New Delhi, August 16
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s words on free power and power tariff in his Independence Day address yesterday apparently had different messages for two Congress Chief Ministers. While Dr Singh’s words provided some solace to Delhi Chief

Minister Sheila Dikshit, who is facing criticism over power hike, they conveyed an indirect disapproval of Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh’s, moves to give free power to a section of farmers in the state. Dr Singh said there was a need to pay a reasonable price for electricity so as to ensure its supply in the right quantity, at the right time and of right quality. “We need to get used to paying a reasonable price for electricity just as we do for petroleum products,” he said.

He stressed that giving electricity free of cost to people, other than the poorest sections of society, would worsen the financial condition of electric utilities.

Pointing out that electricity was an essential ingredient of economic development, Dr Singh said that there was a need to ensure that electricity generation grew rapidly so that power shortages were eliminated. “Shortage of electricity is still a major inconvenience,” he said.

Dr Singh, who had scrutinised the poll manifesto of the Congress in the last Assembly elections in Punjab, had apparent differences of opinon with Capt Amarinder Singh, who was then the PPCC chief, on the issue of free power to farmers. However, citing example of the Akalis, the state Congress leadership prevailed upon Dr Singh not to delete the promise of free power from the poll manifesto. Dr Singh had been repeatedly cautioning state governments against freebies in the power sector.

The Prime Minister’s references in his speech to the need for workers to work in cooperation with the management and enhance profitability for mutual benefit, was being seen in the context of recent tussle between the management and the workers at a factory in Gurgoan which had created some worries in the town, known to be a favourite destination of investors.

Emphasising responsibility of workers, the Prime Minister said that wherever they might be working, in factories or in firms, “they should work in cooperation with the management so that profitability of enterprises increases and they also benefit from this.”

Dr Singh congratulated the working class for the “magnificient industrial growth” which crossed the 10 per cent mark and said that the Government would pay specific attention towards addressing the problems of workers, particularly those in the unorganised sector.

“Industrial growth is the result of the sweat and toil of our working classes...It is our hope that we will be able to provide a social security net for them so that they do not feel insecure in times of distress.” he said.

Belgaum, August 16
After cancelling a survey of the flooded areas due to inclement weather, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today announced an interim relief of Rs 300 crore from the National Calamity Contingency Fund to Karnataka to take up relief measures in the affected areas.

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar made the announcement.

Mr Pawar said the PM had asked the Home Ministry to release the fund from the National Calamity Contingency Fund and added, “We will provide all possible assistance to restore normalcy in affected areas.”

Asked when the amount would be released, Mr Pawar said it would be done tomorrow or the day after. The interim relief was in addition to Rs 100 crore already released by the Centre.

Mr Pawar said Dr Singh had taken off from Panaji for Belgaum but due to bad weather, could not proceed beyond the Western Ghats and had to return to Panaji.

The Prime Minister also said in his remarks that he had directed the Central team to visit the state from tomorrow to assess the damage caused by floods.

He also announced that the Nabard had been asked to give a special relief package for the affected families and lend the second crop loan.

The Prime Minister said the existing short term loan up to Rs 50,000 would be converted into long-term loan for seven years with a two-year moratorium. It would carry 0 per cent interest rate.

For the medium and small enterpreneurs, he announced that the working capital and loans would be re-phased for seven years. Loans up to Rs 50,000 would carry no interest, besides which fresh working capital would be provided to them.

An amount of Rs 1 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to each family, which had lost a member, was also announced by the Prime Minister.

Mr Pawar said it would take eight to 10 days for submission of the report on the extent of damage caused by the floods and the government would take a decision after studying it. — PTI

New Delhi, August 16
A Delhi court today acquitted Anirudh Prasad, alias Sadhu Yadav, an RJD MP and brother-in-law of Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, in a case pertaining to an attack on students protesting in front of the Bihar Nivas here on March 31, 1997.

Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna pulled up the CBI for its failure to produce any evidence against Sadhu Yadav.

