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| Saturday, October 21, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Uttaranchal House bids adieu to Chhattisgarh MLAs Move to merge 3 ministries Jaswant’s Algeria visit from Oct 23 |
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Sainik pension scheme may be shelved J&K: Centre open for talks Indigenous Sukhois in 4 years IT benefits must reach poor: Sonia Imam flays Pak Govt Public mobile services suggested Mahajan should
quit: Cong SC: file affidavit on
judges’ strength PM to fly to
Delhi tomorrow Medals conferred
on officers
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Uttaranchal DEHRA DUN, Oct 20 — With less than two weeks’ time left for the birth of the new state of Uttaranchal the BJP leadership is still in a fix over the choice for the Chief Minister’s post. Although, efforts are on to bring consensus among the local MPs, MLAs and the MLCs on the name of the first Chief Minister for the new state but the delay in this process is making things worse for the BJP high command to keep the flock of elected leaders of the state together. Last week, the name of Mr Bhagat Singh Koshiyari was on the top of the list. Koshiyari being the President of BJP’s Uttaranchal unit, most of the MLAs and MLCs agreed to support him. But the departure of Mr K.C. Pant, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, from New Delhi to Mumbai on Wednesday evening has changed the scenario. Political observers feel that the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, is in favour of Mr Pant to be the first Chief Minister of Uttaranchal. But the sources close to Mr Pant says that he is not interested to enter the state politics, even though Uttaranchal is the home of his ancestors. According to Mr Lakhi Ram Joshi, MLA from Tehri, the legislators feel that the induction of the Chief Minister from among the MPs or from outside will lead to a by- election which the party is disinclined to opt for. Besides, a non-legislator will have to get elected to the Assembly within six months through a byelection which will have to be conducted by asking a sitting member to resign. This would be rather a tall order. This is for the second time that Mr Pant’s name has emerged on the forefront among the runners for the post of the Chief Minister. Earlier, during his visit to Dehra Dun in August, this year, Home Minister L.K. Advani gave a hint that BJP may opt for a person from New Delhi to be installed as the first Chief Minister of Uttaranchal. But later during the legislators agreed that this important post should be decided among them. Among these leaders Mr Swami is a senior politician hailing from Dehra Dun. He had been a member of Sangh Parivar and was elected to the Assembly for the first time on the Jan Sangh nomination. However, for a period owing to internal strife he left the saffron party and joined Congress, only to come back later. But this is being held against him by his detractors. Mr Pokhrial is presently in charge of Cultural and Religious Affairs in UP Government. He was divested from the Uttrakhand development portfolio after Mr Ram Prakash Gupta succeeded Mr Kalyan Singh reportedly at the behest of BJP legislators hailing from the hill region. He is considered as the left hand of Kalyan Singh yet, he is a live wire political leader from the hills. |
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House bids adieu to Chhattisgarh MLAs BHOPAL, Oct 20 — Touching scenes were witnessed at the two-day special session of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly which concluded here today to bid farewell to the 90 MLAs belonging to Chhattisgarh. The members, from Chhattisgarh and the rest of Madhya Pradesh, referred to the cordial relations that existed between them all these years and apologised if they had wittingly or unwittingly hurt one another’s sentiments by their actions. The only discordant note came from the Agriculture Minister, Mr Mahendra Singh Kalukheda, who expressed disapproval over the bifurcation of Madhya Pradesh “even at the risk of antagonising some people” and said the tendency of splitting states would not be in the interests of the country in the long run. Chhattisgarh is scheduled to be inaugurated on November 1. The Madhya Pradesh House of 320 members will have 90 less when it meets on November 6 for the winter session. The Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Shreenivas Tiwari, presented mementos to all members of the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and the Assembly from Chhattisgarh. The Congress, with 48 members in the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly, is making a bid for the formation of the first government in the new state. Though there are many aspirants for the Chief Ministership, only three are serious contenders. A former Union Minister, Mr Vidya Charan Shukla, is