Stop illegal oil smuggling by ISIS
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi accused its neighbor of being a hub for the “majority” of illegal oil smuggling operations by ISIS terrorists.
During a meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Abadi stressed the importance of stopping oil smuggling from jihadi-controlled parts of Iraq and Syria. The Iraqi prime minister also called for international support to help his country fight Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).
“Turkey is a country neighboring Iraq, and a country that should be friendly with Iraq, they promised us that they would stop the entry of terrorists, however we need more action in order to stop the pumping of terrorists from Turkey into Syria and into Iraq. Also the stopping of the smuggling of petrol from Syria and Iraq and the financing of Daesh [the Arabic name for IS] in a general sense through this illegal trade,” Abadi said.Media reports the latest estimate more than 43 percent of Islamic State revenue comes from the illegal oil trade. Russian Ministry of Defense reconnaissance data gathered as part of the military operation in the Syrian skies shows that most of the illegal smuggling is done through Turkey.
The Iraqi PM said that the Turkish side was aware of the issue which they promised to resolve under UN Security Council resolution adopted last month that had urged all nations to combat the ISIS threat.
G20 total international merchandise trade continues to fall in Q3 2015
The G20 total international merchandise trade, seasonally adjusted and expressed in current US dollars, continued to contract in the third quarter of 2015, albeit at a slower pace than in previous quarters.
Exports fell for the fifth straight quarter (by 0.9% compared to 1.3%, and 7.3% in the previous two quarters) while imports fell for the sixth straight quarter (by 0.8%, compared to 1.1% and 8.5% in the previous two quarters).
The United States recorded a decline in both exports (by 1.0%) and imports, although the fall in imports was marginal. In other NAFTA economies, exports picked up in Canada (by 0.8%) while imports contracted (by 3.7%), whereas in Mexico both imports and exports grew (by 0.9%).
Exports also grew (by 1.3%) in China , for the first time in a year, but imports continued their recent downward trend, falling (by 1.2%) to the lowest levels since early 2011. In other parts of Asia, exports continued to trend downwards although only marginally in Japan (by 0.5%) and at a higher pace in Korea (by 1.6%). In Indonesia imports and exports fell by more than 7%, while exports also fell significantly in India (by 3.9%).
Exports and imports by the European Union (EU28) fell for a fifth consecutive quarter, although only marginally (by 0.4% and 0.3% respectively). Exports fell strongly however in the United Kingdom (by 5.0%), offsetting the strong gains made in the previous quarter, while in Germany exports and imports grew for the first time since the second quarter of 2014.
This is not acceptable rhetoric.
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Asian Economic Integration Report 2015
SEZs in an economy is positively related to overall export performance in Asia and attract significantly more FDI: Asian Economic Integration Report 2015
The Asian Economic Integration Report 2015, examines current trends in trade, finance, migration, remittances and other economic activities in the region, with a special focus on the role of special economic zones.
According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) report, Special economic zones (SEZs) can be a driving force for increased trade, investment, and economic reform in Asia at a time the region is experiencing a slowdown in trade, provided the right business environments and policies are put in place.
The report shows that the expansion in the number of SEZs from about 500 in 1995 to over 4,300 in 2015 shows the strong and rising interest to this form of policy experiment, though the success record is somewhat mixed. The report also suggested that if designed right, SEZs can become drivers for increased trade, foreign direct investment (FDI), and better economic policymaking and reforms. Moreover, as countries develop, areas with SEZs can be transformed from mere manufacturing sites to hubs for innovation and modern services.
The report highlights that the number of SEZs in an economy is positively related to overall export performance in Asia . The report also finds that in developing Asia , countries with SEZs attract significantly more FDI, with the existence of SEZs corresponding to 82% greater FDI levels.
The report also provides analysis on Asia ’s trade. The data in the report show that Asia’s income elasticity of trade declined from 2.69 before the global financial crisis to 1.30 afterwards and the value of Asia ’s intermediate goods trade, almost 60% of total trade contracted 2.6% in 2014.
The report also outlines how Asia has become an important source of outbound investment, with FDI outflows outstripping inflows, growing over 45% between 2010 and 2014. Increased investment was led by traditional investors including Japan , Hong Kong , China and Singapore and also emerging Asian investors such as the PRC, India , Malaysia , and Thailand . Asia remains the world’s largest source of international migrants, accounting for a third of the global total in 2013, and the region also accounted for nearly 50% of global remittances in 2014, highlighted the report.
