SPECIAL COVERAGE
CHANDIGARH

LUDHIANA

DELHI



THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS
50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS
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N A T I O N

Cong plotting to defame me: Gadkari
Mumbai, October 31
Nitin Gadkari, BJP president BJP president Nitin Gadkari, who has been accused of corruption by former Anna Hazare associate Arvind Kejriwal, today said here that he was willing to face any inquiry into the matter. "I am open to any inquiry... let them investigate everything about me, but the Congress party's son-in-law (Robert Vadra) should also be similarly investigated," Gadkari said. Gadkari, who arrived here from Nagpur to consult lawyers over his next course of action over the allegations, was welcomed by several hundred BJP workers at the Mumbai airport.

IT probes firms investing in his company
Mumbai, October 31
The Income Tax Department today conducted "open inquiries" at the premises of companies that invested in Purti Sugar and Power run by beleaguered BJP chief Nitin Gadkari and found many of their directors were people with small means like security guards and labourers.


EARLIER STORIES



BJP asks PM to come clean; RIL denies IAC charges
New Delhi, October 31
Opposition BJP today asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to come clear on Kejriwal’s charge about his government’s ties with Reliance and reasons behind the removal of Jaipal Reddy from the Petroleum Ministry.

60 paramilitary cos for Himachal poll duty
Chandigarh, October 31
As the date for polls in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh draws closer, the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have deployed 60 companies to maintain law and order and ensure the safety of polling booths and electronic voting machines.

New initiatives before 2014 poll, says Selja
New Delhi, October 31
Ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, new Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Kumari Selja has her task cut out. On her first day in office after assuming charge of the ministry (she was earlier Minister, Culture and Urban Poverty Alleviation), Selja said her ministry would pilot important initiatives for the welfare of backward communities in the time left before the next General Election.



Kumari Selja takes charge as the Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment in New Delhi on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

Kumari Selja takes charge as the Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment in New Delhi on Wednesday


Remembering Indira

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi pay tributes to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her 28th death anniversary in New Delhi on Wednesday
Congress president Sonia Gandhi and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi pay tributes to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her 28th death anniversary in New Delhi on Wednesday. Photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

Explanation to be sought from defected NCP MLAs
Guwahati, October 31
The Speaker of Meghalaya Assembly Charles Pyngrope has decided to write to all the 11 ‘defected’ NCP legislators asking them to inform if they had formally joined the newly formed National People’s Party (NPP). The new regional party has been formed by former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma.

It’s season of political migrations in Andhra
Hyderabad, October 31
The season of political migration appears to have arrived in Andhra Pradesh, though the Assembly elections are still 18 months away. Interestingly, it is not the ruling Congress but the opposition YSR Congress Party and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) that have emerged as favoured destinations of political migratory birds.

Will celebrate bigger Divali on Dec 20, says Modi
Gandhinagar, October 31
Confident of a big win in the forthcoming state Assembly elections, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today said his party will celebrate a bigger Divali on December 20, the day when poll results will be out.

Raju worships his way to work; wants moral education in schools
New Delhi, October 31
Former Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju assumed charge as India’s 30th Human Resource Development Minister today following a brief “pooja” at his Shastri Bhavan office. He later said moral education should be made integral to school curriculum in the country.


New Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister MM Pallam Raju performs prayer before taking charge in New Delhi on Wednesday. — PTI

New Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister MM Pallam Raju performs prayer before taking charge in New Delhi on Wednesday

Curbing PDS leakages
Centre for making fair-price shops financially viable
New Delhi, October 31
Ahead of its next big-ticket programme — the National Food Security Bill — the government is looking for “reasonable” financial viability for Fair-Price Shop (FPS) dealers to plug leakages in the Targeted Public Distribution System (TDPS) and improve its functioning.

Promotion Issue
Senior Army officer’s case referred to Law Ministry
New Delhi, October 31
The Defence Ministry has asked the Law Ministry to adjudicate on a plea filed by a Lieutenant General of the Indian Army, who has alleged that he was bypassed for promotion. The case assumes significance as the decision could result in yet another battle for the top post of Army Chief.

