The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Oppn terms budget anti-people
Tribune News Service & PTI

Sudip Bandyopadhyay New Delhi/Nandigram, Mar 14
The Opposition today went ballistic with the BJP calling the Rail Budget anti-people and the Left saying it was “all sound and fury and no vision”. Former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad demanded a rollback of fare hike.

“It is a directionless, anti-people budget," BJP's vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said slamming fare hikes. It would burden the people acutely in the wake of high inflation, he added.

The Left wondered why Trivedi wanted to outsource Railways’ projects to outsiders, including global players (in catering), when he was so proud of the Railways being a unifier of India.

CPM leader Sitaram Yechury said, “That’s contradictory.” He added that freight charges had been hiked last month and the current raise would additionally burden the common man.

Trivedi today proposed to modernise the 19,000 km lines with 80 per cent of rail traffic over five years, but the Left parties wondered how he would do so. “The minister is depending on the general budget for much of the railway financial support. He should have been actually supplementing the general budget,” Yechury said.

Trivedi has pegged general budgetary support for the Railways in 2012-13 at Rs 2.50 lakh crore. The Opposition said the Railways was not consolidating its market position even where it could.

“The Railways’ market share is down to 35 per cent of freight traffic and 36 per cent of passenger traffic. It carries 45 per cent of India’s coal volume produced annually.

“The minister said he would cut down on acquisition of wagons, but pegged freight targets at 1,030 million tonnes. With lesser wagons, how will this happen?” asked CPM’s Basudeb Acharia.

Trivedi proposes to acquire 2,000 wagons as against 1,800 in the last fiscal. The Opposition also asked how the Railways would reduce their operating ratio without raising internal resources.

“The ratio is up from 92 per cent to 95 per cent this fiscal. The Railways is earning Rs 100 for every Rs 95 it is spending. The surplus is just Rs 5,” said CPI’s Gurudas Dasgupta, adding that Trivedi had concealed real fare hikes by mentioning per km raises.

If the hike (in rail fares) is to the extent people can bear, then there is nothing to comment about it.

— M Karunanidhi, DMK president

Nitish Kumar He (Dinesh Trivedi) spoke for 1 hour, 50 minutes. I think he spoke more because he had nothing to say.

— Nitish Kumar, Bihar Chief Minister

Omar Abdullah All said and done, I'd hate to be in Dinesh Trivedi's shoes. Today was supposed to be the highlight of his political career. Poor chap.

— Omar Abdullah, J&K Chief Minister

We expect the government to be straight-forward and candid on the Rail Budget. This is a budget intended to deceive the people.
— Arun Jaitley, Leader of Oppn in RS

The budget is directionless and has dealt another big blow to the common man, already facing the brunt of spiralling prices. Without taking effective steps for ensuring security and facilities, announcements have been made for an expensive journey.

— Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, BJP vice president

It’s a conscious decision: Trivedi
Says it was needed to provide basic amenities and for passenger safety
Girja Shankar Kaura/TNS

New Delhi, March 14
Under attack from his own party and the opposition, an unfazed Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi justified the raising of rail fares, which he said was a "conscious decision" taken in the best interests of the Railways.

Choosing to go the opposite way of his predecessors, Trivedi said it was needed to provide basic amenities and for the safety of passengers.

"Had we not increased the fare then amenities like cleanliness and safety could not be provided. The money will be spent on providing basic amenities to passengers," Trivedi said.

Describing railways' poor financial health, Trivedi said "Railways was getting into the ICU and I have pulled it out of it. You cannot have everything together", he said adding the fare hike was a minimum burden that had not been hiked in the last eight years.

Referring to 'Izzat' scheme which allows poor people to travel 100 km with a Rs 25 monthly pass, he said now they can travel up to 150 km. "Everybody, including parliamentary committees, federations and passengers, wanted fare hike. Unless you have resources you cannot undertake modernisation," he said.

The comments from Trivedi came even as his own party, including the party chief Mamata Banerjee, criticised the move and demanded an immediate rollback of the fare hike. A team of Trinamool Congress MPs met Trivedi soon after he presented the Budget. Minister of State for Health Sudip Bandopadhyay said the TMC MPs asked him to roll back the fare hike.

Trivedi said "No comments," when asked whether he would quit as Railway Minister as his party, Trinamool Congress, was demanding a rollback of the fare hike. The party leadership was not aware of the provisions made in the Railway Budget, he said.

"It is a big misconception that the Railways is run from the Writer's Building (West Bengal govt headquarters). She (Banerjee) did not know anything at all and there was no interference by her," Trivedi said.

