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Affordable housing plans take centrestage
Modi hits back at PM over riots remark
For now, AFSPA to stay in J-K: Shinde
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Kargil commander’s plea
against Lt Gen dismissed
BJP stalls govt effort to push through banking Bill in LS
India, Ukraine ink N-safety, defence pacts
Govt mulls paying for personal secretaries of ex-Governors
Rahul to lead UPA LS poll campaign in 2014
SC: Judges going abroad should intimate Centre
Shettar running a ‘minority govt’
Karnataka stops Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu
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Affordable housing plans take centrestage
Ahmedabad, December 10 Even the newly-formed Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) floated by former chief minister Keshubahi Patel with the help of the disgruntled elements of the BJP, who came out of the party because of personal differences with Chief Minister Narendra Modi, has also thrown its hat in the ring by offering housing schemes. In Gujarat, where private housing developers have flourished offering luxurious flats and bungalows at exorbitant prices, housing for the poor and middle income group people have remained by and large ignored. The Gujarat Housing Board and the Gujarat Slum Clearance Board, the state-owned bodies set up during the Congress regimes to construct houses for the low and middle income groups and slum-dwellers, respectively, at easy installments, virtually folded up after Modi came to power a decade ago. Modi who firmly believed that all "six crore Gujaratis" have prospered in his regime, did not feel it necessary to run the housing board and the slum clearance board and his officials did not dare to give him the bad news that poor still thrive in Gujarat. The slum clearance board itself was turned into a slum after the forced evictions of the slum-dwellers from the banks of the Sabarmati river, that flows through the middle of Ahmedabad city, to give shape to Modi's dream multi-billion "Sabarmati River Front Development Project" and the "Chandola Lake Beautification Project" to present a "clean developed Ahmedabad" to the investors coming to Gujarat. The government had no knowledge about the fate of the erstwhile slum-dwellers forced to move towards the periphery of the city setting up more shanty chawls. The housing board for the past 10 years or so have stopped floating new housing plans, most of its staff members were allocated to other departments and some 80-odd staff members remained at the imposing GHB headquarters in the middle of the city were only engaged in recovering the previous dues and dusting the old files. As the housing board colonies remained ignored, most of the occupants refused to clear the outstanding dues and the GHB office turned into a heap of dusty files. The Pandora's Box was opened by the Congress when in August it announced its scheme for the women members of the lower and middle income group families to construct houses for them at affordable rates if the party was voted to power. It followed it up with another scheme for the rural poor offering them free house site plots and the government aids for easy loans for constructing houses on the plots. But the party did not give any definite time frame in fulfilling the promise stating that it would depend on the demand. The party launched a survey to asses the demand and the mad rush of women seen at the meeting venues where the forms were being distributed, came as a severe jolt to Modi who realised that all is not well in his regime. The Congress received more than 70 lakh filled up forms for houses and Union Minister Sachin Pilot, during a campaign tour to the state, even unveiled the "model" of the one and two bed-room houses for the poor and middle income groups to "convince" the voters that the Congress was serious in its promise on housing. The ever-growing demand for houses forced Modi to wake up the GHB chairman from slumber to announce housing schemes overnight. Without any planning or preparation, the GHB promptly announced a programme for constructing a token of 5,000 houses immediately and the next day started distributing forms picked up from the old dusty stacks. The result was a total chaos as more people turned up for the forms than the GHB had in its stock. Realising the gravity of the situation, the BJP included "housing" in its election manifesto promising 50 lakh houses for the urban and rural poor and middle income group people in the next five years. Following up, the GPP too in its election manifesto gave a promise of constructing at least 20 lakh houses but in 10 years. The promises by each party, however, have come for strong criticism from each other. "The Congress which in the past when in power in the state or at the centre had never bothered for the poor, is giving mere empty promises as a vote catching device to mislead the people," Modi said. The Congress in turn attempted to prove Modi wrong arithmetically. Union Ministers Ajay Maken, Sushilkumar Shinde, Sachin Pilot and others lambasted Modi for such "false promises" to the poor. "Arithmetically it is impossible for a government with a budget of Rs 33,000 crore to construct 50 lakh houses costing at least Rs 1.50 lakh crore in five years, presuming that each house would cost about Rs 3 lakh," Maken said. Shinde pointed out that in 40 years of rule by his party in Maharashtra, the government had not been able to construct more than five lakh houses in five years. "How can Modi construct 50 lakh houses even if it is presumed that there will be no other developmental activities in the state during the period," Shinde said. Modi also strongly refuted the Congress criticism that he had failed to fulfill his 2007 election promise of constructing 20 lakh houses. Claiming that his government has surpassed its promise by constructing 22 lakh houses in the last five years, Modi threw a challenge to political adviser to Sonia Gandhi, Ahmed Patel, to set up any inquiry panel and "personally verify my claim." After the "Modi factor," the housing could influence the outcome of the elections depending on whose promise the voters take more seriously.