’84 riots: Sikh bodies demand punishment for guilty
New Delhi, October 31
The Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi unit) and the All-India Sikh Conference (Babbar), on 28th anniversary of 1984 anti-Sikh riots, asked the government to punish the people against whom the police had registered FIRs and cases were under the court of law.
Survivors of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, relatives and supporters hold a march near Parliament in New Delhi on Wednesday
Survivors of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, relatives and supporters hold a march near Parliament in New Delhi on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

Kapil Sibal, Telecom MinisterCall on spectrum refarming before auction: Sibal
New Delhi, October 31
While no decision could be taken at a meeting of the Telecom Commission on the contentious issue of refarming of the spectrum of the incumbent telecom operators today, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said the government would arrive at a decision on the reallocation of spectrum before the auction of airwaves begins. Talking to mediapersons, Sibal said: “Absolutely, before the auction starts,” when asked if the decision on spectrum refarming would be taken before the auction, which is to begin from Nov 12.

HC seeks Centre’s report on fighting dengue
New Delhi, October 31
The Centre was asked today by the Delhi High Court to submit to it a report on implementation of the government's long-term action plan to control the outbreak of dangerous diseases like dengue in the city.

Super 30 founder is now 'People's Hero'
Mumbai, October 31
Anand Kumar, founder of Super 30 institute, which provides free residential coaching to students from underprivileged families for IIT-JEE exams, has found a place in the People magazine as the "People's Hero." People magazine of the Time magazine group in its latest Indian edition issue carries a detailed feature on Anand, listing him as a ‘People's Hero,’ a release said.

CPI to lead farmers’ rally today
New Delhi, October 31
The CPI will lead a demonstration of farmers who will assemble in the capital tomorrow under the aegis of the All-India Kisan Sabha and the Bhartiya Khet Mazdoor Union to raise sector-related demands.





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Cong plotting to defame me: Gadkari
BJP chief ready for probe, but wants Vadra investigated as well
Shiv Kumar/TNS

Mumbai, October 31
BJP president Nitin Gadkari, who has been accused of corruption by former Anna Hazare associate Arvind Kejriwal, today said here that he was willing to face any inquiry into the matter.

"I am open to any inquiry... let them investigate everything about me, but the Congress party's son-in-law (Robert Vadra) should also be similarly investigated," Gadkari said.

Gadkari, who arrived here from Nagpur to consult lawyers over his next course of action over the allegations, was welcomed by several hundred BJP workers at the Mumbai airport. Addressing the workers, Gadkari denied that he had anything to do with Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Nagpur-based industrialist Ajay Sancheti.

"I am not the business partner of either Sharad Pawar or Ajay Sancheti. I am not a director of any company nor do I own shares of any company," Gadkari said. "Arvind Kejriwal and his associates are spreading false stories in the media.”

Calling the allegations a conspiracy against the BJP, Gadkari accused the ruling Congress of spearheading the campaign. "The corrupt UPA government is on its way out. The BJP will form the next government. So the Congress and some sections of the media have resorted to a conspiracy against us," Gadkari said.

The BJP chief went on to defend his tenure as the minister for public works during the Shiv Sena-BJP government in the state between 1994 and 1999. “As a minister in Maharashtra, I did not indulge in any illegalities... I did not enjoy any personal benefit… I got the Mumbai-Pune Expressway constructed for just Rs 1,600 crore while the lowest bid was for Rs 3,600 crore," Gadkari said.

According to Gadkari, his Vidarbha-based company which is under the scanner of Kejriwal and other activists, was not involved in any wrongdoing. “My company works for the welfare of farmers in Vidarbha, who were committing suicide due to their accumulated debts. My company is a cooperative meant to benefit farmers,” he said.

What he said

  • The land I was accused of grabbing is still with the Maharashtra Government
  • The government probed Adarsh and irrigation scams but found nothing against me
  • No business links or partnership with Sharad Pawar and Rajya Sabha MP Ajay Sancheti

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IT probes firms investing in his company

Mumbai, October 31
The Income Tax Department today conducted "open inquiries" at the premises of companies that invested in Purti Sugar and Power run by beleaguered BJP chief Nitin Gadkari and found many of their directors were people with small means like security guards and labourers.

"We conducted open inquires at 12 places in Mumbai and also in Pune, Nagpur and Kolkata," a senior IT official said speaking on condition of anonymity. Sources said the statement of over 13 persons named as directors of these companies have been recorded so far in Mumbai.

"People who were mentioned as directors are men of no means. Most of them are security guards, labourers and astrologers, with many claiming they do not know how their names figured as directors," they said.

