SPECIAL COVERAGE
CHANDIGARH

LUDHIANA

DELHI


THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS
50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS
image
N A T I O N

Opposition lying to farmers on FDI: Rahul
New Delhi, November 4
Nehru-Gandhi scion and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi made a splash at the mega rally organised by the Congress here today.
Congress workers at a party rally in New Delhi on Sunday. Congress workers at a party rally in New Delhi on Sunday. Tribune photos: Manas Ranjan Bhui

Congress rally a failed attempt, say BJP leaders
New Delhi, November 4
The Congress’ mega rally on economic reforms and FDI in retail failed to impress the Opposition BJP and the Left parties. The saffron party termed it a “failed attempt” by the grand old party to create “false bravado” for its “demoralised cadre” and an utter disappointment for common people concerned by price rise, corruption and scams charges.


EARLIER STORIES



CAG reports may spell more trouble for Cong
New Delhi, November 4
Even as the Congress is resolutely fighting back to salvage its image battered by corruption allegations in the wake of various “exposes” and ticklish CAG reports, some more trouble could be in store for the grand old party in the days to come.

Canadian PM in India; trade, N-deal on agenda 
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen wave to the crowd while boarding plane in Ottawa on Sunday. New Delhi, November 4
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper landed in India this evening on one of his longest overseas tours with the objective of expediting some big-ticket trade deals and removing hurdles in the way of implementing the civil nuclear accord between the two countries.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen wave to the crowd while boarding plane in Ottawa on Sunday. — Reuters

Dengue-like fever grips Kasab
Mumbai, November 4
Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving Pakistani terrorist involved in 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai, has been suffering from high fever - earlier suspected to be dengue - for the last four days, a prison official said.

Nitish Kumar seeks special status for ‘backward’ Bihar
Patna, November 4
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Sunday demanded a special status for Bihar and other such states that lag behind the national averages for human development and economic growth. 

Lokayuktas want more teeth, seek powers of search, seizure
New Delhi, November 4
Lokayuktas today demanded more teeth to probe graft cases against public functionaries and emphasised that the anti-graft watchdogs across the states should be considered as an ally in good governance than an obstacle.

Army: Auditors meddling in operational matters
New Delhi, November 4
After the auditors appointed by the Ministry of Defence said that purchases made by senior Army commanders caused a Rs 103-crore loss, it now turns out the Army has informed the MoD that babus from the auditing wing were meddling in operational matters and questioning the “needs” and the “quantities” of back-up supplies.

MI to increase electronic intelligence cover in mountains
Chandigarh, November 4
A grid of mobile radio receivers would soon be in place to ferret out hostile or unauthorised radio emissions along the mountainous frontiers. As part of its efforts to boost its counter intelligence capabilities, the Military Intelligence (MI) is procuring special receivers to provide electronic intelligence (ELINT) cover in the northern and eastern sectors.

No mercy for students of unrecognised institutions: SC
New Delhi, November 4
Students taking admission in educational institutions without verifying whether they are recognised or not are to be blamed themselves, the Supreme Court has said, refusing to sympathise with them.

Army helicopters to get UV missile warning systems
Chandigarh, November 4
Plans are afoot to equip helicopters of the Army Aviation Corps (AAC) with ultra-violet (UV)-based missile approach warning systems.

Naxals attack CISF post in Chhattisgarh; 2 dead
Raipur, November 4
Two CISF troopers were today killed when a group of heavily armed Naxals attacked a security post in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district.

Jantar Mantar
Kamal Nath's quiet diplomacy
Not many are aware that Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath is well networked with leaders of Opposition parties and that is the main reason why he was given additional charge of the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry.

Nilam leaves a trail of death and destruction
Hyderabad, November 4
The cyclonic storm ‘Nilam’ has left a trail of death and destruction in Andhra Pradesh, claiming at least 17 lives and destroying standing crops over large areas in the coastal region.

MCI gets 88 applications for new medical colleges this year
New Delhi, November 4
If all goes well, India will have additional 88 medical colleges by the next year.

Chiranjeevi to use glamour quotient to sell Incredible India
New Delhi, November 4
If the Union Tourism Ministry now requires a brand ambassador to sell its “Incredible India” campaign (the flagship programme of the ministry) to the world, it has to look no further than its minister — South Indian superstar Chiranjeevi. He already has the blessings of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard.

