption watch-dog and virtually all allies support it on this issue. The Government thinks bringing the office of Prime Minister under Lokpal will harm governance and could be a security risk also. The government has already announced an all party meeting on the issue which will be convened next month.
Anna has given an ultimatum to the government that he will undertake fast - unto - death from August 16 and would not be go back on his decision even if the government makes any request.To Anna ,Corruption is more serious threat than terrorist and Pakistan terrorism and believes that companies ought to be brought under anti graft draft for -ombudsman -empirically called Lokpal.
Social movement of Anna within constitution to bring Lokpal bill has been the center of all media to gauge the ongoing process of creating authority of Ombudsman. In Press release from the Team Anna Lak Pal bill will have jurisdiction over 65000 Central government Group A employees,4.5Lakh registered NGO's and to many Lakh to unregistered NGO's of both central and state this bill will not be applicable to the companies.With minimal deliberations and only exchange of points at the nine meetings in two months produced enormous divergent vision and vie on the subject.
Government and civil society exercise to work out an agreed draft of the Lokpal Bill has diverged into two paths thus total collapse of the nine meeting in which both parties had little deliberations,government members asked for the ideation of civil society.In event of failure of the process of two sides reaching divergent goal Government to retain the supremacy of the authority.Team Anna addressing press conference at Press club of India today at 4.30 PM gave an interesting features in the content of the draft submitted by the government is that Minimum punishment against a corrupt person is six months and minimum punishment against fake complainants is two years.With Team Anna desire to be part of drafting a bill has been completed and the process of government to draft the bill has initiated.
The Government version has following the highlights
1. Prime Minister is not under the purview of the Lokpal
2.No Cheif Minister will be under the purview of the Lokpal, and twenty three states CMs has opposed the draft.
3.No state lokayukta will be part of Lokpal hence there is no state (lower) level authority of Lokpal. If there is any corruption at district level also, it has to be complained to the Lokpal in Delhi.
4. Seven of the Ten member Lokpal section committee will be politicians (PM, Speakers of both the houses, Opposition leaders of both houses, etc.
5. Government has the power to appeal in Supreme court, to remove the Lokpal Chairperson. An ordinary citizen cannot complain against Lokpal.
Anna Hazare said,it was important to bring the Central Bureau of Investigation CBI government nodal investigating agency under the Lokpal to give autonomy to the organisation and decimate corruption in the country the organisation being an arm of government has full control over the CBI. and is the reasons for despite corruption ministers don’t go to jail,” Hazare said. Lokpal need to be an independent body to be beyond government’s interference,” he added.
“The CBI has investigated so many corruption cases but how many ministers have gone to jail since independence? This is because the government has full control over the CBI. That is why despite corruption ministers don’t go to jail,” Hazare said.“This is why the CBI should be brought under the Lokpal. This is what we are demanding,” he added.
Indian government has said it wants a strong Lokpal Bill that will not disturb the Constitution. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi yesterday, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said that, government will introduce a strong anti-corruption bill in the Monsoon Session of Parliament as promised to the people of India. Mr. Sibal said that differences between the representatives of Government and Civil society in the Joint Drafting committee, remain on six key issues which will be now taken up to the all party meeting next month before sending it to the Cabinet for final approval.
The differences on the six points, that were mentioned to you earlier persists, there are differences of positions that we have taken with reference to the existing constitutional structure and the existing system of Government and I hope that those differences are resolved. In any event, we wish to give to the people of India a strong Lokpal Bill.
Speaking on the issue, Law Minister Veerappa Moily said, the civil society activists and the government have exchanged their versions on various aspects of the bill. Mr Moily said, the government wants a robust Lok pal bill to provide for a corruption free government.
Financial administrative autonomy total is given to the Lokpal and Lokpal will have quasi judicial powers, it's not just an executive body. That means, when you are placing it into very high pedestal. They will have contempt powers.
After the ninth and final meeting of the joint drafting committee on the Lokpal Bill yesterday, Civil society representative Prashant Bhusan said that, the government draft does not include the Prime Minister within the ambit of the Bill as also the higher judiciary and conduct of MPs inside the House, besides there are differences on procedural issues.
A meeting of UPA leaders was held in New Delhi last night to ascertain the views of alliance partners on the Lokpal Bill. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who is the UPA Chairperson and leaders of several of the constituents attended the meeting among others. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee briefed the meeting on the discussions with the Anna Hazare team on the Lokpal Bill.
DMK Parliamentary Party leader T R Balu represented the party at the high level meeting. DMK, a constituent of UPA, has favoured the Prime Minister being brought under the ambit of the Lokpal.
The UPA government is opposed to bringing the Prime Minister under the purview of the proposed anti-corruption watch-dog and virtually all allies support it on this issue. The Government thinks bringing the office of Prime Minister under Lokpal will harm governance and could be a security risk also. The government has already announced an all party meeting on the issue which will be convened next month.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Berlusconi wins confidence vote
Silvio Berlusconi's government won a confidence vote on a bill in parliament on Tuesday, bringing temporary relief to the Italian premier after crushing defeats in local elections and a round of referendums.
The government had turned a vote on a law for minor economic reforms into a show of confidence in the lower house, as Berlusconi prepared to reassure his supporters of his leadership in a speech to parliament later in the day.
In the 44th confidence vote since the premier's People of Freedom party came to power in 2008, the bill -- which includes tax breaks and investment incentives -- was adopted by 317 votes to 293 with two abstentions.
The vote came just a week after Berlusconi suffered a trouncing in referendums that wiped out his plans to return Italy to nuclear power and dismissed a legal immunity law designed to keep him out of court.
The defeat represented a second blow to the embattled premier in less than a month, after his party lost critical mayoral votes in Milan and Naples in May.
The embarrassing setbacks have led to tensions within the government, with Berlusconi's coalition partner -- the populist Northern League party -- issuing a series of ultimatums on Monday in exchange for his continued support.
The government had turned a vote on a law for minor economic reforms into a show of confidence in the lower house, as Berlusconi prepared to reassure his supporters of his leadership in a speech to parliament later in the day.
In the 44th confidence vote since the premier's People of Freedom party came to power in 2008, the bill -- which includes tax breaks and investment incentives -- was adopted by 317 votes to 293 with two abstentions.
The vote came just a week after Berlusconi suffered a trouncing in referendums that wiped out his plans to return Italy to nuclear power and dismissed a legal immunity law designed to keep him out of court.
The defeat represented a second blow to the embattled premier in less than a month, after his party lost critical mayoral votes in Milan and Naples in May.
The embarrassing setbacks have led to tensions within the government, with Berlusconi's coalition partner -- the populist Northern League party -- issuing a series of ultimatums on Monday in exchange for his continued support.
Greece government survived a confidence vote
Greece government on Wednesday survived a confidence vote avoided a sovereign default and thousands of protesters chanted insults outside parliament.Greece assembly voted confidence in the government, reshuffled by Prime Minister George Papandreou to stiffen resolve behind a painful new austerity programme, by 155 votes to 143 with two abstentions. All Papandreou's Socialist Party deputies voted solidly with the government."If we are afraid, if we throw away this opportunity, then history will judge us very harshly," Papandreou said in a final appeal for support before the vote.
Greece vote made immediate impact,the euro taking gains, traders said continuing concerns about implementation of the measures contained the currency's advance.
Protesters besieged parliament in Syntagma square, chanting slogans against the politicians, shining hundreds of green laser lights at the building and into the eyes of riot police outside and pushing their hands forward in a traditional insult.
Papandreou's government need to pass two more tests enacting the austerity plan and the laws needed to implement it to win a new bailout to avert the euro zone's first sovereign default and possible global economic disaster.
The vote follows a European ultimatum requiring the debt-choked Mediterranean state to implement a new five-year package of deeply unpopular reforms in two weeks or miss out on a 12-billion euro aid tranche and plunge into bankruptcy.
European Commission President Manuel Barroso piled on the pressure before the vote, saying that Greece faced a "moment of truth" and needed to show it was genuinely committed to the reforms.
"No-one can be helped against their will," Barroso said in Brussels, adding that backing from the political opposition -- which has so far rejected the package and called for elections -- was important for success.
Acting IMF chief John Lipsky sent a similar message, saying international lenders were willing to help peripheral euro zone economies as long as they tried to carry out reforms.He said the Greek fiscal system was broken but could be fixed with the right political will.As parliament debated the confidence motion, demonstrators stepped up their protests in the square, where hundreds have camped for weeks to show their opposition to more austerity, deepened the worst recession for 37 years.
"I believe we should go bankrupt and get it over with. These measures are slowly killing us," said 22-year-old student Efi Koloverou. "We want competent people to take over."
The opposition said,"This is not a programme to salvage the economy, it's a programme for pillage before bankruptcy," said Alexis Tsipras, head of the small opposition Left Coalition.media agencies
Greece vote made immediate impact,the euro taking gains, traders said continuing concerns about implementation of the measures contained the currency's advance.
Protesters besieged parliament in Syntagma square, chanting slogans against the politicians, shining hundreds of green laser lights at the building and into the eyes of riot police outside and pushing their hands forward in a traditional insult.
Papandreou's government need to pass two more tests enacting the austerity plan and the laws needed to implement it to win a new bailout to avert the euro zone's first sovereign default and possible global economic disaster.
The vote follows a European ultimatum requiring the debt-choked Mediterranean state to implement a new five-year package of deeply unpopular reforms in two weeks or miss out on a 12-billion euro aid tranche and plunge into bankruptcy.
European Commission President Manuel Barroso piled on the pressure before the vote, saying that Greece faced a "moment of truth" and needed to show it was genuinely committed to the reforms.
"No-one can be helped against their will," Barroso said in Brussels, adding that backing from the political opposition -- which has so far rejected the package and called for elections -- was important for success.
Acting IMF chief John Lipsky sent a similar message, saying international lenders were willing to help peripheral euro zone economies as long as they tried to carry out reforms.He said the Greek fiscal system was broken but could be fixed with the right political will.As parliament debated the confidence motion, demonstrators stepped up their protests in the square, where hundreds have camped for weeks to show their opposition to more austerity, deepened the worst recession for 37 years.
"I believe we should go bankrupt and get it over with. These measures are slowly killing us," said 22-year-old student Efi Koloverou. "We want competent people to take over."
The opposition said,"This is not a programme to salvage the economy, it's a programme for pillage before bankruptcy," said Alexis Tsipras, head of the small opposition Left Coalition.media agencies
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Russian plane crashes on highway kills 44
MOSCOW, June 21 (RIA Novosti)Forty four people were killed and eight injured after a Tu-134 passenger aircraft crash landed in Russia's northern republic of Karelia, a spokesman for the Russian Emergencies Ministry said on Tuesday.The plane en route from Moscow to Petrozavodsk crash landed on a highway one kilometer (0.6 miles) away from the airport, where it was scheduled to land at 0.04 Moscow time on Tuesday (20.04 GMT Monday). The plane fell apart and burst into flames upon the landing."According to new information, 52 people were on board of the plane that crashed. Forty four people were killed and eight injured," the spokesman said.
Previous reports said the plane carried 43 passengers, including eight children, and five crew members.Valentina Ulich, the health and social development minister of the republic of Karelia, said that among the killed in the crash was one foreigner. He was a rescuer from Sweden, she added.
Various crash versions are being studied at the moment including a human factor, said Russian Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin, adding that a criminal case into the crash has been launched.Rescuers working at the crash site have already discovered both flight recorders from the aircraft.
A Russian Emergencies Ministry's Il-76 aircraft with rescuers and psychologists on board took off from Moscow to Petrozavodsk. It will take eight injured to hospitals in the Russian capital.
Tu-134 aircraft was launched in 1967 to become the most widely used airliner in the Soviet Union. It is capable of carrying 76 passengers.Forty four people were killed and eight survived with serious injuries when a Russian passenger plane crashed onto a motorway before landing, leaving bodies strewn over the road, officials said today.The RussAir Tu-134 tried to land just before midnight local time yesterday on a motorway two km from Petrozavodsk airport in the Karelia region of northern Russia.
Previous reports said the plane carried 43 passengers, including eight children, and five crew members.Valentina Ulich, the health and social development minister of the republic of Karelia, said that among the killed in the crash was one foreigner. He was a rescuer from Sweden, she added.
Various crash versions are being studied at the moment including a human factor, said Russian Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin, adding that a criminal case into the crash has been launched.Rescuers working at the crash site have already discovered both flight recorders from the aircraft.
A Russian Emergencies Ministry's Il-76 aircraft with rescuers and psychologists on board took off from Moscow to Petrozavodsk. It will take eight injured to hospitals in the Russian capital.
Tu-134 aircraft was launched in 1967 to become the most widely used airliner in the Soviet Union. It is capable of carrying 76 passengers.Forty four people were killed and eight survived with serious injuries when a Russian passenger plane crashed onto a motorway before landing, leaving bodies strewn over the road, officials said today.The RussAir Tu-134 tried to land just before midnight local time yesterday on a motorway two km from Petrozavodsk airport in the Karelia region of northern Russia.
Monday, June 20, 2011
UNSC splits al-Qaeda-Taliban sanctions list
The 15-member UN Security Council, including India, voted unanimously to split a key sanctions list on al-Qaeda and Taliban, a move aimed at backing the Afghan government's reconciliation efforts with insurgents.
The Council voted last night to adopt two resolutions - a new blacklist of individuals and organisations linked to al-Qaeda and another of those connected with Taliban whose activities focus on Afghanistan.
The separate lists are aimed at highlighting differences between the two outfits and make it easier to add and remove people and entities.
The Council also established specific criteria for having an individual delisted.
