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Sunday,
June 30, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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India
building anti-missile system Defence
purchases to be instrument of foreign policy India
lauds G-8 stand on terrorism Sibal to
take over as Foreign Secy tomorrow |
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2nd
Labour Panel report submitted Chandigarh-Delhi
Jan Shatabdi soon Dissuade
Modi from yatra, Sonia urges PM 4 Shiv
Sainiks arrested ‘Aamrapali’
— historical series on DD
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India building anti-missile system New Delhi, June 29 This was disclosed here by the outgoing Defence Secretary Yogendra Narain, who would demit office tomorrow evening to the Secretary, Department of Defence Production and Supplies, Subir Dutta. In his farewell interaction with the media, the Defence Secretary described the anti-missile system as critical to the country’s defence as India was facing a major missile threat. He said the country needed an indigenous anti-missile system, when asked specifically whether India was developing one. While pointing out that India was now being recognised as a regional superpower, Mr Narain said we needed the system as there was a threat against India on that front. According to reports, the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) was in the process of developing a system, but it was still to be trial evaluated. Commenting on the integration of the armed forces, he said all major recommendations of the Group of Ministers had been implemented and changes brought about in the higher defence management. A notification had also been issued for the Service Headquarters to be part of the Ministry of Defence as the Integrated Headquarters. He was not ready to say when the country would get its first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). Asked specifically, he pointed out that there was a lot of political opposition to the post. There was no political unanimity on the issue and the opposition parties were opposed to it. Mr Narain said it was for the country’s political leadership to take the final view on it. He said earlier, there were differences among the three services on the CDS system, but these had been sorted out. Opposition parties had also expressed reservations on the creation of the CDS and these had been conveyed to him during Parliamentary Standing Committee meetings, Mr Narain said. While most of the issues related to the integration of armed forces had been cleared by the Cabinet, the issue of the CDS had been left to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. The Prime Minister was to seek the opinion of other political parties before taking a decision. On the growing Indo-Israeli defence relationship, the Defence Secretary said, “Israel is completely with us and we have no divergence at all with it on foreign policy.” Regarding the pressure on Tel Aviv from the USA from time to time with regard to defence supplies, he said, “We have had no hitches so far.” He also disagreed with a suggestion that Arab and Muslim nations like Iran were unhappy about India’s relations with Israel. He said, “Every country has to keep its national interests in mind... I do not think any country has any objection.’’ Talking about various initiatives taken by the Defence Ministry during his stewardship, Mr Narain said the Cabinet Committee on Security had, at its last meeting, approved new procurement procedures for the Defence Procurement Board. The board had become quite effective and this could be gauged by the fact that capital expenditure for 2001-02 had gone up to Rs 16,200 crore, against Rs 12,000 crore last year. “We hope to spend Rs 22,000 crore as capital expenditure in 2002-03,” he added. Many ambitious programmes were also on the anvil. The Defence Ministry had sent a proposal to the Finance Ministry that funds allocated as capital budget should not be allowed to lapse. In fact, they should be transferred to the next year’s budget, as was being done in some western countries like Italy. The government had also cleared a number of projects on fast-track basis. These included night-vision facilities, unmanned aerial vehicles, hand-held thermal imagers and thermal image observation equipment. In order to make defence purchases transparent, the ministry had also approved a proposal to have a group of eminent persons to oversee the deals. The 12-strong group would comprise retired defence officials and persons with expertise in norms and procedure. On whether the government’s proposal to have defence agents had made any headway, he regretted that only four parties had so far evinced interest in this. On the deal with French shipbuilding giant DCN International, the Defence Secretary said the project, which would reopen Indian submarine production lines, would involve building six-killer submarines. It was on the verge of conclusion, with price negotiations having been concluded, he said. Mr Narain touched on all the country’s major projects and asserted that the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) would be ready by 2006. The LCA would be the most advanced combat aircraft to fly at the time of its induction, he said. Conceding that there had been some slippage in the country’s missile programme with some setbacks in the ground-to-air Trishul missile, the Defence Secretary said with the success of Agni and Prithvi versions, the missile programme was on the right track. He attributed the slippage in the country’s indigenous missile programme to post-Pokhran sanctions. On setting up of the strategic command to oversee the country’s nuclear and missile arsenal, he said, “deliberations on this are still on”. |
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Defence
