The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	news analysis UPA, Congress getting their act together Anita Katyal/TNS New Delhi, November 28 Having been in disarray for over a year now, the Congress-led UPA government is gradually getting its act together. The party and the ruling combine are displaying a rare sense of purpose and direction as they work to push key decisions. In a reversal of roles, the BJP today is witnessing serious convulsions. Its corruption plank has been compromised following charges of financial irregularities against party president Nitin Gadkari, placing him at the centre of a raging internal feud. The Congress has a long way to go before it can wash away the corruption taint and win the perception war, but it has shed its inhibitions and started working in that direction. There is greater synergy between the party and the government as the two have finally woken up to the need of working together. On its part, the Congress has rallied behind the government in endorsing its reforms agenda and convened a "samvad baithak" to ensure greater coordination between the party and the government. After a long wait, AICC general secretary and Nehru-Gandhi scion Rahul Gandhi has been given a defined role in the organization - he is heading the newly constituted coordination committee to prepare the party for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The panel has already held several meetings and identified five states, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Karnataka, requiring special focus in the run-up to the next General Election. Congress insiders said these states, accounting for 93 Lok Sabha seats, have been selected because there is a possibility of reviving the party here despite its present dismal condition. With the exception of Odisha, which is held by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the others are ruled by the BJP. The panel will identify and remove infirmities in these state units and select candidates for the big electoral challenge. It has acknowledged the ground reality and decided to tie-up with Lalu Prasad Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan in Bihar where the party has virtually no presence. The party and the government are also working in tandem in marketing the UPA-II's flagship programme, the direct cash transfer scheme. While Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh came to the Congress office to brief the media about the programme, Rahul Gandhi is set to make it the party's talking point in the coming days. With this flurry of activity, Coalgate has been forgotten while the controversy over Robert Vadra's land deals has been temporarily buried. The UPA government first displayed its seriousness about fighting back when it decided to go ahead with its reforms agenda, including the contentious policy of allowing foreign investment in multi-brand retail. PM Manmohan Singh then unveiled a new-look and a relatively younger ministerial team. The process of purposeful decision-making was carried forward with the hanging of Ajmal Kasab and the roll-out of its ambitious direct cash transfer scheme.
	facebook arrests Sena enforces bandh in Palghar, courts shut Shiv Kumar/TNS Mumbai, November 28 The Shiv Sena today enforced a bandh at Palghar to protest the suspension of two senior police officers who were punished for arresting a couple of young women for protesting the shutdown following the death of party supremo Bal Thackeray. With activists of the party going around warning people to observe the bandh, shops, businesses, schools and colleges in the town remained shut. The party workers also prevented vehicles from plying on the roads. However no untoward incidents were reported from the town. “The situation is peaceful and there were no incidents of violence,” a police officer at the Palghar police station said. Early this morning groups of Shiv Sena activists stormed into industrial estates in the area and forced units to shut down. However no complaint has been lodged against them, police said. The Shiv Sena has claimed complete support. “We want the two policemen to be reinstated. They were only doing their duty,” Prabhakar Raul who heads the Thane district unit of the Shiv Sena said. He also added that people who post objectionable sites on social networking sites be given strict punishment. While Shaheen Dhada, 21, had written the post on Facebook her friend Renu Shrinivasan, also 21, had ‘liked’ the post. Security was tight at Palghar town with more than 1,000 police personnel and contingents of the Rapid Action Force and the riot control force of the Maharashtra police being deployed. Special teams of policemen were deployed to guard the houses of the two women. Police were also deployed at a clinic owned by Abdul Dhada, uncle of Shaheen, which was vandalised by the Shiv Sena activists. The Shiv Sena also received the support from the Palghar Bar Association which forced a bandh in the town's courts today. The association said they were protesting the transfer of the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JFMC) to Jalgaon for remanding the women to judicial custody and then releasing them on bail. Dhada's relatives told reporters that she had left for Gujarat till things calmed down. Shrinivasan is joining an engineering college in Chennai. While Shaheen deleted her Facebook account, Renu has reactivated her account.