Following the UNSC move, Taliban and al-Qaeda will be treated separately when it comes to enforcement of the travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo imposed in 1999.
India, however, pointed out that the linkages between different non-state actors and al-Qaeda were close, but it voted in favour to send an unequivocal message.
"The syndicate of terrorism, with intricate inter-connections, comprising al-Qaeda, elements of the Taliban, Lashkar-e-Taiba and other terrorist groups that operate from within and outside Afghan borders are among the biggest threats from terrorism worldwide," said Hardeep Singh Puri, India's envoy to the UN.
"These bonds have strengthened over the years," Puri told the Council.
"We have joined the consensus in favour of the resolutions adopted to convey an unequivocal and resolute message from this Council of its steadfast determination in countering terrorism," Puri said.
Susan Rice, US envoy to the UN, described the move as an important response to the "evolving and distinct threats posed by al-Qaeda and Taliban."
"Today's action shows that the Security Council can adapt flexibly to evolving threats," she said.
The two resolutions passed by the Council give the Afghan government a greater role in determining who is on the Taliban sanctions list.
"From now on, the Afghan government has a visible and distinct role in the process of listing and delisting," German Ambassador Peter Wittig said.
The Council voted last night to adopt two resolutions - a new blacklist of individuals and organisations linked to al-Qaeda and another of those connected with Taliban whose activities focus on Afghanistan.
The separate lists are aimed at highlighting differences between the two outfits and make it easier to add and remove people and entities.
The Council also established specific criteria for having an individual delisted.
Following the UNSC move, Taliban and al-Qaeda will be treated separately when it comes to enforcement of the travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo imposed in 1999.
India, however, pointed out that the linkages between different non-state actors and al-Qaeda were close, but it voted in favour to send an unequivocal message.
"The syndicate of terrorism, with intricate inter-connections, comprising al-Qaeda, elements of the Taliban, Lashkar-e-Taiba and other terrorist groups that operate from within and outside Afghan borders are among the biggest threats from terrorism worldwide," said Hardeep Singh Puri, India's envoy to the UN.
"These bonds have strengthened over the years," Puri told the Council.
"We have joined the consensus in favour of the resolutions adopted to convey an unequivocal and resolute message from this Council of its steadfast determination in countering terrorism," Puri said.
Susan Rice, US envoy to the UN, described the move as an important response to the "evolving and distinct threats posed by al-Qaeda and Taliban."
"Today's action shows that the Security Council can adapt flexibly to evolving threats," she said.
The two resolutions passed by the Council give the Afghan government a greater role in determining who is on the Taliban sanctions list.
"From now on, the Afghan government has a visible and distinct role in the process of listing and delisting," German Ambassador Peter Wittig said.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Bindra qualifies for Olympics
Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra on Saturday qualified for next year's London Games despite finishing a lowly eighth in the 10m air rifle event of the Shooting World Cup in Munich, Germany.
Bindra, India's first individual Olympic gold medallist, shot a qualification score of 596, which left him tied with eight others but he managed to sneak into the finals by managing a score of 52.6 in the shoot-off.
The Indian eventually finished eighth with a total of 646.2 (596+50.2) but clinched a London Olympics quota place as the top six finishers in today's event had already booked their berths in previous qualifying events.
"Since at least six shooters above him had already qualified, the quota place went to Abhinav as per rules," National Rifles Association secretary Rajiv Bhatia said.
The gold in the event went to China's Qinan Zhu (651) while the silver was clinched by his compatriot Tao Wang (649.5). Slovakia's Jozef Gonci (649.3) settled for the bronze medal.
890 shooters from 86 countries are competing in the 2011 Rifle and Pistol World Cup Stage at the 1972 Olympic Shooting Range in Munich.
This is one of the final chances to qualify for the 2012 London Games, before the continental championships.
Bindra, India's first individual Olympic gold medallist, shot a qualification score of 596, which left him tied with eight others but he managed to sneak into the finals by managing a score of 52.6 in the shoot-off.
The Indian eventually finished eighth with a total of 646.2 (596+50.2) but clinched a London Olympics quota place as the top six finishers in today's event had already booked their berths in previous qualifying events.
"Since at least six shooters above him had already qualified, the quota place went to Abhinav as per rules," National Rifles Association secretary Rajiv Bhatia said.
The gold in the event went to China's Qinan Zhu (651) while the silver was clinched by his compatriot Tao Wang (649.5). Slovakia's Jozef Gonci (649.3) settled for the bronze medal.
890 shooters from 86 countries are competing in the 2011 Rifle and Pistol World Cup Stage at the 1972 Olympic Shooting Range in Munich.
This is one of the final chances to qualify for the 2012 London Games, before the continental championships.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Metro enters Ghaziabad as trial runs begin
Delhi's satellite city of Ghaziabad is just a step away from getting Metro connectivity with the Delhi Metro launching trial runs on the Anand Vihar- Vaishali corridor ahead of its possible opening next month.
As night trails of trains on the 3-km link began on Wednesday, Delhi Metro chief E Sreedharan inspected the corridor on Thursday morning and expressed satisfaction over completion of work on the stretch.
Opening of the corridor, which will be integrated with the existing Dwarka Sec 21-Anand Vihar ISBT line, will benefit thousands of people in Ghaziabad and other neighbouring areas who travel to the national capital for work everyday.
As night trails of trains on the 3-km link began on Wednesday, Delhi Metro chief E Sreedharan inspected the corridor on Thursday morning and expressed satisfaction over completion of work on the stretch.
Opening of the corridor, which will be integrated with the existing Dwarka Sec 21-Anand Vihar ISBT line, will benefit thousands of people in Ghaziabad and other neighbouring areas who travel to the national capital for work everyday.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
David Cameron met NATO S G Anders Fogh Rasmussen
British Prime Minister David Cameron met NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen here to discuss Afghanistan and Libya, according to the official website of the prime minister's office on Thursday.David Speaking at the start of their meeting on Wednesday at Downing Street No. 10,said their talks would cover broad issues, including NATO operations in Afghanistan and Libya.On Libya, Cameron praised NATO forces for doing an excellent job, noting that "time was running out" for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi."Pressure is building militarily, diplomatically, politically and economically on Gaddafi who is running out of time, running out of friends," he said.
Rasmussen said: "Britain is pillar of NATO... I want to pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of the British troops in Afghanistan and in other NATO-led operations."
Rasmussen said: "Britain is pillar of NATO... I want to pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of the British troops in Afghanistan and in other NATO-led operations."
US relations with Pakistan complicated
US eager to have its base in Pakistan with friendship ties find it difficult to cope with anti US emotions prevailing in the Pakistan.England showed its charms to woo Pakistan leaders have not resulted due to conservatism of the people and state being dominated by its clerics.(PTI) America's relationship with Pakistan is very complicated, but a very important one as it helps in maintaining Washington's national security interest, the White House said today."I can say that our relationship with Pakistan is extremely important. It is also complicated. And we have made that clear and been quite candid about that for a long time," the White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney, told reporters at his daily news conference.
The relationship between the United States and Pakistan is complicated and important, said White House spokesman Jay Carney on Wednesday.
"It is important to remember that the relationship is important because it helps our national security interest to maintain it. Pakistan has worked with us to go after terrorism and terrorists.More terrorists have been killed on Pakistani soil than in any other country," he said."So we continue to work with the Pakistanis.
The relationship between the United States and Pakistan is complicated and important, said White House spokesman Jay Carney on Wednesday.
"It is important to remember that the relationship is important because it helps our national security interest to maintain it. Pakistan has worked with us to go after terrorism and terrorists.More terrorists have been killed on Pakistani soil than in any other country," he said."So we continue to work with the Pakistanis.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
World Bank inks three agreement in New Delhi
Nksagar-Sagar Media Inc: New Delhi:World Bank to extend one billion dollar loan to India for river Ganga cleaning project :India and the World Bank today signed three agreements in New Delhi for cleaning the Ganga River, besides strengthening Rural Livelihoods and Biodiversity Conservation in the country. The World Bank will provide one billion US Dollars for the River cleaning project, while a credit worth approximately 24 million dollars will be given for the other two projects. Speaking on the occasion, Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh said that the objective of Ganga project is to stop the flow of untreated municipal sewage and industrial effluent into the River by 2020.
Ramesh Minister added that the two protected areas, one each in Uttarakhand and Gujarat, will put in place a complete new model of managing the protected areas while safeguarding the livelihoods of local communities. He said that the new models will be later applied in other areas of the country as well.The investments will be made in four key sectors, wastewater collection and treatment, industrial pollution control, solid waste management, and riverfront management to reduce pollution in a sustainable manner.
Media reports that the Ganga basin accounts for nearly one-fourth of the country’s landmass and the basin is home to more than 400 million people. The river faces great challenges from expanding population, urbanization and industrial growth, apart from ever increasing pollutants.
Ramesh Minister added that the two protected areas, one each in Uttarakhand and Gujarat, will put in place a complete new model of managing the protected areas while safeguarding the livelihoods of local communities. He said that the new models will be later applied in other areas of the country as well.The investments will be made in four key sectors, wastewater collection and treatment, industrial pollution control, solid waste management, and riverfront management to reduce pollution in a sustainable manner.
Media reports that the Ganga basin accounts for nearly one-fourth of the country’s landmass and the basin is home to more than 400 million people. The river faces great challenges from expanding population, urbanization and industrial growth, apart from ever increasing pollutants.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Kalam for a hypersonic version of BrahMos missile
Former President A P J Abdul Kalam has asked the BrahMos aerospace company to develop an advanced version of the cruise missile to maintain India's leadership in this field."You should develop a hypersonic version of BrahMos which can be reused...meaning that the missile should be able to deliver its payload and return to base. This will help in maintaining our leadership in this arena," he said.
The former President was addressing a function on the 10th anniversary of the launch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. India is the only country to have a supersonic cruise missile developed in a joint venture with Russia.
Speaking on the occasion, BrahMos Aerospace chief A Sivathanu Pillai said BrahMos is a unique missile which can be configured for multiple types of platforms on land, on sea and underwater against different types of targets on land and sea. "Its competitor is yet to be born. Its speed and devastating power has made it unparalleled," he said.The missile system has already been inducted in the Army and the Navy and its orders for the next ten years from all the three services. Work is also underway to develop an air-launched and underwater version of the missile.
The first launch was carried out a decade ago at the Interim Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea which coincided with Russia Formation Day which falls on 12th June.
The name BrahMos is a portmanteau formed from the names of two rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia.
The missile travels at speeds of Mach 2.8 to 3.0 and is about three-and-a-half times faster than the US' subsonic Harpoon cruise missile.
The former President was addressing a function on the 10th anniversary of the launch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. India is the only country to have a supersonic cruise missile developed in a joint venture with Russia.
Speaking on the occasion, BrahMos Aerospace chief A Sivathanu Pillai said BrahMos is a unique missile which can be configured for multiple types of platforms on land, on sea and underwater against different types of targets on land and sea. "Its competitor is yet to be born. Its speed and devastating power has made it unparalleled," he said.The missile system has already been inducted in the Army and the Navy and its orders for the next ten years from all the three services. Work is also underway to develop an air-launched and underwater version of the missile.
The first launch was carried out a decade ago at the Interim Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea which coincided with Russia Formation Day which falls on 12th June.
The name BrahMos is a portmanteau formed from the names of two rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia.
The missile travels at speeds of Mach 2.8 to 3.0 and is about three-and-a-half times faster than the US' subsonic Harpoon cruise missile.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Why fighting corruption is important - Subramanian Swamy
Why fighting corruption is important - Subramanian Swamy
The entire world is watching as Indians attempt to purge India of corruption using classically Indian means of protest. Hindutva and Sanatana Dharma represent the only viable cures to the cancer of corruption which is destroying the entrails of our civilisation
Corruption in India is now a major concern because of the gigantic and mind boggling amounts illegally appropriated in the Satyam, IPL, CWG, and 2G Spectrum scams. By all objective criteria, India today has by far one of the most corrupt governance. The 2G Spectrum Scam, the title of my new book released on June 11, is the most shocking rip-off of all.
As I have pointed out in the book, my curiosity was first fired by the fraud and forgery that became apparent in the sudden divestment of equity stake in Swan Capital Company by Anil Dhirubhai Ambani, the owner of ADAG who strategically controlled Swan, in favour of the Shahid Balwas-run DB Realty Company, and reportedly on then Telecom Minister A Raja’s behest. DB Realty then sold the controlling shares of Swan to Etisalat.This latter company was considered in a Home Ministry report to be a front for ISI and Dawood Ibrahim. Shahid Balwas was held by the Ministry to be an undesirable person. Yet, Etisalat was allowed by the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to buy out the Swan Telecom at eight times the price paid by Swan for the 2G spectrum licence. National security was seriously compromised for greed of money.
I had written to the Prime Minister a letter dated November 29, 2008, for sanction under Section19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act (1988) to prosecute Telecom Minister A. Raja by filing a private complaint before the Designated Sessions Court. Thus began my venture into the 2G spectrum scam. The PM’s procrastination led me to the Supreme Court.
Thereafter, a Bench of Justices Singhvi and Ganguli, by their meticulous reading of the briefs and documents filed and by their crisp orders and directions have changed the national public mood from despair and despondency to hope and expectation. This judicial intervention came none too soon. An international watchdog committee conducted a study on the illicit flight of money from India, perhaps the first ever attempt at shedding light on a subject steeped in secrecy, and concluded that India has been drained of $462 billion (over Rs 20 lakh crore) between 1948 and 2008. The amount represents nearly 40 per cent of India’s gross domestic product.
