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| Saturday, January 6, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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George: next LCA flight in six months
'Need to guard sea borders' GoM nod for CDS post Jain ‘exposes’ Brajesh Mishra BJC to merge with NCP WTO boon as well as bane: Pant |
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Samata split won’t affect national politics: Paswan State of Uttaranchal in mess: Cong Transport may be privatised Delhi ‘vulnerable’ to ultras Planning for death while alive ‘Sadda School’ on TV from Jan 11
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| George: next LCA flight in six months NEW DELHI, Jan 5—The Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, today said that the second flight of prototypes of India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) would take place in the next six to eight months. Mr Fernandes, however, said that no time-frame could be set as to when the full clearance could be given to the LCA project. “We have overcome the sanctions by getting the LCA to fly,” Mr Fernandes told newsmen when asked whether the sanctions imposed by the USA after the nuclear tests would continue to affect the project. He said the second test flight would be held in the “next six to eight months” and a series of prototypes would be tested before it is granted final operational clearance. To a question whether the engine of the prototype flown in Bangalore yesterday was of US origin, he said, “It is true that the engine is of western origin. That is because our (indigenous) ‘Kavery’ engine is undergoing tests and will take a little while.” The ‘Kavery’ engine is being tested in Russia for high-altitude tolerance, among other things, and would be fitted into the LCA in the next few years after required tests. Need to guard sea borders: George NEW DELHI, Jan 5 — Defence Minister George Fernandes today criticised former governments for being callous about the national security, particularly with regard to the sea borders which have remained “an open invitation” for those who want to subvert India’s security. A “shocking revelation” was made by the task force on border management that threats from the sea “had not figured in the thinking of the nation’s leadership even once in the 50 years of our freedom,” Mr Fernandes said in a hard-hitting speech while inaugurating a seminar on “Maritime Dimensions of India’s Security” here. Attacking the erstwhile leaderships for being “callous on matters of national security”, the Defence Minister said despite five wars and 53 years of independence, the concept of national security “is yet to acquire the place of moderate visibility in the areas of national concern.” While the Army and the Air Force had received some degree of national attention, “the Navy’s profile is beyond the imagination of the people. The Navy has always got the cinderella treatment,” he said. The minister said though the Navy and the Coast Guards had always remained on guard in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the country, “it does not tantamount to guarding the borders”. The Andaman and Nicobar islands had so far remained an “open house for forces inimical to India” and there was need for the Navy to keep the sea lanes free and secure. Pointing out that India’s strategic space in the seas and oceans around it were “rich in minerals like hydrocarbons”, Mr Fernandes said the maritime nations were bound to start exploring the bottom of the sea soon enough. “Even land-locked nations would demand sea space for exploration purposes and such moves may start conflicts for control of sea routes,” he said. Asking the Navy and the Coast Guards to play their role on the high seas in a determined manner, Mr Fernandes said “our shores have so far been a landing ground for powers to plunder and colonise India”. Besides the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sushil Kumar, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A.Y. Tipnis, a former Army Chief, Gen V.P. Malik, and several top serving and retired officers were present. The seminar, which is being addressed by large number of key defence officers, analysts and strategists, has been organised as part of the build-up for the International Fleet Review to be hosted by the Navy in Mumbai next month. Navies of at least 20 countries are expected to participate in it. 