	Sainiks take over Thackeray’s cremation site Tribune News Service Mumbai, November 28 Shiv Sena activists seeking a memorial to their party chief Bal Thackeray have taken over the site where the remains of their leader were cremated earlier this month. A large number of activists from the Dadar unit of the party descended on Shivaji Park this morning and barricaded the platform on which Thackeray’s remains were cremated. The Maharashtra Government plans to demolish the structure within the next two days. “We will not allow the structure to be demolished. We want a memorial to Thackeray right here,” a youth wing leader of the party, said. Sarvankar who accompanied a large group of party workers said more activists would join them to prevent the authorities from demolishing the structure. Party spokesperson and Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut said constructing the memorial at the site was a matter of faith for the party workers. “This is like the Ram Janambhoomi for us. We won’t listen to any court or government that asks us to shift,” Raut said. The police said scores of people were visiting the site to light lamps and sing bhajans.
	EGoM on telecom to meet today To discuss steps towards dispersing remaining spectrum Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 28 Having suffered embarrassment at the recently concluded 2G spectrum auction, with the bidding not reaching the government expected heights, the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on telecom, headed by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, is expected to meet tomorrow to take further decisions on the steps forward towards dispersing the remaining spectrum. This will be first EGoM meeting on spectrum issues after auction of spectrum that started on November 12 attracted muted response from the market and fetched the government only Rs 9,407 crore out of Rs 28,000 crore which was minimum value of the airwaves put for auction. Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal yesterday said that the meeting of the EGoM will take place on Thursday. The meeting also comes in the backdrop of the Telecom Minister saying after the spectrum auction got over that the government would go in for another round of auction before March 31, 2013. Also, the Supreme Court questioning government’s decision on putting on bid just a fraction of the spectrum that actually got vacated after the apex court cancelled the 122 licences in February last, the meeting would take into account the countr’s observations. In the earlier auction, while the CDMA spectrum had failed to attract any bidders, the GSM spectrum auction also did not see any takers for spectrum in Delhi, Mumbai, Rajasthan and Karnataka mainly due to high reserve price fixed by government. Government had fixed around eight times high reserve price for the GSM spectrum and 11 times high price for the CDMA spectrum compared to the amount on which companies were allocated pan-India permits till 2008. The telecom minister did not disclose the issues that will be discussed at the EGoM but has earlier said that going forward, the government has option to look at price of spectrum for which there has been no bid and the CDMA spectrum. Muted response * In the earlier auction, while the CDMA spectrum had failed to attract any bidders, the GSM spectrum auction also did not see any takers mainly due to high reserve price fixed by the government * The government had fixed around eight times high reserve price for the GSM spectrum and 11 times high price for the CDMA spectrum compared to the amount on which companies were allocated pan-India permits till 2008
	Bring PM, judiciary under Lokpal: Justice Hegde New Delhi, November 28 There is nothing wrong in bringing the Prime Minister under the jurisdiction of Lokpal as like others he is also a public servant, former Supreme Court Judge and erstwhile Karnataka Lokayukta N Santosh Hegde said today. “What is wrong in the Lokpal having jurisdiction over the Prime Minister? Is the Prime Minister not a public servant? Aren't there cases of corruption against PMs in other countries? In Japan, you find every other year a Prime Minister is prosecuted. (Former US President Richard) Nixon was prosecuted... What is so great about the PM?,” he asked. Noting that the position of the Lokpal was akin to “giving a dog a bad name and kicking it”, he said there have been allegations of corruption against Indian PMs in the past and added that only the President and Governors are excluded