Sonia: Modi govt anti-people
Siddhpur: Sharpening her attack on Narendra Modi government's "anti-people" policies in Gujarat, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Monday accused it of indulging in "hera-pheri" (wrong-doings) with central funds. "The UPA government has given sufficient funds for several schemes on agriculture, development, water harvesting and land improvement projects to the state," she told an election rally in this
town of Patan district. — PTI
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Modi hits back at PM over riots remark
Ahmedabad, December 10 Addressing a series of election meetings on Monday, Modi, while describing the Prime Minister’s address at Vansda in Navsari district in south Gujarat as most disappointing, claimed that Muslims in Gujarat were more happy and feel safer than their counterparts in most other states. “In neighbouring Maharashtra, where the Congress is in power, there were 333 instances of communal riots last year,” he claimed. Even in Assam from where the Prime Minister has been elected to the Rajya Sabha, “communal disturbances are going on for the past six months.” He advised the Prime Minister to direct the two Congress Chief Ministers to take necessary steps to contain trouble in those states instead of criticising his government since Gujarat had not witnessed a single communal incident in the past 10 years nor was there curfew for a single day - a regular feature during the previous Congress regimes in the state. Manmohan Singh had brought the 2002 communal riots back to the election arena by making a veiled reference to the “insecurity” being felt by the minorities in the state, an issue all the parties and the leaders so far were carefully avoiding. In his first election rally on Sunday, the PM had stated that the minorities and “some other sections of society” in Mahatma Gandhi’s state were feeling “insecure” and that that was not good for the country. A similar remote reference to Chief Minister Narendra Modi as “maut ka saudagar” (merchant of death) by Congress president Sonia Gandhi during the 2007 election campaign had cost the party dear with Modi cashing it on as an “insult” to the people of Gujarat and hurting the state’s pride. During the build-up to the elections this time, the Congress leaders had maintained that 2002 was no longer an issue and carefully avoided making any reference to the riots realising that the issue could cause Hindu backlash against the party. In the current elections also, Modi has already picked up holes in Sonia Gandhi’s public addresses and her political adviser Ahmed Patel’s statements criticising the Chief Minister - presenting before the voters the Congress’ “yet another attempt to insult the people of the state.” Modi said while he and the people of Gujarat love and respect democracy, Ahmed Patel’s statement smacked of “slavery of a family” and no respect for democracy and the people’s wishes. During her third leg of her election tour to the state on Monday, Sonia Gandhi, who addressed two meetings in Siddhpur in North Gujarat and the temple town of Dakor in central Gujarat, avoided any personal affronts against the Chief Minister though she attacked the Modi administration for large-scale corruption and said the present government’s policy to “protect the guilty and punish the innocents.”
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For now, AFSPA to stay in J-K: Shinde
New Delhi, December 10 "It cannot be withdrawn unless it (the state) is quite and calm," he said. He said the infiltration from across the border had increased in recent times requiring security forces to keeping a close eye along the Indo-Pakistan border. "Infiltration has increased. That is our information. We are worried. We are watchful in all sectors. We are very careful. But no untoward incident has happened as far as infiltration is concerned," he said. Last week, the government told Parliament that till October 12, 111 people were apprehended along the border in Jammu and Kashmir while they were trying to infiltrate into India. The government also said at least 90 Pakistani infiltrators entered India through the Indo-Pak border this year. Sources said the abrupt jump in the number of Pakistani infiltrators-from 63 in 2011 to 90 this year (till November 20) - sent alarm bells ringing in the Home Ministry, which directed security agencies to intensify the vigil along the border. Shinde also said that he was hopeful of getting "a result" on the much-debated and much-criticised National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC). The NCTC proposed by Shinde's predecessor, P Chidambaram, in February this year, had led to a barrage of protests from non-Congress ruled states that saw this as an attack on their powers. It has been put on hold since then. Asked about the status of the NCTC project, Shide said, "I have been talking to chief ministers and soon you will get results." Shinde also said that the Centre had decided to go ahead with the all-party meeting on Telangana on December 28 despite a request from Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to postpone it.
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Kargil commander’s plea
against Lt Gen dismissed
Chandigarh, December 10 During the last hearing on November 29, Brig Surinder Singh had claimed that Lt Gen Brar was a friend and regimental associate of Brig Devinder Singh, another brigade Commander in an adjoining sector during the conflict, and that there was a clash of interest between his case and that of Brig Devinder Singh. He added that since Gen Brar had been attending social functions with Brig Devinder Singh, he may not get justice with Gen Brar being on the bench. The bench, comprising Justice Rajesh Chandra and Lt Gen Brar today ruled that being seen at such public social functions could not constitute as grounds for raising objections. The bench, however, gave Brig Singh the liberty of approaching the Tribunal’s Principal Bench at New Delhi with his objections before January 11, when the case is scheduled to be heard next. Brig Surinder Singh had been removed mid-conflict over allegations of mishandling classified information and later his services were terminated. He challenged the Army's actions in the Delhi High Court and the matter was subsequently transferred to the Tribunal.