GoM nod for CDS post NEW DELHI, Jan 5 — The Group of Ministers (GoM), constituted to go into the recommendations of the Arun Singh Committee, has given its consent for the creation of a post of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). While the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, said today the GoM constituted to go into the whole gamut of security would submit its recommendations to the Union Cabinet by the month end, sources in the government said a decision had been reached on creating a post of the CDS, which the armed forces had been wanting for long. “Our report is almost complete ... We need one or two meetings more to finalise it and submit it to the Cabinet by the end of this month,” Mr Fernandes told mediapersons after inaugurating a seminar here on “maritime dimensions of India’s security”. He refused to reply to questions on the major recommendations of the GoM saying “there have been positive decisions on the recommendations” of the four task forces set up by the GoM. Mr Fernandes said the GoM had made a number of recommendations which required the Cabinet clearance. After the Cabinet gives a green signal, many of the issues would be discussed in the Budget Session of Parliament. Besides the Defence Minister, the GoM comprises the Home Minister, the External Affairs Minister, the Finance Minister and is chaired by the Prime Minister. Among the recommendations of the task forces are restructuring of the Ministry of Defence, major steps to coordinate the activities of the different intelligence agencies and to beef up border management, besides creation of the post of the Chief of Defence Staff. According to reports, the GoM meeting took place on Monday, after the Defence Minister cut short his trip to Kargil for the meeting. Defence sources said they were expecting a decision on the creation of the post of the CDS by the middle of the month and a final go-ahead after the Prime Minister returned from his visit to Vietnam. The CDS post will go to each of the three services in succession. The CDS will report to the Defence Minister and represent the three services at the Cabinet meetings. The CDS is also likely to be given the charge of the nuclear forces of the three services, that is he may be the in charge of the nuclear deterrent. The CDS will also replace the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee. At present Admiral Sushil Kumar is the seniormost of the three chiefs. Unlike the Chiefs of Staff Committee, the CDS will have some teeth. The armed forces expects the CDS to have a deputy and a secretariat and be made the in charge of important areas of strategic decision-making and surveillance. |
| Jain ‘exposes’ Brajesh Mishra NEW DELHI, Jan 5 — In a virtual attack on Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, former BJP Rajya Sabha MP, Dr J. K. Jain today levelled a series of allegations against the Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary, Mr Brajesh Mishra. Screening a half-an-hour newsclip titled “Brajesh Mishra ka Purdah Faash” before mediapersons here, Dr Jain strongly came out against cases of omission and commission in the Prime Minister’s Office. The programme prepared by the JAIN TV, in which Dr Jain holds a major stake, levelled series of allegations against Mr Mishra, a “confidante” of Mr Vajpayee. Dr Jain who was dropped from the National Executive of the BJP, was in no mood to compromise and strongly defended the legal notices served on the Prime Minister and his officials. Addressing newspersons after the showing of the clip, Dr Jain used laudatory words for Mr Vajpayee as a person and insisted that he was only following the advise given by the Prime Minister. Dr Jain threatened to “expose” Mr Brajesh Mishra, whom he has accused of using the state apparatus to defame him. Levelling allegations against the Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary, Dr Jain claimed that a close relative of Brajesh Mishra, Brig Arun Mishra, had violated military rules by seeking premature retirement at the time of the Kargil conflict. He said that it was a laid out rule that when a war breaks out no military personnel could leave the service. However, in the case Mr Mishra’s relative, the rules were bent to suit his convenience. Citing another example, the television clip claimed that a lucrative government advertising contract involving crores of rupees, was awarded to a niece of Mr Mishra, Ms Vibha Mishra, without following the accepted norms of the government practice. Dr Jain said his TV channel would show more material on alleged misdeeds of Mr Mishra. |