"These companies were started with paid-up capital of about Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000, but later huge amounts were pumped into the companies," sources said. — PTI

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BJP asks PM to come clean; RIL denies IAC charges
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 31
Opposition BJP today asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to come clear on Kejriwal’s charge about his government’s ties with Reliance and reasons behind the removal of Jaipal Reddy from the Petroleum Ministry.

Congress leaders Mani Shankar Aiyer and Reddy, named as scapegoats by Arvind Kejriwal in government’s attempts to placate Mukesh Ambani, individually rubbished the charges against their party.

Reliance Industries also denied IAC charges, terming these “devoid of any truth or substance whatsoever”.

The Reliance statement said the deep-water exploration project in the KG-D6 basin “has deployed the best technical resources and has been recognised by the oil and gas industry as one of the very best in its class. This project has added great economic value to the country and by all accounts is a project of which India can be justly proud.”

It added that “irresponsible allegations made by the IAC at the behest of vested interests without basic understanding of the complexities of a project of this nature do not merit a response”.

According to the IAC, RIL was supposed to give gas at $ 2.25 per unit for 17 years to the country and extract 50 per cent of the total natural gas requirement of the country annually (eight crore units annually). However, RIL is producing just two crore units now and was hoarding gas the way “petty grocers” hoard rice and wheat.

“Today, power from gas-based power plant costs around Rs 3 per kWh (kilowatt hour). If gas price is increased as demanded by Reliance, power prices would go up to Rs 7 per kWh,” IAC activists said.

Another key allegation was “gold plating” of capital expenditure of which CAG said there was strong evidence. “This episode explains the real reasons for price rise in the country. The government seems to be succumbing to illegitimate demands of some powerful corporates in the country (like RIL in this case). Benefits provided to RIL in this case contributed to price rise in power and fertiliser sectors,” Kejriwal said.

BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said charges levelled by Kejriwal should be answered by the government and the PM. The facts should be brought into public domain, he said.

IAC reasons behind RIL’s poor show

  • Four-time cost escalation in 2 years from $2.39 billion in 2004 to $8.8 billion in 2006
  • Increase in gas price from $2.34 per mmBtu in 2004 to $4.2 per mmBtu in 2007 to the present demand of $14.2 per mmBtu
  • Capacity created for producing 80 mmscmd after incurring such a huge cost ends up producing just 27 mmscmd after 12 years
  • 31 oil wells should have been in production till now. Out of them, just 13 are functional

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60 paramilitary cos for Himachal poll duty
Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 31
As the date for polls in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh draws closer, the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have deployed 60 companies to maintain law and order and ensure the safety of polling booths and electronic voting machines.

This, according to sources, is the largest-ever deployment of paramilitary forces in the state for election duty and is in addition to the state police forces. One company comprises about 100 men.

The companies have been drawn from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP), Shashtra Seema Bal (SSB), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Border Security Force (BSF).

The ITBP is providing 25 companies and these will be deployed in Bilaspur, Chamba, Mandi, Hamirpur, Kinnaur, Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti districts, while SSB’s 15 companies will be deployed in Shimla, Solan and Sirmour districts. The CRPF and the BSF are fielding 10 companies each, which will be responsible for security cover in Kangra and Una. Some of these companies would later be moving to Gujarat for election duty in that state.

CAPF personnel, besides being stationed at polling booths and guarding strong rooms where election material is stored, are undertaking flag marches, inspecting vehicles keeping a watch over movement of people and manning nakas to check the flow of liquor, cash or weapons.

While there are no major internal security issues in Himachal, the CAPF officers associated with the election duty said that a close watch is being kept in Chamba district, which shares its border with the Doda sector of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

“Terrorists from J&K are known to take sanctuary in the Chamba region,” a senior officer said. “Though there are no specific threats of terrorist-related incidents, we are being extra cautious in this region. Our prime concern is poll related violence resulting out of rivalries or frayed tempers at the local levels,” he added.

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New initiatives before 2014 poll, says Selja
Aditi Tandon/TNS

New Delhi, October 31
Ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, new Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Kumari Selja has her task cut out. On her first day in office after assuming charge of the ministry (she was earlier Minister, Culture and Urban Poverty Alleviation), Selja said her ministry would pilot important initiatives for the welfare of backward communities in the time left before the next General Election.

Selja said she would work closely with the HRD Ministry to ensure that children with disabilities were not left out of school and got their due under the Right to Education Act that guaranteed free and compulsory elementary education to six-to-14-year-olds as a matter of legal entitlement.