from being prosecuted and not the PM. “We have had allegations of corruption against two former PMs - Bofors and the JMM bribery case. In a democracy, how can a person merely because he is holding an office be excluded from prosecution? The Constitution excludes the prosecution of the President and the Governors in some cases...One can't apply the same principle on a man who passes executive orders on a daily basis,” he told PTI. Responding to a query as to how he expects Arvind Kejriwal's newly-launched ‘Aam Aadmi Party’ to perform, Hegde raised doubts about its success saying it was not an ‘easy job’. “My only apprehension is how far will a political party survive because of the very many demands of the political system, these days. It requires a huge amount of money to elect nearly 546 Members of Parliament from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. It is not going to be an easy job. “It is a good thing in principle, but in reality, can it succeed?” he asked. On being queried on Kejriwal's possible expose on corruption in judiciary, Hegde said, “Haven't we heard of malpractices in judiciary? We have had one Supreme Court judge against whom impeachment proceedings had started, but it was not completed. We had one Chief Justice against whom impeachment proceedings had been initiated- Justice Dinakaran- he resigned, so it came to an end. We had Soumitra Sen from Calcutta High Court.” Impeachment process started against him (and then) stopped; didn't go anywhere. We have a charge sheet filed against Justice Nirmal Yadav of Punjab High Court. We have 34 judges of the Allahabad High Court, who are being investigated by the CBI. “So, there is corruption there and, therefore, he must be having some material against some judges,” he said. On being questioned if self regulation was the way for the judiciary to control corruption within its ranks, he said, “We have tried it and it has not succeeded. We have tried it all these years...About the judiciary, everybody said that.. “We will self-regulate, we will control, the superior court will look after the subordinate courts...nothing has happened,” he said. Hegde replied in the affirmative to a query on whether he is willing to have a Lokpal that has the authority to investigate and prosecute judges. The very judge who is being investigated can go to the court- of which he may be a judge - and then question the investigation, he said. “Who will investigate the judges? Somebody should be there. You want to have a separate investigating (sic) vigilance body of retired judges, then create it, that is okay, but it should not be out of the purview of investigation. “That very judge, who is being investigated, can go to the same institution, court of which he is a judge and then question the investigation,” he said. — PTI Justice hegde On PM What is wrong in the Lokpal having jurisdiction over the Prime Minister? Is the Prime Minister not a public servant? Aren't there cases of corruption against PMs in other countries? In Japan, you find every other year a Prime Minister is prosecuted. (Former US President Richard) Nixon was prosecuted... What is so great about the PM? on judiciary Haven't we heard of malpractices in judiciary? We have had one Supreme Court judge against whom impeachment proceedings had started, but it was not completed. We had one Chief Justice against whom impeachment proceedings had been initiated- Justice Dinakaran- he resigned, so it came to an end. We had Soumitra Sen from Calcutta High Court
	Tribune Exclusive Alwar experiment: Kerosene demand fell after cash transfer With no bank accounts, many beneficiaries didn’t receive timely payments Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 28 Last year, researchers conducted a survey in nine states to gauge people’s responses to UPA-II’s idea of replacing subsidies with direct cash transfers to bank accounts of beneficiaries. Whopping two-third respondents replied in the negative when asked if ration shops under public distribution system should be shut and cash transferred to their accounts instead. Most who favoured cash were males while women asked, “When we get ration from fair price shop under PDS we consume it it. If cash replaces ration, what is the guarantee that cash will be left as it is for us to buy food grain? Won’t men pocket it?” Findings of the survey by Prof Reetika Khera of the IIT and social activist Jean Dreze are significant considering the government’s announcement to roll cash transfer scheme from January 1 in 51 districts