| BJC to merge with NCP NEW DELHI, Jan 5 — The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which had been longing for some visibility in Bihar, has at last managed to romp into its fold the Bharatiya Jan Congress (BJC) headed by former state Chief Minister Mr Jagannath Mishra. The NCP, formed in 1999 by former Congress leaders — Mr Sharad Pawar, Mr P.A. Sangma and Mr Tariq Anwar — after they had differences over the projection of Ms Sonia Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial candidate, had no representation worth a mention in Bihar despite efforts by the party bigwigs. The formal merger of the BJC with the NCP will take place on January 23 in Patna. “The Bharatiya Jan Congress will merge with the Nationalist Congress Party at a unity conference in Patna on January 23, birth anniversary of Subhash Chandra Bose”, the NCP General Secretary and Spokesman Mr Devendra Nath Dwivedi told newspersons here today. “The two parties have decided to unite. This will pave the way for better coordination among parties committed to secularism and communal harmony,” Mr Dwivedi said. “There are several former Congressmen and legislators in the BJC and its merger with the NCP will strengthen the party further. “We welcome them to our fold... Mr Mishra is a very senior leader and had in his long political career fought relentlessly for the welfare of the poor and the Dalits,” Mr Dwivedi said. The NCP also welcomed the Prime Minister’s views on Ayodhya, Kashmir issue, Indo-Pak relations and the consensual approach on economic affairs as mentioned in his widely published two-part article - “Musings from Kumarakom”. “The NCP is not a party in competition to unmask the Prime Minister. If he had put on a mask of secularism, let it be,” Mr Dwivedi said. “It was for the first time that such a senior leader had openly talked about the option of a negotiated settlement to the Ayodhya issue while respecting the legal channel,” he said. However, Mr Dwivedi wanted to know whether the government had already made any arrangement for negotiations on the issue or could the country expect any such dialogue in the near future. He also asked the BJP to silence the Sangh Parivar outfits like the VHP and the Bajrang Dal, which were trying to create communal flare up in the country by repeatedly making irresponsible statements on the Ayodhya issue. “The BJP should condemn the irresponsible utterances of the VHP and the Bajrang Dal and ensure that the December 6, 1992, like situation does not occur again,” he said. On the Kashmir issue, the NCP spokesman said the country should tooth and nail oppose tripartite talks on the issue and strongly stick to its known stand that Kashmir was an integral part of the country and we would not allow it to disintegrate. He also denounced the suggestion by some Sangh Parivar outfits for the trifurcation of Kashmir. “Kashmir is a symbol of our multi-religious and pluralistic character of the society,” Mr Dwivedi said. |
| WTO boon as well as bane: Pant NEW DELHI, Jan 5 — The Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Mr K.C. Pant, today said the emerging trade environment calls for appropriate planning for the regions and groups likely to be affected by the World Trade Organisation agreement on agriculture. Addressing a symposium at the ongoing Indian Science Congress here, Mr Pant said that while the WTO posed a threat to the country’s agriculture sector, it also offered several opportunities. “Globalisation is not just a threat. It also throws up a number of opportunities” as the country is richly endowed with natural resources and climatic variety. He said implementation of WTO agreements was expected to increase India’s access to the world market. Currently the country’s share in world export was less than one per cent. There was need to identify commodities where India has a comparative advantage in the global market, he added. There was also a need to improve quality standards to compete in the world market, he added. In another session at the Congress, the Chairman of Space Commission, Dr Krishnaswami Kasturirangan disclosed that analysis of satellite imageries had shown that 45 million out of the 64 million hectares of the so-called wasteland could be brought into some type of agriculture. On the contribution of satellites in ensuring food security, Dr Kasturirangan said the Indian Space Research Organisation had also started using satellite data for issuing drought bulletins on the pattern of weather bulletins to warn in advance the administration in 175 districts that are drought prone. He said based on initial success in Orissa and Punjab, ISRO and the Ministry of Agriculture have developed a system of forecasting crop yields. This year, the system would be used to predict yield of wheat and rice in 17 states, he said. Atomic Energy Commission Chairman, Dr Anil Kakodkar, asserted that nuclear science and technology could also be used to harness for enhancing agricultural production and food preservation. He said the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre had already launched research programme in nuclear agriculture, sterile insect technique, pheromones and biopesticide. He said 22 crop varieties had been developed by induced mutation and cross breeding process. One such variety evolved at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre has enabled a Kolhapur farmer take a crop of 7500 kg per hectare to 9000 kg/ha. He was confident of breaking the world record in groundnut productivity now being held by a Chinese farmer, Dr Kakodkar said. In another session on “Managing Natural Resources for Increased Farm Sustainability”, Prof Peter H. Raven from Missouri Botanical Garden, USA, said that the profound modification of our planetary home, began about 10,000 years ago with the invention of crop agriculture and the domestication of animals at a number of widely scattered localities, including the Indian subcontinent. He emphasised that plants were key to agriculture and to