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Tribune Exclusive
Shift focus to agriculture: Guv
High Court
Lax security in Gurgaon
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HC team raids police station, gets man freed
Jhajjar village to have yoga institute
HJC founder member joins Cong
Substandard Material
Subsidised black gram for poor
3 booked for job fraud
Student attacked on varsity campus
Students fall ill after having toffees
3 killed in accident
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Tribune Exclusive
Karnal, January 22 Due to a boom in basmati exports during the past two years, the prices in the international market had gone up by 50 to 60 per cent, but the ongoing recession pulled down the prices by 40 to 50 per cent this year and the MEP of Rs 1,100 per tonne was not sustainable, Vijay Setia, president of the All-India Rice Exporters Association, said. The average income of farmers had doubled in the past two years from Rs 18,500 in 2005 to Rs 36,500 an acre in 2007. In view of the higher prices overseas, it was expected to increase this year also, but in fact their income was squeezed as exports declined due to the imposition of levy. Setia argued that the MEP should be further brought down and made flexible to cope with the fluctuating markets as the basmati prices in the international market were still lower at $900 to $950 per tonne. “Pakistan, our main competitor, has already made a dent in the market with exports of 12.5 lakh tonnes of basmati till the end of December 2008 against India’s exports of 7.15 lakh tonnes and the abolition of the export duty will only arrest the declining trend in exports but not help in fully recovering the lost ground,” he observed. According to sources, the area under rice cultivation had doubled during the past few years and due to a bumper rice crop this year, “exportable” basmati worth about Rs 5,000 crore had been withheld by exporters. India and Pakistan are the main competitors in the export of basmati and the prices of Pusa 1121, which was selling between Rs 1,800 and Rs 2,200 per tonne rose to Rs 3,000 and Rs 3,700 after it was declared “basmati”, but later the price dipped between Rs 2,400 and Rs 2,600 per tonne. On the other hand, exporters in Pakistan are apprehensive that the abolition of $200 per tonne export duty on basmati could affect their exports as Indian basmati would be available at much lower prices and Pakistani exporters now would not be able to compete. Abdul Rahim Janoo, chairman of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan, told the media on Tuesday that the Indian basmati was being traded at $1,250 per tonne in the international market against $1,200 per tonne of Pakistani rice and after this decision, Indian basmati would be available at $1,050 per tonne, $150 per tonne lower than Pakistani rice. |
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Shift focus to agriculture: Guv
Karnal, January 22 He further said the reason that India had not been much affected by this phenomenon was that nearly 58 per cent population was banking on agriculture and allied sectors. Inaugurating the fifth national scientist conference on “21st century dairy science and agriculture - status and direction” at NDRI here, he said the fact that the rural economic growth had remained confined mainly to the primary sector like agriculture and not spilled over to the tertiary sector proved a blessing in disguise for people. Maintaining that India was a growing economy and all set to become the third economic power after the US and China, Kidwai said stress should be laid on empowering farmers with latest technology and enabling them to increase production and productivity of agriculture produce for exports. Referring to Haryana, the Governor said farmers of the state had prospered economically but they were still backward socially and such that goal of balanced socio-economic development had not been fully achieved. The director of National Dairy Research Institute, Dr AK Srivastav, said India was the biggest producer of pulses and potatoes and was second in paddy, wheat, fruits and vegetable and sugarcane production. He said the need of the hour was to further increase production of farm products and give boost to exports to revolutionise the farm economy. At least 150 scientists from different parts of the country are participating in the conference. |
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High Court
Chandigarh, January 22 The suggestion came during the resumed hearing of a PIL by former minister Karah Singh Dalal and two others. They are seeking directions for a CBI probe into the selections. Petitioners’ counsel Mohan Jain pointed out two candidates Mona Pruthi and Sonia Narang were rejected in HCS so that favourites could be chosen . They, subsequently, topped in IAS and IPS.
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Lax security in Gurgaon
Gurgaon, January 22 A team of the Tribune visited various places in the city to find out inadequate security arrangements, although officials deny the same. When the team reached the railway station, not even a single policeman was seen inside the station, some were sitting inside the chowki there and others in the shed made for them. Passengers were entering and leaving the station without anyone checking them. Station Superintendent Suresh Chopra feels that although the police force has been deployed for keeping the vigil on the station, they are not aware much about the arrangements. However, Mathura Lal from the Railway Protection Force said, “The concerned department at Delhi Sarae has been informed about the security arrangement and they will be coming in a day or two to put the metal detector at the entry points of the station.” He said two officers and 16 constables were working 12 hours a day. Similar situation prevailed at the bus stand and the other crowded places in the city. However, the temples in the city and toll plazas are under full security. The malls in the city have stepped up the security these days. The mall management of Ambience - the biggest in Asia - says they have empolyed a private security agency. It has normal as well as armed security guards in the mall. it also have three sniffer dogs along with hand-held and door-frame metal detectors and Non-Linear Junction Detector Equipment (NJDE) to check the visitors dropping in. Joint Commissioner Manjit Singh Ahlawat told the Tribune that the security had been beefed up all over the city. May be it is the Tau Devi Lal Stadium, temples or other crowded places. |
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HC team raids police station, gets man freed
Bhiwani, January 22 The team, led by ARO Ramayanjit Singh, went to the CIA (I) office and inquired about Raja, detained illegally in the police station. When the team searched the police station, it found Raja from a cell. The CIA cell had kept Raja in illegal confinement for the past three days. Raja’s brother had approached the high court for his release. He had alleged in his complaint that the police had detained his brother, who had not committed any crime, and he was being tortured. The team indicated that action would be taken against the police personnel who had kept the man in illegal detention. |
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Jhajjar village to have yoga institute
Jhajjar, January 22 According to sources, the Badhsa village panchayat has given its nod for establishing the hospital on its shamlat land (common land) on the Gurgaon-Badli road near the sports stadium. The hospital, with an estimated cost of Rs 11 crore, will be run by the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN), New Delhi, which had been making efforts for getting 10 acres for a long time. The land will be provided to the CCRYN on a lease basis for 33 years. The CCRYN is an autonomous body under the Department of AYUSH, Union Ministry of Health, and works on scientific lines in yoga and naturopathy and for undertaking education, training and research. Deputy Commissioner Nitin Yadav said the administration had also sent a communication to the CCRYN for completing legal formalities in this regard. “To finalise the site for the hospital, a three-member committee was formed, which found Badhsa village suitable for the same,” said Yadav and confirmed that the land would be given on a lease for 33 years. The issue had been highlighted in these columns in which it was revealed that a project to establish the Central Research Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy with a 100-bedded research hospital in Jhajjar district had reached the verge of being withdrawn, owing to the “apathetic” attitude of the district administration. The administration had failed to provide 10 acres to the CCRYN free of cost.