to cover beneficiaries of select welfare schemes. Beneficiaries can access cash through Aadhar enabled bank accounts. But this idea is not new. Already social security pensions for aged, widows and disabled are being disbursed through banks in several states with many finding that people shown as beneficiaries in government records are not receiving the money due to them. “The problem of identification of ration card holders will still remain. National surveys show half of the people below poverty line don’t have ration cards. Cash transfers won’t solve the problem of identification and leakages. NREGA wage disbursals through banks are already running into trouble,” Khera told The Tribune today. Documents accessed by the Tribune further show that results of the Kot Kasim experiment in Alwar (where the Government conducted a pilot to see how replacing subsidised kerosene with cash works) were not very positive. Although kerosene consumption fell by 82 per cent since the scheme began (helping government save Rs 1.5 million a month), social auditors attributed the drop not so much to plugged leakages as several beneficiaries stopping kerosene consumption due to late or no cash payments. The government has been citing the Kot Kasim pilot as a success to replicate it across India, but social auditors Bharat Bhatti and Madhulika Khanna found several poor consumers in the block had stopped buying kerosene as promised cash was not being reimbursed. “The poorest households have been the worst hit. For them going to the bank to collect cash means loss of a day’s wage and payment of transport cost which exceeds cash being paid,” they say. The audit found payment of subsidies was untimely and many households were yet to receive cash despite paying Rs 500 to open so-called ‘zero balance’ accounts. “Because of unpredictable payment of subsidies, many households curtailed kerosene purchases as it was difficult for them to spare Rs 150 to buy just three litres of kerosene in the absence of guarantee of timely subsidy payment,” audit findings state even as the government says kerosene consumption dropped because dealers could no longer sell subsidised kerosene in black market. To push cash transfers, the government has been citing the experience of Brazil's Bolsa Familia scheme. But researchers say this comparison is unfair because in Brazil, less than 10 pc people live in extreme poverty as against 41 pc in India. “Around 85 pc Brazil population lives in urban areas with banking networks against 35 pc in India. All households in Brazil have electricity. That’s not the case in India. Brazil spends 5.1 pc of GDP on education. We spend 3.1 pc. Something that succeeds in a rich Brazil with Gross National Income of Rs 10, 140 may not necessarily succeed in India with a GNI of Rs 3260,” Khera says. What people want * 2010: Nandi Foundation, which found 42 pc of India’s kids malnourished, surveyed 12 districts in Madhya Pradesh to assess opinion of beneficiaries about cash transfers instead of PDS. A whopping 95 pc women favoured the PDS * Kjera-Dreze survey of 1,227 households in 2011 in Andhra, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and UP showed 91 pc in Andhra, 88 pc in Odisha, 90 pc in Chhattisgarh, 81 pc in Himachal wanted foodgrains
	111 PCS officers elevated to IAS in UP Tribune News Service Lucknow, November 28 Ending a decade-long status quo, the Akhilesh government today promoted 111 PCS officers to the IAS cadre. This is expected to end the acute shortage of administrative staff in the state, especially at the district level. Special Secretary (Appointments) Yogeshwar Ram Mishra today released a list of 111 PCS officers who have been promoted. Earlier, the Chief Minister had sent a letter to the Union government seeking approval for the creation of 11 temporary posts for promoted PCS officers. Due to the shortage of officers, many bureaucrats had been put in charge of multiple assignments. With the Centre giving its approval to the promotion of senior officers from the PCS cadre, the officers are likely to be elevated as district magistrates. Nearly 150 IAS posts are lying vacant in the state due to paucity of officers. The matter of promoting PCS officers to the IAS had been pending for over 10 years as officers had gone to court against each other challenging PCS vacancies being turned to IAS. The Akhilesh government has found a pragmatic solution to the situation by recommending temporary posts that will cease to exist once a promoted officer retires from service.