Sugar mills stay shut in Maharashtra
Farmers demand higher price for cane
Mumbai, November 4
Farmers demanding a higher price for sugarcane have virtually stopped supplies to sugar mills in Maharashtra, delaying crushing of the crop. The Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS), a political party of the farmers which is active in western Maharashtra, has demanded that sugar mills pay Rs 3,000 per tonne as the first instalment of the crop. The state government has set the fair remunerative price at around Rs 2,050 per tonne.

Experts for high-quality wheelchair
New Delhi, November 4
Rehabilitation experts and doctors today pointed towards a huge gap in the mobility solutions available in India in terms of design and requirements of persons with disabilities.





Top























 

Opposition lying to farmers on FDI: Rahul
Anita Katyal
Tribune News Service

Rahul Gandhi makes a point to Sonia Gandhi at the rally venue.
Rahul Gandhi makes a point to Sonia Gandhi at the rally venue. Tribune photos: Manas Ranjan Bhui

New Delhi, November 4
Nehru-Gandhi scion and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi made a splash at the mega rally organised by the Congress here today.

Although Rahul is yet to be officially designated as the number two in the Congress, the long-expected decision should come sooner than later. This was evident when the “Yuvraj” was centre stage at today’s rally where he got top billing alongside Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi. This is the first time Rahul appeared with the two top leaders on the same platform. The build-up to the formal announcement was unmistakable.

Having kept a low profile since his mauling in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections earlier this year, Rahul returned to perform as the angry young man at the rally where he was the first speaker. His speech was marked by his trademark aggression and, as always, he ended up stirring a controversy.

While defending the UPA government’s policies, Rahul accused opposition parties of “lying” to farmers about FDI in multi-brand retail. "The opposition parties have been lying about the FDI policy to the farmers, particularly in Himachal Pradesh," Rahul thundered, stating that the policy will actually increase the profits of farmers as it would bring in cold storage facilities and food processing centres closer to the farmers.

Next, Rahul stirred up the proverbial hornet’s nest when he referred to the Kargil War and how the Congress, which was then in the opposition, had stood by the NDA government. "We were also in the opposition. Then the Kargil War happened. We were all together. The Congress stands together in the interest of the country whether we are in the government or not. They (BJP) oppose without any thought. They are engaged only in opposing without giving a thought to anything," Rahul said.

While the crowds at the Ramlila Grounds responded enthusiastically to the young leader’s diatribe, the opposition was not amused and lost no time in slamming him.

For the rest, Rahul struck to the script as he lauded the UPA government’s achievements, promised a raft of people-centric policies in the coming days and declared, “Only the Congress party can bring actual change in the political system.”

Top

 

Congress rally a failed attempt, say BJP leaders
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 4
The Congress’ mega rally on economic reforms and FDI in retail failed to impress the Opposition BJP and the Left parties. The saffron party termed it a “failed attempt” by the grand old party to create “false bravado” for its “demoralised cadre” and an utter disappointment for common people concerned by price rise, corruption and scams charges.

The BJP also raised queries on the “means and methods” employed by the Congress in organising the event and countered it with its own protests spread across the city.

BJP leader Balbir Punj called the rally at the Ramlila Grounds a government affair, alleging that resources of state were “misused” to make the rally a success.

CPM Prakash Karat also challenged the claims made by the ruling party on the issues of economic reforms and the FDI at the rally.

Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley dubbed it an “anti-people rally”, stressing that the Congress’ top brass led by Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi failed to allay people’s concerns over real issues like price rise and scams like 2G, coal block allocations or those “committed by relatives of leaders and the party itself”.

“This was a rally intended to create a false bravado when they have failed on the financial front. It has no idea on how to control prices and has increased diesel and LPG prices. The Congress is rejoicing in the misery of the common man,” Jaitley said, adding that even on the issue of FDI in multi-brand retail, the ruling party had failed to address the concerns raised by the Opposition.

“The government has no answer to the manufacturing jobs falling due to FDI in multi-brand retail and to the displacement of retail jobs. It says middlemen will be eliminated but this will only benefit the retailers and not the farmer. In the US and Europe, a subsidy of $1 billion per day is given to farmers due to this reason,” he added.

Saffron charge

  • Resources of state misused to make the rally a success
  • Cong leadership failed to allay people's concerns over price rise and scams
  • Not a word spoken on scams committed by relatives of leaders and the party itself

Top

 

CAG reports may spell more trouble for Cong
Vibha Sharma/TNS

New Delhi, November 4
Even as the Congress is resolutely fighting back to salvage its image battered by corruption allegations in the wake of various “exposes” and ticklish CAG reports, some more trouble could be in store for the grand old party in the days to come.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) is preparing to table in the coming Parliament session two important reports, one on the UPA flagship programme MNREGA and another on the agricultural loan-waiver scheme, both hyped as game changers for the Congress in the 2009 General Elections.