said to be enjoying the support of a majority of the Congress MLAs. His elder brother and former Chief Minister, Mr Shyama Charan Shukla, says that he is the natural choice if the new state has to be put on the road to development. The AICC spokesperson, Mr Ajit Jogi, seems confident of becoming the Chief Minister. Mr Jogi had recently led a group of tribal MLAs of Chhattisgarh to the famous Danteshwari temple in the interior of Bastar where the MLAs were reported to have expressed their loyalty to Mr Jogi. Move to merge 3 ministries NEW DELHI, Oct 20 - The government is likely to merge three union ministries, Communication, Information Technology and Information and Broadcasting, and form an umbrella ministry to pave the way for a new communication order. “The sub-group on the merger led by Jurist Fali S. Nariman has recommended an integration of three ministries and now we are working on the structure of the nodal ministry,” the Union Communication Minister, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan said here today. The government is likely to introduce the Bill in the winter session of Parliament to regulate the merger of telecommunication, infotech and television broadcasting. Mr Paswan, addressing a seminar on the merger organised by ASSOCHAM, said the group, which submitted the final report, has recommended the setting up of a super regulator for voice and data communication through any medium (telecom or broadcasting), on the lines of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and is likely to be called Communications Commission of India (CCI). Licensing powers were likely to be vested with the new CCI, Mr Shyamal Ghosh, Telecom Secretary and member of the sub-group on the merger, said, adding that on the issue of spectrum management the new regulator (CCI) would have to look into and advice would be taken from the Wireless Advisery Department. As such the Communication Ministry has the Department of Post, Telegraph and Telecommunication, and the structuring of the new umbrella ministry could be on the same lines, sources said, but added that the elected government would have to take the administrative decision for any such ministerial restructuring which was politically sensitive. With about 90 per cent of the work on the Bill complete, Mr Nariman said various discussions on the mode of appointment of the commission were being held. “The group is meeting periodically to explore various options for the appointment of the commission, whether it would be high powered with dignitaries of Parliament... is yet to be finalised,” he said. Mr Ghosh said there were various issues which need to be addressed such as one composite licence for all services and verticle intergration in broadcasting. Mr Paswan said the Telegraph Act, 1885, needs to be amended keeping all these options open as and when finalised. Asked who would be heading the umbrella ministry Mr Paswan said, “The issue is too premature for comment.” The sub-group headed by Mr Nariman comprises the Telecom Secretary, Mr Shyamal Ghosh, Mr Y.N. Chaturvedi, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and Mr R.L. Meena, Secretary in the Department of Legal Affairs. 
Jaswant’s Algeria visit from Oct 23 NEW DELHI, Oct 20 — In a policy move to make mends with the Arab world, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh will leave for Algeria on a three-day official visit on October 23. While Mr Jaswant Singh will hold talks in Algiers with his counterpart, an inter-ministerial delegation led by the Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Mr K.V. Rajan, will leave for Iraq on a two-day official visit on Sunday. The decision to send a high-level delegation to Iraq is a move to assuage hurt feelings in the Arab world that the Indian foreign policy had an obvious “tilt” towards Israel. Though Baghdad has not made any noise over the neglect that the Vajpayee government has been showing towards Iraq which has been reeling under economic sanctions, the hurt is deep, sources said. Similarly, Algeria was surprised when India had decided to derecognise the Saharwi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) on June 26. A sharp hike in international oil prices is also a contributing factor for making South Bloc rethink over its policy towards the Arab world, experts averred, adding that external affairs policy makers failed to take into account the Arab world while moving towards Israel. The presence of officials of the Ministry of Finance, Exim Bank and the RBI in the team is an indication of the seriousness of New Delhi’s approach towards Iraq, diplomatic sources said. Iraq had reportedly put forward a proposal that would help Delhi acquire oil at a low price and assist it to tide over the oil crisis. If India accepted the offer, it would help Baghdad to mitigate the negative effect of the US-inspired UN sanctions, the sources said.