	Haryana best state in mobilising resources Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 28 Haryana has been the top performer among states in terms of mopping up revenue during the 11th Five Year Plan which ended on March 31, 2012. During the Plan period (2007 to 2012), Haryana collected Rs 64,123 crore against the target of Rs 33,374 crore fixed by the Planning Commission. This was 192% of the revenue target. In other words, the state collected almost double of what was targeted. Reasons for this include property registration, accurate sales tax realisations and plugging the gaps in revenue collections. The performance of the north Indian state is much better than other leading states. States which surpassed their targets were: Bihar (Rs 60,631 cr target - Rs 65, 837 cr collection ) that is 108% target achievement; Goa ( Rs 8,485 cr target- Rs 8,660 cr collection) 102% target achievement; Karnataka (Rs 1,01,664 cr target - Rs 1,09,011 collection) 107 target achievement; Odisha ( Rs 32,225 cr target - Rs 39, 597 cr collection) 122% target achievement and Rajasthan (Rs 71,732 cr target - Rs 75,877 cr collection) that is 105% target achievement. Uttrakhand performed the worst in country collecting only 52% of its target amount. Gujrat’s score was 95% while Delhi and Punjab stood at 82% and 87.5%, respectively. The national average for the general category states - all states which are not classified as special category - was 94%. During the 11th Five Year Plan, the Planning Commission has projected that the states would collectively fetch Rs 14,12,029 crore but they could manage Rs 13,06,296 crore. It is 92.5% of the targeted projection. Interestingly, Haryana mopped Rs 4,472 crore more funds than collective total of Rs 59,651 crore collected by other north India states, including Punjab (Rs 25, 298 cr), Himachal Pradesh (10,844 cr) , Chandigarh (Rs 1,916 cr) and Jammu & Kashmir (Rs 21,593 cr). The Money-spinner * During the Plan period (2007 to 2012), Haryana collected Rs 64,123 crore against the target of Rs 33,374 crore fixed by the Planning Commission. This is 192% of the revenue target * Reasons include property registration, accurate sales tax realisations and plugging the gaps in revenue collections * The performance of Haryana is much better than other leading states
	Woman IAF officer commits suicide Jodhpur, Nov 28 A woman officer in the Indian Air Force (IAF) allegedly committed suicide at her official quarters at the air base here, police said today. Squadron Leader Anandita Das (29), hailing from Kolkata, was found hanging from the ceiling fan at about 3 am by her fighter-pilot husband. Das was a ground duty officer. Das, a fighter controller, was posted at the Jodhpur Air Force Station and living in the officers' quarters with her husband Squadron Leader V Nair, who flies SU-30 fighters. The couple moved to the IAF base five months ago, IAF sources said. Defence spokesperson S D Goswami said a Court of Inquiry has been ordered into the incident. According to police, Das was found hanging from the ceiling fan at her official quarters at about 3 am today by her husband who reported the matter to the officials and the police. No suicide note has been found in the house, police said. Police said the body has been shifted to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital for postmortem. “The officer said he found his wife hanging from the ceiling fan in her bedroom. Things will only be cleared after the report of postmortem and interrogation of her husband,” a police officer said. According to IAF sources, the couple had some arguments before they retired for the night. Das was commissioned into the service in 2006 and got married to Nair in 2008. — PTI
	Andhra police denies concession to staff for religious ritual Ayyappa Swamy disciples asked not to wear black robe at work Suresh Dharur/TNS Hyderabad, November 28 An internal circular of the police department, denying exemption to its employees on “Ayyappa Swamy Deeksha” (a religious ritual followed by the devotees of Lord Ayyappa Swamy), has triggered a row in Andhra Pradesh. During the 41-day ritual prior to visiting Sabarimalai in Kerala for a darshan of Lord Ayyappa Swamy, the devotees wear black robes, shun footwear, grow beard, sleep on the floor and follow a stringent regimentation. But the recent circular issued by the city police has asked the staff not to wear black robe or sport beard while on duty. “The permission will not be granted to the ‘disciplined police personnel’ to wear black dress while on duty. They will also not be allowed to grow hair and beard and perform duties without shoes. If any policeman desires to observe Deeksha of Swamy Ayyappa, he can apply for leave to do so,” the circular, issued by the Commissioner of Cyberabad Police, said. Several employees had submitted applications seeking permission to wear black robes, grow beard while on duty as they had to perform certain rituals as part of the “Deeksha” before going to Sabarimalai. They also wanted the department to