The CBI had registered a case against Mr Yadav on May 30, 1997, following a Home Ministry directive on April 30, 1997.

He has been booked under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code, including attempt to murder, rioting and causing injuries to the students.

The court, however, noted that the prosecution of JNU students, who had staged the protest and had been charged with forming an unlawful assembly, would continue.

New Delhi, August 16
The government today told the Rajya Sabha that it would take necessary steps to fulfil its commitment as regards reservation in educational institutions after members vociferously demanded a legislation to protect interests of weaker sections in admissions following a Supreme Court judgement doing away with quota in private, unaided and minority colleges.

Members cutting across party lines demanded an ordinance if a legislation was not possible in the current session to provide for reservation for SCs/STs and other backward communities in those educational institutions.

The matter was raised during Zero Hour by senior Congress member A.K. Antony . He said students from poor families would have difficulty in getting admissions in these institutions.

CPM leader Nilotpal Basu said the judgement represented “ultimate commercialisation of education”. The members said the judgement had serious implications on the rights of SCs/STs and other backward communities. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachouri said the government would take appropriate steps after looking into the judgement.

New Delhi, August 16
The Rajya Sabha today gave its assent to the Hindu Succession Amendment Bill, 2004, moved by the Law Minister, which proposes to remove the discrimination contained in Section 6 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, by giving equal rights to daughters in the Hindu Mitakshara coparcenary property.

The Bill moved by Law Minister H.R. Bhardwaj received overwhelmning support from the members who felt that women had been discriminated over the years. It was passed by voice vote.

Replying to the debate, Mr Bhardwaj said he was working “day and night” on the Women’s Reservation Bill on which the government had interacted with leaders of political parties in a bid to create a consensus.

He said his ministry was ready with a Bill to check domestic violence against women which was a “very important piece of legislation with far-reaching consequences”.

According to the statement of objects and reasons attached to the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Bill, 2004, Section 23 of the Act disentitled a female heir to ask for partition in respect of a dwelling house wholly occupied by a joint family until the male heirs chose to divide their respective shares therein.

“The Bill also proposed to omit the said Section so as to remove the disability on female heirs contained in that Section,” Mr Bhardwaj said.

The recommendation for amending it was given by the Law Commission in its 174th report. Contending that discrimination between a son and a daughter existed in olden days, Mr Bhardwaj said “in the present society, there is no discrimination between a female and a male child.”

New Delhi, August 16
The UPA government’s flagship proposal, National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, seems to have run into trouble once again with the Left parties raising “practical difficulties” in implementing it, even as the Manmohan Singh government indicated the tabling of Bill tomorrow with the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi participating in the discussions.

“We have certain ground-level experience in this regard. So we raised certain practical difficulties, which could arise during implementation of the proposed legislation so as to ensure its successful implementation in all states”, West Bengal Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta said after a team of Left Parliamentary leaders had an hour-long meeting with Leader of Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee here.

“We are confident that convergence of views (between them and the government) will be achieved,” he said refusing to elaborate the areas of “difficulties”. It was a matter of parliamentary privilege, he said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad were also present at the meeting.

Besides Mr Dasgupta, the Left parties were represented among others by Mr Basudeb Acharia, Mr Nilotpal Basu, Mr Brinda Karat, Mr Hannan Mollah (CPI-M), Mr C.K. Chandrappan (CPI), Mr Debabrata Biswas (Forward Bloc) and Mr Manoj Bhattacharya (RSP). The amended Bill, which was cleared by the Union Cabinet last week, seeks to provide 100 days’ employment to each rural household, instead of the earlier provision of providing employment to only below poverty line families in rural areas.

Raghuvansh Prasad said that during his meeting with the Left parties leaders, he sought to allay their apprehensions regarding availability of funds for implementation of the ambitious scheme, disclosing that the Centre would provide necessary backup.

While 150 districts had been identified for launching the scheme, the Planning Commission would soon identify 50 more districts for the purpose.