“We will have to discuss issues concerning special children with the HRD Ministry. It is important to understand that education for all, including the differently-abled children, is a matter of their right under our law. What we need to do is skill these children and enable them to earn livelihood in future. Measures need to be initiated towards that end,” she said.

Selja, a leading political figure from Haryana, said she was keen to start new projects for the uplift of the sector although a lot had already been done. She hailed the recent development related to the disabilities sector being made an independent department under the Social Justice Ministry. The department now has a dedicated secretary whereas earlier it was just one of the many divisions in the ministry, thus competing for attention and budget.

“The establishment of a full-fledged Disability Department is a huge step forward towards giving focused attention to the disability area,” she said.

Asked about the pending Rights of Persons with Disability Bill, which was submitted to the government last year and has since been pending, Selja said she would study the Bill and take a call on that.

The Bill is significant considering it would enable India to bring its disability laws in conformity with the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which advocates a rights-based approach rather than a welfare-based approach to the disability sector.

India’s present law - the Persons with Disability Act of 1995 is a welfare-based legislation that does not address the issue of disability rights. India has ratified the UN Convention and must therefore bring its local legislations in line with it.

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Explanation to be sought from defected NCP MLAs
Bijay Sankar Bora/TNS

Guwahati, October 31
The Speaker of Meghalaya Assembly Charles Pyngrope has decided to write to all the 11 ‘defected’ NCP legislators asking them to inform if they had formally joined the newly formed National People’s Party (NPP). The new regional party has been formed by former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma.

The Speaker is slated to issue the letter on November 7 on the basis of the complaint lodged by NCP legislator and Deputy Speaker Sanbor Shullai. “A week’s time will be given to them to respond,” Pyngrope said.

The NCP legislators, except Shullai and Adolf Hitler Marak, merged with the Purno Sangma’s NPP two months back. However, even after their claim of merger on August 24 last, the defected legislators are yet to submit any official document to the Speaker to affirm the merger with the NPP.

Earlier, the NCP general secretary D P Tripathi had demanded action against the defected legislators. However, the complaint of Tripathi was disallowed by the Speaker since he was not a member of the state Assembly.

This prompted the NCP legislator Shullai to lodge the complaint with the Speaker seeking action against the defected MLAs for violation of the ‘anti-defection law’.

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It’s season of political migrations in Andhra
Suresh Dharur
Tribune News Service

TDP legislator Praveen Kumar Reddy who has announced to join the YSR Congress
TDP legislator Praveen Kumar Reddy who has announced to join the YSR Congress

Hyderabad, October 31
The season of political migration appears to have arrived in Andhra Pradesh, though the Assembly elections are still 18 months away. Interestingly, it is not the ruling Congress but the opposition YSR Congress Party and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) that have emerged as favoured destinations of political migratory birds.

Delivering a major blow to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), its legislator Praveen Kumar Reddy today switched loyalties and announced his decision to join the YSR Congress Party headed by the jailed MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. He made the announcement after meeting Jagan in Chanchalguda central prison.

The development came as a setback to TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who is currently on a 117-day padyatra across the state to revive his party’s prospects. Interestingly, Praveen Kumar Reddy represents the Tamballapally constituency in Naidu’s home district of Chittoor.

Earlier, Congress MLA from Chintalapudi in West Godavari district M Rajesh Kumar had crossed over to the YSR Congress Party. “My cadre and supporters in the constituency feel that I should stand by the YSR family in their hour of need and I obliged them,” he said after calling on YS Vijayamma, widow of former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy.

Despite being jailed in the illegal assets case, Jagan has emerged as a formidable political force in the state with leaders from across the political spectrum betting high on his fledgling party. The young MP has been positioning himself as the sole claimant to the political legacy of his charismatic father, YSR, whose populist schemes are a big hit among the masses.

Another TDP legislator from West Godavari district, Vanitha, has also announced her decision to quit the party and join the YSR Congress. Former TDP MLA from Visakhapatnam district Venkatrao also joined the YSR Congress recently. Earlier, former TRS youth wing strongman J Balakrishna Reddy had switched over to the YSR Congress, strengthening the party in the Telangana region.

Meanwhile, two rebel TDP MLAs from the Telangana region, K Harishwar Reddy and S Venugopala Chary, are set to join the TRS which has been spearheading the movement for a separate Telangana state. TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao today drove to Harishwar Reddy’s residence here and held confabulations with him.

Later, Reddy announced that he would join the TRS on November 15 to carry forward the statehood movement.