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Sainik pension scheme may be shelved NEW DELHI, Oct 20 — The Central Government is considering to shelve the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme 1980 (receipt of fresh application/review petition), a senior Home Ministry official said. However, he clarified that as on date the scheme was in operation and if at a future date the scheme was closed the existing recipients would continue to receive the pension. The proposal for the closure of the scheme in its entirety was under active consideration since 1998. However, the proposal for the closure of the scheme stipulates for due publicity of the proposed closure in advance and reasonable time was to be given to the genuine freedom fighters to present their claims, if not already done, he said. The Ministry of Home Affairs has suspended samman pension in 3,155 cases and cancelled in 1,456 cases till September 30. During the past three years an insignificant number of fresh applications complete in all respects duly verified and recommended by the concerned state governments union territory administration have been received. Aggrieved by the decision of the government, a large number of writ petitions have also been filed by the applicants in various high courts. Applications/review petitions for grant of pension continue to be received, the sources said, adding that the joint committee of Freedom Fighters and Officials constituted on the eve of the 50th anniversary of India’s Independence in 1997, had inter alia, recommended to close the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980. The Ministry of Home Affairs, had introduced a scheme in 1969 for granting pension to ex-Andaman political prisoners. In 1972, a regular freedom fighters’ pension scheme was introduced. The scheme was liberalised in 1980 and was renamed as Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980. Thereafter, the scheme was further liberalised from time to time. Freedom fighters, who had undergone the prescribed minimum suffering of six months imprisonment/underground/ externment/internment, etc. are eligible, subject to furnishing of evidence as specified under the scheme. Applications in the prescribed format duly recommended by the state governments/UT administrations are considered and pension is sanctioned in cases which fulfil the eligibility criteria and documentary requirements provided under the scheme. J&K: Centre open for talks NEW DELHI, Oct 20 — Two days before his visit to the Kashmir valley, Union Home Minister L.K. Advani said today that the Centre was prepared to talk with the militants in the Kashmir valley if they give up arms and come to the negotiating table. “We are prepared to talk with militants in the valley if they give up arms and come to the negotiating table,” Mr Advani said while addressing the members of the Consultative Committee of Home Ministry on Jammu and Kashmir here. The Home Minister also justified New Delhi’s stand on not holding a dialogue with Islamabad till it stops cross-border terrorism. “India’s stand on not holding a dialogue with Pakistan till it stops cross-border terrorism has been appreciated globally,” he said, adding, that he along with the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, will visit Srinagar on Sunday to make an on the spot assessment of the situation. He told the committee that while India had been successful in mobilising world opinion against Pakistan for its activities in aiding and abetting cross-border terrorism, the government’s efforts coupled with better coordination among the intelligence agencies and security forces had yielded “notable” results in containing terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. As a result of New Delhi’s efforts some of the major countries like the USA, Canada, Britain, France and Israel have agreed to set up joint working groups with India to tackle cross-border terrorism, Mr Advani said. On the suggestion of some of the committee members that the Centre should not have “outrightly” rejected the autonomy resolution passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Mr Advani said the resolution had recommended a return to pre-1953 status which was not acceptable to the government as it would severely harm the interest of the people. He, however, stressed that the Centre was prepared for greater devolution of powers to states, including Jammu and Kashmir which would lead to efficiency in the administration, faster development and the government has an “open mind” on the issue, an official note said. A visual presentation was made on the various steps taken by the government to check militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. This also included pictorial presentation of the Chattisinghpura killings in March in which over 30 Sikhs were brutally gunned down by Pak-backed militants. While hailing Centre’s efforts to curb militancy, members cutting across party lines suggested that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir be tackled through economic development and social upliftment of the people. Some members also suggested that the unemployed youth of the state should be given jobs in public sector undertakings outside the state. They also suggested adequate protection to minority communities. The Ministers of State for Home Affairs, Mr I.D. Swami and Mr C. Vidyasagar Rao and Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, Karan Singh, Shivraj V. Patil, Sahib Singh Verma, Narendra Mohan, Balbir K. Punj and Saiduzzaman were present among others at the meeting.