Criticising the Centre for not giving adequate budgetary support, Trivedi said, “I had asked for Rs 45,000 crore and got only Rs 24,000 crore. How do I keep myself afloat? The input costs have gone up many times,” he said. The Railways has contemplated fuel adjustment component (FAC) in the basic fare structure in order to insulate it from the impact of fuel hike. "The FAC is operational in airlines. We are contemplating it," he said. On freight, he said, a balancing situation has to be made between passenger and freight. Freight cannot be increased beyond a point otherwise goods transport will be shifted towards roads. Trivedi said managing railways was a challenge which also gave him an opportunity to serve the people.

Railways set to reap bonanza from Mumbai land holdings
Shiv Kumar/TNS

Mumbai, March 14
The Railways can end up with a huge bonanza if it decides to develop its land holdings in Mumbai as envisaged by Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi in today's Rail Budget. According to data put together by the Railways Land Development Authority (RLDA), over 85 acres is available for development in the prime areas of Mumbai.

"The Western Railway has 46 acres, while the Central Railway has 40 acres in its possession within Mumbai alone," says a senior Railway official. In addition, the Railways has suggested developing stations along the Mumbai suburban network so that offices and commercial establishments can be constructed above the railway stations in Mumbai.

Last year, the Railways attempted to value some of its properties by inviting bids from developers for leasing a plot of land in Mumbai's Bandra East for 45 years. The RLDA had set a reserve price of Rs 4,000 crore, but the response was tepid due to poor market conditions.

According to RLDA officials, another 20-acre plot owned by the Central Railways at Carnac Bunder too may be available for development. The property, located at a short distance from South Mumbai, was formerly used as a goods yard because of its location near the Mumbai harbour.

The officials say no systematic attempts have been made to enumerate the value of the organisation's land holdings in Mumbai.

"The land owned by the Railways in and around Mumbai is also encroached and under the law, we will have to rehabilitate slum dwellers before we can commercially exploit these properties," adds another railway official.

The RLDA was set up in 2006 to exploit surplus land holdings owned by the Railways. According to the authority, the surplus land owned by the Railways is estimated at around 43,000 hectares spread across the country. Some estimates peg the value of the land at over Rs 26 lakh crore.

Firm to be floated for maintaining stations
Girja Shankar Kaura/TNS

Coolies watch Dinesh Trivedi present the Rail Budget at the New Delhi railway station. — PTI

New Delhi, March 14
In an effort to improve its image, the Indian Railways proposes to set up a new company under the public-private partnership (PPP) route which would be responsible for developing and maintaining thousands of railway stations across the country.

The proposal was made by Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi while presenting the annual Railway Budget here today.

“I propose to set up a separate organisation. This is a major step. This organisation-the Indian Railway Station Development Corporation-will redevelop and maintain stations on the pattern of airports,” Trivedi said while presenting his maiden Railway Budget.

“The organisation will find suitable revenue models. It will be funded through public-private partnership and will cost neutral to the Railways,” Trivedi said. “Modernisation of stations at major metros has the potential to employ 50,000 persons,” he added. The Indian Railways, which runs the second largest rail network in the world, has around 7,083 stations on 64,000-km route with 12,000 passenger and 7,000 freight trains. It ferries 23 million travellers and 2.65 million tonnes of goods daily.

The Railways also plans to recruit about 1 lakh persons in fiscal year 2012-13. At present, the Railways is one of the world’s largest employers, with more than 1.3 million people employed with it.

Govt yet to take a stand on Lanka resolution
Ashok Tuteja/TNS

New Delhi, March 14
Despite a vociferous demand from various parties to support a UN resolution on human rights in Sri Lanka, the government today remained non-committal on its stand when the resolution is put to vote.

“As far as our position on the resolution is concerned, we are engaged with all parties in an effort to achieve a forward looking outcome that is based on reconciliation and accountability rather than deepening confrontation and mistrust,” External Affairs Minister SM Krishna told Parliament in a statement, indicating the government’s dilemma on the resolution.

He pointed out that the draft resolution initiated by the US at the ongoing session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on the issue of reconciliation and accountability in the island nation was yet to come up for discussion. “A view on this issue will be taken as and when the time is finalised for consideration of the draft resolution on Sri Lanka in the UN Human Rights Council,” he added.

Krishna, however, made it clear to the members that India would need to consider the implications of its actions carefully on such a sensitive issue. “Any assertions on our part may have implications on our historically friendly relations with a neighbouring country.”

He said New Delhi would also need to examine whether its actions would actually assist in the process of reconciliation in Sri Lanka and enhance the current dialogue between the government there and Tamil parties.

Krishna, however, cautioned against taking a stand that could be seen as interference by Sri Lanka in its internal affairs. Meddling in affairs of another country was not part of India’s policy, he added.

Both the AIADMK and DMK members were dissatisfied with the minister’s statement and demanded that India commit itself to supporting the resolution moved by the US. Before AIADMK members walked out of the House, party leader E Elavarasan even tore a copy of Krishna’s statement.