DRIFTERS' DESTINATION

  • The YSR Congress and the TRS that have emerged as favoured destination of political migratory birds
  • Despite being jailed in the illegal assets case, Jagan has emerged as a formidable political force in the state
  • TDP's legislator Praveen Kumar Reddy on Wednesday joined the YSR Congress
  • Earlier, Cong MLA from Chintalapudi M Rajesh Kumar had crossed over to the YSR Congress
  • TDP legislator from West Godavari district Vanitha has also announced her decision to join the YSR Congress
  • Two rebel TDP MLAs from Telangana, K Harishwar Reddy and S Venugopala Chary, are set to join the TRS

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Will celebrate bigger Divali on Dec 20, says Modi

Gandhinagar, October 31
Confident of a big win in the forthcoming state Assembly elections, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today said his party will celebrate a bigger Divali on December 20, the day when poll results will be out.

“This time we will celebrate Divali twice, one the traditional Divali and second to celebrate the victory of democracy. On December 20, we will celebrate Divali in such a grand way that nobody would have celebrated before in the state,” Modi claimed here today.

Counting of votes of Gujarat elections will be held on December 20 while voting will take place on December 13 and 17.

The chief minister was addressing the BJP Youth Wing workers before flagging off their ‘Vijay Prayan Yatra’ in which 1,300 workers of the party will be send across the the state for campaign.

Mounting attack on Opposition Congress, Modi said their campaigns run on the power of money and falsehood. “But we do not want any shortcuts, we will fight this elections on the strength of our cadres,” he said.

“We don't have to stop even after winning Gujarat, as we have still have task ahead of winning more hearts,” Modi added.

“My problem is, everybody is thinking that even after attacking him with so much force why he remains unmoved. How can anything happen to me when lakhs of you are protecting me. Never bother if someone targets you with baseless and false allegations... I am tolerating it for past 12 years. I am wondering why can't Congress tolerate it”, he asked.

“Look at how Salman Khurshid behaved when allegations were levelled against him for pocketing the grant money alloted to handicapped people. He threatened activists with dire consequences. He lost temper in three days of targeted allegations, whereas I am tolerating it for past 12 years,” Modi said.

“Similarly Virbhadra Singh threatened to break the cameras. In spite of me being targeted with baseless allegations for past so many years I have never went beyond the democratic boundaries,” he claimed. — PTI

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Raju worships his way to work; wants moral education in schools
Aditi Tandon/TNS

New Delhi, October 31
Former Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju assumed charge as India’s 30th Human Resource Development Minister today following a brief “pooja” at his Shastri Bhavan office. He later said moral education should be made integral to school curriculum in the country.

“We have some inherent strengths; one of those is our heritage based on our value systems. We need to strengthen that part and leverage it to offer good education to our children. Value system has to be reinforced and moral values which our generation imbibed reintroduced at school level and made inherent part of the education system,” Raju said after assuming formal charge of the Education Ministry at 10.30 am, an auspicious time.

Appearing composed after having taken sector briefings from HRD bureau heads, he said though children were not “disrespectful”, their attitude towards “gurus” and “parents” had changed and the role of these mentors stood diluted.

In response to The Tribune query on how he proposed to impart moral lessons at school, Raju said, “When we were growing up, we had chapters in school which talked of moral values. Things like that must be built into the curriculum and we must guide teachers to impart such values at school.”

Interestingly, the CBSE is releasing “value education” handbook tomorrow at a function which Raju and his new MoS Shashi Tharoor are scheduled to attend. The board has already decided to allocate 5 per cent marks in each of the core subjects in Class X and XII for value education, which its affiliated schools have to offer as part of other subjects at secondary and higher secondary level.

On the agenda his predecessor Kapil Sibal set, such as higher education reforms Bills like Foreign Education Providers Bill, Raju said, “Open minded approach to education was necessary but everyone needed to be taken along and convinced that the credit of reforming the education sector for the future generations would be collective.”

Pressing for consolidation of Sibal’s efforts, Raju said, “A lot of good work has been done at the primary education front and the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has created building blocks for universalisation of education. Now we have to focus on infrastructure, teacher quality and school curriculum. On the higher education side too, new IITs, IIMs and Central Universities have come up. These need to be strengthened. Our focus would be on consolidation of past gains and skilling of students for future.”

The minister, an engineer himself, said 17 pc of Indian engineering graduates were industry ready and 30 per cent trainable. “The rest are not of the standard required by the industry. We need to work on this,” he said.