The unanimous view throughout the world today is that corruption is no more the inevitable grease or speed money to be tolerated in any system, but a cancer that could cause the death of a society by continuous debilitation — unless it is cured at an early stage.
The Indian financial system also suffers from a hangover of cronyism and corruption that have brought the government budgets on the verge of bankruptcy. This too needs fixing. India’s infrastructure requires about $ 150 billion to make it world class, and the education system needs 6 per cent of GDP instead of 2.8 per cent today. But an open competitive market system can find these resources provided the quality of governance and accountability is improved. Obviously a second generation of reforms is necessary for all this.
One of the worst problems with corruption in India is the creation of “black money”— money that is used in such transactions and is obviously unreported, hence is neither taxed nor is spent openly. It travels to secret bank accounts abroad, or, worse, is used by the corrupt to indulge in gross luxurious consumption and bribery. Such black money stock also creates inflation by enabling easy finance for hoarding of supplies even as the GDP growth rate accelerates.
Corruption, therefore, impacts on economic development of a nation in five dimensions:
1. Decisions taken for corrupt motive sub-optimises the allocation of scarce national resources and hence in the long run lowers the rate of growth in GDP. It also encourages buccaneers instead of innovative entrepreneurs.
2. By the use of bribe money which escapes the tax net and is mostly stashed away in banks abroad or in trunks in safe houses, is deployed in luxury goods purchase, ostentatious life, splurging in five star hotels, real estate, and on partying. This raises demand for luxury production and services, and in turn distorts investment priorities. In India, 70 per cent of the investment goes directly or indirectly to sustain the luxury sector.
3. Unaccounted bribe money is lent to hoarders and speculators who then cause artificial shortages and thus inflation and property bubbles.
4. Since the most in corrupt activities would be in public office, they enact laws to not only to safeguard the booty by lax criminal investigations and prosecutions, but to enable earning interest or return on the bribe money. The invention of Participatory Notes (PNs) and the Mauritius Tax & Capital Gains exemption treaties is aimed at that sordid objective (see below).
5. Corruption enables beneficiaries to involve foreign governments seeking influence and criminal gangs resident abroad to launder money and provide protection.
The view of Integral Humanism as propounded by Deendayal Upadhaya or what we have for centuries have called as Sanatana Dharma is that a society is healthy only if there is a harmonisation of material pursuits and spiritual advancement in a human being. The social structure called Varna, till it degenerated into a birth-based social cartel, was designed to downgrade wealth as the indicator of status and elevate sacrifice and simplicity as a desirable value.
But now greed is driving all of us as it has become in the globalisation process. Materialistic progress alone however does not guarantee national security of a nation. What is essential is the character and integrity of its citizens. Hence, besides the objective of acquiring knowledge and getting employment that require cognitive intelligence, the youth must be motivated in other dimensions of intelligence that of emotional, moral and social.
In the United States, as Business Week has recently reported, these concepts have become highly popular in the corporate world, and have been incorporated in the best-selling books written by Daniel Goleman, Deepak Chopra, Anthony Robbins, among others.
In brief, our National Policy for integrating spiritual values and organisation leadership can be achieved by measures by which we can create a modern mindset in the youth of India, not only to motivate the youth to acquire technical competence, but to develop emotional, moral social and spiritual values that will make that person a self-reliant individual of high character, patriotic, and possessing a social conscience.
Our goal has to be thus the efficient use of resources, human and physical, hardware and software by an able and human spiritually guided and ethically organizational leadership in a framework of competitive market economies.
Hence, concisely stated, for a corruption free society to be achieved on a long term basis the Indian economy should be founded on a harmonisation of efficient organisational leadership and abiding spiritual values which we call as Sanatana Dharma. That can be nurtured only bottom up i.e., educate our growth accordingly — to synthesise material pursuits with spiritual values which lauds simplicity and eschews greed.
Ultimately it will also be decided by how we vote in elections. But we need a new ideology to combat the cancer of corruption in our system. For this we need a new breed of Indian leaders-educated, courageous, and rational risk takers. That we can get only if the ethos of our people changes from the purely individualist pursuit of material pleasures and goals, to an integral outlook. Corruption is the cancer today in our society but Hindutva (Hinduness) or Sanatana Dharma imbibed character is the cure.
The writer is president, Janata Party
The entire world is watching as Indians attempt to purge India of corruption using classically Indian means of protest. Hindutva and Sanatana Dharma represent the only viable cures to the cancer of corruption which is destroying the entrails of our civilisation
Corruption in India is now a major concern because of the gigantic and mind boggling amounts illegally appropriated in the Satyam, IPL, CWG, and 2G Spectrum scams. By all objective criteria, India today has by far one of the most corrupt governance. The 2G Spectrum Scam, the title of my new book released on June 11, is the most shocking rip-off of all.
As I have pointed out in the book, my curiosity was first fired by the fraud and forgery that became apparent in the sudden divestment of equity stake in Swan Capital Company by Anil Dhirubhai Ambani, the owner of ADAG who strategically controlled Swan, in favour of the Shahid Balwas-run DB Realty Company, and reportedly on then Telecom Minister A Raja’s behest. DB Realty then sold the controlling shares of Swan to Etisalat.This latter company was considered in a Home Ministry report to be a front for ISI and Dawood Ibrahim. Shahid Balwas was held by the Ministry to be an undesirable person. Yet, Etisalat was allowed by the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to buy out the Swan Telecom at eight times the price paid by Swan for the 2G spectrum licence. National security was seriously compromised for greed of money.
I had written to the Prime Minister a letter dated November 29, 2008, for sanction under Section19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act (1988) to prosecute Telecom Minister A. Raja by filing a private complaint before the Designated Sessions Court. Thus began my venture into the 2G spectrum scam. The PM’s procrastination led me to the Supreme Court.
Thereafter, a Bench of Justices Singhvi and Ganguli, by their meticulous reading of the briefs and documents filed and by their crisp orders and directions have changed the national public mood from despair and despondency to hope and expectation. This judicial intervention came none too soon. An international watchdog committee conducted a study on the illicit flight of money from India, perhaps the first ever attempt at shedding light on a subject steeped in secrecy, and concluded that India has been drained of $462 billion (over Rs 20 lakh crore) between 1948 and 2008. The amount represents nearly 40 per cent of India’s gross domestic product.
The unanimous view throughout the world today is that corruption is no more the inevitable grease or speed money to be tolerated in any system, but a cancer that could cause the death of a society by continuous debilitation — unless it is cured at an early stage.
The Indian financial system also suffers from a hangover of cronyism and corruption that have brought the government budgets on the verge of bankruptcy. This too needs fixing. India’s infrastructure requires about $ 150 billion to make it world class, and the education system needs 6 per cent of GDP instead of 2.8 per cent today. But an open competitive market system can find these resources provided the quality of governance and accountability is improved. Obviously a second generation of reforms is necessary for all this.
One of the worst problems with corruption in India is the creation of “black money”— money that is used in such transactions and is obviously unreported, hence is neither taxed nor is spent openly. It travels to secret bank accounts abroad, or, worse, is used by the corrupt to indulge in gross luxurious consumption and bribery. Such black money stock also creates inflation by enabling easy finance for hoarding of supplies even as the GDP growth rate accelerates.
Corruption, therefore, impacts on economic development of a nation in five dimensions:
1. Decisions taken for corrupt motive sub-optimises the allocation of scarce national resources and hence in the long run lowers the rate of growth in GDP. It also encourages buccaneers instead of innovative entrepreneurs.
2. By the use of bribe money which escapes the tax net and is mostly stashed away in banks abroad or in trunks in safe houses, is deployed in luxury goods purchase, ostentatious life, splurging in five star hotels, real estate, and on partying. This raises demand for luxury production and services, and in turn distorts investment priorities. In India, 70 per cent of the investment goes directly or indirectly to sustain the luxury sector.
3. Unaccounted bribe money is lent to hoarders and speculators who then cause artificial shortages and thus inflation and property bubbles.
4. Since the most in corrupt activities would be in public office, they enact laws to not only to safeguard the booty by lax criminal investigations and prosecutions, but to enable earning interest or return on the bribe money. The invention of Participatory Notes (PNs) and the Mauritius Tax & Capital Gains exemption treaties is aimed at that sordid objective (see below).
5. Corruption enables beneficiaries to involve foreign governments seeking influence and criminal gangs resident abroad to launder money and provide protection.
The view of Integral Humanism as propounded by Deendayal Upadhaya or what we have for centuries have called as Sanatana Dharma is that a society is healthy only if there is a harmonisation of material pursuits and spiritual advancement in a human being. The social structure called Varna, till it degenerated into a birth-based social cartel, was designed to downgrade wealth as the indicator of status and elevate sacrifice and simplicity as a desirable value.
But now greed is driving all of us as it has become in the globalisation process. Materialistic progress alone however does not guarantee national security of a nation. What is essential is the character and integrity of its citizens. Hence, besides the objective of acquiring knowledge and getting employment that require cognitive intelligence, the youth must be motivated in other dimensions of intelligence that of emotional, moral and social.
In the United States, as Business Week has recently reported, these concepts have become highly popular in the corporate world, and have been incorporated in the best-selling books written by Daniel Goleman, Deepak Chopra, Anthony Robbins, among others.
In brief, our National Policy for integrating spiritual values and organisation leadership can be achieved by measures by which we can create a modern mindset in the youth of India, not only to motivate the youth to acquire technical competence, but to develop emotional, moral social and spiritual values that will make that person a self-reliant individual of high character, patriotic, and possessing a social conscience.
Our goal has to be thus the efficient use of resources, human and physical, hardware and software by an able and human spiritually guided and ethically organizational leadership in a framework of competitive market economies.
Hence, concisely stated, for a corruption free society to be achieved on a long term basis the Indian economy should be founded on a harmonisation of efficient organisational leadership and abiding spiritual values which we call as Sanatana Dharma. That can be nurtured only bottom up i.e., educate our growth accordingly — to synthesise material pursuits with spiritual values which lauds simplicity and eschews greed.
Ultimately it will also be decided by how we vote in elections. But we need a new ideology to combat the cancer of corruption in our system. For this we need a new breed of Indian leaders-educated, courageous, and rational risk takers. That we can get only if the ethos of our people changes from the purely individualist pursuit of material pleasures and goals, to an integral outlook. Corruption is the cancer today in our society but Hindutva (Hinduness) or Sanatana Dharma imbibed character is the cure.
The writer is president, Janata Party
Govt fully committed to draft Lok Pal draft by 30th June: Moily
Govt fully committed to draft Lok Pal bill by 30th June: Moily
The government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that the draft Lok Pal Bill is ready by 30th June.Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily on Saturday said in Bangalore that few contentious issues remain in framing the Lok Pal Bill by the joint drafting committee.
Moily said the draft would come before the Cabinet after being circulated to various ministries.He however asked the civil society members to participate in discussions with the government on already fixed dates instead of boycotting it.The Anna Hazare led team did not attend the 10th June meeting.Moily also said that the government is not engaged in any “back door” dialogue with yoga guru Ramdev, who is on indefinite fast.
The government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that the draft Lok Pal Bill is ready by 30th June.Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily on Saturday said in Bangalore that few contentious issues remain in framing the Lok Pal Bill by the joint drafting committee.
Moily said the draft would come before the Cabinet after being circulated to various ministries.He however asked the civil society members to participate in discussions with the government on already fixed dates instead of boycotting it.The Anna Hazare led team did not attend the 10th June meeting.Moily also said that the government is not engaged in any “back door” dialogue with yoga guru Ramdev, who is on indefinite fast.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Sujjan Singh lifts the trophy at Oxford Golf & Country Club
Pune, June 10, 2011 Nksagar-Sagar Media Inc : New Delhi:
Sujjan Singh lifts the trophy at Oxford Golf & Country Club:Himmat Singh Rai finishes runner-up:Sujjan Singh’s final round 69 helped him win the PGTI Players Championship presented by Oxford Golf & Country Club on Friday. The Chandigarh golfer ended the week with an 11 under 277 total and finished one stroke ahead of Himmat Singh Rai of Delhi.
Sujjan Singh (69-72-67-69), who bagged his second professional title on Friday, got home thanks to a steady three under 69. Sujjan, the overnight joint leader along with Himmat Singh Rai (67-73-68-70), began the day with a birdie putt from six feet on the first to go one ahead. Himmat then caught up with a birdie on the second. Sujjan earned his second birdie with another six feet putt on the eighth.
Both the players birdied the 11th before Himmat suffered a couple of setbacks due to bogeys on the 12th and 13th. Himmat then posed a serious challenge to Sujjan by picking up an eagle on the 16th where he sank a 50 feet putt to reduce the margin to one stroke.
Sujjan was in some trouble on the last hole after he found the rough with his tee shot even as Himmat landed it on the fairway. However, Sujjan produced an extraordinary eight-iron second shot from the rough that landed just 10 feet from the pin and all but sealed it for him.
The two players made pars on the last hole and as a result Sujjan Singh took home the winner’s trophy. He remained the only player in the tournament to have not shot a single over par score through the week. The 30-year-old climbed from 41st place to 14th position on the Rolex Rankings after his win on Friday.
“I played a very steady round today. Importantly, I made no bogeys in the last two rounds. My hitting was immaculate and I hit as many as 16 greens today. I had some anxious moments towards the end after Himmat closed the gap with an eagle on the 16th. But I played well under pressure to close it out. I made a tough five feet par putt on the 17th and then followed that up with a near-perfect second shot from the rough on the 18th,” said Sujjan.
“I changed a few things in my game earlier this year and those changes seem to be working for me. I’m now playing very consistent golf,” added Sujjan.