The amendments also sought to ensure that the guarantee once applicable was not withdrawn at government direction. In order to make the provisions of the Act fully effective, the entire financial burden could be borne by the Central Government with the states meeting expenditure on account of the unemployment allowances.

The amendments had been drafted after taking into consideration the recommendations made by the Group of Ministers (GoM), Standing Committee of Parliament and National Advisory Council (NAC) headed by Sonia Gandhi.

New Delhi, August 16
Parliament today passed the vote-on-account for government expenditure in the next four months in Bihar, which is under President’s rule, with the Rajya Sabha returning the relevant appropriation Bills.

Winding up the discussion, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram gave an assurance to the members that there would be no dearth of funds for developmental activities in the state.”I don’t think money is a constraint,” he said reeling out statistics to point out that allocations had been stepped up under various sectors.

Even as members said corruption had become rampant in the state after the President’s rule, Mr Chidambaram pointed out that the outlay for roads had been increased by 104 per cent, health by 45 per cent, drinking water by 60 per cent, rural development by 23.5 per cent, backward district development by 205 per cent, urban development by 104 per cent, irrigation by 21 per cent and agriculture by 12.5 per cent.

He, however, acknowledged that power was a major problem in the state. “Bihar has done very poorly so far as power is concerned. Bihar’s own generation is 50 MW and its entitlement from Central utilities is 700 MW. Against this, the state has a demand of 990 MW and a peak demand of 1440 MW,” he said.

For improving the power situation, transmission line in south Bihar was being strengthened while modernisation of the 2x110 MW Barauni Power Project and 2x110 MW Muzaffarpur Power Plant would be taken up by BHEL/NTPC, the minister said.

He added that 36 districts in the state had been taken up for 100 per cent rural electrification by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd and National Hydro-electric Power Corporation.

Mr Chidambaram said a project for integrated development of Patna was being considered and financing for the same could be done by Japan’s JBIC.

The Finance Minister acknowledged that expenditure in the first quarter ending June 30, 2005, had been low and he had written to the Governor in this regard. In April-June, only 5 per cent of the total Plan outlay was spent. “This must be quickly stepped up,” he said.

The Lok Sabha had passed the Bill earlier.

Gandhinagar, August 16
The dissidents in the Gujarat BJP struck back here today with a show of strength when 44 legislators turned up to call on former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, who returned with his ailing wife from the USA in the early hours yesterday, while eight others sent fax and telephonic messages.

Former Union Textile Minister Kashiram Rana said around 60 legislators had either come in person or called to convey their feelings to Mr Patel. The BJP has a strength of 129 in a House of 182 legislators.

Long at the receiving end of the chief ministerial group’s offensive, the dissidents had made it clear well in advance that they would demonstrate their strength after Patel returned. Though officially it was made out that party workers and well-wishers would turn up to wish a speedy recovery to Ms Patel, who had suffered a heart attack while the Patels were away in the USA and had to undergo surgery, the dissidents chose the occasion to do so.

The time given for the purpose was between 3 and 6 pm, but people, including leaders, began streaming in from the morning itself and by afternoon a large number of people had gathered at Patel’s official residence. Queues had to be regulated by the cops in attendance.

A state minister, Bavku Ughad, also turned up while Minister of State Jasuben Korat communicated with Patel. Both are strong Patel camp followers.

Meanwhile, even as key dissident leaders are meeting here late on Tuesday night, Kashiram Rana has left for delhi while Patel will be leaving on Wednesday. They are expected to call on key national leaders in Delhi.

During the month-and-a-half long absence of Patel, the dissidents had been at the receiving end as the Narendra Modi juggernaut rolled freely. They were totally sidelined in the reconstitution of the state party set-up and also given just notional representation in the Cabinet expansion. 

New Delhi, August 16
Pressure is mounting on the Congress leadership that its nominee must be appointed Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir this November as per the power-sharing arrangement it had worked out with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) after the last assembly polls in 2002.