purchases to be instrument of foreign policy New Delhi, June 29 Talking to mediapersons Defence Secretary Yogendra Narain said today that it was the considered opinion of the government that it should use its defence procurements from other countries, which are huge, for seeking favours on the foreign policy front. “We have to link defence purchases with the foreign policy,” Mr Narain said. Observing that India was suddenly finding itself being thrown up as a “super regional power” because of its economic and military strengths, the Secretary said, “A large number of countries expect us to play a bigger role in the world arena instead of confining ourselves to the region.” He said that besides Russia, India was buying defence equipment from France, South Africa, Israel and Italy. But, India would now insist on transfer of technology whenever it was placing an order for defence purchases with any country. He also indicated that India had finally made up its mind to go in for British Hawks to meet the long-standing need of Advanced Jet Trainers
(AJTs) for the Indian Air Force (IAF). “The AJT project is literally in the last stages,” he said, adding that the Price Negotiation Committee had already given its report on the deal. Asked if the government had zeroed in on the British jets, he smiled but did not say anything. However, when a reporter asked him if Britain had agreed to transfer the technology in the event of India purchasing Hawks, Mr Narain replied in the affirmative. He said “sooner or later, we have to buy
AJTs...let us see what decision the government takes.” India has for the past for more than a decade been looking for suitable AJTs to meet the demand of the Air Force, especially in view of the crashes of a number of MiGs in the recent past. With the demand for well-trained armed personnel increasing in view of Indo-Pakistan tensions, the government has also decided to set up a national defence university near the Capital. Mr Narain said that the government had cleared a proposal made in this regard by the committee on the national defence university. “We have accepted the proposal for creating the university at a cost of Rs 200 crore...this will be the third university of its kind in the world after the USA and China,” he added. Mr Narain said that the committee had proposed Delhi for setting up the university. “We are looking at the possibility of setting up the university at
Noida...it has to be somewhere near Delhi,” he added. |
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India lauds G-8 stand on terrorism New Delhi, June 29 Asked to react on G-8 statement on Pakistan wherein the eight industrialised countries had asked Pakistan to put a permanent stop to terrorist activity originating from Pakistan, the spokesperson said, “It rightly focuses on the need for Pakistan to put a conclusive and permanent end to terrorism and all terrorism-related activity.” |
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Sibal to take over as Foreign Secy tomorrow New Delhi, June 29 He succeeds Ms Chokila Iyer who is retiring. Ms Iyer, who created history in March last year by becoming the first ever woman Foreign Secretary, was given farewell reception at the South Block yesterday. Mr Sibal, a 50-year-old 1966-batch IFS officer, served as India’s Ambassador to France from 1998 before taking over in April this year as Secretary (West). He has served in Cairo, Washington, Turkey, Kathmandu, Lisbon, Tanzania and London besides holding important positions in Delhi. Meanwhile, a number of ambassadorial appointments have also been announced by the Ministry of External Affairs. Mr Nirupam Sen, India’s Ambassador to Norway, will swap places with Mr Gopalkrishna Gandhi as High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. Mr Praveen Lal Goyal, Additional Secretary in the MEA, has been appointed as the next Ambassador to Switzerland. |
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2nd Labour Panel report submitted
New Delhi, June 29 Mr Vajpayee gave this assurance after receiving the much-awaited report of the commission from its Chairman Ravindra Verma here. The report also had a dissent note from Sangh affiliated trade union Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh (BMS). BMS Vice President C.K. Saji Satyanaryanan, who was one of the members of the commission, gave his dissent note on eight issues, including that on contract labour and strike through ballot. Earlier, Mr Vajpayee sought to clarify the general impression that the reforms meant overlooking workers interests. To a question whether the report would be made public after it was tabled in Parliament, Mr Verma said it was for the government to decide how to implement the recommendations and whether it would be tabled in Parliament. He, however, declined to disclose the contents of the report. The commission was set up in October 1999 with a two-year term but was given four extensions to complete its task. The 10-member commission was asked to suggest rationalisation of existing labour laws in the organised sector and take into account opening up of the Indian economy, international competitiveness and the needs and demands of the future labour markets. The panel, having representation from both industry and the labour, was also asked to suggest an umbrella legislation for welfare of workers in the unorganised sector. Referring to the organised sector, Mr Vajpayee said all social partners had a role to play and expressed the hope that those who had dissented would be satisfied with the government’s action on the report. Presenting the report, the Chairman said concerns of all social partners had been taken into consideration while reviewing the labour laws. The recommendations included reduction and rationalisation of a plethora of labour laws and linking of elimination of child labour with education. Mr Narayanan’s note of dissent also covers issues like strike, holidays, working hours, exemption of units from labour laws, outside leadership of trade unions and bonus, a BMS note said. BMS sources said Mr Narayanan was opposed to the proposal for raising the limit of 100 workers to 1000 for effecting retrenchment, layoff and closure of industrial units without prior permission as 90 per cent of the units in that case would come under the purview of the provision. He is understood to have suggested that the limit of even 100 workers should be taken away. The BMS leader is also understood to have objected to contract labour. While the commission is believed to have mooted ‘strike ballot’, that is seeking opinion of workers through ballot before going on strike, Mr Narayanan is understood to have described the proposal as a restriction on strikes. On the issue of holidays, the BMS leader is understood to have said that workers should get more holidays as was the case abroad and favoured five-day week in all establishments. He is also believed to have opposed increase in working hours beyond eight hours at present. On the proposal of managements as also the government that certain sectors should be exempted from labour laws, Mr Narayanan is believed to have said in his note of dissent that it would take away the rights of workers. Hence, no sector should be exempted from the purview of labour laws. He is also believed to have favoured outside leadership of trade unions. The BMS leader is understood to have suggested that ceiling on bonus should be taken away and opposed linking productivity with wages.  |