Mandeo Singh Pathania (76-71-68-68) of the Jaypee Greens Golf Resort, Greater Noida, secured third place at five under 283. Pathania’s 68 was the best score of the day along with Kapil Kumar’s 68. Mandeo’s fourth round featured an eagle, four birdies and two bogeys.
Vijay Kumar, Kunal Bhasin, Mukesh Kumar and Raju Ali Mollah were joint fourth at three under 285.
Aditya Bhandarkar of Pune, the lone amateur to make the cut, won the trophy for the best amateur score. Bhandarkar finished tied 45th at 14 over 302.
Sujjan Singh lifts the trophy at Oxford Golf & Country Club:Himmat Singh Rai finishes runner-up:Sujjan Singh’s final round 69 helped him win the PGTI Players Championship presented by Oxford Golf & Country Club on Friday. The Chandigarh golfer ended the week with an 11 under 277 total and finished one stroke ahead of Himmat Singh Rai of Delhi.
Sujjan Singh (69-72-67-69), who bagged his second professional title on Friday, got home thanks to a steady three under 69. Sujjan, the overnight joint leader along with Himmat Singh Rai (67-73-68-70), began the day with a birdie putt from six feet on the first to go one ahead. Himmat then caught up with a birdie on the second. Sujjan earned his second birdie with another six feet putt on the eighth.
Both the players birdied the 11th before Himmat suffered a couple of setbacks due to bogeys on the 12th and 13th. Himmat then posed a serious challenge to Sujjan by picking up an eagle on the 16th where he sank a 50 feet putt to reduce the margin to one stroke.
Sujjan was in some trouble on the last hole after he found the rough with his tee shot even as Himmat landed it on the fairway. However, Sujjan produced an extraordinary eight-iron second shot from the rough that landed just 10 feet from the pin and all but sealed it for him.
The two players made pars on the last hole and as a result Sujjan Singh took home the winner’s trophy. He remained the only player in the tournament to have not shot a single over par score through the week. The 30-year-old climbed from 41st place to 14th position on the Rolex Rankings after his win on Friday.
“I played a very steady round today. Importantly, I made no bogeys in the last two rounds. My hitting was immaculate and I hit as many as 16 greens today. I had some anxious moments towards the end after Himmat closed the gap with an eagle on the 16th. But I played well under pressure to close it out. I made a tough five feet par putt on the 17th and then followed that up with a near-perfect second shot from the rough on the 18th,” said Sujjan.
“I changed a few things in my game earlier this year and those changes seem to be working for me. I’m now playing very consistent golf,” added Sujjan.
Mandeo Singh Pathania (76-71-68-68) of the Jaypee Greens Golf Resort, Greater Noida, secured third place at five under 283. Pathania’s 68 was the best score of the day along with Kapil Kumar’s 68. Mandeo’s fourth round featured an eagle, four birdies and two bogeys.
Vijay Kumar, Kunal Bhasin, Mukesh Kumar and Raju Ali Mollah were joint fourth at three under 285.
Aditya Bhandarkar of Pune, the lone amateur to make the cut, won the trophy for the best amateur score. Bhandarkar finished tied 45th at 14 over 302.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Baba Ramdev to end his fast
Naresh Kumar Sagar Sagar Media Inc: New Delhi Baba Ramdev to end his fast after Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Morari Bapu reach Haridwar.Luminaries personalities start visiting Baba Ramdev BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, who met Ramdev at his Patanjali Yogpeeth said: "The Baba is weak and has lost 7.5 kilos yet his spirit mental strength is stronger than ever. Corruption and black money vial issues problems for the nation for a while. And what happened at Ramlila Maidan to the Baba's camp has become a whole new issue."
PTI reports said, Yoga guru Ramdev, who is on an indefinite fast against corruption and black money here, today decided to take lemonade and honey after being persuaded by district administration officials.
"He has accepted our request and has decided to take lemon water and honey so that his body gets glucose," Haridwar District Magistrate R Meenakshi Sundaram told reporters after meeting Ramdev here."There is our team which is regularly monitoring Ramdev's health. I have told them to do checkups every three hours. We have seen formation of ketone particles in his body.
"Formation of ketone particles is dangerous as it may affect vital organs like kidney and liver. We have asked him to break his fast and have something, especially glucose," he added.
Asked whether Ramdev will be forcibly fed, Sundaram said, "We will do whatever is necessary to save his life.
PTI reports said, Yoga guru Ramdev, who is on an indefinite fast against corruption and black money here, today decided to take lemonade and honey after being persuaded by district administration officials.
"He has accepted our request and has decided to take lemon water and honey so that his body gets glucose," Haridwar District Magistrate R Meenakshi Sundaram told reporters after meeting Ramdev here."There is our team which is regularly monitoring Ramdev's health. I have told them to do checkups every three hours. We have seen formation of ketone particles in his body.
"Formation of ketone particles is dangerous as it may affect vital organs like kidney and liver. We have asked him to break his fast and have something, especially glucose," he added.
Asked whether Ramdev will be forcibly fed, Sundaram said, "We will do whatever is necessary to save his life.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Democracy stands for Civil society members supreme: Anna
Civil society members can only give suggestions:
Just ponder and feel that civil society members first choice women reservation bill has not seen the light.Land acquisition Act keeps the farmers in tenterhooks, corruptions laws fail to deliver,delivery mechanism of the government unable to bring desired results,nexus of various group gather easy money from the system and away from the system in their own convenience state.Corruption is not raised for the first time but has been the issue since 1975 by JP and 1985 Chandrasekhar- Janata Dal and by Congress in 2003-2004 but robust growth of corrupt people and officials give golden-shake hand. On a day when Anna Hazare sat on a fast protesting the crackdown on Ramdev's protest, Congress virtually declared redundancy of the Joint Committee to draft a strong Lokpal bill.Civil society members can only give suggestions: Congress is repeated many a times then the civil society members for definitely clash on their basic points and will raise hue and cry for not abiding to basics.
Party spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan on Wednesday said civil society representatives "could not be the alternate sources" for lawmaking including the key legislation.Political thinkers in their opinions say,But in democracy each civil society members has the rights to give his/her inputs as the government is always short of ground reality and holistic experiences.
Arun Jaitley thus has said in meeting at constitutions club that Congress leaders thinks to know much and behave in arrogance and is not in mood to listen even when they are in minority as the bill cannot be passed in Upper house if the opposition parties are not taken into confidence for their minority numerical.
Jayanti said further, "There is a constitutional scheme of things needed to be adhered to including taking the views of the Parliament while deciding on the legislation. Whatever they say could be suggestions for draft but it can't be the legislation. This is not a banana republic. We are working under the constitution of India," she said in New Delhi on Wednesday.Experts say to provide watchdog by civil society of civil society members does not dilute the Constitution but brings credibility and strengthen.In the name of constitution adherence,government is unable to put off the corruption,unable to give accountability for public treasury money allocated,funds sent is not spent in proper way and bills pile up in lines for public welfare.
The Congress spokesperson side-stepped questions whether the Prime Minister should be under the proposed Lokpal bill, noting that the Constitution review committee under Justice M M Venkatachaliah had expressed itself against it.The remarks of Natarajan came a day after Hazare and other representatives of the civil society boycotted a scheduled meeting but made it clear that they would participate in future meetings.
Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee is the Chairman of the Committee and former Law Minister Shanti Bhushan is its co-chairman.Natarajan also tried to drive a wedge between Hazare and Ramdev, saying the Gandhian appears to be unaware of the call for armed rebellion given by the Yoga Guru.Natarajan dismissed as "unacceptable" Hazare's statement that what he was fighting the "second freedom struggle".
Posted by Nksagar at 12:03 PM 0 comments
Just ponder and feel that civil society members first choice women reservation bill has not seen the light.Land acquisition Act keeps the farmers in tenterhooks, corruptions laws fail to deliver,delivery mechanism of the government unable to bring desired results,nexus of various group gather easy money from the system and away from the system in their own convenience state.Corruption is not raised for the first time but has been the issue since 1975 by JP and 1985 Chandrasekhar- Janata Dal and by Congress in 2003-2004 but robust growth of corrupt people and officials give golden-shake hand. On a day when Anna Hazare sat on a fast protesting the crackdown on Ramdev's protest, Congress virtually declared redundancy of the Joint Committee to draft a strong Lokpal bill.Civil society members can only give suggestions: Congress is repeated many a times then the civil society members for definitely clash on their basic points and will raise hue and cry for not abiding to basics.
Party spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan on Wednesday said civil society representatives "could not be the alternate sources" for lawmaking including the key legislation.Political thinkers in their opinions say,But in democracy each civil society members has the rights to give his/her inputs as the government is always short of ground reality and holistic experiences.
Arun Jaitley thus has said in meeting at constitutions club that Congress leaders thinks to know much and behave in arrogance and is not in mood to listen even when they are in minority as the bill cannot be passed in Upper house if the opposition parties are not taken into confidence for their minority numerical.
Jayanti said further, "There is a constitutional scheme of things needed to be adhered to including taking the views of the Parliament while deciding on the legislation. Whatever they say could be suggestions for draft but it can't be the legislation. This is not a banana republic. We are working under the constitution of India," she said in New Delhi on Wednesday.Experts say to provide watchdog by civil society of civil society members does not dilute the Constitution but brings credibility and strengthen.In the name of constitution adherence,government is unable to put off the corruption,unable to give accountability for public treasury money allocated,funds sent is not spent in proper way and bills pile up in lines for public welfare.
The Congress spokesperson side-stepped questions whether the Prime Minister should be under the proposed Lokpal bill, noting that the Constitution review committee under Justice M M Venkatachaliah had expressed itself against it.The remarks of Natarajan came a day after Hazare and other representatives of the civil society boycotted a scheduled meeting but made it clear that they would participate in future meetings.
Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee is the Chairman of the Committee and former Law Minister Shanti Bhushan is its co-chairman.Natarajan also tried to drive a wedge between Hazare and Ramdev, saying the Gandhian appears to be unaware of the call for armed rebellion given by the Yoga Guru.Natarajan dismissed as "unacceptable" Hazare's statement that what he was fighting the "second freedom struggle".
Posted by Nksagar at 12:03 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Meeting called by PM on environmental clearance postponed
Nksagar-Sagar Media Inc: New Delhi :
The meeting called by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today to hammer out a consensus on the grant of environmental clearances for power, coal and steel projects has been postponed. An official in the Coal Ministry informed newsmen in New Delhi today without giving any reason. Streamlining the process for granting forestry and environment clearance to enable new projects to take off quickly and fixing a maximum time limit of 150 days for such approvals were expected to be the main items on the agenda for the high-level meeting. The other issues include seeking cooperation from coal-producing states to address problems relating to land acquisition, rehabilitation and law and order.
Our correspondent reports,the Ministry of Environment and Forests is at loggerheads with the ministries of coal, power and steel over the grant of statutory environmental and forestry clearances to projects in areas situated in dense forests, which it has classified as 'no go' zones. A Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has been grappling with the tussle over 'go' and 'no-go' mining areas, as classified by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.The GoM met twice, in February and April, to try and resolve the differences between ministries, but with little success as the Environment Ministry has refused to modify its stance.The demand-supply gap for coal in the current fiscal has been estimated at 142 million tonnes by the Planning Commission. According to the Coal Ministry, the 'no go' mining policy has affected the potential production of 660 million tonnes of coal per annum.
The meeting called by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today to hammer out a consensus on the grant of environmental clearances for power, coal and steel projects has been postponed. An official in the Coal Ministry informed newsmen in New Delhi today without giving any reason. Streamlining the process for granting forestry and environment clearance to enable new projects to take off quickly and fixing a maximum time limit of 150 days for such approvals were expected to be the main items on the agenda for the high-level meeting. The other issues include seeking cooperation from coal-producing states to address problems relating to land acquisition, rehabilitation and law and order.
Our correspondent reports,the Ministry of Environment and Forests is at loggerheads with the ministries of coal, power and steel over the grant of statutory environmental and forestry clearances to projects in areas situated in dense forests, which it has classified as 'no go' zones. A Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has been grappling with the tussle over 'go' and 'no-go' mining areas, as classified by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.The GoM met twice, in February and April, to try and resolve the differences between ministries, but with little success as the Environment Ministry has refused to modify its stance.The demand-supply gap for coal in the current fiscal has been estimated at 142 million tonnes by the Planning Commission. According to the Coal Ministry, the 'no go' mining policy has affected the potential production of 660 million tonnes of coal per annum.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Conservation of Forests is Crucial for Sustainable Development::Ramesh
Conservation of Forests is Crucial for Sustainable Development: Shri Jairam Ramesh India Celebrates World Environment Day Today:The Union Minister of State for Environment & Forests, Shri Jairam Ramesh has said that conservation of forests is crucial for sustainable development and green economy of the country. He said this while chairing a one day civil society seminar on “Nature & Livelihood: Women’s Perspective” here today on the occasion of celebration of World Environment Day. He said that the role of women and gram sabha is very crucial for forest conservation. He also elaborated about focus on “Gram Sabha” and its greater role in the recently launched “Green India Mission”, one of the mission under National Action Plan on Climate Change.
The week long events across the country to celebrate the World Environment Day-2011 (WED-2011), with India being global host for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), WED-2011 for first time culminated, today during the one day civil society seminar. About 100 women from civil society organizations, self-help group etc. from various states shared experience during interactive sessions with panelists that include eminent environmentalist and grass root leaders like Dr. Sunita Narain, Centre for Environmental Education, Chandi Prasad Bhatt, Radha Ben Bhatt, Devajitofa and Ms Jyotsana Sitling.