As per this understanding, the PDP was to head the state government for the first three years while the Congress would take its turn in the second half of the six-year term. The Congress state unit has warned that any deviation from this arrangement will impair its growth in the state.

Union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was the PCC chief at the time of the last election, is learnt to be state unit’s first choice for this post. In such a scenario, the possibility of PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti being appointed Deputy Chief minister is not being ruled out.

Besides Mr Azad, others whose names are figuring in the list of contenders include veteran party leader Mohammad Shafi Quereshi and Congress MP Saifuddin Soz.

Mr Azad is being seen as an obvious choice for this top job given his stature, profile and administrative experience. Having led the party to victory in the last assembly poll, he also enjoys a good rapport with state unit workers. However, it is not clear yet whether Mr. Azad is interested in leaving Delhi. Party leaders who have approached him have not been able to elicit his views on the plea that he has not focussed on the issue as he has been busy with the ongoing Parliament session.

A final decision on this sensitive issue will be taken by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh closer to the November deadline, it is stated. They will consult senior Congress leaders from the state like Dr Karan Singh before arriving at some conclusion. Meanwhile, Mrs Ambika Soni, AICC general secretary in charge of J&K, has begun consultations with MLAs. MPs and other workers from the state to get their inputs before she gives her assessment to Mrs Gandhi.

The party is, however, treading a cautious path as it is aware that Jammu and Kashmir is a “special case” and cannot clubbed with other state governments.

In addition to the suggestions of political leaders, inputs received from intelligence agencies will also be critical in evolving a final decision, party sources indicated. It is learnt that IB has said that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed should continue as chief minister. The PDP, it is argued, has emerged as an alternative to the National Conference which was earlier the only “pro-India” political party in this state. However, the PDP has yet to take firm root and needs time to grow if it is take on the National Conference and for this it is important that it head the coalition. 

New Delhi, August 16
Nasscom today said it would work with the legal authorities in Australia and India to ensure that those responsible for theft of data of customers of an Australian telecom company are promptly prosecuted.

“We will work with the legal authorities in Australia and India to ensure that those responsible for any criminal breaches are promptly prosecuted and face the maximum penalty,” Nasscom said in a statement, a day after Australian tv channel ABC claimed some Indian call centres were illegally selling personal information about Australian customers.

“Indian IT companies undertaking work for global companies contractually comply with all requirements of the relevant privacy and data protection laws of the home country”, said Nasscom. — PTI

New Delhi, August 16
The Supreme Court today cautioned universities against adopting lacklustre approach in preparing “key answers” to the common entrance tests (CET) for admission to medical and other courses, and imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on Ajmer’s Maharishi Dayanand Sarswati University (MDSU) for having several wrong answers in this year’s medial entrance exams.

“In today’s world of cut-throat competition even one wrong answer can make or mar the career of a student, but in this case incorrectness of six answers was established beyond doubt,” a Bench of Mr Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Mr Justice C.K. Thakker said.

Asking the universities to be more cautious in preparing answers, which should be 100 per cent correct, the court, directed the MDSU to evaluate the results afresh by including the correct answers to the six questions — one physics, two chemistry and three biology — and have the second counselling on August 25 on the basis of the same.

The court, however, said the admission of students, who had been allotted seats as per the first counselling held earlier, would not be disturbed as they could not be penalised for the fault of the university .

The university had called over 700 students for counselling after preparing a merit list out of 30,000 students who sat in the CET for admission to seven government and some private medical and dental colleges affiliated to it in Rajasthan.

But some students, whose names were in the waiting list, moved the Rajasthan High Court alleging that several answers were incorrect.

A single judge Bench had ordered evaluation of all answers by experts, who established the incorrectness of six answers beyond doubt while holding that there seemed to be more wrong answers in the “key answer” list on which opinions were divided among them.

The single judge Bench’s order was overturned by a Division Bench of the high court against which the students had filed an appeal in the apex court.