DAUNTED BY THE TASK at hand

Pallm Raju said he felt daunted by the stature of his predecessors in the HRD Ministry and that the assignment was a huge responsibility. He said he would evolve a system of rewarding technical institutions that were doing well to end the prevailing rackets in the sector

CALL ON RTE SOON

The minister will soon take a call on whether RTE achievement deadlines need to be extended beyond March 31, 2013, to prevent people from going to courts. "If we have to extend the deadlines, the Act will have to be amended in the winter session itself," he said.

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Curbing PDS leakages
Centre for making fair-price shops financially viable
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 31
Ahead of its next big-ticket programme — the National Food Security Bill — the government is looking for “reasonable” financial viability for Fair-Price Shop (FPS) dealers to plug leakages in the Targeted Public Distribution System (TDPS) and improve its functioning.

Speaking to mediapersons at the end of the two-day conference of Food Ministers and Secretaries on strengthening the TDPS, Food Minister KV Thomas said one of the main reasons for siphoning off of foodgrain from the fair-price shops was the low commission or margin for dealers.

Thomas said he has urged the states to review the prevailing margins and revise them suitably to make the running of ration shops an economically viable deal for its owners.

The cases of shortage in availability of foodgrains, despite overflowing granaries in the country, have been attributed to shortfall in the distribution system.

Urging the Food Ministers to regularly review the off-take at their level, Thomas said that during the current year, record allocations of 253.96 lakh tonnes have been made till September 2012, but off-take against the allocations was a matter of concern.

“It not only leads to denial of subsidised foodgrain to the targeted beneficiaries, but also accentuates the storage problem and adversely affects the subsequent procurement of foodgrain,” Thomas said.

The minister also stepped in to allay one of the major apprehensions of the states that the TPDS would be stopped if the cash subsidy model, as had been actively suggested, was adopted.

The government is looking at cash transfers to ensure that benefits of PDS reach beneficiaries and a pilot project is now being implemented in the six UTs to study the efficacy of the proposal. States too have been asked to consider alternative ways of transferring benefits of subsidised foodgrain to beneficiaries.

However, apprehensions are there that the present system of TDPS will be suspended if the cash-transfer model is adopted. Thomas said that a workable solution was direct transfer of cash to the accounts of the beneficiaries’ account while keeping the PDS, including procurement, intact.

This, he said, would not only curb the incentive for leakages, but also bring about improvements in functioning of fair price shops.

Checking leakages and diversion of foodgrains has been a challenge for the successful implementation of the PDS and the government is taking a number of steps to address the problem.

According to Thomas, use of technology can play a big role in this and some states, especially Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, have taken commendable steps in computerisation of various PDS operations.

A blueprint for end-to-end computerisation of TPDS operations has been prepared. As a first step in this direction, a scheme covering digitisation of ration cards/beneficiaries and other databases, computerization of supply-chain management, setting up of transparency portal and grievance redress mechanism has been approved on cost-sharing basis with the states.

National portal launched

A national PDS portal was launched on Wednesday by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar. The portal contains information about fair price shops and rations cards. Information on FCI and state storage godowns with capacity utilisation and data on Central pool stocks is also on the portal. It also posts information such as monthly allocation order, state specific commodity sale prices and lifting position

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Promotion Issue
Senior Army officer’s case referred to Law Ministry
Ajay Banerjee/TNS

New Delhi, October 31
The Defence Ministry has asked the Law Ministry to adjudicate on a plea filed by a Lieutenant General of the Indian Army, who has alleged that he was bypassed for promotion. The case assumes significance as the decision could result in yet another battle for the top post of Army Chief.

Defence Minister AK Antony referred the matter to the Law Ministry after Lt Gen Ravi Dastane filed a statutory complaint, sources said today.

Lt Gen Dastane, who is now posted as Deputy Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), has commanded the Leh-based 14 Corps.

He had filed his complaint to Army Chief General Bikram Singh, who referred it to the Ministry of Defence, which has now asked the Law Ministry to give its opinion.

In his complaint, Lt Gen Dastane contended that he was one of the three most senior officers when two posts of the Eastern Army Commander and the Western Army Commander fell vacant on May 31 after General VK Singh retired.

While General Bikram Singh vacated his post as the Eastern Army Commander, Western Command chief Lt Gen Shankar Ghosh retired on May 31.