The UNEP Executive Director, Mr. Achim Steiner and UN Resident Co-ordinator, Mr. Patrice Couer Bizot, also highlighted the environmental concerns in the global perspective and appreciated the initiatives of women leaders at grass root level in India in environmental awareness and forest conservation. UNEP report on “Green Economy and the Forest” was also released. On this occasion, Ministry of Environment & Forests, also instituted “Gaura Devi” Award to recognize the initiatives of “Gaura Devi” in forest conservation during Chipko movement. The award will carry a citation and cash prize of Rs 2 lakhs.
Earlier in the day, a “Green Walkathon”, at India Gate, New Delhi with about 1000 participants from all sections of the society was flagged off by Shri Jairam Ramesh. The Minister also administered a pledge for “Saving our Environment”. In Bangalore, also a green marathon was flagged off in the morning.
First time, India is the global host of UNEP World Environment Day. During this year, shifting from the past practice of organizing World Environment Day at New Delhi only, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India organized a series of activities/events/campaigns during the first week of June, 2011, across the country in New Delhi, Bhubneshawar, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Nilgiri Biosphre Reserve etc to highlight the intrinsic link between quality of life, the health of forests and forest ecosystems, and the sustainable use of forests.
The other significant feature was organization of “Green Haat”, involving about 52 partners to showcase initiatives, of forest dwellers, Minor Forest Produce Federations of various states, women self help groups, NGO partners ,highlighting the value added forest products, in partnership with Centre for Environment Education(CEE) at Dilli Haat during June 1st to 5th, 2011. Shri Jairam Ramesh declared that this will now be a regular event by Ministry of Environment & Forests.
Biodiversity film festival for disadvantaged children, general public, prisoners, and Air Force officials was organized in partnership Centre for media studies (CMS) at New Delhi during June 1st to 4th, 2011, the festival screened more than 20 films on biodiversity at National Science Centre, PVR’s Cinemas, Tihar Jail and Subroto Park, Indian Air Force to raise awareness about Environmental issues through showcasing of films from eminent national and International film makers.
Across the Himalayan region, in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, awareness programs and Green March, involving School Children was organized by G.B.Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development.
The North East Museum Gallery at Regional Museum of Natural History, Bhubneshawar was inaugrated by the Environment & Forests Minister on 1st June, 2011.
Highlighting the role of media for Green reporting, an UNEP media workshop on Journalism and the Environment was organized at Leela Hotel, New Delhi on 2nd June, 2011.
An exhibition on Mumbai’s Environment, in partnership with Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), highlighting the environmental issues of Metropolitan and coastal cities was organized at Chhatrapati Shivaji & Churchgate Stations during 2nd to 4th June, 2011 to create awareness amongst all sections of the society.
On 3rd June, 2011, tree plantation of forest department, Government of Delhi at Juanapur, Mehrauli, Delhi was dedicated to the public, as a mark to celebrate World Environment Day, hosted by the UNEP in India, this year.
Acknowledging the role of corporate sector in ensuring Green Growth and Green Economy, a dialogue with business community on Green economy was organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at CII office, New Delhi on 3rd June, 2011.
On 4th June, 2011, a nature camp for speech and hearing children and Exhibition on Western Ghat diversity was organized at Bengaluru. Involving the IT Business Community and corporate sector, a workshop and Marathon was also organized at Bengaluru on 4th and 5th June, 2011.
To create awareness among children, a painting competition was organized today at Delhi Zoo. On this day, a workshop on, “Emerging issues in Wildlife Conservation” was also organized by Wildlife Institute of India at Dehradun.
Media public relation of the ministry needs to be mature for independent media is at lots of unease attending their events and the events gets little attention from SSI newspapers which needs Ministers immediate attention.
The week long events across the country to celebrate the World Environment Day-2011 (WED-2011), with India being global host for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), WED-2011 for first time culminated, today during the one day civil society seminar. About 100 women from civil society organizations, self-help group etc. from various states shared experience during interactive sessions with panelists that include eminent environmentalist and grass root leaders like Dr. Sunita Narain, Centre for Environmental Education, Chandi Prasad Bhatt, Radha Ben Bhatt, Devajitofa and Ms Jyotsana Sitling.
The UNEP Executive Director, Mr. Achim Steiner and UN Resident Co-ordinator, Mr. Patrice Couer Bizot, also highlighted the environmental concerns in the global perspective and appreciated the initiatives of women leaders at grass root level in India in environmental awareness and forest conservation. UNEP report on “Green Economy and the Forest” was also released. On this occasion, Ministry of Environment & Forests, also instituted “Gaura Devi” Award to recognize the initiatives of “Gaura Devi” in forest conservation during Chipko movement. The award will carry a citation and cash prize of Rs 2 lakhs.
Earlier in the day, a “Green Walkathon”, at India Gate, New Delhi with about 1000 participants from all sections of the society was flagged off by Shri Jairam Ramesh. The Minister also administered a pledge for “Saving our Environment”. In Bangalore, also a green marathon was flagged off in the morning.
First time, India is the global host of UNEP World Environment Day. During this year, shifting from the past practice of organizing World Environment Day at New Delhi only, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India organized a series of activities/events/campaigns during the first week of June, 2011, across the country in New Delhi, Bhubneshawar, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Nilgiri Biosphre Reserve etc to highlight the intrinsic link between quality of life, the health of forests and forest ecosystems, and the sustainable use of forests.
The other significant feature was organization of “Green Haat”, involving about 52 partners to showcase initiatives, of forest dwellers, Minor Forest Produce Federations of various states, women self help groups, NGO partners ,highlighting the value added forest products, in partnership with Centre for Environment Education(CEE) at Dilli Haat during June 1st to 5th, 2011. Shri Jairam Ramesh declared that this will now be a regular event by Ministry of Environment & Forests.
Biodiversity film festival for disadvantaged children, general public, prisoners, and Air Force officials was organized in partnership Centre for media studies (CMS) at New Delhi during June 1st to 4th, 2011, the festival screened more than 20 films on biodiversity at National Science Centre, PVR’s Cinemas, Tihar Jail and Subroto Park, Indian Air Force to raise awareness about Environmental issues through showcasing of films from eminent national and International film makers.
Across the Himalayan region, in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, awareness programs and Green March, involving School Children was organized by G.B.Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development.
The North East Museum Gallery at Regional Museum of Natural History, Bhubneshawar was inaugrated by the Environment & Forests Minister on 1st June, 2011.
Highlighting the role of media for Green reporting, an UNEP media workshop on Journalism and the Environment was organized at Leela Hotel, New Delhi on 2nd June, 2011.
An exhibition on Mumbai’s Environment, in partnership with Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), highlighting the environmental issues of Metropolitan and coastal cities was organized at Chhatrapati Shivaji & Churchgate Stations during 2nd to 4th June, 2011 to create awareness amongst all sections of the society.
On 3rd June, 2011, tree plantation of forest department, Government of Delhi at Juanapur, Mehrauli, Delhi was dedicated to the public, as a mark to celebrate World Environment Day, hosted by the UNEP in India, this year.
Acknowledging the role of corporate sector in ensuring Green Growth and Green Economy, a dialogue with business community on Green economy was organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at CII office, New Delhi on 3rd June, 2011.
On 4th June, 2011, a nature camp for speech and hearing children and Exhibition on Western Ghat diversity was organized at Bengaluru. Involving the IT Business Community and corporate sector, a workshop and Marathon was also organized at Bengaluru on 4th and 5th June, 2011.
To create awareness among children, a painting competition was organized today at Delhi Zoo. On this day, a workshop on, “Emerging issues in Wildlife Conservation” was also organized by Wildlife Institute of India at Dehradun.
Media public relation of the ministry needs to be mature for independent media is at lots of unease attending their events and the events gets little attention from SSI newspapers which needs Ministers immediate attention.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Baba Ramdev ,Government overt charges briefing media
Nksagar Sagar Media Inc: Baba Ramdev and Government brief media independently and overt charges on each other, Baba Ramdev told on e channels that telephonic conversation is over and Minister Kapil said we shall be giving in writing to the covenant agreed upon thus about the informal talks between the Government representatives and the Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev ended this evening. Baba Ramdev has asked to sit for two days from 4 June to 6 June 2011 at Ramlilla ground to practice austerity-the Tapa. The yoga guru sat on fast from this morning on various issues related to corruption.Ramdev desires to an ordinance to repatriate black money after declaring as National assets from abroad. Capital punishment for money laundering and people convicted for corruption.Speedy trials of persons accused of graft. Senior Ministers of the UPA government including Finance Minister Pranab Mukherji, Home Minister P.Chidambaram and HRD Minister Kapil Sibal after holding consultations and an official briefing scheduled at 6.30 this evening in which Kapil Sibal shown handwritten letter of Bab Ramdev in which Baba Ramdev principally agreed on negotiation held on Friday 03 June 2011 at Claridges hotel and Bab Ramdev said the letter was given under pressure and he in his public parliament at Ram Lila ground ask for the outcome in case taken to jail on flimsy charges.Thus a sign of suspect in two camps. Congress today alleged that Baba Ram Dev is being remotely controlled by BJP and RSS and their several frontal organisations. Party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters in New Delhi that they are trying to destabilize the government. Singhvi emphasized that UPA government has taken several measures to combat corruption and suggested that its track record in this regard is unparallel.Media agencies
Baba Ramdev publicly announced that government has plans to arrest him. (PTI) A combative Baba Ramdev today alleged there were attempts to threaten him and said he will not sit back if attacks are unleashed on him.He also said he wants concrete action on the issue of black money rather than formation of any committee. Ramdev, who launched his hunger strike against corruption early this morning, reaffirmed his demand for declaring black money stashed abroad as national wealth. "There are attempts to threaten me," Ramdev claimed, addressing supporters at Ramlila Maidan here."Some people are making irresponsible remarks like Baba wants to create instability. I did not bring discord between Hindus and Muslims or on the lines of caste or region," he said in an obvious reference to Congress targeting him. "In this fight for truth, I will not attack first but I will not sit back if I am attacked. I will reply," he said.(PTI) Baba Ramdev today began an indefinite fast against blackmoney but by the end of the day he was in a tight corner after government released a letter from his aide that he would call off the agitation by mid-day. As talks failed, the two sides blamed each other of having gone back on their commitments and Ramdev accused the government of "betrayal and cheating". Union Minister Kapil Sibal's release of the letter by Acharya Balkrishan, Ramdev's key aide, led to attack by the Yoga Guru that government was indulging in "betrayal and cheating" and that he would now only go by any word from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whom he still respects.
Baba Ramdev publicly announced that government has plans to arrest him. (PTI) A combative Baba Ramdev today alleged there were attempts to threaten him and said he will not sit back if attacks are unleashed on him.He also said he wants concrete action on the issue of black money rather than formation of any committee. Ramdev, who launched his hunger strike against corruption early this morning, reaffirmed his demand for declaring black money stashed abroad as national wealth. "There are attempts to threaten me," Ramdev claimed, addressing supporters at Ramlila Maidan here."Some people are making irresponsible remarks like Baba wants to create instability. I did not bring discord between Hindus and Muslims or on the lines of caste or region," he said in an obvious reference to Congress targeting him. "In this fight for truth, I will not attack first but I will not sit back if I am attacked. I will reply," he said.(PTI) Baba Ramdev today began an indefinite fast against blackmoney but by the end of the day he was in a tight corner after government released a letter from his aide that he would call off the agitation by mid-day. As talks failed, the two sides blamed each other of having gone back on their commitments and Ramdev accused the government of "betrayal and cheating". Union Minister Kapil Sibal's release of the letter by Acharya Balkrishan, Ramdev's key aide, led to attack by the Yoga Guru that government was indulging in "betrayal and cheating" and that he would now only go by any word from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whom he still respects.
The series of scams and plunder of nation’s wealth in UPA Government
Scam in the issue of License and Allocation of 2G Spectrum
The massive corruption in the allotment of 2G licenses in the Ministry of Telecommunication, Government of India, would remain the most shameful saga in the history of independent India. It is a copybook case of abuse and manipulation of system, misrepresentation and deception whereby selected few were favoured in the grant of license and precious spectrum, obviously, for a huge price. The facts are now too well known as to how when applications for licenses were publicly notified to be invited till 01/10/2007 then an artificial cut-off date of 25/09/2007 was created subsequently and all the applications filed between 25/09/2007 and 01/10/2007 were summarily rejected. The Prime Minister kept quiet when the rules of the game were changed after the game had begun. This was adversely commented by the Court.
The Prime Minister again kept quiet when the then Minister Mr. Raja openly flouted the direction of Dr. Manmohan Singh in his letter dated November 02, 2007 insisting for transparent mechanism for correct price of spectrum as in the year 2007 it was sought to be sold at the 2001 price when the teledensity in the country had increased manifold. The nation is entitled to know as to why as the head of the Government the Prime Minister did not intervene and stopped the entire process when licenses along with spectrum were being sold for a price in blatant violation of all the norms. Is he not clearly guilty of omission for which he has to account for 120 licenses were issued and spectrum allotted in a single day wherein many ineligible companies were also granted licences.
What is shocking is that in spite of a regular CBI case having been registered already, Dr. Manmohan Singh made a public statement on 26 Oct. 2009 that allegation against the then Telecom Minister Mr. A Raja was not correct. What kind of message he was giving to the CBI which directly works under him. When the Supreme Court took over the monitoring of investigation the same former Minister was among first to be arrested.