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HJC founder member joins Cong
Chandigarh, January 22 Son of a former MLA from Kurukshetra, Garg was the president of the Kurukshetra district Congress before he had joined the HJC. He was the first district president of the Congress, who had hosted a “workers’ meeting” for former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal and his MP son Kuldeep Bishnoi. Both were still in the Congress, but Bishnoi had already raised the banner of revolt against Hooda. Keeping in line with the Congress tradition according to which dissident leaders show their strength by organising meetings of their supporters, Bhajan Lal, too, had embarked on such a programme. Garg had come out openly in support of Bhajan Lal at a time when most of the district unit presidents owing allegiance to the former Chief Minister were trying to maintain a balance between him and Hooda.
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Substandard Material
Kaithal, January 22 The under-construction building was inspected by the Deputy Commissioner last month and it came to light that the contractor was using substandard material. Following this, the contractor was reprimanded and samples were taken and sent to a laboratory. It is learnt that the samples of two items failed following which SDM Hawa Singh, after going through the records, recommended the registration of a case against the officials concerned. On a complaint lodged by DEO Mittar Sain, a case against SDO Ashwani Kumar, JE Lilu Ram and contractor Sat Pal was registered at the Rajound police station yesterday. Meanwhile, the matter of the use of substandard material in the construction of a bus stand at Pai has been brought to the notice of the district administration by villagers, who alleged that the contractor concerned boasted of political patronage.
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Subsidised black gram for poor
Chandigarh, January 22 Hooda was presiding over a meeting of officials of the Food and Supplies Department. He said under the scheme, 1 kg of black gram would be given per ration card per month to the BPL families. Initially, the scheme would be launched on a trial basis and after reviewing the success it would be continued. He directed the officials to set up a grievances redressal committee of the department in each district.
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3 booked for job fraud
Rewari, January 22 Following a complaint lodged yesterday by Vipin Kaushal, general manager of YKK India Private Limited, Bawal, the Model Town police here has registered a case of cheating, forgery, criminal breach of trust and criminal conspiracy under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, 406 and 120-B of the IPC against accused Babloo, the alleged kingpin of the gang, and his two accomplices, Shekhar and Ramesh Yadav. While Babloo is a resident of a suburban colony here, Shekhar hails from Jetpur village in Gurgaon district. Sources said the trio, while running a recruitment racket for providing lucrative employment in the above factory, lured a number of unemployed youth, including girls, into their dragnet recently. They charged hefty amounts from the “selected” youths, who were then made to go in for an interview and medical examination after which they were given “provisional” appointment letters. All this was done with such precision that it left no scope for suspicion. However, when some of these youths recently approached the company’s authorities to seek employment there on the basis of the above documents, which were given to them allegedly by Babloo, the “self-styled’ MD of the company, the cat got out of the bag. Consequently, the general manager of the company filed a complaint following which the accused have been booked for cheating and forgery.
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Student attacked on varsity campus
Hisar, January 22 He was admitted to the Civil Hospital. Sumit was standing near the Shopping Centre when the youths assaulted him. They escaped before other students could come to Sumit's help. It is learnt that the attack was linked to a controversy regarding the installation of a bust of Shaheed Bhagat Singh on the campus by a group of students. Sumit had led a protest against the move after another group of students had tried to install the bust a few months ago. |
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Students fall ill after having toffees
Hisar, January 22 Soon after consumption, as many as 16 children began vomiting following which they were taken to a nearby private hospital. All the children were discharged after treatment. Deputy Commissioner OP Sheoran and SP Anil Kumar Rao visited the school. They said the shop from where the student had purchased the toffees had been sealed and enquiry was in progress. |
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3 killed in accident
Karnal, January 22 The driver of the flatbed truck, coming from the Delhi side, hit a cyclist at 8.30 am near Meerut Chowk and sped away. The victim, identified as Govind Das (32), succumbed to his injuries on the way to hospital. While fleeing, the driver hit two cyclists near Liberty Chowk. Both died on the spot. The deceased have been identified as Lalla and Nibra, residents of Dayanand Colony. A case has been registered under Sections 279 and 304 of the IPC against the driver and a manhunt has been launched to nab the accused, police sources said. |
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