Lt Gen Dastane contended that he fulfilled all conditions to become an Army Commander but was denied the post of Eastern Army Commander, as it was kept vacant for Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, who was facing a vigilance ban, sources said.

On May 31, when the two posts of Army Commander fell vacant, three officers were on the seniority list - Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag followed by Lt Gen Sanjiv Chachra and Lt Gen Dastane.

While Lt Gen Chachra was promoted as the Western Army Commander, Lt Gen Suhag could not be promoted before the vigilance ban against him was removed on June 8 and his seniority restored on June 15.

He was then made the Eastern Army Command chief. Lt Gen Dastane contended that he should have been considered for promotion when Lt Gen Suhag was facing a DV ban, imposed by the then Army Chief, General VK Singh.

Sources said if Lt Gen Dastane’s plea was accepted and was made the Army Commander from retrospective date of June 1, he would become senior to Lt Gen Suhag, who became an Army Commander on June 15.

As a result, when General Bikram Singh retires on July 31, 2014, Lt Gen Dastane will be the most senior Lt General in line for the top post.

General Dastane's plea

  • On May 31, two posts of Army Commander fall vacant
  • Three officers - Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, Lt Gen Sanjiv Chachra, Lt Gen Dastane - are on seniority list
  • While Lt Gen Chachra is promoted as Western Army Commander, Lt Gen Suhag, who is facing a vigilance ban, is given charge of Eastern Army Command once the ban is removed on June 8
  • Lt Gen Dastane contends he should have been considered for promotion when Lt Gen Suhag was facing a vigilance ban

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’84 riots: Sikh bodies demand punishment for guilty
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 31
The Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi unit) and the All-India Sikh Conference (Babbar), on 28th anniversary of 1984 anti-Sikh riots, asked the government to punish the people against whom the police had registered FIRs and cases were under the court of law.

SAD Delhi unit chief Manjit Singh (GK) said: “We demand punishment for the guilty who were responsible for 1984 Sikh genocide. Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar should be hanged unto death. In case the guilty are not punished, we will launch a nationwide campaign soon to pressurise the government for giving justice to the victims”.

Nirpreet Kaur, one of the witnessed in Sajjan Kumar case, said she would not change her statement and would always attend the court hearings without deterrence. “In October 1984, I was just 16-year old. Mob had killed my father in front of my eyes. How can I forget the trauma”, she said.

President of the All-India Sikh Conference (Babbar) Gurcharan Singh along with other members of the conference today submitted a memorandum to the President of India demanding “judicial procedure” against Union Minister Kamalnath, former Union Minister Arun Nehru, Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar.

The victims who could not be settled so far should be given monetary help. Their life is still miserable. Sikh community cannot forget the riots in which thousands of people were killed and property worth crores was gutted.

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Call on spectrum refarming before auction: Sibal
Girja Shankar Kaura
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 31
While no decision could be taken at a meeting of the Telecom Commission on the contentious issue of refarming of the spectrum of the incumbent telecom operators today, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said the government would arrive at a decision on the reallocation of spectrum before the auction of airwaves begins.

Talking to mediapersons, Sibal said: “Absolutely, before the auction starts,” when asked if the decision on spectrum refarming would be taken before the auction, which is to begin from November 12.

“We are in the process of analysing the issues that have been raised on refarming to come to an appropriate decision that is fair, just and reasonable. We will take into account the multifarious viewpoints of various stakeholders in the business before we come to a decision and the decision will be communicated to all shortly, as it will happen before the auction takes place,” Sibal said.

The Telecom Commission, country’s highest decision making body in the telecom sector, which met this evening, has decided to refer the issue of refarming to an internal committee formed by the Department of Telecom (DoT).

The DoT has set up an internal committee headed by the member of technology to look into the clarification on spectrum refarming, which was submitted by the TRAI yesterday.

The panel has been asked to assess the clarifications that have come in from sector regulator TRAI; consider industry representations on the matter of refarming; assess the pros and cons of refarming; and work out the modalities of reframing if adopted.

Last week, the telecom department had asked the TRAI to do an analysis on refarming, including the logistics involved in implementing the controversial proposal as well as the views of mobile phone companies on this issue.

It had also asked the regulator to list out various models possible for refarming.

The telecom commission at its last meeting had decided to refarm the entire 900 MHz spectrum held by incumbent telecom players, which had the operators crying foul and prompting them to write to the Telecom Minister on the issue.