CPI member D Raja also announced that his party was walking out but by then the Chair had already adjourned the House for the lunch recess.

7 yrs later, SSC officers get promotion benefits
Vijay Mohan/TNS

Chandigarh, March 14
About seven years after the Army revamped its promotion policy to ensure faster advancement up the hierarchy, a bizarre situation where the Army did not grant the benefit of “normal” pay, allowances and promotions to short service commission (SSC) officers, including women, who entered service prior to 2006 has now been corrected. Orders issued to this effect by the Armed Forces Tribunal today would affect hundreds of such officers.

Following the implementation of the AV Singh Committee recommendations made applicable to all officers who were in service in 2004, officers were to be promoted to the rank of Captain, Major and Lt Col after 2, 6 and 13 years of service, respectively. However, this benefit was withheld from short service officers commissioned prior to 2006 by an Army Headquarters’ directive despite the policy being approved by the government for all officers.

Consequently, male SSC officers continued to be promoted to the rank of Captain after nine years of service while women officers could become Captain after five years vis-à-vis just two years for regular officers irrespective of date of commission and SSC officers commissioned in 2006 and after. Further, while regular and post-2006 SSC officers could become Major and Lieutenant Colonel after six and 13 years service, respectively, the affected SSC officers were rendered ineligible for promotion to these ranks.

To make military service more attractive and to rationalise varied promotional avenues, the government implemented the recommendations of the AV Singh Committee in December 2004, under which time-bound promotions were provided for the ranks of Captain, Major and Lieutenant Colonel after 2, 6 and 13 years service, respectively. The earlier time-span for these promotions was 5, 10 and 15-18 years.

Big B, Ambanis to attend Akhilesh’s swearing-in
Tribune News Service

Lucknow, March 14
Besides captains of the Indian industry, Bollywood film stars and political leaders those who would witness the grand swearing in ceremony at the sprawling La Martiniere College grounds tomorrow would be some proud teachers from Dhaulpur Military School in Rajasthan where the state’s youngest Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had spent his formative years.

Among the VIP dignitaries expected to add glamour to the ceremony are the Ambani brothers, Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, Subrat Roy Sahara, Dia Mirza, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat, JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav, Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal, Jharkhand Vikas Party chief Babulal Marandi and union minister and Trinamool Congress leader Sultan Ahmad.

The authorities are working round the clock to ensure that the ceremony unfolds without a hitch. Not only senior Samajwadi party leaders were seen supervising the preparations but even the CM-designate personally visited the grounds to take stock of the progress.

At least 10,000 people, including district level workers, are expected to view the ceremony. For the oath-taking, ceremony a massive 30X20 feet and 8 feet high stage is being constructed. It is here on this newly constructed stage at 11.30 am approximately that Governor BL Joshi would swear in the new CM and his ministers.

To facilitate a better view of the proceeding, 10 mega LED screens have been installed along the grounds. Approximately Rs 3 crore is being spent on the ceremony.

Protest lodged with Pak about bunkers, Antony tells RS
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 14
Defence Minister AK Antony today told Parliament that India has time and again lodged protest with Pakistan about construction of new bunkers and watch towers along its border region.

“Protests have been lodged with the Pakistan Rangers and flag meetings of Field Commanders are held in all cases,” Antony said in written reply in the Rajya Sabha today. The matter is also taken up by the BSF with the Pakistan Rangers during scheduled meetings at various levels.

Antony said, “The government is aware through intelligence inputs that Pakistan has constructed and carried out repairs of bunkers, morchas and towers.”

He furnished details of the construction and repair activities carried out by Pakistan along the border for 8 years’ period between 2004 and 2011. While 886 bunkers were constructed by Pakistan in the border areas, the Pakistani Rangers built 261 morchas and erected 398 towers in the past seven years. It also constructed 143 Border Out Posts facing India.

The minister assured the House that “adequate troops are supplemented by appropriate surveillance and technical intelligence resources to ensure the sanctity of the border”.

Aarushi case: Talwar’s bail extended

Ghaziabad, March 14
A Sessions Court here today extended the bail of Rajesh Talwar in the Aarushi-Hemraj double murder case.
Special Magistrate Priti Singh extended the bail of Aarushi's father, Rajesh Talwar, a co-accused in the twin murder case along with his wife, Nupur Talwar.
The court set aside CBI counsel's arguments claiming that Talwar was not speaking the truth in order to get bail, and fixed April 11 as the next date of hearing.
The Supreme Court had recently struck down the Noida-based dentist couple's plea for transfer of their trial to a Delhi court from Ghaziabad. — PTI

Rajesh Talwar at a special CBI court in Ghaziabad. — PTI