* The Prime Minister has to answer to the nation as to why he allowed a scam of this magnitude to occur in spite of various objections raised by responsible quarters from time to time. On the contrary he continued to give certificate of innocence to the then Minister A. Raja till the middle of 2010. The role of the then Finance Minister Mt. P. Chidambaram also raises a lot of questions. Earlier the department of finance in accordance with cabinet resolution of 2003 was insisting that there must be a transparent mechanism for determination of spectrum pricing including public option. Surprisingly Mr. Chidambram on January 15, 2008 curiously, reportedly took the position that as the licenses and spectrum have been allotted already on January 10, therefore the matter be treated as closed. Why this gross violation of cabinet norms at great cost to the nation. Obviously Mr. Chidambram has to answer many questions which requires proper investigation about his own role. Smt. Sonia Gandhi has also a lot to answer. As the Chairperson of the UPA and the President of Congress Party having the most decisive influence in the Government, what about her own responsibility when the nation’s wealth was being plundered in a Government of which she is the supreme leader.
When the CAG prepared a Comprehensive Audit Report on the Issue of License and Allocation of 2G Spectrum and calculated that the presumptive loss of price in the allocation of spectrum is almost 1.76 lacs crores then every attempt was made to condemn this finding and the present Telecom Minister Mr. Kapil Sibal publicly claimed in the Parliament that there has been Zero loss. Now, the CBI too during the course of investigation has found the loss running into thousands and thousands of crores and that too on an ad-hoc basis. The extent of loss prima-facie can be judged from the fact that in the 3G spectrum auction the Government against the target of 35,000 Crores earned a huge benefit of approximately 67,000 Crores and another Rs. 38000 crores by auctioning spectrum for broadband wireless access services. In spite of this the Prime Minister did not order any review as far as the 2G scam was concerned.
When Dr. Murali Manohar Joshi as the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee was examining the matter, then initially Dr. Manmohan Singh himself praised Dr. Joshi as a seasoned Parliamentarian and senior leader, who was doing a good job. He surprisingly offered to present himself before the Committee. However, when the committee led by Dr. Joshi decided to summon the Cabinet Secretary and the Secretary of the Prime Minister for questioning then all Parliamentary and Constitutional norms were abused in a process guided by many Central Ministers in order to frustrate any questioning. It is evident that this Government has a lot to hide. Now Dr. Joshi has submitted his report to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The same be presented to the Parliament on the first day of the next session and also be made public.
* Now the role of present Textile Minister Mr. Dayanidhi Maran who was the Telecom Minister from May 2004 to May 2007 has also come for serious scrutiny. He insisted and Dr. Manmohan Singh willingly obliged that spectrum pricing shall be taken out of the purview of Group of Ministers on the curious argument that there has been an agreement with the DMK. It had disastrous consequences for the country. Now, there are serious allegations that a particular mobile company was given undue favour after a foreign company purchased 74% equity in the said company, and thereafter allegedly it invested heavily through a subsidiary company in the family run business ventures of Mr. Maran. Apart from glaring conflict of interest and abuse of authority it was evident that Government decisions were up for sale if one is willing to pay the price/bribe. Obviously, his role also needs to be investigated.
We hope that all the ramifications of this scam would be properly examined by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and guilty would be punished in the trial. The compulsion of the coalition politics cannot be allowed to degenerate into the coalition of the corrupt. * The BJP demands that the responsibility of such a glaring case of fraud and corruption cannot be blamed only to an ally of the UPA (DMK). There are people sitting at very senior and top positions in the Government who facilitated and colluded in this loot. Obviously, their role also needs to be investigated and the investigative agency must be given full freedom to do so.
Loot of Common Wealth in the organisation of Commonwealth Games
The organisation of any international games is an occasion for achievement, celebration and rejoicing. Though, our sportsman did the nation proud yet in the organisation of Commonwealth Games held in Delhi few months ago the nation had to suffer international shame and global outrage because of monumental corruption. The BJP particularly our President Shri Nitin Gadkari has very commendably exposed the entire loot in the Commonwealth Games with facts and figures in different parts of the country. Today, Mr. Suresh Kalmadi is in jail along with many of his associates of the organising committee. But, obviously, the buck does not stop with him. He is only one of the players and the rot runs deep. * Every file was approved by the Cabinet, Cabinet sub committee, Group of Ministers, Concerned Ministry, Expenditure Finance Committee, PMO and lastly even the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister appointed a High Level Committee (HLC) headed by Mr. V. K. Shunglu (former CAG) and publicly declared that action would be taken in the light of his report. The fifth report once again confirmed that there were gross acts of omission and commission which facilitated undue gains to the contractors leading to wasteful expenditure and heavy loss to the Government. The report finds glaring irregularities in the award of contracts because there was a conspiracy from the very beginning to cause deliberate delay in the completion of the project in time, escalate the cost, seek more fund and award contracts at a very high cost because of short time span available. The committee has also severely commented against the role of the Government of Delhi headed by Smt. Shiela Dixit who concentrated all financial power in her hand, the various agencies like DDA, CPWD etc. as also the reckless acts of corruption of the organising committee headed by Mr. Kalmadi. Whether it was the commonwealth village, the renovation/construction of stadiums, the award of telecast right and even in the purchase of Air conditioners, chairs for the stadium to toilet papers; there was massive corruption every where.
The report specifically mentions that “the malaise runs deep and cannot be dismissed as a one of aberration for which relatively junior functionaries alone can be held responsible. Officers of the organisation concerned who were involved would have to identified on the basis of further investigation and suitable action be taken”. The committee further notes that “ there was a method in the madness and undue delay on projects was perhaps a deliberate attempt at higher levels to create a sense of panic with a view to giving undue advantage to all concerned”.
The total loss of taxpayers’ money because of massive corruption is about 70,000 crores in the organisation of Commonwealth Games. It is too well known that in the approval and the grant of financial sanctions some officers of the PMO were also involved. In stead of taking any action now the Delhi Chief Minister Mrs. Shiela Dixit has publicly rejected the report and the Prime Minister is again maintaining a conspicuous silence. The BJP demands as recommended by Shunglu Committee that all those sitting at higher levels be identified, their role be investigated and they be suitably punished. * The BJP further demands that the CBI must examine the role of the Delhi Government and also that of the Chief Minister Smt. Sheila Dixit in the Commonwealth Games Scam. Their culpability too is indeed obvious.
Compromising the Institutional Integrity of central Vigilance Commission (CVC)
The UPA Government surpassed all limits of propriety in forcing the appointment of P J Thomas as the Central Vigilance Commissioner who is the Chairperson of the Commission. He had an admitted tainted record because he was charge sheeted in a corruption case relating to import of palmolein, which was pending for trial before a Court in Kerala. The committee entrusted to make recommendations apart from the Prime Minister and the Home Minister also included the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Smt. Sushma Swaraj specifically objected to the recommendation of Mr. Thomas because he was accused in a corruption case. The Home Minister wrongly represented that he has been cleared. The request of Smt. Swaraj to postpone the consideration even for a day to ascertain the facts or, alternatively to appoint any one else was also turned down. Both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister forced the appointment of Mr. Thomas. It is to be noted that earlier as Telecom Secretary he had protested against the audit by the CAG over the issuance of 2G licenses on the ground that it was a policy decision and not subject to audit. What happened thereafter is too well known.
The CVC is an integrity institution. The Supreme Court while considering the challenge to his appointment found to its surprise that many noting between the year 2000 and 2004 of the DOPT recommending initiation of penalty proceeding against Mr. Thomas was not brought to the notice of the selection commission. The Court held that when institutional integrity in question and that too of a vigilant body like the CVC, the touchstone should be public interest and that the personal integrity has “certainly a co-relationship with institutional integrity”. The Court accordingly held that there was no fairness in the procedure and if one member dissents then the majority overruling it must give reasons for its disagreement.
Dr. Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister and as the Chairman of the Selection Committee was directly responsible for forcing the appointment of tainted officer as CVC to act as a watchdog against corruption. He is yet to clarify why he sought to overrule a very legitimate objection of Smt. Sushma Swaraj, the Leader of Opposition (LS) against Mr. Thomas.
Adarsh Cooperative Society Scam
This was again a copybook case of corruption. The Adarsh Cooperative Society was given prime land under the control of Defence Ministry ostensibly to build flat for the Kargil heroes and their widows in a prime costly area in Mumbai. However, it was grabbed by politicians and bureaucrats through manipulations and fraud. All the rules were manipulated with malafide intention to change the land use when Ashok Chavan was the Revenue Minister and Vilasrao Deshmukh was the Chief Minister. * Even the role of Mr. Sushil Kumar Shinde, former Chief Minister and Present Union Minister is equally suspect. The beneficiaries included many relatives of the high profile Congress politicians including former Chief Ministers.
But for the outrage in the entire country over the insult and humiliation to the memory of the Kargil heroes even such a shameful scam would not have been allowed to be investigated fairly. Yet, there are doubts still because as reported in the media the file concerning the possession and control of plot by the Defence Department, surprisingly has become traceless. * Even the file granting environmental clearance has become traceless in the Union Ministry of Environment.
Antrix Corporation Ltd -Devas Multimedia Scam
Another scam was reported in the Department of Space, a department directly under the charge of Prime Minister. In 2005 Antrix corporation Ltd, commercial arm of ISRO launched two satellite for Devas Multimedia and gave large benefit of unrestricted use of 70 MHz of scarce S-band over a twenty years period including mobile telephony for a meagre Rs. 1000 Crores without auction or, determination of reasonable price. This is important because last year the Government earned Rs. 67719 Crores by auctioning 15MHz of similar air waves for 3G mobile services and Rs. 38000 crores by auctioning spectrum for broadband wireless access services. No approval of the Government was taken nor, any monitoring done as to how such an irregular deal was allowed to take place. A decision to terminate the deal was taken only in July 2010 after five years of the deal. Only after a massive campaign in the country in view of the loss to the national exchequer, the deal was finally terminated in February 2011. Much before this termination the officers of the Devas Multimedia were in touch with high Authorities in the Government including in the PMO.
* The Department of Space comes directly under the charge of the Prime Minister. When confronted with Gross irregularity his reply was the same as usual, he did not know about it or was not told about it. It seems odd and curious that alibi of lack of knowledge has become the constant theme whenever he is confronted with any irregularity. Dr. Manmohan Singh should we presume that you don’t do any monitoring or, you are in the habit of looking the other way, whenever any wrong or corruption takes place.
Black Money of Indian nationals laying in Foreign Banks
There is a great sense of outrage in the country over the gross indifference of the Government of India in taking earnest and effective steps in recovery of black money of Indian nationals deposited in foreign banks which are fruits of crime and corruption. Earlier, when the issue was highlighted by the BJP Parliamentary Leader Shri L K Advani in the last Lok Sabha election it was it was called an election stunt by Congress. Later on it was announced that meaningful steps would be taken after coming to power. The series of adverse comments which the Supreme Court has occasion to make against the inaction of the Government in a PIL relating to the issue itself exposes the lack of seriousness of the Government. We only hear announcements of constitution of study by a multidisciplinary committee and a five pronged strategy against black money. These are just phoney declaration without any meaningful intent to execute a time bound programme to unearth black money and share with the people of the country the details of accounts holders abroad. The USA in spite of double taxation regime could use the leverage of its economy to force the Swiss Bank Authorities to reveal the names of tax defaulters. India is no more a third world economy but an emerging economic power house having strong voice in G-20 nations. What prevents the Government from using this leverage? * United Nations Convention against corruption which became effective in December 2005 was reportedly ratified by India only last week. This is an important tool for developing comprehensive response to global corruption. But for the strong monitoring by the Supreme Court the Enforcement Directorate and other Agencies would not have been allowed to honestly prosecute the case of Hasan Ali who had many foreign accounts having huge funds flow and who is in tax default to the tune of about 76,000 crores. The reason is obvious, in interrogation of the accused persons, allegations have also been made against some important Congress leaders.
Scam after Scams keep on appearing with alarming regularity in this government. The large scale irregularity in the export and import of food grain is too well known. How large quantity of food grain rotted in various godowns of the food corporation of India and common people suffered is also known to all. Now, there are reports and allegations of massive scam in the allocation of coal blocks to private parties. This includes the period when Dr. Manmohan Singh himself was the Coal Minister. Precious coal blocks were allotted in favour of private parties having questionable records and plans only on papers.
The above are only some of the glaring illustrations of massive corruption of both the UPA I and UPA II Government. Without doubt the Government headed by Dr. Manmohan Singh has witnessed the largest numbers of corruption related scams since independence. * The country witnessed the most shameful experience of Dr. Manmohan Singh Government surviving the vote of confidence by bribing some Members of Lok Sabha. Till date no meaningful or punitive action has been taken against those who are guilty. The entire UPA Government was at the beck and Call of Ottavio Quatrocchi in bailing him out of the Bofors Scandal only because he had frequent entry into the Gandhi household. How upon patent misrepresentation of a Government Law Officer, his London bank account containing the bribe money of Bofors Scandal, was released is too well known. Both the Prime Minister and Smt. Sonia Gandhi cannot escape their own responsibility in the suffering of India because of these scams. They need to come out clean. The nation is entitled to draw its own conclusions.
* The BJP will continue to fight against and expose the series of scam and scandals that has become the defining features of the UPA Government. It has already undertaken all India campaign against the corruption and scams of the UPA in the past. The BJP demands that all the black money of Indians deposited in various foreign banks which are profits of crime and corruption must be brought back to India in a time bound manner by taking adequate, prompt and pro-active steps. It is equally important that all those including high and mighty, who are involved in various scams of the UPA Government must be prosecuted.