Sources said the CAG was aiming for December 15 release of reports on MNREGA and the JNNURM and the Rs 52,000-crore farmers’ loan-waiver scheme announced in 2008, which wrote off loan of “eligible” farmers. The national auditor is “pushing for” a release of these reports in Winter Session.

Although the CAG audit was commissioned by Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh himself in response to reports of siphoning off of massive funds allocated under the employment scheme, the document may still toss up some embarrassing moments for the ruling party.

However, what the UPA would be more worried about is the debt waiver to farmers, which the Opposition may use as a stick to beat the Congress-led government in the run-up to the 2014 poll. The Rs 52,000-crore farm scheme wrote off loan liabilities of around 3.7 crore farmers, resulting in huge gains for the party in states like Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

A draft report to the ministry has also pointed out serious flaws in the implementation of the scheme. It said beneficiaries were selected at random while the really deserving farmers were left out. Apparently, “undeserving farmers” cornered bulk of the waiver amount at the cost of deserving beneficiaries from the “small and marginal” category. There have also been instances of individuals claiming to be farmers on the basis of a piece of land and thus availing benefit under the loan-waver scheme.

Testing time

  • MNREGA and farmers' loan-waver schemes were hyped as game changers for the Congress in the 2009 General Elections
  • The CAG report on MNREGA is likely to toss up some embarrassing moments for the ruling party
  • As per CAG’s draft report, "undeserving farmers" cornered bulk of the waiver amount under the scheme at the cost of deserving beneficiaries

Top

 

Canadian PM in India; trade, N-deal on agenda 
To visit gurdwara, Sikh heritage centre at Anandpur Sahib on Wednesday
Ashok Tuteja
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 4
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper landed in India this evening on one of his longest overseas tours with the objective of expediting some big-ticket trade deals and removing hurdles in the way of implementing the civil nuclear accord between the two countries.

During his much-publicised visit marked by symbolism because of the presence of a strong Sikh population in his country, Harper will pay obeisance at the famous gurdwara at Anandpur Sahib and also visit the Sikh heritage centre on Wednesday, Canadian High Commission sources said.

Making his second trip to New Delhi in three years at the head of a high-powered delegation, Harper is keen to establish an even more intensive commercial relationship with India, including a free-trade deal and an investment promotion and protection agreement and speedy implementation of the nuclear cooperation accord.

Ahead of his India visit, Harper gave firm indication of his commitment to strengthen ties with the largest democracy by joining the Indo-Canadians at the 12th Annual National Diwali Celebration at Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday.

It was just 18 months ago that Harper had promised voters in the Conservative Party’s 2011 campaign platform that he would aim for an India-Canada free-trade deal by 2013 as a means of cashing in on the growing demands of India’s burgeoning middle class.

However, officials on both sides privately admit that inking the accord in 2013 
is an “ambitious target” given the differences still persisting between them. A fresh round of talks is slated to be held soon to iron out the differences.

Canada is also facing pressure to help salvage a nuclear co-operation agreement that remains stuck at a diplomatic impasse. New Delhi and Ottawa struck the nuke deal two years ago that could have pave the way for a big export business for Canadian nuclear and uranium companies. But Ottawa insists on Canada’s right to verify India’s handling of any nuclear material provided by it but New Delhi has certain reservations over it.

India is also expected to utilise the opportunity to draw Ottawa’s attention towards the regrouping of Khalistan activists in Canada. Harper would need to reassure the Indian leadership that his government was determined to crush the activities of Khalistan militants in his country.

Harper’s trip is as much about domestic politics as international trade. Indo-Canadian voters in the Greater Toronto Area helped the Conservatives win their first parliamentary majority in the 2011 election.

The visiting leader will visit the Taj Mahal in Agra tomorrow. He will hold talks with Indian leaders on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Harper will visit Chandigarh, the capital of Punjab and Haryana. Punjab is a major source of immigrants for Canada, including many politically active Sikh voters who have helped the Tories win important seats. Finally, he will tour Bangalore, India’s Silicon Valley.

Top

 

Dengue-like fever grips Kasab

Mumbai, November 4
Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving Pakistani terrorist involved in 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai, has been suffering from high fever - earlier suspected to be dengue - for the last four days, a prison official said.

A team of doctors from Mumbai's J.J. Hospital is treating him in the Arthur Road prison, where he has been lodged since his conviction.