world productivity in general. Samata split won’t affect national politics: Paswan NEW DELHI, Jan 5 — The Communications Minister and Lok Janshakti Party chief, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, today said the split in the Samata Party would have no impact on the national politics. “Till any faction of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre said it would not remain within the fold, the split in the Samata Party would have no effect on the politics of Delhi,” Mr Paswan said while addressing newspersons here before flagging off a “Lok Janshakti Rath” to propagate the policies and programme of the newly launched party. Regarding its effect on the Bihar politics, Mr Paswan said it would not have any effect now. “Whatever was to happen, happened at the time of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. At that time I told them repeatedly to fight Mr Laloo Yadav unitedly. I had asked Mr Sharad Yadav to step down so that we could collectively contest against the most corrupt and inefficient rule of the RJD. But they did not heed me. Now, it will not have any effect,” Mr Paswan said. About any Samata Party faction approaching him for support or merger, he said none had approached him till date on the issue. Stating that he would support any party or faction as long as it was sincere in its efforts to fight Mr Laloo Yadav in Bihar. He, however, made it clear that he would not talk to the Janata Dal (United). “I will not talk to JD(U) in the new millennium,” he said. |
| State of Uttaranchal in mess: Cong DEHRA DUN, Jan 5 — The Congress feels that the Uttaranchal Government has no clear vision of development. Talking to mediapersons here, today Mr Harish Rawat, President of Uttaranchal Pradesh Congress Committee, said the state government was taking no initiative to resolve the issues of transfer of assets with the Uttar Pradesh Government. He said the Chief Minister and his ministers were making announcements to lure the public without proper study of ground realities. Lack of administration and political will has led the state into a messy situation. Basic issues on financial matters are still pending at the mercy of either the state government of Uttar Pradesh or the Central Government. The recovery of power tarrif and other taxes are still going into the accounts of UP government. No efforts have so far been made to stop the UP government from getting economic benefits from the state. This is an embarrassing situation which would lead to the collapse of economy. Mr Rawat said the CM had failed to run the affairs of the state efficiency. Most of the time he was busy to woo dissident MLAs and put a check on the inter-party rivalry. Bureaucrats are enjoying high time. They are misguiding political bosses on various important issues of development. The crime graph in the state has increased since the formation of new state. More than 70 persons have been murdered in various parts of the state since November 9, last year. The Uttaranchal Pradesh Congress Committee has demanded a comprehensive economic package for Uttaranchal from the Union Government. The party has also demanded the status of special category state for Uttaranchal on a par with the north-eastern states and the state of Jammu and Kashmir enhancement of Central assistance and grant to Uttaranchal on a par with the state of Himachal Pradesh, tax holiday scheme for industry, status of IIT to Roorkee Engineering University; status of central university to Pantnagar Agricultural University; comprehensive package for upgradation of ITIs and polytechnics, package for the revival of sick units and closed units such as the IDPL, PPCL, UPCCL etc; circular railway line to integrate and facilitate movement from one end to another of the state, central transit telephone exchange at Haldwani to connect all telephone exchanges of Uttaranchal for making communication easier and cheaper and establishment of information technology park at least at two places in the state. In reply to question Mr Rawat said there was total unity in the party workers of Congress in the state. To press the above demands the state Congress has decided to launch demonstrations at district headquarters in front of the district magistrate’s offices on January 10 this year. In February this year just before the start budget session of Parliament the state Congress will demonstrate in front of Parliament seeking economic packages for the state. |
| Transport may be privatised DEHRA DUN: The Uttaranchal Government is not in a mood to start its state transport service. Under pressure from private bus operators of Kumaon and Garhwal and having a broader outlook, the Transport Ministry feels that it would prove to be a economic loss. At present, buses of Uttar Pradesh State Roadways/Transport Corporations are running in the state apart from the private bus operators. A month after the formation of Uttaranchal, the corporation had reorganised its zones and regions in the western Uttar Pradesh. The Tanakpur and Haldwani regions were separated from the Bareilly zone, while Saharanpur was carved out from Dehra Dun and merged with the Meerut zone. A new Uttaranchal zone was, however, created with headquarters at Hardwar and regions of Kumaon and Garhwal. But the government has lowered down the