It is evident that Dr. Manmohan Singh government has lost all the moral authority to govern the country because the way it has permitted the plunder of National wealth which has brought shame suffering and humiliation to India and Indians. It has lost popular legitimacy and forefited the right to rule the country.
The BJP gives a clarion call to the people of the country to decisively agitate against the cancer of large scale corruption unleashed by the UPA Government which is eating into the vitals of the national polity, in order to ensure that those guilty regardless of their stature an authority are held accountable and are punished.
The massive corruption in the allotment of 2G licenses in the Ministry of Telecommunication, Government of India, would remain the most shameful saga in the history of independent India. It is a copybook case of abuse and manipulation of system, misrepresentation and deception whereby selected few were favoured in the grant of license and precious spectrum, obviously, for a huge price. The facts are now too well known as to how when applications for licenses were publicly notified to be invited till 01/10/2007 then an artificial cut-off date of 25/09/2007 was created subsequently and all the applications filed between 25/09/2007 and 01/10/2007 were summarily rejected. The Prime Minister kept quiet when the rules of the game were changed after the game had begun. This was adversely commented by the Court.
The Prime Minister again kept quiet when the then Minister Mr. Raja openly flouted the direction of Dr. Manmohan Singh in his letter dated November 02, 2007 insisting for transparent mechanism for correct price of spectrum as in the year 2007 it was sought to be sold at the 2001 price when the teledensity in the country had increased manifold. The nation is entitled to know as to why as the head of the Government the Prime Minister did not intervene and stopped the entire process when licenses along with spectrum were being sold for a price in blatant violation of all the norms. Is he not clearly guilty of omission for which he has to account for 120 licenses were issued and spectrum allotted in a single day wherein many ineligible companies were also granted licences.
What is shocking is that in spite of a regular CBI case having been registered already, Dr. Manmohan Singh made a public statement on 26 Oct. 2009 that allegation against the then Telecom Minister Mr. A Raja was not correct. What kind of message he was giving to the CBI which directly works under him. When the Supreme Court took over the monitoring of investigation the same former Minister was among first to be arrested.
* The Prime Minister has to answer to the nation as to why he allowed a scam of this magnitude to occur in spite of various objections raised by responsible quarters from time to time. On the contrary he continued to give certificate of innocence to the then Minister A. Raja till the middle of 2010. The role of the then Finance Minister Mt. P. Chidambaram also raises a lot of questions. Earlier the department of finance in accordance with cabinet resolution of 2003 was insisting that there must be a transparent mechanism for determination of spectrum pricing including public option. Surprisingly Mr. Chidambram on January 15, 2008 curiously, reportedly took the position that as the licenses and spectrum have been allotted already on January 10, therefore the matter be treated as closed. Why this gross violation of cabinet norms at great cost to the nation. Obviously Mr. Chidambram has to answer many questions which requires proper investigation about his own role. Smt. Sonia Gandhi has also a lot to answer. As the Chairperson of the UPA and the President of Congress Party having the most decisive influence in the Government, what about her own responsibility when the nation’s wealth was being plundered in a Government of which she is the supreme leader.
When the CAG prepared a Comprehensive Audit Report on the Issue of License and Allocation of 2G Spectrum and calculated that the presumptive loss of price in the allocation of spectrum is almost 1.76 lacs crores then every attempt was made to condemn this finding and the present Telecom Minister Mr. Kapil Sibal publicly claimed in the Parliament that there has been Zero loss. Now, the CBI too during the course of investigation has found the loss running into thousands and thousands of crores and that too on an ad-hoc basis. The extent of loss prima-facie can be judged from the fact that in the 3G spectrum auction the Government against the target of 35,000 Crores earned a huge benefit of approximately 67,000 Crores and another Rs. 38000 crores by auctioning spectrum for broadband wireless access services. In spite of this the Prime Minister did not order any review as far as the 2G scam was concerned.
When Dr. Murali Manohar Joshi as the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee was examining the matter, then initially Dr. Manmohan Singh himself praised Dr. Joshi as a seasoned Parliamentarian and senior leader, who was doing a good job. He surprisingly offered to present himself before the Committee. However, when the committee led by Dr. Joshi decided to summon the Cabinet Secretary and the Secretary of the Prime Minister for questioning then all Parliamentary and Constitutional norms were abused in a process guided by many Central Ministers in order to frustrate any questioning. It is evident that this Government has a lot to hide. Now Dr. Joshi has submitted his report to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The same be presented to the Parliament on the first day of the next session and also be made public.
* Now the role of present Textile Minister Mr. Dayanidhi Maran who was the Telecom Minister from May 2004 to May 2007 has also come for serious scrutiny. He insisted and Dr. Manmohan Singh willingly obliged that spectrum pricing shall be taken out of the purview of Group of Ministers on the curious argument that there has been an agreement with the DMK. It had disastrous consequences for the country. Now, there are serious allegations that a particular mobile company was given undue favour after a foreign company purchased 74% equity in the said company, and thereafter allegedly it invested heavily through a subsidiary company in the family run business ventures of Mr. Maran. Apart from glaring conflict of interest and abuse of authority it was evident that Government decisions were up for sale if one is willing to pay the price/bribe. Obviously, his role also needs to be investigated.
We hope that all the ramifications of this scam would be properly examined by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and guilty would be punished in the trial. The compulsion of the coalition politics cannot be allowed to degenerate into the coalition of the corrupt. * The BJP demands that the responsibility of such a glaring case of fraud and corruption cannot be blamed only to an ally of the UPA (DMK). There are people sitting at very senior and top positions in the Government who facilitated and colluded in this loot. Obviously, their role also needs to be investigated and the investigative agency must be given full freedom to do so.
Loot of Common Wealth in the organisation of Commonwealth Games
The organisation of any international games is an occasion for achievement, celebration and rejoicing. Though, our sportsman did the nation proud yet in the organisation of Commonwealth Games held in Delhi few months ago the nation had to suffer international shame and global outrage because of monumental corruption. The BJP particularly our President Shri Nitin Gadkari has very commendably exposed the entire loot in the Commonwealth Games with facts and figures in different parts of the country. Today, Mr. Suresh Kalmadi is in jail along with many of his associates of the organising committee. But, obviously, the buck does not stop with him. He is only one of the players and the rot runs deep. * Every file was approved by the Cabinet, Cabinet sub committee, Group of Ministers, Concerned Ministry, Expenditure Finance Committee, PMO and lastly even the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister appointed a High Level Committee (HLC) headed by Mr. V. K. Shunglu (former CAG) and publicly declared that action would be taken in the light of his report. The fifth report once again confirmed that there were gross acts of omission and commission which facilitated undue gains to the contractors leading to wasteful expenditure and heavy loss to the Government. The report finds glaring irregularities in the award of contracts because there was a conspiracy from the very beginning to cause deliberate delay in the completion of the project in time, escalate the cost, seek more fund and award contracts at a very high cost because of short time span available. The committee has also severely commented against the role of the Government of Delhi headed by Smt. Shiela Dixit who concentrated all financial power in her hand, the various agencies like DDA, CPWD etc. as also the reckless acts of corruption of the organising committee headed by Mr. Kalmadi. Whether it was the commonwealth village, the renovation/construction of stadiums, the award of telecast right and even in the purchase of Air conditioners, chairs for the stadium to toilet papers; there was massive corruption every where.
The report specifically mentions that “the malaise runs deep and cannot be dismissed as a one of aberration for which relatively junior functionaries alone can be held responsible. Officers of the organisation concerned who were involved would have to identified on the basis of further investigation and suitable action be taken”. The committee further notes that “ there was a method in the madness and undue delay on projects was perhaps a deliberate attempt at higher levels to create a sense of panic with a view to giving undue advantage to all concerned”.
The total loss of taxpayers’ money because of massive corruption is about 70,000 crores in the organisation of Commonwealth Games. It is too well known that in the approval and the grant of financial sanctions some officers of the PMO were also involved. In stead of taking any action now the Delhi Chief Minister Mrs. Shiela Dixit has publicly rejected the report and the Prime Minister is again maintaining a conspicuous silence. The BJP demands as recommended by Shunglu Committee that all those sitting at higher levels be identified, their role be investigated and they be suitably punished. * The BJP further demands that the CBI must examine the role of the Delhi Government and also that of the Chief Minister Smt. Sheila Dixit in the Commonwealth Games Scam. Their culpability too is indeed obvious.
Compromising the Institutional Integrity of central Vigilance Commission (CVC)
The UPA Government surpassed all limits of propriety in forcing the appointment of P J Thomas as the Central Vigilance Commissioner who is the Chairperson of the Commission. He had an admitted tainted record because he was charge sheeted in a corruption case relating to import of palmolein, which was pending for trial before a Court in Kerala. The committee entrusted to make recommendations apart from the Prime Minister and the Home Minister also included the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Smt. Sushma Swaraj specifically objected to the recommendation of Mr. Thomas because he was accused in a corruption case. The Home Minister wrongly represented that he has been cleared. The request of Smt. Swaraj to postpone the consideration even for a day to ascertain the facts or, alternatively to appoint any one else was also turned down. Both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister forced the appointment of Mr. Thomas. It is to be noted that earlier as Telecom Secretary he had protested against the audit by the CAG over the issuance of 2G licenses on the ground that it was a policy decision and not subject to audit. What happened thereafter is too well known.
The CVC is an integrity institution. The Supreme Court while considering the challenge to his appointment found to its surprise that many noting between the year 2000 and 2004 of the DOPT recommending initiation of penalty proceeding against Mr. Thomas was not brought to the notice of the selection commission. The Court held that when institutional integrity in question and that too of a vigilant body like the CVC, the touchstone should be public interest and that the personal integrity has “certainly a co-relationship with institutional integrity”. The Court accordingly held that there was no fairness in the procedure and if one member dissents then the majority overruling it must give reasons for its disagreement.
Dr. Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister and as the Chairman of the Selection Committee was directly responsible for forcing the appointment of tainted officer as CVC to act as a watchdog against corruption. He is yet to clarify why he sought to overrule a very legitimate objection of Smt. Sushma Swaraj, the Leader of Opposition (LS) against Mr. Thomas.
Adarsh Cooperative Society Scam
This was again a copybook case of corruption. The Adarsh Cooperative Society was given prime land under the control of Defence Ministry ostensibly to build flat for the Kargil heroes and their widows in a prime costly area in Mumbai. However, it was grabbed by politicians and bureaucrats through manipulations and fraud. All the rules were manipulated with malafide intention to change the land use when Ashok Chavan was the Revenue Minister and Vilasrao Deshmukh was the Chief Minister. * Even the role of Mr. Sushil Kumar Shinde, former Chief Minister and Present Union Minister is equally suspect. The beneficiaries included many relatives of the high profile Congress politicians including former Chief Ministers.
But for the outrage in the entire country over the insult and humiliation to the memory of the Kargil heroes even such a shameful scam would not have been allowed to be investigated fairly. Yet, there are doubts still because as reported in the media the file concerning the possession and control of plot by the Defence Department, surprisingly has become traceless. * Even the file granting environmental clearance has become traceless in the Union Ministry of Environment.
Antrix Corporation Ltd -Devas Multimedia Scam
Another scam was reported in the Department of Space, a department directly under the charge of Prime Minister. In 2005 Antrix corporation Ltd, commercial arm of ISRO launched two satellite for Devas Multimedia and gave large benefit of unrestricted use of 70 MHz of scarce S-band over a twenty years period including mobile telephony for a meagre Rs. 1000 Crores without auction or, determination of reasonable price. This is important because last year the Government earned Rs. 67719 Crores by auctioning 15MHz of similar air waves for 3G mobile services and Rs. 38000 crores by auctioning spectrum for broadband wireless access services. No approval of the Government was taken nor, any monitoring done as to how such an irregular deal was allowed to take place. A decision to terminate the deal was taken only in July 2010 after five years of the deal. Only after a massive campaign in the country in view of the loss to the national exchequer, the deal was finally terminated in February 2011. Much before this termination the officers of the Devas Multimedia were in touch with high Authorities in the Government including in the PMO.
* The Department of Space comes directly under the charge of the Prime Minister. When confronted with Gross irregularity his reply was the same as usual, he did not know about it or was not told about it. It seems odd and curious that alibi of lack of knowledge has become the constant theme whenever he is confronted with any irregularity. Dr. Manmohan Singh should we presume that you don’t do any monitoring or, you are in the habit of looking the other way, whenever any wrong or corruption takes place.
Black Money of Indian nationals laying in Foreign Banks
There is a great sense of outrage in the country over the gross indifference of the Government of India in taking earnest and effective steps in recovery of black money of Indian nationals deposited in foreign banks which are fruits of crime and corruption. Earlier, when the issue was highlighted by the BJP Parliamentary Leader Shri L K Advani in the last Lok Sabha election it was it was called an election stunt by Congress. Later on it was announced that meaningful steps would be taken after coming to power. The series of adverse comments which the Supreme Court has occasion to make against the inaction of the Government in a PIL relating to the issue itself exposes the lack of seriousness of the Government. We only hear announcements of constitution of study by a multidisciplinary committee and a five pronged strategy against black money. These are just phoney declaration without any meaningful intent to execute a time bound programme to unearth black money and share with the people of the country the details of accounts holders abroad. The USA in spite of double taxation regime could use the leverage of its economy to force the Swiss Bank Authorities to reveal the names of tax defaulters. India is no more a third world economy but an emerging economic power house having strong voice in G-20 nations. What prevents the Government from using this leverage? * United Nations Convention against corruption which became effective in December 2005 was reportedly ratified by India only last week. This is an important tool for developing comprehensive response to global corruption. But for the strong monitoring by the Supreme Court the Enforcement Directorate and other Agencies would not have been allowed to honestly prosecute the case of Hasan Ali who had many foreign accounts having huge funds flow and who is in tax default to the tune of about 76,000 crores. The reason is obvious, in interrogation of the accused persons, allegations have also been made against some important Congress leaders.