Confirming the reports, JJ. Hospital dean TP. Lahane told IANS that while the symptoms of the fever were "dengue-like", the possibility of the disease has been nearly ruled out. "Doctors are monitoring Kasab's health and he was subjected to various tests, most of which have been negative for dengue. We are expecting results of one more medical test," Lahane said.

A jail official, however, said that Kasab would not be shifted to the hospital and he would be attended to by doctors within the jail premises.

Kasab is one of the 10 Pakistani terrorists who sailed from their country and illegally sneaked into Mumbai on the night of Nov 26, 2008, for a terror siege of the city that ended Nov 29 afternoon. The mayhem that Kasab and his nine accomplices unleashed on the city claimed 166 innocent lives. — IANS

Top

 

Nitish Kumar seeks special status for ‘backward’ Bihar

Patna, November 4
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Sunday demanded a special status for Bihar and other such states that lag behind the national averages for human development and economic growth. "The Centre should accord a special status to Bihar and other states which are lagging behind the national average for growth indicators, to ensure their rapid development," Nitish Kumar said while addressing a rally here.

Thousands of Janata Dal (United) supporters gathered at the sprawling Gandhi Maidan in the city for the "Adhikar" rally called by the Chief Minister.

"Bihar's per capita income, investment and consumption of electricity are lowest in the country. It lags behind in all human resource indices. To achieve the national average of economic growth, Bihar must be accorded special category status," Nitish Kumar said.

Modi in Bihar

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi visited Patna on Sunday afternoon to pay his respects to senior BJP leader Kailashpati Mishra, who died after a prolonged illness on Saturday. Modi, who was visiting Patna after 28 months, was given a resounding reception by BJP workers. — PTI

Top

 

Lokayuktas want more teeth, seek powers of search, seizure

New Delhi, November 4
Lokayuktas today demanded more teeth to probe graft cases against public functionaries and emphasised that the anti-graft watchdogs across the states should be considered as an ally in good governance than an obstacle.

At the end of their three-day conference here, the Lokayuktas adopted a number of resolutions which included demand for giving adequate financial and administrative autonomy to them.

The Lokayuktas must be provided with adequate financial and administrative autonomy necessary for their independent functioning," Delhi Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin said.

Briefing reporters about the outcome of the All-India Lokayukta Conference, he sought powers of search and seizure for all Lokayuktas.

The anti-graft bodies must have separate investigating wings for their effective functioning, Sarin said.

Lokayuktas in a few states like Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka have separate investigating wings with teams of police officials headed by a DGP.

Seeking enhancement of their jurisdiction, Sarin said the conference felt that Lokayuktas should be given "powers of contempt" on par with courts.

The Lokayuktas also sought clarity about their jurisdiction as in certain states they do not have power to probe bureaucrats.

"It makes no sense to conduct a probe only against politicians if bureaucrats are also found to be involved in irregularities specially in the same transaction," said a Lokayukta.

The anti-graft watchdogs said they should be considered an ally in good governance than an obstacle.

The Lokayuktas asked the government to examine a model bill drafted by them at their conference in Madhya Pradesh two years ago.

Supreme Court Judge Justice Madan B Lokur, who addressed the concluding session of the conference, said "the country needs a vibrant institution of Lokayukta which can help citizens to get good governance."

"Those at the receiving end of Lokayukta orders tend to criticise it but one should not be deterred by such criticisms," he said adding "the Lokayuktas should strive to compel governments to ensure good governance."

He said though there is a need to confer more powers on Lokayuktas, still a lot of difference can be made by utilising the existing powers effectively. — PTI

Top

 

 

Army: Auditors meddling in operational matters
Ajay Banerjee/TNS

New Delhi, November 4
After the auditors appointed by the Ministry of Defence said that purchases made by senior Army commanders caused a Rs 103-crore loss, it now turns out the Army has informed the MoD that babus from the auditing wing were meddling in operational matters and questioning the “needs” and the “quantities” of back-up supplies.

“Excessive purchases” by the Northern and the Eastern Commands figure among major objections raised by the auditors. The instances of day-to-day “interference” by auditors, as pointed out by the Army, are being looked into, sources say. Each of the six-regional commands of the Army has an “integrated financial adviser” (IFA) attached. This official is from the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (PCDA). When the MoD audit pointed out a Rs 103-crore loss due to excessive purchases during 2009-10 and 2010-11, the Army responded by saying that “the IFAs sometimes transcend their mandate and even question the requirement from an operational angle”.