Analysis of Donations Received by National Political Parties – FY 2014-15
This report, prepared by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW), focuses on donations received by the National Political Parties, above Rs 20,000, during the Financial Year 2014-15, as submitted by the parties to the Election Commission of India (ECI). The National Parties include Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M).
Executive Summary
The executive summary below lists the key observations drawn from the report:
- Donations above Rs 20,000 to National Parties from all over India (FY 2014-15)
- The total amount of donations above Rs 20,000 received by National Political Parties during FY 2014-15 is calculated from the donations report submitted to the Election Commission annually.
- The total amount of donations above Rs 20,000 declared by the National Parties was Rs. 622.38 crores, from1695 donations.
- With 1234 donations from individuals and corporates, BJP tops the list and has declared a total of Rs 437.35 crores as received via voluntary contributions above Rs 20,000. The donations declared by BJP is more than twice the aggregate declared by the INC, NCP, CPI and CPM for the same period.
- BSP declared that the party did not receive any donations above Rs 20,000during FY 2014-15, as it has been declaring for the past 10 years.
- Comparison of donations received by National Parties during FY 2013-14 and FY 2014-15
- The total donations of the National Parties during FY 2014-15 increased by Rs 374.61 crores, an increase of 151%, from the previous financial year, 2013-14.
- NCP declared the highest increase of 177%, from Rs 14.02 crores in FY 2013-14 to Rs 38.82 crores in FY 2014-15 while donations to BJP increased from Rs 170.86 crores during FY 2013-14 to Rs 437.35 crores during FY 2014-15 (156% increase).
III. Incomplete disclosure of information in the donations report
- Rs 83.915 lakhs was declared as received by BJP from 20 such donors whosePAN details, Address and Mode of contribution (together) were unavailable. Thus, only names of such donors and the contributed amount was declared by the party. 73% of such funds came from corporates and 27% from individual donors.
- In the report submitted by INC, the column for declaring mode of contributiondoes not contain the Cheque/DD numbers, for 192 donations amounting to Rs 138.98 crores. This forms 98% of total donations above Rs 20,000 to the party.Without the complete cheque/DD details, it would be a time consuming processto link the donors against their donations and hence trace the money trail.
- INC received a total of Rs 55.88 lakhs as donations by cash but PAN details of 11 such donors are unavailable. Similarly, CPI collected a total of Rs 4.49 lakhs as donations by cash from 8 donors whose PAN details are unavailable.
- CPI has not provided the names and PAN number of 27 state secretaries of the party though their contributions amount to Rs 76.81 lakhs.
- Top donors to National Parties, FY 2014-15
- Bharti Group’s Satya Electoral Trust donated a total of Rs 132 crores to BJP, INC and NCP and is one of the top 2 donors to the two parties. The Trust donated Rs 107.25 crores to BJP (25% of total funds received by the party), Rs 18.75 croresto INC (13% of total funds received by the party) and Rs 6 crores to NCP.
- General Electoral Trust had not made any donations to the National Parties during FY 2013-14 but has contributed a total of Rs 117.30 crores to BJP and INC. BJP received Rs 63.2 crores (14% of total funds received by the party) andINC received Rs 54.10 crores (38% of total funds received by the party) from the Trustduring FY 2014-15. PAN details of the Trust were not available in the report submitted by INC and only once (for its donation of Rs 20 lakhs) in the report filed by BJP.
- Donations to CPI were by means of collection, levy and membership fees. Maximum amount was fromSecretary, Kerala State Council (Rs 20 lakhs) followed by Sudhakar Reddy (Rs 17.88 lakhs).
- Donors from Corporates/ business sectors Vs. Individual donors
- 968 donations from corporate/business sectors amounting to Rs 576.37 crores(92.61% of total donations) were made to the National Parties while 699 individual donors donated Rs 45.23 crores (7.27% of total donations) to the parties during FY 2014-15.
- 794 donations from corporate/business sectors amounting to Rs 409.94 croreswere made to BJP while 440 individual donors donated Rs 27.41 crores to the party during FY 2014-15.
- 121 donations from corporate/business sectors amounting to Rs 127.96 croreswere made to INC while159 individual donors donated Rs 13.5 crores to the party.
- State-wise donations to National Parties
- Segregation of donations according to State was made by ADR/NEW based on the address provided by the parties in their donations report to the ECI.
- A total of Rs 260.01 crores was donated to the National Parties fromMaharashtra by both corporates and individuals together, followed by Rs 24.76 crores from Gujarat and Rs 15.34 crores from Delhi.
- A total of Rs 305.97 crores, (49% of total donations received by the National parties, FY 2014-15), could not be attributed to any State/ Union Territory due to incomplete information provided by the parties.
Recommendations of ADR
- There is ambiguity in details of donations declared by the National Parties. In the report submitted by INC, the column for declaring mode of contributiondoes not contain the Cheque/DD numbers, for 192 donations amounting to Rs 138.98 crores. This forms 98% of total donations above Rs 20,000 to the party.Without the complete cheque/DD details, it would be a time consuming processto link the donors against their donations and hence trace the money trail.
- Rs 83.915 lakhs was declared as received by BJP from 20 such donors whosePAN details, Address and Mode of contribution (together) were unavailable. Thus, only names of such donors and the contributed amount was declared by the party. 73% of such funds came from corporates and 27% from individual donors. Such blatant disregard for rules by the political parties should be curbed and donations with incomplete details should not be entitled to the benefit of 100% tax exemptions of the defaulting parties.
- Full details of all donors should be made available for public scrutiny under the RTI. Some countries where this is done include Bhutan, Nepal, Germany, France, Italy, Brazil, Bulgaria, the US and Japan. In none of these countries is it possible for 75% of the source of funds to be unknown, but at present it is so in India.
For complete report including multiple donations by top donors and details of preferred mode of payment by the contributors, kindly refer to http://goo.gl/7zaYRw.
Regards,
| Maj Gen Anil Verma (Retd.)
Head
National Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms
+91 8826479910
anilverma@adrindia.org
| Prof Jagdeep Chhokar
IIM Ahmedabad (Retd)
Founder Member National Election Watch, Association for Democratic
Reforms
+919999620944
jchhokar@gmail.com
| Prof Trilochan Sastry
IIM Bangalore
Founder Member,
National Election Watch,
Association for Democratic Reforms
+919448353285,
trilochans@iimb.ernet.in
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—
Association for Democratic Reforms
T-95A, C.L. House, 1st Floor,
(Near Gulmohar Commercial Complex)
Gautam Nagar
New Delhi-110 049
(Near Gulmohar Commercial Complex)
Gautam Nagar
New Delhi-110 049
M: +91 8010394248
T: +91 11 41654200
F: 011 4609 4248
Web:
08 December 2015 | Edition:219
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Why Doesn’t India Produce Inventions? RIL $30b For Trading
December08, 2015 (C) Ravinder Singh ravindersinvent@gmail.com
Three simple reasons ‘Why Doesn’t India Produce Inventions?’ – India has never produced a Commercial Technology [Invention] because –
Ø India Never Protected Indian Inventions – Slow or No Patents,
Ø India Never Funded/Supported Indian Inventions,
Ø India Never Kept ‘Invention Submitted Confidential.’
GoI Never Imported BEST Technology – Never had STABLE Policy to Promote Local INVENTIONS – Supported Weird Ideas
[$100b TAX FOREGONE FOR TRADING > NOTHING FOR INVENTIONS]
$Trillion Inventions are Created in Professional Inventor’s Brain in Seconds & Confirmed in 30 minutes to two hours – But the Process to Bring INVENTIONS to the Market and Make $millions Requires $millions to $Billions of Investment and Years Of Hard Work.
I don’t know who are the Two Indian Corporate David Wittenberg was referring to – RIL & Tata have taken $30b and $40b as Loans from Indian Public Deposits but sell Fruits, Vegetables and Grocery or Simply Trading.
It is Common Knowledge Indian Patent Office is Crippling Slow – Support Provided by the Government Is Barely Say $0.1m When Invention May Require $10-100m To Hit The Market As Commercially Successful & Profitable Product –
At No Stage ‘In Absence of Patents INVENTIONS Are SECURE’.
Even in Pharma Sector Where Substantial R&D Expenditure is Reported – India Failed to Even Copy ‘Patented Drugs’ and is back to 2004 Level.
Production INDEX 2004-05 = 100
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2007-08
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2013-14
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2014-15
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48. Antibiotics +
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130.7
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116.5
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96.5
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At an Event I asked RIL R&D Head – ‘RIL Has Rs.100,000 Cr Cash – You Can Support 100,000 Inventions – He Was Exited’ But RIL Invested in Fruit & Vegetables, Retail of Grocery.
Ravinder Singh, Inventor & Consultant, INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND PROJECTS
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