Scam after Scams keep on appearing with alarming regularity in this government. The large scale irregularity in the export and import of food grain is too well known. How large quantity of food grain rotted in various godowns of the food corporation of India and common people suffered is also known to all. Now, there are reports and allegations of massive scam in the allocation of coal blocks to private parties. This includes the period when Dr. Manmohan Singh himself was the Coal Minister. Precious coal blocks were allotted in favour of private parties having questionable records and plans only on papers.
The above are only some of the glaring illustrations of massive corruption of both the UPA I and UPA II Government. Without doubt the Government headed by Dr. Manmohan Singh has witnessed the largest numbers of corruption related scams since independence. * The country witnessed the most shameful experience of Dr. Manmohan Singh Government surviving the vote of confidence by bribing some Members of Lok Sabha. Till date no meaningful or punitive action has been taken against those who are guilty. The entire UPA Government was at the beck and Call of Ottavio Quatrocchi in bailing him out of the Bofors Scandal only because he had frequent entry into the Gandhi household. How upon patent misrepresentation of a Government Law Officer, his London bank account containing the bribe money of Bofors Scandal, was released is too well known. Both the Prime Minister and Smt. Sonia Gandhi cannot escape their own responsibility in the suffering of India because of these scams. They need to come out clean. The nation is entitled to draw its own conclusions.
* The BJP will continue to fight against and expose the series of scam and scandals that has become the defining features of the UPA Government. It has already undertaken all India campaign against the corruption and scams of the UPA in the past. The BJP demands that all the black money of Indians deposited in various foreign banks which are profits of crime and corruption must be brought back to India in a time bound manner by taking adequate, prompt and pro-active steps. It is equally important that all those including high and mighty, who are involved in various scams of the UPA Government must be prosecuted.
It is evident that Dr. Manmohan Singh government has lost all the moral authority to govern the country because the way it has permitted the plunder of National wealth which has brought shame suffering and humiliation to India and Indians. It has lost popular legitimacy and forefited the right to rule the country.
The BJP gives a clarion call to the people of the country to decisively agitate against the cancer of large scale corruption unleashed by the UPA Government which is eating into the vitals of the national polity, in order to ensure that those guilty regardless of their stature an authority are held accountable and are punished.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Abbottabad commission in fix
Pakistan's new commission into how Osama bin Laden lived in the country undetected for so long ran into trouble Thursday as one appointee refused to take part and the political opposition criticised it.Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani announced Tuesday that an independent commission would investigate the circumstances of the Al-Qaeda chief's presence in Abbottabad, where he was shot dead by US Navy SEALs in a covert operation.The revelation that the world's most-wanted man lived in a garrison city just a stone's throw from a top military academy raised questions about complicity or incompetence within the Pakistani security services.
Gilani's office said the five-member commission would be headed by senior supreme court judge Javed Iqbal and was mandated "to ascertain the full facts regarding the presence of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan".
Former supreme court judge Fakhruddin Ebrahim told media on Thursday that he had written to the prime minister refusing to sit on the panel."I was not consulted before my name was included in the commission and the government did not follow the procedure prescribed in the parliament's resolution," he said."They will have to reconstitute it," he added.
Parliament on May 14 adopted a resolution saying the composition of the commission would be settled after consultations between the leader of the house and the leader of the opposition, he said.Talking to media, Farhatullah Babar, spokesman for President Asif Ali Zardari said Ebrahim's decision was a "surprise" and reserved further comment pending consultation with the law ministry.
The main opposition leader Nawaz Sharif also criticised the government on Thursday over the commission, saying he had not been consulted.
"The commission set up without consultations was meaningless. It collapsed before it could be formed. What was the use of a commission set up unilaterally?" he told reporters.The naming of the much-awaited panel came amid demands from lawmakers in Washington and Islamabad for disclosure on the bin Laden affair after the episode threw already tense ties between the allies into turmoil.
Pakistan has suffered a wave of fresh attacks this month, with the country's main Taliban faction claiming hits on domestic and American targets to avenge bin Laden's killing.Media agencies
Gilani's office said the five-member commission would be headed by senior supreme court judge Javed Iqbal and was mandated "to ascertain the full facts regarding the presence of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan".
Former supreme court judge Fakhruddin Ebrahim told media on Thursday that he had written to the prime minister refusing to sit on the panel."I was not consulted before my name was included in the commission and the government did not follow the procedure prescribed in the parliament's resolution," he said."They will have to reconstitute it," he added.
Parliament on May 14 adopted a resolution saying the composition of the commission would be settled after consultations between the leader of the house and the leader of the opposition, he said.Talking to media, Farhatullah Babar, spokesman for President Asif Ali Zardari said Ebrahim's decision was a "surprise" and reserved further comment pending consultation with the law ministry.
The main opposition leader Nawaz Sharif also criticised the government on Thursday over the commission, saying he had not been consulted.
"The commission set up without consultations was meaningless. It collapsed before it could be formed. What was the use of a commission set up unilaterally?" he told reporters.The naming of the much-awaited panel came amid demands from lawmakers in Washington and Islamabad for disclosure on the bin Laden affair after the episode threw already tense ties between the allies into turmoil.
Pakistan has suffered a wave of fresh attacks this month, with the country's main Taliban faction claiming hits on domestic and American targets to avenge bin Laden's killing.Media agencies
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Sania and Vesnina in French Open doubles final
Sania Mirza stormed into her first Grand Slam doubles final as she and her Russian partner Elena Vesnina defeated American duo of Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond in a thrilling three-setter in the semifinals of the French Open in Paris on Thursday.
Seeded seventh in the tournament, Sania and Vesnina beat their fourth seeded opponents 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 in 105 minute semifinal contest at the Roland Garros.
In the final, the Indo-Russian combo will face the unseeded Czech duo of Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka who beat third seeded pair of Vania King of United States and Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-3 in another semifinal.
This is Sania's third Grand Slam final appearance in her career the first two being in the mixed doubles in the Australian Open.Media agencies
Seeded seventh in the tournament, Sania and Vesnina beat their fourth seeded opponents 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 in 105 minute semifinal contest at the Roland Garros.
In the final, the Indo-Russian combo will face the unseeded Czech duo of Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka who beat third seeded pair of Vania King of United States and Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-3 in another semifinal.
This is Sania's third Grand Slam final appearance in her career the first two being in the mixed doubles in the Australian Open.Media agencies
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
UNEP Report on “Green Economy and the Forest”
Shri Jairam Ramesh to Release UNEP Report on “Green Economy and the Forest” on World Environment Day -World Environment Day, 5th June is observed each year throughout the world, to focus attention on emerging environmental issues, and to induce public action. For 2011 UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) has given the theme "Forests: Nature at Your Service" in alignment with the UN International Year of Forests, 2011.
First time, India is the global host of UNEP World Environment Day. During this year, shifting from the past practice of organizing World Environment Day at New Delhi only, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India has planned a series of activities/events/campaigns during the first week of June, 2011, across the country in New Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve to highlight the intrinsic link between quality of life, the health of forests and forest ecosystems, and the sustainable use of forests. Long-term survival of forests is crucial for sustainable development and a green economy.
Apart from “Green Walkathon” involving all sections of the society for citizens of Delhi in partnership with the Government of Delhi, to be organized on 5th June, 2011 at India Gate, the other significant feature will be organization of “Green Haat”, involving about 52 partners to showcase initiatives, of forest dwellers, Minor Forest Produce Federations of various states, women self help groups, NGO partners ,highlighting the value added forest products, in partnership with Centre for Environment Education(CEE) at Dilli Haat during June 1st to 5th, 2011, during which a report on, ”Rapid Assessment of the Himalayas” will also be launched on 3rd June, 2011.
Biodiversity film festival for disadvantaged children, general public, prisoners, and Air Force officials will be organized in partnership Centre for media studies (CMS) at New Delhi during June 1st to 4th, 2011 at National Science Centre, PVR’s Cinemas, Tihar Jail and Subroto Park, Indian Air Force to raise awareness about Environmental issues through showcasing of films from eminent national and International film makers.
Across the Himalayan region, in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, awareness programs and Green March, involving School Children will be organized by G.B.Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development.
The North East Museum Gallery at Regional Museum of Natural History, Bhubaneswar will be inaugurated by Shri Jairam Ramesh, the Union Minister of State for Environment & Forests (Independent Charge) on 1st June, 2011.
Highlighting the role of media for Green reporting, an UNEP media workshop on Journalism and the Environment is being organized at Leela Hotel, New Delhi on 2nd June, 2011.
An exhibition on Mumbai’s Environment, in partnership with Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), highlighting the environmental issues of Metropolitan and coastal cities will be organized at Chhatrapati Shivaji & Churchgate Stations during 2nd to 4th June, 2011 to create awareness amongst all sections of the society.
On 3rd June, 2011, tree plantation of forest department, Government of Delhi at Juanapur, Mehrauli, Delhi will be dedicated to the public, as a mark to celebrate World Environment Day, hosted by the UNEP in India, this year. Showcasing the public private partnership, in environment awareness, a public park development by Leela Hotel will be inaugurated on 4th June, 2011.
Acknowledging the role of corporate sector in ensuring Green Growth and Green Economy, a dialogue with business community on Green economy has been organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at CII office, New Delhi on 3rd June, 2011.
On 4th June, 2011, a nature camp for speech and hearing children and Exhibition on Western Ghat diversity will be organized at Institute of Wood Science and Technology, Bengaluru. Involving the IT Business Community and corporate sector, a workshop and Marathon will be organized at Bengaluru on 4th and 5th June, 2011.
To create awareness among children, a painting competition will be organized on 5th June, 2011 at Delhi Zoo. On this day, a workshop on, “Emerging issues in Wildlife Conservation” will be organized by Wildlife Institute of India at Dehradun.
The series of celebrations will culminate on 5th June, 2011 in New Delhi, where a civil society seminar-“Nature and Livelihoods: Women’s Perspective” along with press conference and release of UNEP report on “Green Economy and the Forest” by the Minister of Environment and Forests Shri Jairam Ramesh will be organized.
****
First time, India is the global host of UNEP World Environment Day. During this year, shifting from the past practice of organizing World Environment Day at New Delhi only, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India has planned a series of activities/events/campaigns during the first week of June, 2011, across the country in New Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve to highlight the intrinsic link between quality of life, the health of forests and forest ecosystems, and the sustainable use of forests. Long-term survival of forests is crucial for sustainable development and a green economy.
Apart from “Green Walkathon” involving all sections of the society for citizens of Delhi in partnership with the Government of Delhi, to be organized on 5th June, 2011 at India Gate, the other significant feature will be organization of “Green Haat”, involving about 52 partners to showcase initiatives, of forest dwellers, Minor Forest Produce Federations of various states, women self help groups, NGO partners ,highlighting the value added forest products, in partnership with Centre for Environment Education(CEE) at Dilli Haat during June 1st to 5th, 2011, during which a report on, ”Rapid Assessment of the Himalayas” will also be launched on 3rd June, 2011.
Biodiversity film festival for disadvantaged children, general public, prisoners, and Air Force officials will be organized in partnership Centre for media studies (CMS) at New Delhi during June 1st to 4th, 2011 at National Science Centre, PVR’s Cinemas, Tihar Jail and Subroto Park, Indian Air Force to raise awareness about Environmental issues through showcasing of films from eminent national and International film makers.
Across the Himalayan region, in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, awareness programs and Green March, involving School Children will be organized by G.B.Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development.
The North East Museum Gallery at Regional Museum of Natural History, Bhubaneswar will be inaugurated by Shri Jairam Ramesh, the Union Minister of State for Environment & Forests (Independent Charge) on 1st June, 2011.
Highlighting the role of media for Green reporting, an UNEP media workshop on Journalism and the Environment is being organized at Leela Hotel, New Delhi on 2nd June, 2011.
An exhibition on Mumbai’s Environment, in partnership with Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), highlighting the environmental issues of Metropolitan and coastal cities will be organized at Chhatrapati Shivaji & Churchgate Stations during 2nd to 4th June, 2011 to create awareness amongst all sections of the society.
On 3rd June, 2011, tree plantation of forest department, Government of Delhi at Juanapur, Mehrauli, Delhi will be dedicated to the public, as a mark to celebrate World Environment Day, hosted by the UNEP in India, this year. Showcasing the public private partnership, in environment awareness, a public park development by Leela Hotel will be inaugurated on 4th June, 2011.
Acknowledging the role of corporate sector in ensuring Green Growth and Green Economy, a dialogue with business community on Green economy has been organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at CII office, New Delhi on 3rd June, 2011.
On 4th June, 2011, a nature camp for speech and hearing children and Exhibition on Western Ghat diversity will be organized at Institute of Wood Science and Technology, Bengaluru. Involving the IT Business Community and corporate sector, a workshop and Marathon will be organized at Bengaluru on 4th and 5th June, 2011.
To create awareness among children, a painting competition will be organized on 5th June, 2011 at Delhi Zoo. On this day, a workshop on, “Emerging issues in Wildlife Conservation” will be organized by Wildlife Institute of India at Dehradun.
The series of celebrations will culminate on 5th June, 2011 in New Delhi, where a civil society seminar-“Nature and Livelihoods: Women’s Perspective” along with press conference and release of UNEP report on “Green Economy and the Forest” by the Minister of Environment and Forests Shri Jairam Ramesh will be organized.
****
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