On October 24, it was reported in the media how an in-house auditing team of the PCDA had reported that it studied 55 cases of purchase and quantified “loss” on account of wasteful expenditure. Army commanders in each of the six regional commands have been delegated special financial powers to make emergency purchases.

The Northern Army Commander has special power to make purchases worth Rs 125 crore per annum. The Eastern Commander has power to spend Rs 50 crore while the remaining commanders - of Western, Central, Southern and South-Western zones - have power to make purchases up to Rs 10 crore each. The purchases made by the commanders were termed as “excessive” by the audit team, but it had not pointed out any financial wrongdoing.

The Army has questioned if the babus of the PCDA will decide upon appropriate quantities needed for operational commitment or will the commanders be left to decide that aspect. “The Audit authorities (by raising questions over quantity and then terming it as loss) have overstepped the limitations that their domain specialisation permits,” says the Army response. There can be no exactness in assessing ammunition and supplies in an asymmetric war situation being faced in the North and the North-East, it says. The method of computing loss is ingenious, said the response. The audit team suggested that quotes on the Internet be studied. Will any Internet quote be valid for supplying the equipment along the Line of Control or the border, questioned a senior Army officer while asking what will be the terms of repair and guarantee. “All procurements have been made in accordance with rules and orders.”

Top

 

 

MI to increase electronic intelligence cover in mountains
Vijay Mohan/TNS

Chandigarh, November 4
A grid of mobile radio receivers would soon be in place to ferret out hostile or unauthorised radio emissions along the mountainous frontiers. As part of its efforts to boost its counter intelligence capabilities, the Military Intelligence (MI) is procuring special receivers to provide electronic intelligence (ELINT) cover in the northern and eastern sectors.

The mobile radio receivers would be used to monitor and pinpoint radio frequency emissions, especially those employed for purposes other than communication. Such emissions relate to intelligence and operational activities like collecting information, battlefield surveillance and artillery fire control or location radars, jamming radio signals, surveying topography or monitoring movements and GPS systems.

The ELINT receivers would be vehicle-based as well as man-portable so that they can be easily transported in mountainous terrain and rapidly deployed. They would be integrated with a high-end spectrum analyser to process the intercepted signals to yield accurate identification and parameterisation of the target radio wave emitters.

With increase in the use of electronic equipment for surveillance and battlefield support activities as well as terrorists and anti-national elements using some of the associated equipment, the ELINT has assumed high significance in military operations in the subcontinent.

The MI already has some ELINT systems deployed in sensitive areas and the new systems being envisioned would have to be inter-operable with them and be integrated within the existing network.

The MI is looking at a 24x7 ELINT capability with rapid spectrum search ability across a wide swath that can be deployed for extended periods, both in network-integrated as well as stand-alone configurations in varied climatic conditions.

Top

 

 

No mercy for students of unrecognised
institutions: SC

New Delhi, November 4
Students taking admission in educational institutions without verifying whether they are recognised or not are to be blamed themselves, the Supreme Court has said, refusing to sympathise with them.

A Bench of Justices K S Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra refused to grant recognition to a Madhya Pradesh-based institute and turned down its plea to sympathise with students as they would suffer if recognition is not granted.

"The students who take admission are not young in age. They are graduates. They are expected to enquire whether the institution has recognition and affiliation. If we allow ourselves to say so, the institution had given admission in a nonchalant manner. Possibly, its functionaries harboured the idea that they had incomparable fertile mind. The students who had taken admission possibly immersed with the idea that ignorance is a bliss," the Bench said. — PTI

Top

 

 

Army helicopters to get UV missile warning systems
Vijay Mohan/TNS

Chandigarh, November 4
Plans are afoot to equip helicopters of the Army Aviation Corps (AAC) with ultra-violet (UV)-based missile approach warning systems.

These systems, which have certain advantages over similar radar or infra-red-based detectors, are meant to warn pilots of an incoming missile to enable them to take counter-measures.

Defence public sector undertaking Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) is set to take up the project for developing the UV-based systems. “We are at the stage of contract negotiations with the Army,” BEL Director HN Ramakrisha told The Tribune here today.

“Deliveries will be done in 12 to 18 months after the contract is finalised,” he added. The estimated value of the contract is over Rs 350 crore.

UV-based systems provide early warning by detecting the UV energy produced by an incoming missile’s smoke plume and computing its distance and direction. These are stated to be better than IR systems at low attitudes and in cluttered environments, besides having a much lower probability of false alarms. These are also simpler than radar or IR systems and have low life cycle costs.