The commission’s recommendations can result in incumbent mobile phone companies having to pay about Rs 1.5 lakh crore to buy back spectrum they hold in the 900 MHz band, or shell out around Rs 1 lakh crore to migrate their customers on this band to the 1,800 MHz frequency.

The decision to get the clarifications examined by the internal body also comes in the backdrop of a letter of caution written by spectrum EGoM member Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

The Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission had written to the EGoM Chairman, Finance Minister P Chidambaram, to get all issues regarding the refarming clarified before going ahead with it.

Besides, he had also asked the Finance Minister to look at the impact
of refarming on the telecom sector.

GSM operators point out that the move would cost them over Rs 66,000 crore to replace infrastructure.

The final decision on refarming has to be taken by the EGoM, which is scheduled to meet
tomorrow. But the EGoM is also expected to wait for the final report of the internal committee before taking a view.

Experts point out that it would take several years to rebuild the required infrastructure in the 1,800 Mhz band after refarming. There are as many as 500 million subscribers in the band and coverage would be affected during the transition.

The Supreme Court, which had in February cancelled 122 licences in the 2G spectrum allocation case, has directed the government to complete the auction process by January 11, 2013.

Contentious Issue

  • Companies are opposing the Telecom Commission’s move to refarm entire 900 MHz spectrum
  • If enforced, companies will have to pay `1.5 lakh crore to buy back spectrum they hold in 900 MHz band, or `1 lakh crore to migrate customers to 1,800 MHz
  • GSM operators say it will cost them over `66,000 crore to replace infrastructure
  • Will take several years to rebuild infrastructure in 1,800 Mhz band after refarming

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HC seeks Centre’s report on fighting dengue

New Delhi, October 31
The Centre was asked today by the Delhi High Court to submit to it a report on implementation of the government's long-term action plan to control the outbreak of dangerous diseases like dengue in the city. A division bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw sought the report within three weeks from the Union Ministry of Health and posted the matter for December 12.

Appearing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General Rajeev Mehra said, “The officials are doing something on the issue (of implementing the action plan). Let me file a report on it.”

Accepting the ASG's submissions, the court granted three weeks time to him to file the report.

The court's direction came during hearing of a petition by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal seeking formation of an independent committee to monitor implementation of a long-term action plan, formulated by the Centre earlier, to combat the mosquito menace in the city.

In his plea, Bansal said, “Direct the respondents to constitute an independent committee to effectively monitor the implementation of the long-term action plan issued by the Directorate of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Government of India.

“It is the duty of the respondents to effectively and properly implement the long-term action plan issued by the respondent no 1 (Central government) in a time bound manner so that the dengue menace can come to an end,” the plea said.

Citing data of dengue cases in the Capital for the period 2007-2012, the petitioner said the number of cases have gone up drastically this year as compared to previous years.

The petition also mentioned the widespread media reports on the increasing number of dengue cases and accusing the authorities, including those of the Union health ministry, of failing to act in time to prevent dengue outbreak.

The petition claimed the authorities wake up only after an acute shortage of blood and medicines occurs in hospitals.

The PIL wanted the court to examine the steps taken till now by the Delhi government, the municipal corporations, the New Delhi Municipal Council and the health department. “There is a lack of coordination among the officials of the Union and the state governments, those of the municipal bodies and it results in non-implementation of the long-term action plan,” the PIL added. — PTI

petitioner’s plea

  • The number of cases have gone up drastically this year as compared to previous years
  • The authorities wake up only after an acute shortage of blood and medicines occurs in hospitals

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Super 30 founder is now 'People's Hero'

Mumbai, October 31
Anand Kumar, founder of Super 30 institute, which provides free residential coaching to students from underprivileged families for IIT-JEE exams, has found a place in the People magazine as the "People's Hero." People magazine of the Time magazine group in its latest Indian edition issue carries a detailed feature on Anand, listing him as a ‘People's Hero,’ a release said.

This is a rare occasion as the magazine, which usually profiles celebrities from films and other fields, has chosen a person who is a teacher by profession.

“Anand has done it on his own, which is remarkable,” the magazine has said. — PTI

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CPI to lead farmers’ rally today
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 31
The CPI will lead a demonstration of farmers who will assemble in the capital tomorrow under the aegis of the All-India Kisan Sabha and the Bhartiya Khet Mazdoor Union to raise sector-related demands.

CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy and senior leader AB Bardhan along with farmer union leaders and MPs will address the rally, which will start from Ramlila Maidan and culminate at Jantar Mantar.

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