AFT rules out clash of interest
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BJP stalls govt effort to push through banking Bill in LS
New Delhi, December 10 With the BSP exerting pressure on the Manmohan Singh government to ensure passage of the quota Bill amid strong opposition from the Samajwadi Party, the BJP did not make any categorical assurance. “There seem to be a lot of hurdles in the passage of the reservation in promotion for SCs/STs Bill. The BJP is in favour of social justice for SCs/STs, but within constitutional parameters,” BJP Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha Ravi Shankar Prasad said. Sources in the party maintained there was no clarity on the exact stand of the BJP on the Bill pending in the Rajya Sabha. A senior leader told The Tribune that the BJP wanted some provisions in the proposed legislation to be changed. “We have requested our senior leaders in Parliament to take a decision on the Bill before it blows up in the face. There are issues since if SCs/STs get benefit of this reservation, what about the OBCs. We are answerable to our constituents,” a senior BJP leader said. While the BSP accused the BJP of stalling proceedings in the Rajya Sabha on the Walmart issue, the latter preferred to hold the government responsible for the impasse. “We would like to know from the government, if you could get direct or indirect support from the SP and the BSP for FDI in retail, why you can’t find consensus between the two parties on the issue of reservation in promotions,” Prasad said. Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha proceedings were stalled in the evening after the BJP insisted that the banking Bill be sent back to the Standing Committee on Finance arguing that some provisions were added to it after the proposed legislation was scrutinised by the panel and reported back to the House. For instance, the government had introduced a new concept to permit banks to invest in futures, which was not part of the Bill scrutinised by the standing committee headed by Yashwant Sinha (BJP), party leaders said. With just eight days of winter session left, UPA parliamentary managers would have to find ways to negotiate with the Opposition and other parties if it wanted to get some of its key economic reforms Bill passed.
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India, Ukraine ink N-safety, defence pacts
New Delhi, December 10 The other three agreements were for cooperation in the fields of science and technology, mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters and elimination of technical barriers to trade and economic relations. The accords were signed after extensive talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych here this afternoon. “President Yanukovych and I exchanged views on regional and global issues. We also agreed to intensify our consultations in international forums. I have no doubt that this visit by President Yanukovych will set India-Ukraine relations on a firm course,” Manmohan Singh said in a brief statement after the talks. Significance is being attached to the agreement on nuclear safety under which the two countries will cooperate in some important regulatory activities, including legislative regulations, safety guides and technical criteria on nuclear safety, design, construction, operation, decommissioning of nuclear facilities, waste management and environment impact. The agreement for cooperation in the defence field provides the framework for expanding military technical cooperation on an institutionalised basis. It envisages mechanisms to be set up for promoting defence cooperation. The pact is expected to pave the way for moving the defence relationship to a new place, that of joint research and development in the future. Manmohan Singh noted that Ukraine’ expertise in defence technologies was well established and offered synergies with India’s defence technology base. “Our two countries are already undertaking a number of defence cooperation projects. The defence cooperation agreement that we have just signed establishes a new framework for this cooperation,” he added. He said the two countries could learn a great deal for each other on nuclear energy and nuclear safety. On commercial ties between the two countries, the PM said the bilateral trade had more than doubled in the last five years to nearly three billion dollars though it was heaving weighed in favour of Ukraine.
Moving closer
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Govt mulls paying for personal secretaries of ex-Governors
New Delhi, December 10 Once the Bill is passed by both Houses, scores of former Governors will be able to engage one personal assistant and get the cost of such engagement reimbursed from the government for the remainder of their lives. The secretarial assistance will be in addition to the free medical facilities which former Governors get as per the rules specified by the Ministry of Health. “The Governors (Emoluments, Allowances and Privileges) Amendment Bill 2012, introduced today by Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde will insert a new Section in the existing law in respect of emoluments of the Governors. The new Section says: “The ex-Governor shall, for the remainder of his life, be entitled to secretarial assistance of one personal assistant on reimbursement basis.” In justification of the amendment Bill, the government has said: “Keeping in view the high constitutional office that a Governor holds and considering the contributions in public discourse that they would continue to make after they retire, it is proposed to provide secretarial assistance to them in the form of one personal assistant which such ex-Governor may appoint on reimbursement basis during his life time.” There is one condition in the amendment Bill. It says if an ex-Governor is reappointed to the office of a Governor or elected to Parliament or state legislature or appointed to any office of profit under the union or a state legislature, he or she would not be entitled to secretarial support during the period of holding such office. Under the existing Act, the serving Governor is entitled to emoluments amounting to Rs 1.10 lakh per month. However, the Act does not provide for any pension or post-retirement benefits to ex-Governors except medical facilities governed by the rules or orders issued by the Ministry of Health from time to time.