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Chandigarh-Delhi Jan Shatabdi soon New Delhi, June 29 The timetable was released by Northern Railway General Manager, R.K. Singh at the annual press conference at India International Centre annexe here today. Sources in Northern Railway told TNS that the four Jan Shatabdi trains — 2059/2060 Kota-Nizamuddin, 2055/2056 New Delhi-Dehara Dun, 2053/2054 Varanasi-Lucknow and 2057-2058 Chandigarh-New Delhi are expected to start running in a month. “We are waiting for the rakes from Integral Coach Factory, Chennai,” sources said. Although the fares of the Jan Shatabdis have been worked out, they are yet to be notified. “The Jan Shatabdi fare structure will be a little different. Fares are expected to be higher than normal Mail Express trains and cost the passenger anything
between Himalayan Queen and Shatabdi fare,” sources said. According to the timetable, the train will leave Chandigarh at 9.15 am and reach Delhi at 1.30 pm. It will leave New Delhi railway station at 2.15 pm and reach Chandigarh at 6.15 pm. All proposed Jan Shatabdis will have an AC chair car, six non-AC chair cars and two luggage vans. Apart from this, the nine passenger services listed in the timetable include 2PJ/1PJ Jammu Tawi-Pathankot passenger, 5FF/6FF Ferozepore-Fazilka DMU, 9LF/8LF Ludhiana-Ferozepore passenger. The eight express trains scheduled to be extended from July 1 include 4231/4232 Lucknow-Saharanpur Express to Chandigarh and 8101/8102 Tata/Hatia-Pathankot Muri Express to Jammu Tawi. The 1JJ/2JJ/3JJ/4JJ Jalandhar-Jaijon passenger will be now diverted via Rahon while the 2LJ/3LJ Ludhiana-Jakhal passenger will be extended to Hisar as 1/8 LJH. The 5211/5212 Amritsar-Darbhanga Jansewa Express will now run all seven days a week. The 5209/5210 Amritsar-Barauni Jansewa Express will now run daily instead of five days a week. The Bareilly-New Delhi Shatabdi Express has been cancelled. The Northern Railway has also decided to observe 2002-2003 as the Kalka-Shimla centenary year. Replying to a question, Northern Railway, General Manager said they had planned a commemorative run of the one of the oldest steam locomotives between Kalka and Shimla in November. |
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Dissuade
Modi from yatra, Sonia urges PM New Delhi, June 29 In a letter to the Prime Minister, she said the organisations held responsible for violence in Gujarat by various agencies would receive undue encouragement from the
`Gaurav Rath Yatra’ being planned there. “The need today is for steps aimed at assuaging the feelings of all communities and strengthening the forces of tolerance, brotherhood and amity,’’ she said. The Leader of Opposition expressed alarm over reports that a ‘Gaurav Rath
Yatra’ was being planned in Gujarat on every Friday, Saturday and Sunday and that Chief Minister Narendra Modi intended to tour all districts. She said the recent communal violence in the state had caused immense damage to the social fabric of the country and it was the state government’s responsibility to restore harmony, create a sense of security among victims and provide them with necessary relief and rehabilitation in a non-partisan manner. |
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4 Shiv Sainiks arrested Jodhpur, June 29 Acting on a tip-off, the local police apprehended two persons who had come from Uttar Pradesh to deliver a countrymade pistol to the Shiv Sainiks here yesterday, Superintendent of Police (City) Bhupendra Kumar told reporters. Following their interrogation four Shiv Sena workers, including the kingpin of the racket, Krishna Gopal Binnani, were arrested, the police chief said. The police has so far seized six countrymade pistols and some cartridges from their possession. Two cases for rioting, including burning of a bus, had already been pending against Binnani when he had led a protest march against the arrest of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray a few years ago.
PTI |
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‘Aamrapali’ — historical series on DD
New Delhi, June 29 The 104-episode series has been directed by Ravi Kemmu, who had earlier been associated with the making of another historical, Shyam Benegal’s “The Discovery of India”. Produced by D. Venkateshwar Rao and Dhilin Mehta, the series has been researched by Bodhi Satva and written by B.M. Vyas who is well known for his scripts for Bollywood-produced mythologicals. The series, to be aired at 11 am every Sunday, stars Shilpa Shinde in the title role of the talented classical danseuse who was unwillingly crowned the “Janpat Kalyani of Vaishali” to entertain the men of her choice. Others in the cast include Benjamin Gilani, Neelima Azim, Arun Bali, Pankaj Berry, Rajesh Puri, Vishnu Sharma, and Zaheeda. The series is not merely aimed at showing a love story of Aamrapali and Harsh and the Magadh king Bimbsar’s lust for her, but also of the tumultuous times of deceit, court intrigues and conflict on the one hand and classical dances and a peek into the culture of the times. Kemmu said at a recent press meeting that very little information is available about Aamrapali, and her history is only known through the Jataka tales. In answer to a question, he said he had chosen Doordarshan for this series in view of its large reach, particularly in the interiors. Furthermore, telecasting the series on DD means that the rights remain with the producer. The series was also being dubbed in other languages for showing in south India and other parts.
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