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Indigenous Sukhois in 4 years NEW DELHI, Oct 20 (UNI) — The schedule for the manufacture of Sukhoi 30 MKI in India has been worked out and the first plane would roll out from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited stables in another four years, a senior defence official said. Asked if setting up an assembly line for just 140 Sukhoi fighters would be feasible, the Additional Secretary, Defence Production and Supplies, Mr Dhirendra Singh, said the country might explore other markets for this aircraft in consultations with the Russians. He said that work on the upgradation of 123 MiG 21 BS would also take off soon in a big way. At a workshop on the export potential of defence equipment here today, he said the ministry of defence would soon submit its recommendations to the government on bringing about a change in legislation to enable the private players to participate in the defence sector. “The task forces set up two years back to recommend the ways the private sector can be allowed in the defence production have submitted their proposals and further work in this direction is on,” he said. Mr Dhirendra Singh said that the ministry would recommend, among other things, shifting some of the non-sensitive defence products from the reserved category and allowing their licensed production. The industry has shown tremendous interest in participating in defence production related activities but adequate safeguard would be put in place before awarding licences and those were found security sensitive would be selected, he said. |
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IT benefits must reach poor: Sonia NEW DELHI, Oct 20 — The Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, today said the country’s emergence as a knowledge power house in the new millennium would be meaningless unless the benefits reach the poorest India. “If the knowledge millennium cannot wipe a tear from the eyes of the poor Indian, its not of much use at all,” Mrs Sonia Gandhi said. The Congress President said this was not to suggest that information technology and knowledge cannot be used to uplift the lot of the poor. But this will not happen automatically as long as the underprivileged Indian was illiterate, lives below the poverty line and has no access to safe drinking water, health services, sanitation and education. Delivering the “India in the knowledge millennium”, organised by FICCI Ladies Organisation, he said some sections of the Indian society could not march into the 21st century and large chunks were left mired in the 18th century. Mrs Sonia Gandhi also gave a new meaning to the “www” (world wide web) as “why”, “whom” and “women”. She said the education system in the country promote learning by rote, thus killing curiosity and creativity. The Congress President said there was need to “completely revolutionise” the education system so that the students were encouraged to ask “why”. About the second “w”, whom, she said the technological and economic advancement should be limited to a few but extended to poor farmer tilling his land. The third “w” pertained to women and their miserable lot in India’s male-dominated society. “While female literacy is merely 5 per cent in the certain district, in others, women have to walk 10 km to fetch water or firewood. I hope that things change so that Indian women can match their US counterparts, who are recorded to outnumber men in the Internet use,” she said. |
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Imam flays Pak Govt NEW DELHI, Oct 20 — Newly appointed Imam of Shahi Jama Masjid of Delhi, Maulana Ahmed Bukhari, criticised the military government of Pakistan due to its anti-India policies. Muslims face multidimensional problems due to anti-India policies of the Pakistan Government and its subversive activities in different parts of the country, he said. While delivering his first speech after taking over the prestigious post of Imam of Shahi Jama Masjid, Ahmed Bukhari, expressed his desire to meet the military ruler of Pakistan, Gen Parvez Musharraf, to make him aware how much problem he had created for Muslims in India due to his ISI activities. The ISI activities are prevalent in different parts of the country “which has created such atmosphere that all Muslims are being considered as ISI agents which has spread hatred against Muslims in India. Masjid and Madrasas are considered as hide-outs of ISI agent, he said. Ahmed Bukhari said this while addressing the Friday congregation at the historic Jama Masjid in the Capital. He said Muslims have
nothing to do with the ISI. “I find no logic in blaming masjids and madrasas as ISI hide-outs. These places are seats of worships.” He said Muslims were being harassed and dubbed as ISI agents. On Kashmir he said bloodshed, violence and suppression of human rights should
immediately be stopped. The innocent citizens are the worst sufferers between the clashes of militants and security forces. He said secularism would prevail in the country and the “communal forces will never be successful in their nefarious scheme. The Muslims do not beg for any privileges but want equal participation in the nation building”. |
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Public mobile services suggested NEW DELHI, Oct 20 — Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today recommended that the government should allow mobile community phone services in the country. Basing its recommendations in the context of the National Telecom Policy, 1999, the TRAI was of the view that if an alternative service is available to people at lower rates, the service should be made available subject to specified conditions and without discrimination. This would promote competition and help the customer. The recommendations also reflect TRAI’s view that there is a need for service providers to evolve competitive strategies to enhance their revenue and service base, rather than to expect guaranteed returns by keeping certain services out of the reach of the public, an approach not consistent with the norms of a liberal, open and competitive economy. The TRAI has