The Army plans to initially equip its fleet of Chetaks, which are meant for liaison, search- and-rescue and aerial recce, with UV systems though these can also be retrofitted on the Cheetahs and Dhruvs at a later stage.

These systems are primarily meant for warning against shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles. So far only the US, Israel, Germany and Sweden have such systems.

Developing missile warning systems for the Army also assumes significance in the backdrop of the government’s recent decision to give the Army control of all attack helicopters. The Mi25/35 helicopter gunships and some squadrons of Chetak helicopters outfitted with anti-tank missiles, though meant to support ground operations, are operated by the Air Force. Future acquisitions of attack helicopters will also be the Army’s domain. 

Top

 

Naxals attack CISF post in Chhattisgarh; 2 dead

Raipur, November 4
Two CISF troopers were today killed when a group of heavily armed Naxals attacked a security post in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district.

The attack took place early this morning in the Bacheli complex of the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) mines which is guarded by the paramilitary force.

"Two constables of the force have been killed while their weapons, an AK-47 and an INSAS rifle, have been looted. The incident occurred at around 8 AM," a senior Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officer said.

A joint squad of personnel from CRPF, CISF and state police has launched a combing operation in the area and reinforcements have been rushed.

The CISF headquarters in Delhi has despatched Special Director General R R Verma and Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Jaideep Prasad by a special Home Ministry aircraft to the state for an inquiry.

The Bacheli-Kirandul complex has witnessed a number of Naxal attacks and six CISF men were killed earlier this year in an ambush by the ultras in the Naxal hotbed of Dantewada in the Bastar region of the state. — PTI 

Top

 

Jantar Mantar
Kamal Nath's quiet diplomacy
Anita Katyal

Kamal Nath Not many are aware that Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath is well networked with leaders of Opposition parties and that is the main reason why he was given additional charge of the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry. While his Cabinet colleagues had had hard time getting various Bills passed in Parliament because of objections from Opposition parties, Kamal Nath never faced such problems as he would call on Opposition leaders and sort out all contentious issues regarding his ministry's Bills before these were tabled. When one such Bill ran into rough weather during his stint as the Roads and Transport Minister, he convened a special meeting of all Madhya Pradesh MPs on the pending projects in their constituencies. He laid out the red carpet for BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, also an MP from Madhya Pradesh, and ensured that her projects were cleared immediately. Swaraj reciprocated by cooperating in the passage of his Bill in the Lok Sabha. Recently, when a BSP MP wanted to challenge Kamal Nath's decision to extend the lease of the prestigious Delhi Golf Club before due date, he was stopped from going to the court by his party chief Mayawati. All this speaks volumes about Kamal Nath's quiet diplomacy.

Kashmir connection

Sunanda PushkarHealth Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was heard talking in Dogri with glamorous Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Shashi Tharoor, after his swearing in at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. At one point, Pushkar turned around and told her besotted husband that Azad had been telling her that Tharoor had obviously not been looking after her as she had lost too much weight since they last met. Taking up for Pushkar, who also hails from Jammu, a smiling Azad counselled Tharoor, "Yeh jo Kashmir aur Kanyakumari ka milan hua, bahut achha hai, par hamari Jammu ki ladki ka khayal rakhna." An excitable Tharoor promised to do his best.

Not everyone after Cabinet berth

It was surprising when Madhya Pradesh MP Meenakshi Natarajan, member of Rahul Gandhi's team, was not included in the Prime Minister's new-look Cabinet, as it was expected that she would find a place in the new set-up. It now transpires that Natarajan refused the offer, opting to work in the party with Rahul Gandhi. Cynical Congress insiders maintained that Natarajan probably realised that if she left her present post to join the government, she would not be able to reclaim the same position as and when the UPA government was dissolved and the party headed into the Lok Sabha poll. Natarajan is apparently not particularly popular with her party colleagues, who are waiting for the right opportunity to trip her. According to the Congress grapevine, there is a gang-up against her in Madhya Pradesh working to ensure her defeat in the next elections.

Tailpiece

A tweet from Pakistan: Sikh Army chief, Anglo-Indian Air force Chief, Hindu Navy Chief, Christian Defence Minister, Muslim Foreign Minister, Sikh Prime Minister ….Maybe, tokenism, but from here it looks and feels great.