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Rahul to lead UPA LS poll campaign in 2014
New Delhi, December 10 Party spokesperson P C Chacko said Rahul agreed to assume more responsibilities following overwhelming demand by the party members. “The party is overwhelmingly in favour of Rahul taking a larger responsibility. He was not very willing. Now he has agreed to it. He will lead UPA’s election campaign for 2014''. With the Congress leadership going about the task of re-organising the party structure to make it ready for elections, the spokesperson sounded confidant indicating that both pre-poll and post-poll alliances would hold key in shaping the contours of UPA-III. Responding to a question on the possibility of the Congress projecting Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate, Chacko reiterated the standard party formulation that the issue would be looked at after the elections and that it is for the party MPs to decide. However, the party spokesperson emphasised that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be at the helm till 2014. “This has no relation. He is the Prime Minister till 2014'', he said in response to question about the fate of the incumbent if Rahul is to be projected in the next elections. As for Sonia Gandhi, Chacko underscored that she remains the president. “She is the President now. She will be the patron. She will be the supreme leader of the party“. After Rahul opted out of the Government in the last reshuffle carried out by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the young general secretary has started devoting greater attention to party matters. He was recently given a major role to oversee preparations for 2014 general elections. With the declaration that Rahul will play a pivotal role, much would depend on the how he and others in the committee under AK Antony work on the issue of alliances. The chances of having a pre-poll alliance in Uttar Pradesh with either the SP or the BSP appears dim while in Bihar, the other Hindi heartland state the RJD of Lalu Yadav and the LJP of Ram Vilas Paswan are already supporting the
UPA-II.
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SC: Judges going abroad should intimate Centre
New Delhi, December 10 The Supreme Court today temporarily restored a government order to this effect by staying a Delhi High Court verdict that had struck down the stipulation. A Bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir passed the stay order on an appeal filed by the Centre. The Bench, which included Justices SS Nijjar and J Chelameswar, also issued notice to the respondent, Aman Vachher who had taken up the issue with the HC, seeking his views. Arguing against the HC ruling, Solicitor General Rohinton Nariman contended that the government had issued the order on February 15, 2011 with the consent of the then CJI SH Kapadia. The Home and Foreign ministries would be in a better position to offer any help to the Judges if they ran into any sort of problem while visiting abroad, the SG argued. Also, this was found necessary from the security point of view. Further, judges held diplomatic passports and the foreign missions in India were granting visas on the basis of such passports and as such it was only proper for them to intimate the government before embarking on overseas trips, be it official or private, the SG contended. The HC had struck down the order in May 2012, holding that the stipulation was an infringement on the privacy of judges.
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Shettar running a ‘minority govt’
Bangalore, December 10 “This government does not have moral authority to continue as it has been reduced to a minority. If the Chief Minister has respect towards parliamentary system of democracy, he should resign. He should not set a wrong precedent”, Siddaramaiah said in the Assembly which is meeting at the new “Subarna Soudha” building at Belgaum. Earlier, Siddaramaiah told reporters that there was no need for the Congress to move no-confidence motion as the BJP government has been reduced to a minority with the support of a “meagre” 101 legislators in the 224-member House. “The magic number of 113 legislators is required for simple majority in the Assembly. The BJP has 118, and out of which three have joined B Sreeramulu’s BSR party. If you minus 14 legislators who participated in the KJP rally, the government strength gets reduced to 101 legislators. When the government has lost majority, there is no need for us to move no-confidence motion,” Siddaramaiah said. Reacting to the demand to resign, Shettar replied in the negative saying there was no question of doing so.
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Karnataka stops Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu
Bangalore, December 10 The Supreme Court had on Wednesday asked Karnataka to release 10,000 cusecs water to Tamil Nadu daily till Sunday. This order has been complied with by Karnataka. However, the state government, which is facing protest inside the Assembly and also in the streets in the Cauvery basin district of Mandya against the release of water to Tamil Nadu, has decided to ignore the directive of CMC. The CMC, which met on December 7 at the instance of the SC, had asked Karnataka to release 12 TMC of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu during December.
No comment on CMC order: SC
The SC on Monday refused to interfere with the CMC order saying, “It seems both sides are not satisfied by the direction…CMC members are experts and we should not comment on the order. If you are not happy with the report then do what you want to do for getting remedy.”
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Ahmedabad, December 10
New Delhi, December 10