recommended that the government should allow cellular mobile service providers to offer the public in their license area the service of making calls from mobile hand sets handled through their agents or employees. This would help increase competition and enhance the options available to the customer in terms of lower prices and wider choice of services. It has recommended that the users of this service should not be charged a tariff which is more than the airtime charge, plus the appropriate fixed network charge if the call has travelled over some portion of the fixed network. Service providers would be free to offer a lower tariff for the service. This ensures that the tariff of the service would not be more than that for mobile calls, to the extent that cheaper calls, particularly for intra-circle long distance, are provided by this service and the customer would benefit. It has also recommended that providers of this service should be required to display prominently the tariff which is applicable and which the users of this service are liable to be charged. The TRAI has emphasised the need for a mechanism to ensure that the customers are not overcharged by mobile public phone providers, and has suggested that a suitable arrangement would have to be prescribed for this purpose if it has not been devised already. Suggesting several safeguards, it said the service should be provided without discrimination to all who seek it. On the likely impact of introducing such a service, the TRAI said in actual practice, whether consumers would opt for one alternative or the other would depend upon the competitive tariffs and quality of service, and it would appear that the interest of the consumers would be best served by the introduction of competition in this area rather than by limiting competition. It is also clear that there are certain sections of people who would find this service to be of particular advantage, for example, old people or people who are sick or women who do not like to go outdoors to the fixed service PCOs. There is no reason why an alternative which technology has made available should be denied by means of administrative orders. The recommendations would increase the scope of services available to the general public, reduce applicable tariffs in several cases, and enhance the participation of a section of society that may have found it difficult to avail themselves of telecom services in general. TRAI’s recommendations followed a reference from the Department of Telecommunications on the issue. DoT had earlier prohibited, by an executive order, the cellular mobile service operators from providing such public call facility, except in situations of inherent mobility, like trains, buses, and taxis.
Mahajan should
quit: Cong NEW DELHI, Oct 20 — The Congress today demanded the resignation of the Information Technology and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Pramod Mahajan, to facilitate a probe into the alleged patronage given to a company in which his son and wife have a major financial interest. Party spokesman Anand Sharma said recent reports on the family business of Mr Pramod Mahajan and the manner in which the company was the recipient of patronage and the largesse of the Prasar Bharati, at the cost of the state exchequer, was a matter of grave concern. He said it was shocking that despite the company owing Prasar Bharati Rs 6.5 crore, it was allowed to continue telecasting the programme in brazen violation of rules. Mr Sharma said the fact that this was felicitated by the CEO of Prasar Bharati by changing the marketing agency and deferring the producer liabilities was indeed shameful and shocking. The spokesman said the programme was commissioned when Mr Mahajan was the Information and Broadcasting Minister. Alleging that Mr Mahajan is a “back door entrant” in the government, he said that the minister seemed to be above the law of the land. “The serious nature of the accustions calls for an impartial probe which is possible only if Mr Mahajan demits office,” he said. |
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SC: file affidavit on
judges’ strength NEW DELHI, Oct 20 (PTI) — expressing serious concern over the pendency of nearly four lakh cases in the lower judiciary in Delhi, the Supreme Court today said it was surprising that there were comparatively more number of judges in the Delhi Higher Judicial Service (DHJS) than those in the Delhi Judicial Service (DJS). “The judges in the
DJS deal with the maximum number of cases and their strength should be much more than the existing strength,” a three-judge Bench comprising Mr Justice
B. N. Kirpal, Mr Justice S. N. Phukan and Mr Justice Shivaraj V. Patil said. The Bench asked Additional Solicitor-General Mukul Rohtagi to file an affidavit explaining the anamolous position which has resulted in large number of pending cases. |
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PM to fly to Delhi tomorrow MUMBAI, Oct 20 (UNI) — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, who underwent a knee-replacement surgery at the city’s Breach Candy Hospital on October 10, will fly back to the Capital on Sunday. According to sources in the Prime Minister’s Office here, Mr Vajpayee will straightaway leave for New Delhi. Earlier, the Prime Minister was scheduled to stay at Raj Bhavan for a few days. |
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Medals conferred
on officers NEW DELHI, Oct 20 (UNI) — President K.R. Narayanan today conferred Mahavir Chakra (MVC) on sepoy Imliakum of 2 Naga and awarded Sarvottam Yuddh Seva Medal to Lieute Gen H.M. Khanna for the success of the Kargil conflict, besides presenting two Kirti Chakras, nine Vir Chakras and nine Shaurya Chakras for bravery in action. Twelve senior brass of the three services were awarded Param Vishisht Seva medals while 21 were given Ati Vishisht Seva medals by the President at the defence investiture ceremony in Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The solemn ceremony was attended by Vice-President Krishan Kant, Defence Minister George Fernandes, Home Minister L.K. Advani. |
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