Top

 

Nilam leaves a trail of death and destruction
17 fatalities reported; 14 dists badly hit; standing crop destroyed
Tribune News Service

People walk in rain caused by Cyclone Nilam in Vijayawada district of Andhra Pradesh.
People walk in rain caused by Cyclone Nilam in Vijayawada district of Andhra Pradesh. — PTI

Hyderabad, November 4
The cyclonic storm ‘Nilam’ has left a trail of death and destruction in Andhra Pradesh, claiming at least 17 lives and destroying standing crops over large areas in the coastal region.

As many as 14 districts in the state were battered by heavy rains in the aftermath of “Nilam” storm. Several areas, particularly in the coastal belt, received heavy rains up to as high as 25-30 cm in the last 24 hours, throwing normal life out of gear.

Hundreds of rivulets, streams and tanks are overflowing, causing heavy damage to roads, railway bridges and houses in low-lying areas. Several residential localities in Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Eluru, Vijayawada, Guntur and Ongole were submerged in water. While Narasapur in West Godavari district recorded a maximum of 31 cm of rain, Amalapuram and Rajahmundry in East Godavari district received 27 and 25 cm of rain each. Similarly, Yelamanchili and Chodavaram in Visakhapatnam district recorded a rainfall of 25 cm and 23 cm, respectively.

Officials of Cyclone Warning Centre in Visakhapatnam announced that there would be heavy to very heavy rains for the next 48 hours in the coastal Andhra, besides moderate to heavy rains in the Telangana districts bordering the coastal areas. “Cyclone Nilam has transformed into depression over the coastal Andhra and Telangana. Adding to this depression, the north-east monsoon has been very active in the region, causing heavy rains,” the CWC officials said.

The Congress government’s handling of the situation came in for sharp criticism from the Opposition. The Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy became the target of the Opposition attack for visiting New Delhi to participate in the Congress party’s rally at Ram Lila grounds instead of supervising the relief works.

“The people are suffering because of inept handling of the situation and callousness of the ruling party leaders,” the Telugu Desam Party president and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said.

On his part, Naidu announced that he would take a break from his ongoing padayatra and visit the flood-ravaged areas in the coastal Andhra on Monday.

The Chief Minister’s Office, however, claimed that Kiran Kumar Reddy had reviewed the floor situation through a teleconference from New Delhi and gave instructions to the officials to take up the relief works on war footing.

According to the disaster management department officials, out of 17 deaths reported so far, three persons died due to electrocution, another three persons died because of wall collapse, while the remaining got drowned in floods in various places.

As many as 36 relief camps have been set up and 6,382 families comprising 19,421 people have been shifted to these camps where drinking water and food was being provided to the victims.

As many as 480 houses were fully damaged and another 766 houses were partially damaged.

The South Central Railway (SCR) has announced diversion of several trains as water was flowing above the danger mark at a railway bridge between the Tuni-Gullipadu on the Vijayawada-Visakhapatnam section. 

Top

 

MCI gets 88 applications for new medical colleges this year
Govt asks council to expedite inspections
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 4
If all goes well, India will have additional 88 medical colleges by the next year.

The government has asked the Medical Council of India (MCI) to expedite the process of inspection for 88 applications that have been received for new medical colleges. Most of these are from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Out of these 88 applications, 29 are for setting up of government medical colleges and 59 for private medical colleges.

Besides, there are 56 applications seeking increase in undergraduate level seats. Out of these, 29 are for increase in government colleges and 27 in private sector.

Health Secretary PK Pradhan said on Friday, “The situation in human resources will be eased considerably if these 88 colleges come up next year. We have asked the MCI to complete the process of inspection by early next year so that the college managements can work on deficiencies and come up to the standards required of them. We do not want any delays in inspections. Inspections should conclude by January.”

At present, India has 362 medical colleges, including 168 government and 194 private. The total intake capacity of these colleges at undergraduate (MBBS) level is 45,602, while the intake at postgraduate level is much lesser at 22,503 seats.

The government has been pushing on various fronts to create additional colleges and seats in the medical sector considering India’s doctor-population ratio is a dismal 0.5 per 1,000 persons. The ratio is 1.6:1,000 in China, 2.6:1,000 in the US, 3.3:1,000 in Sweden and 2.3:1,000 in the UK. India has about 8.58 lakh registered doctors, as per the MCI records. However, only 6.5 lakh among them are actually practicing.

The UPA government is aiming at improving the doctor-patient ratio in India to 0.8:1,000 by 2025, for which it needs four lakh additional doctors.

Another challenge for the government is to correct the regional imbalance in medical infrastructure considering the western part of the country has 22 per cent of all colleges, followed by the north which has 12 per cent and east which has 10 per cent of the colleges. Central and north-eastern India is highly deficient in medical infrastructure.