exempt them from wearing shoes while on duty. The 41-day Ayyappa Swamy Deeksha, which commenced on November 16, stipulates a strict regimen for the devotees such as eating food without salt, walking without footwear, sleeping on the floor, bathing in cold water and performing bhajans early in the morning and late in the evening. Andhra Pradesh accounts for maximum number of Ayyappa devotees visiting Sabarimalai every year. More than 40 per cent of one crore pilgrims visiting Lord Ayyappa Swamy last year were from the state and this number is expected to go up this year. A large number of state government employees, including hundreds of police personnel, take up “Deeksha” and pay a visit to Sabarimalai temple. The BJP has taken a serious note of the circular and dubbed it an affront on the religious sentiments of Hindus. “No other department has imposed such a restriction on the employees. The police personnel, too, have their own religious faith. Why should they be denied the right to perform the Deeksha? It is nothing but infringement on the right to religious freedom,” party spokesperson NVSS Prabhakar said. He pointed out that Muslim police personnel were allowed to sport beard and go to Friday prayers regularly, besides being given special privileges during Ramadan. The BJP threatened to launch an agitation if the controversial circular was not withdrawn. State Home Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy assured that she would sympathetically consider the matter keeping in view the religious sentiments of the employees. Ayyappa Swamy Deeksha * A religious ritual followed by disciples of Lord Ayyappa Swamy * Disciples wear black robes, shun footwear, grow beard and sleep on the floor over a 41-day period * Ritual culminates with a visit to Sabarimalai in Kerala for darshan of Lord Ayyappa Swamy Police circular * Staff will not be allowed to wear black dress on duty * Can’t grow hair/beard, perform duties without shoes * Those who desire to follow the ritual can apply for leave
	Malda infant death toll mounts to 27 Tribune News Service Kolkata, November 28 With three more deaths being reported today, the number of babies dying at the Malda College and Hospital over the past six days has risen to 27. Union Minister of State for Health HA Ghani Khan Chowdhury, who was in his home town today, expressed shock at the series of deaths at the hospital. He criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for neglecting healthcare at government hospitals. He alleged that the state was unable to spend Central funds running into crores for improving healthcare at its hospitals. Union Health Secretary Prasanna Pradhan, was also in Kolkata yesterday, alleged that funds worth crores of rupees had been returned to the Centre. He was reviewing development programme of state hospitals vis-à-vis the spending of Central funds. Official sources said a suspected skin-generated disease had been the cause of deaths at the Malda hospital. A team of expert doctors, now visiting the hospital, had been asked to look into the matter and submit a report to the government. Patients’ relatives and local residents blamed the deaths on lack of proper medical facilities, including medicines, staff, beds and other health and sanitation arrangements, the hospital.
	Two-day police remand for Zee editors Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 28 A day after two senior editors of Zee News were arrested for allegedly trying to extort a Rs 100-crore advertisement agreement from Congress MP Navin Jindal's company, Jindal Steel and Power Limited, the police today informed a Delhi court that Zee News chairman Subhash Chandra also had "complicity" in the act. Those arrested are Zee News editor Sudhir Chaudhary and Zee Business editor Samir Ahluwalia. Delhi's Saket court today remanded them to police custody for two days. "Their bail applications have been dismissed. They will be presented in the court on November 30," said Duty Magistrate Gomti Manocha. Additional Public Prosecutor Rajiv Mohan had sought their police custody for three days. "Their sustained interrogation is required to unearth a larger conspiracy (in the matter)," he said. Chaudhary and Ahluwalia were allegedly the kingpins in the case, he added. He informed the court that the Delhi Police crime branch needed their custody to find the channel's source of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report that allegedly indicted Jindal's company. The channel allegedly misrepresented the report with the intention of defaming the Jindal group, he added. The police today added Section 420 (cheating) of the IPC to the FIR against news channel officials. Counsel of Zee News Rebecca John told the court, "The channel was telecasting programmes about the Jindal group, which was indicted in the CAG report. They (Jindal company officials) sought a meeting with us to put forward their point of view. Both sides were playing each other and our side was trying to see the extent Jindal's company would go to kill the story."
	Food Security Bill a disappointment: MP Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 28 Terming the National Food Security Bill a disappointment, Rajya Sabha member MS Swaminathan today said even after numerous commission reports and suggestions, the Bill did not allow farmers their due. Speaking at a discussion on “Hunger in India: A silent emergency” in Delhi today, the Padma Shree, Padma Bhushuan and Padma Vibhushan awardee said, “Though having commendable provisions such as a lifestyle approach to food security and extending up to old and infirm persons, the Bill has no role for the farmers, gram sabhas and local bodies in achieving social protection measures.” “Numerous government and civic surveys continue to dub us as the global hunger capital. India is on the threshold of a transition from a “ship-to-mouth” existence as it attempts to implements the world’s largest social protection programme against hunger with homegrown food. The Bill encourages access to adequate quantity of quality food among other positives. However, none of the national or state-level food commissions suggested inclusion of farmers in the Bill and offered them minimum support price covering a wide range of cereals,” he said. Biraj Patnaik, adviser to the Commissioners to the Supreme Court in the right to food case also expressed regret that the government had not seen merit in making minimum support price a tenable right. Two days after the Prime Minister doled out the cash transfer scheme for subsidies terming it a “game-changer,” Patnaik said the government was wise not to include food subsidies in the scheme since it was inflation intolerant. However, for a better strengthened public distribution system, more decentralisation was required. “The Bill in its present form is inadequate. It will deal with the problem of hunger but won’t make a significant dent on malnutrition. Excessive control over food policy by the Central Government, non-inclusion of state governments on many fronts and total abandonment of farmers, gram and village panchayats in grain storage, distribution and other processes isn’t the best move. However, one positive is that the Bill provides maternity entitlements which will have an impact, hopefully, on the low birth weight and maternal health situation,” he said. According to the speakers, there were many issues that needed to be resolved to sustain the proposed food security Bill that would put enormous financial burden on state.
	US magazine's praise for Nitish ‘a publicity stunt’ Patna, November 28 RJD supremo Lalu Prasad today termed as ‘publicity’ stunt the listing of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar by a US magazine among top 100 global thinkers. “Such things are nothing but publicity materials far from truth which keep coming often,” he told reporters here in his reaction to the prestigious Foreign Policy magazine naming Kumar among its top 100 global thinkers. Aung San Suu Kyi, pro-democracy leader of Myanmar, tops the list and the country's president Thein Sein, author Salman Rushdie and Malala Yousufzai, the rights activist of Pakistan who was attacked by the Taliban, are others mentioned in it. Kumar's name figures at the 77th spot for “turning around India's poorest state” through an array of innovative programmes to address crime, corruption and lack of development. The list also features India's chief economic advisor Raghuram Rajan and writer Pankaj Mishra. — PTI
	Shah’s name figures in BJP’s 3rd list for Gujarat elections New Delhi, November 28 Former Gujarat Minister of State for Home Amit Shah, facing charges in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case, has been fielded by BJP from the Naranpura Assembly seat in the forthcoming elections for which the party today announced its third list of 89 candidates. BJP's Central Election Committee declared the list of candidates, comprising of 89 names, for the two-phase Gujarat Assembly elections to be held on December 13 and 17. Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi presented the list of prospective candidates in the CEC meeting and got the central leadership's assent. Shah, who is facing allegations of his involvement in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case and was externed from Gujarat earlier, will contest from Naranpura. Other prominent candidates announced today include Anandiben Patel, a close Modi associate, who will contest from Ghatlodiya. It is widely rumoured that she may take over the mantle in Gujarat if Modi moves to national politics after the polls. — PTI