number of buses running in the neighbouring state. On the other hand, with the powerful lobby of hill bus operators in the cooperative and private sectors turning the heat on the state controlled roadways service, Mr Suresh Arya, Minister of Transport, has asked the General Manager of the Uttaranchal region to furnish a detailed report explaining whether the government stands to gain or lose by running its own state transport service. Other alternatives such as formation of the Uttaranchal Roadways Corporation or continuing under the UP State Roadways Transport Corporation are also being studied. But with limited financial resources, the state government has no alternative other than to privatise the road transport. The proposal to wind up the UP transport corporation’s services in the new state was placed before the Transport Minister and senior officials by representatives of private bus owners union at a meeting held here last week. Neither the Transport Minister nor the senior officials present in the meeting opposed the proposal. Further reports from the Transport Department reveal that the Uttaranchal zone of the UPSRTC with its 18 depots in the emerging state operates only about one-thirds of the total number of buses. Against 1059 state-controlled buses, private bus operators own more than 2,600 buses (including the mini buses), according to an estimate. But even with its depleting fleet the UPSRTC is the single largest agency having a reliable service extended to various remote areas of the state. When contacted, senior officials of the UPSRTC said there was no specific action plan under the consideration either to stop its services in the newly born state or to increase the number of buses. This region of UPSRTC is at loss of more than Rs 5 crore. Plagued with corruption and lack of accountability the corporation has so far failed to mop up resources to purchase new buses and buy enough spare parts to repair the old ones. |
| Delhi ‘vulnerable’ to ultras NEW DELHI, Jan 5 — The Delhi Police Commissioner, Mr Ajai Raj Sharma today admitted that the national Capital was “vulnerable” to terrorist attacks and narco-terrorism was showing its menacing face in the city. “Delhi had become target for militant outfits like the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba and other Kashmir and Punjab militant groups,” Mr Sharma said while addressing the annual press conference here. Stressing the need for toning up the intelligence mechanism to gather “vital and timely” inputs about possible terrorist strike, the Police Commissioner said the Delhi Police was strengthening intelligence system to deal with the situation. However, he expressed the Delhi Police’s helplessness in developing intelligence inputs of top terrorist outfits like the Lashkar-e-Toiba, which was operating in the Kashmir valley as well as in other States, without the support of Central intelligence set-up. Mr Sharma also suggested formation of a Special Intelligence Unit, specifically to concentrate on gathering vital information on various militant groups which could strike in the NCR. “To avoid militant attacks at on sensitive places in the Capital the police should have specific branch to gather intelligence about the terrorists. The government should make an arrangement to establish such a branch,” he said. Due to job opportunity people from other states throng the Capital consequently Delhi had become ‘sea of population’ and in such situation it was difficult to keep an eye on all people moving in and out of Delhi. Planning for death while alive PHULBANI, Jan 5 (PTI) — Strange though it may seem, Richard Mallick has arranged everything for his own funeral in advance. Mallick, a soldier, who claims he saw action in Germany during the World War II lives at Baticola village under Udayagiri block of the hill-locked Kandhamal district. He has his grave dug in the village cemetery, got a coffin made in advance for himself and turning it upside down. He now uses it as his bed at home. He has also paid the required money to the village committee for the purification ceremony to be performed after his demise. Though not in vogue in most parts of the state, such a ceremony is performed by Christians of the area. Dubbed “eccentric” by neighbours, Mallick has a ready explanation. “I do not want my family members should face trouble if I die at an odd hour. Why should they hurry around looking for planks and then find a carpenter to make my coffin?” he said. A regular church goer, Mallick always dressed in khaki, is not worried about what people say about him. “I am not a mentally deranged person. I am an ordinary mortal and want to die bravely,” he insists. |
| ‘Sadda School’ on TV from Jan 11 NEW DELHI, Jan 5 — Keeping pace with the success of programmes “School Days” and “We Love You” on Doordarshan and delivering prestigious television serials like “Ristey” for Zee TV, Soods Films and Media Limited is again coming up with “Sadda School” on teenagers, now in Punjabi language, on Zee Alpha TV from January 11. The programme “Sadda School,” to be telecast every Thursday and Sunday on Zee Alpha Punjabi deals with teenagers and schools goers. The series is about the emotions and attitudes of the adolescent boys and girls. |
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