Top

 

Chiranjeevi to use glamour quotient to sell Incredible India
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 4
If the Union Tourism Ministry now requires a brand ambassador to sell its “Incredible India” campaign (the flagship programme of the ministry) to the world, it has to look no further than its minister — South Indian superstar Chiranjeevi. He already has the blessings of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard.

Chiranjeevi said that the PM had told him that he was chosen to head the Tourism Ministry because he himself was a brand ambassador and due to the glamour quotient associated with him.

The 57-year-old Union Tourism Minister has resolved to use his glamour quotient and decades of experience in tinsel town to improve the tourism infrastructure and increase the world tourists inflow to India to 1 per cent.

He talked of easing restrictions for film shootings and using his connections in Bollywood, Tollywood, Kollywood (as film industries across the country are referred to) to get the very best talent on board for his ministry.

Chiranjeevi said that he would have a dialogue with actors, including Gujarat brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, on how they could contribute to “Incredible India”.

Chiranjeevi also reeled out facts and statistics with some home truths. He said the “full capacity” of the tourism industry was not being realised and promised to remove “bottlenecks” impeding the growth of the sector after talking to his colleagues in other ministries.

He promised to work on things that would give easy access to shooting of films in public places in the country which, according to him, would result in free publicity for the country.

He plans to tour the length and breadth of the country. Yes, he would also visit Punjab and the Golden Temple, he told The Tribune.

“India has everything from mountains to backwaters to monuments. How far are we making use of them? Certainly not to the fullest of capacity. Currently, India receives only 0.65 per cent of tourist arrivals in the world. If we take it to 1 per cent, it will be a big achievement,” he said.

The minister said increasing tourist arrivals to 1 per cent would mean generation of employment for an additional 2.5 crore persons, substantial increase in the tourism sector's contribution to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - from the current 6.5 per cent to 10 per cent.

Chiranjeevi is now in the exclusive league of politician-filmstars who made it to the Union Council of Ministers like Sunil Dutt, Shatrughan Sinha, Vinod Khanna, Krishnam Raju and MH Ambareesh.

Hailing from an obscure village in coastal Andhra Pradesh, Chiranjeevi's transition from a villain to a popular hero of action blockbusters with dancing skills to match is well documented.

Top

 

Sugar mills stay shut in Maharashtra
Farmers demand higher price for cane
Shiv Kumar/TNS

Mumbai, November 4
Farmers demanding a higher price for sugarcane have virtually stopped supplies to sugar mills in Maharashtra, delaying crushing of the crop. The Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS), a political party of the farmers which is active in western Maharashtra, has demanded that sugar mills pay Rs 3,000 per tonne as the first instalment of the crop. The state government has set the fair remunerative price at around Rs 2,050 per tonne.

Sugar mills in the co-operative sector, which account for the bulk of the sugar production in the state, are waiting for supplies of sugarcane because of which most of the 160 mills are sitting idle. Sources in the sugar commissioner's office said only 30 sugar mills in the state had begun crushing.

Protests for a higher price for sugarcane turned violent with activists of the SSS forcibly halting the harvesting of the crop in different parts of the state.

"We are waiting for the government to intervene and announce a higher price for sugarcane," says Raghunath Patil of the SSS.

According to data from the sugar commissioner's office, over 545 lakh tonnes of sugarcane is likely to be available for crushing this year. However, the sugar output declines over time as the moisture content in the sugarcane dries up.

Because of this, the price paid to farmers decline as they wait in the queue for the crop to be crushed. The official per tonne price pegged by the state government declines from Rs 2,050 to Rs 1,550.

Farmers who are complaining of high input costs have threatened to launch an agitation to obtain higher prices for their crop.

Top

 

Experts for high-quality wheelchair
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 4
Rehabilitation experts and doctors today pointed towards a huge gap in the mobility solutions available in India in terms of design and requirements of persons with disabilities.

They said this during Asia’s first “Indian Seating and Mobility Symposium” organised by Specialised Mobility Operations and Innovations (SMOI) in collaboration with the International and European Seating Symposium (ISS and ESS) and in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh, Central Remedial Clinic, Dublin, and Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, New Delhi.

Unlike the US and European countries where the concept of ergonomically designed wheelchair is widely prevalent, India still relies on manual chairs with wheels. To ensure better “seating” for differently-abled persons, the experts called for the standardisation and proper prescription of mobility assistive technology devices.

Top

 





HOME PAGE | Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Opinions |
| Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi |
| Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail |