The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Plan Panel wants 1.58% of GDP to be spent on health
Expert group had recommended 2.5%
PM had endorsed it
Aditi Tandon/TNS

New Delhi, August 10
The Planning Commission is facing tremendous resistance from public health experts after its health document for the 12th Plan proposed a raise of public spending on health to a meagre 1.58 per cent of the GDP.

This is at variance with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s repeated announcements that the public spending on health must be increased from one per cent at present to 2.5 per cent of the GDP over the 12th Plan period.

Under pressure, the Plan Panel has now said it will review the Draft Health Chapter for the 12th Plan which is to be firmed up by August end.

The red flag on the document was raised by the Health Ministry and a high-level expert group on Universal Health Coverage appointed by the Planning Commission two years ago to recommend ways to achieve National Health Package for all.

The group had said that for universal coverage to be achieved, public expenditure on health would have to rise to 2.5 per cent of the GDP, a recommendation endorsed by the PM.

But the final draft chapter for the Plan makes a mockery of the suggestion by proposing a much lower allocation and saying that 60 per cent of the increased allocation should come from states.

Evidence shows the states have been consistently reducing their spending on health. “Almost 20 years ago, states were spending 0.8% of the State Domestic Product on health. Today they spend 0.6 pc. At such a time, it is highly impractical to suggest that states should contribute 60 pc in the raised health allocations over the 12th Plan. This can’t work,” Dr Yogesh Jain, member of the group told The Tribune. The experts met Plan Panel Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia yesterday and the latter has called for their written response by next week.

“We have been assured of a relook,” said Dr K Srinath Reddy, renowned cardiologist, who heads the group. The group also wants changes to other proposals of the Plan document which say there would be a system of managed care to deliver a universal health package and public and private hospitals would compete for government money for universalisation of health coverage.

Ahluwalia, however, yesterday clarified that the Plan panel did not intend competition between public and private hospitals for health delivery not did it seek to corporatise the sector. “But that’s the signal going out of the document unless clarified otherwise,” Dr Jain said.

The Planning Commission’s own commitments in respect of health say the out of pocket expenditure in India must reduce from 71% to 50. “That can’t happen with public health spending amounting to 1.58% of the GDP,” Dr Reddy said.

India invests poorly on health. It spends $43 per head as against Sri Lanka’s $87, China’s $155 and Thailand’s $261.

India’s public health spending is also abysmally low - just 1% of the GDP against 1.8% in Sri Lanka; 2.3% in China; 3.3% in Thailand; 7% in the US and 6.5 to 8% in the EU.

Experts not happy
Under pressure from public health experts, the Plan Panel has now said it will review the Draft Health Chapter for the 12th Plan which is to be firmed up by August-end
A high-level expert group had said that for universal coverage to be achieved, public expenditure on health would have to rise to 2.5 per cent of the GDP, a recommendation endorsed by the PM
The final draft chapter makes a mockery of the suggestion by proposing a much lower allocation and saying that 60% of the increased allocation should come from states

1 dead in Maharashtra dahi handi celebrations
Shiv Kumar/TNS

Mumbai, August 10
One ‘Govinda’ died after falling from a human pyramid while several others sustained injuries in similar incidents in different parts of Maharashtra as ‘dahi handi’ celebrations kicked off with religious fervour.

According to the state police control room, Durvas Patil, 19, died on the spot after falling from six-tiered pyramid in Raigad district’s Dighi village early this afternoon.

At least 40 persons, including 27 in Mumbai, have been admitted to various hospitals after sustaining injuries from falling off pyramids, the police said.

In Mumbai, there are at least 400 registered associations with scores of young boys and girls who are going around the city forming pyramids to break the pot of ‘dahi’ hung several storeys high.

Prizes on offer range from Rs 10,000 at street corner pyramids to Rs 1.1 crore by an association promoted by Minister of State for Housing Sachin Ahir.

There are 60 all-girls groups that have come together to form pyramids this time in Mumbai, according to an umbrella body of Janmashtami Utsav organisers.

At the Jamboree Maidan at Worli in central Mumbai, Maharashtra's Minister of State for Housing Sachin Ahir has roped in actor Hrithik Roshan.

According to a statement issued by Shree Sankalp Pratisthan, the NGO headed by Ahir's wife Sangeeta, Roshan will re-enact the dahi handi scene from his movie “Agneepath”.

At the same event, a ballet showcasing the antics of a young Lord Krishna will have actress Esha Deol playing the role of Radha, according to the organisers.

Massive celebrations
Prizes range from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1.1 crore
Film personalities like Hrithik Roshan, Esha Deol, Akshay Kumar, Emraan Hashmi, Himesh Reshammiya and Sunny Leone expected to take part
In Mumbai, there are at least 400 dahi handi registered associations with 60 being all-girls groups

Security guard held for Mumbai lawyer’s murder
Shiv Kumar/TNS

Mumbai, August 10
The Mumbai police has arrested Sajjad Ahmed Mughal alias Sajjad Pathan (22), a resident of Baramulla in J&K, for the brutal murder of Pallavi Purkayastha on Thursday morning.

The police said 25-year-old Pallavi, a legal adviser with a film production company, was found with her throat slit and blood stains all over her flat at the Himalayan Heights building, Wadala, in South Central Mumbai. Pallavi's body was found by her live-in boyfriend Avik Sengupta on Thursday, the police said.

Joint Commissioner of Police Himanshu Roy told reporters that Pallavi had called Sengupta at around 1.30 am to complain that the power had gone off at their flat. Sengupta asked her to call an electrician attached to their building society. The electrician accompanied by building security guard Sajjad Mughal came twice to the flat to reconnect the power. "Mughal had tampered with the electric supply in Pallavi's apartment twice and had accompanied the electrician on both occasions. He managed to steal her house keys from the shelf during the second time," Roy said.

The officer added that the victim had an altercation with the security guard in the past and he was blinded by both lust and revenge.

Work hard, steal a little, UP minister tells officials; retracts
Shahira Naim
Tribune News Service

‘Didn’t say so’
I had called a meeting with local officials to discuss ways and means to curb graft. How can I encourage them to be corrupt? — Shivpal Yadav, PWD minister

Lucknow, August 10
Trying to retrieve himself from the major embarrassment caused by his statement virtually giving a licence to bureaucrats to steal as long as they worked hard enough, senior minister Shivpal Yadav today blamed the media for misquoting him.

Addressing a closed-door meeting of district-level officials at Etah on Thursday, Cabinet Minister for PWD and Irrigation Yadav had said that as long as the officials worked hard, they could steal a bit but not indulge in loot.

The statement coming from a member of the SP first family - brother of the national president Mulayam Singh Yadav and uncle of the CM Akhilesh Yadav - had caused major awkwardness for the ruling party as the statement has been caught on camera and run by all major news channels.

Retracting the statement, Yadav today blamed the media of quoting him out of context. “This was a closed-door meeting where the media was not present. It is a matter of investigation how it was reported,” said Yadav.

Speaking to the media today, Yadav claimed that he was in fact instructing the officials how to curb stealing and pilfering and check corruption which would not be tolerated at any cost.

Describing the minister’s statement as shameful, BSP national general secretary and Leader of Opposition Swami Prasad Maurya said that it was doubly shameful as it was coming from a member of the Samajwadi Party’s first family.

Lucknow MP and senior BJP leader Lalji Tandon condemned the statement saying that anything coming from a minister was virtually interpreted as government policy. “Shall one believe that a little bit of stealing has been sanctioned by this government?”

Want to confess role in 26/11: Jundal

Mumbai, August 10
Abu Jundal, one of the handlers of the 26/11 terrorists, today expressed his desire before a metropolitan court to confess his complicity in the brazen attacks, a day after he was confronted with Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving assassin in the case.

The 30-year-old made a verbal plea before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate PS Rathod that he wanted to make a voluntary confession about his role in the attacks, sources in the Crime Branch, which is investigating the 26/11 case, said. The magistrate explained to him the procedure of recording the confession and also informed him that his confessional statement could be used against him.

Jundal, sources said, replied in the affirmative when asked if he wanted to make his confession voluntarily.

In keeping with legal provisions, Jundal was told by the court that he would be given time to think whether he wanted to give confession. He would be produced before the court after two days and his statement will be recorded if he still wants to make the confession, sources said.

Jundal, who was hitherto in the custody of the Crime Branch, would now be lodged in solitary confinement at Arthur Road Central to ensure he is not influenced by anyone.

Held on the charge of participating in 26/11 attacks conspiracy, Jundal was earlier brought to the Esplanade court amid tight security and litigants and the media were asked to leave the courtroom.

Jundal, a native of Beed district of Maharashtra, was arrested in the 26/11 case by Mumbai police after he was brought here from Delhi where he had been apprehended in another case after being deported from Saudi Arabia in June. — PTI

Court gives him 2 days
The 30-year-old told a Mumbai court that he wanted to make a voluntary confession about his role in the attacks
In keeping with legal provisions, Jundal was given time to think whether he really wanted to give confession
He would be produced again in court after two days and his statement recorded, if he still wants to make the confession
Till then, Jundal would be in solitary confinement to ensure he is not influenced by anyone

SC: Falling societal norms no excuse for judges’ misconduct
R Sedhuraman
Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, August 10
Confirming the compulsory retirement of a District and Sessions Judge of Madhya Pradesh in 2004 on the recommendation of the high court, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said the Judge had rendered himself unfit for the post by seeking the help of a Member of Parliament and the Union Law Minister for the removal of adverse remarks in his service record for 1993 and 1994.

The conduct of Judge RC Chandel in involving an MP and the minister “is most reprehensible and highly unbecoming of a judicial officer. His conduct has tarnished the image of the judiciary and he had disentitled himself from continuation in judicial service on that count alone,” a Bench comprising Justices RM Lodha and Anil R Dave held.

Chandel, who had been posted in Punna district, had written a letter in February 1996 to then MP RK Malaviya, who had forwarded it to Law Minister HR Bhardwaj for his intervention. As if this was not enough, Chandel had the “audacity” to plead he never made a representation to Malaviya.

“On this ground also, his writ petition was liable to be dismissed,” the court said. It rejected the “excuse that since the standards in the society have fallen, the Judges who are drawn from the society cannot be expected to have high standards and ethical firmness required of a Judge. A Judge, like Caesar’s wife, must be above suspicion.

“The credibility of the judicial system is dependent upon the Judges who man it. For a democracy to thrive and the rule of law to survive, the justice system and the judicial process have to be strong and every Judge must discharge his judicial functions with integrity, impartiality and intellectual honesty.”

The Supreme Court further said: “The office that a Judge holds is an office of public trust. A Judge must be a person of impeccable integrity and unimpeachable independence. He must be honest to the core with high moral values. When a litigant enters the courtroom, he must feel secured that the Judge before whom his matter has come would deliver justice impartially and uninfluenced by any consideration.”

what the court said
Like Caesar’s wife, Judges should be above suspicion
A Judge must be a person of impeccable integrity and unimpeachable independence

India to collect biometric data in Pak, US & UK
Ashok Tuteja/TNS

New Delhi, August 10
The government proposes to start enrolment of biometric procedures as a pilot project in Indian missions and posts in Pakistan, the United States and the United Kingdom, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna announced on Thursday.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Krishna said the enrolment of biometric procedures include capturing of fingerprints and facial biometrics.

Krishna said it was proposed to conclude the process of implementation of biometric procedures by September 2014 subject to completion of all requirements in Indian missions, posts and other local factors in the host countries.

The biometric identification system is part of the immigration, visa, foreigners’ registration and tracking project that the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had cleared in 2010 as part of security measures taken in the aftermath of the Mumbai attack. Hitherto, the authorities have been resorting to biometric procedures only for foreign nationals visiting India on employment visa.

The fresh measure is being taken in the wake of Indian investigators finding it difficult to ascertain whether Abu Jundal, an Indian arrested in connection with the 26/11 attack, had visited India on a fake Pakistan passport after the carnage. Jundal is said to hold an Indian passport and two Pakistani passports.

It is believed that once the biometrics system is put in place, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to enter India on fake passport or forged papers. An individual’s biometrics will be collected at the Indian missions abroad and then matched upon arrival in India.

Initially, there was some opposition to the collection of biometrics on the ground that it could possibly affect the flow of visitors to India. There were many who contended that since most people abroad apply for Indian visas through travel agents, they would not make the effort of getting their biometrics recorded.

stepping up vigil
The biometric identification system is part of the immigration, visa, foreigners’ registration and tracking project
Once the biometrics system is put in place, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to enter India on fake passport or forged papers
An individual’s biometrics will be collected at the Indian missions abroad and then matched upon arrival in India

NDFB faction calls off truce, trouble feared
Bijay Sankar Bora/TNS

Guwahati, August 10
The decision of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), Ranjan Daimary faction, to call off its one-year-old unilateral truce with Government of India forces at this juncture with Bodo tribe heartland called Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) hogging headlines for ethnic violence, may complicate the situation in the area.

In the face of the “ceasefire”, the NDFB faction is said to have restrained itself from playing a role in the violence that took 74 lives besides rendering over 4 lakh homeless from over 5,000 villages of both Bodos and Muslims.

A security source said alert has already been sounded over NDFB’s decision to call off the unilateral ceasefire to prevent its cadres from adding fuel to the fire that is yet to be completely doused in the BTC and adjoining areas. An undercurrent of tension is still prevailing under heavy deployment of central paramilitary forces and the Army in these areas.

The National Democratic Front of Boroland has a history of indulging in killing of non-Bodos in the past. The situation could turn grim in the BTC area where, as Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said, many forces have already been active behind the violence.

This faction of NDFB was also involved in the October 30, 2008 serial blasts that rocked Assam, killing over 90 persons in Guwahati, Kokrajhar and Barpeta Road in Assam. Its chairman Ranjan Daimary is now lodged in jail after he was apprehended in Bangladesh over two years back.

assam violence
The Ranjan Daimary faction of the NDFB was involved in the October 30, 2008 serial blasts that rocked Assam, killing over 90 persons
Its chairman Ranjan Daimary is now lodged in jail after he was apprehended in Bangladesh over two years back

Navy looking for new choppers

New Delhi, August 10
The Indian Navy is looking at a new set of choppers and has asked global helicopter makers to submit their proposals. A tender has been floated by the Indian Navy for procuring 56 light utility helicopters (LUHs). These are expected to cost over Rs 4,000 crore and will replace the fleet of Cheetah and Chetak choppers based on a 1960’s model of European chopper.

Navy is looking at twin-engined choppers and has sent its request for a proposal to US firm Sikorsky, European consortium Eurocopter, Russian Kamov and Italy’s Agusta Westland. The Navy wants these helicopters should be capable of carrying out anti-submarine warfare (ASW) role and should be equipped with torpedoes and depth charges.

The Navy has specified that it wants choppers that figure in the 4.5 tonne category. These choppers could in future be used for anti-piracy and anti-terrorism operations. — TNS

Priests’ strike hits temples’ functioning across Andhra
Suresh Dharur/TNS

Hyderabad, August 10
Temple priests in Andhra Pradesh are on a warpath. As a result, devotees across the state have apparently been kept from performing rituals.

An estimated 36,000 priests and other staff of small and medium temples are on strike. They are demanding a hike in salaries and improvement in their work conditions. The “Arjitha Sevas” (paid rituals) in these temples came to a halt following the strike.

While all major temples, with annual revenue of more than Rs 1 crore, functioned normally, the devotees visiting smaller temples had a hard time, with priests and the other staff refusing to perform “Arjitha Sevas” like “Archana” and “Abhishekam”.

“We will continue the strike till August 14 and launch an indefinite hunger strike after August 15 if the government fails to meet our long-pending demands,” warned the Vice-President of AP Archaka Samakhya P Narasimha Charyulu and General Secretary T Ratnakar.

Besides wage hike, the priests have been demanding that the temple revenues be used for welfare of priests and improvement of infrastructure and other facilities at the temples.

They lamented that though the State Endowments Act was amended in 2007 for the benefit of priests and temple employees, the provisions were not being implemented.

However, the impact of the strike was not felt at major temples at Tirumala, Srisailam, Bhadrachalam, Simhachalam, Vijayawada and Basara.

According to the Telangana Archaka Samakhya, which is spearheading the agitation, more than 36,000 employees in about 18,000 temples across the state took part in the strike.

Day 2: Ramdev continues tirade against PM
Ananya Panda/TNS

New Delhi, August 10
With the government showing little interest towards a dialogue on the demands put forth by Ramdev, he continued his tirade against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking him to show “political honesty and political will”, while warning other non-Congress political parties to clarify their stand on the issue of black money.

As the yoga guru’s three-day fast at the Ramlila Ground entered its second day here, the other issues that gained prominence were farmers’ rights and gripping inflation.

“We need an honest Prime Minister. I want the current Prime Minister to demonstrate his political honesty and political will on the issue of black money,” Ramdev remarked while addressing his supporters and followers.

The yoga guru issued reminders to both the government as well as other political parties, saying just one more day and if no response comes from the government and other political parties, there is a befitting reply awaiting them.