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PR Doyen and PRCI Founder Chairman is no more
MMNN:23 Dec. 2015
Public Relation Council of India Founder chairman and distinguished PR personality Sh. N.D. Rajpal died at New Delhi hospital.
He was suffering from cancer. Mr. Rajpal is the father of Shweta Rajpal Kohli who is Economic Editor and noted Anchor at NDTV.
We are very sad to lose sh. Rajpal ji who was the story pillar of PRCI and very good humsn being.
MB Jayram , chairman Emeritus and chief Mentor.
Sh. N.D. Rajpal was the eminent PR Professional. PRCI will always remember him for his contribution to PR fraternity and society at large.
BN Kumar , National President, PRCI.
I am really shocked to learn that PRCI's strong pillar sh. Rajpal ji is no more. He was the PR personality with great regard and a nice human being.
Shiv Harsh Suhalka , Director-PRCI and Chief Editor-MetroMirror.com.
Juvenile Justice Bill: If the nature of the crime is critical, why stop at 16, not 13?
New Delhi:MMNN:23 Dec. 2015
We have legislated our way out of a tricky matter yet again. The Rajya Sabha has cleared the Juvenile Justice Bill. The focus now shifts from the offender to the offence, and we devote our energy to deciding what constitutes an ‘adult’ crime committed by a juvenile. That he is not mature enough to gauge the consequence of his action can no more be reason for someone between 16 and 18 to be handled with kid gloves. We have built a strong deterrent. The world will soon become a much safer place — the same way it has been after we introduced the provision of the death penalty in case of rape.
If some skepticism is already creeping into this piece, it can’t really be helped. Something does not add up. For instance, if the nature of the crime is the prime concern, then why draw the line at 16? We could have considered 14 or 13 as well. Have we left the scope for another amendment open till the time a 13-year-old commits a heinous crime? Some strong advocates of the bill argued that children are maturing much earlier these days. Girls are hitting puberty at 12, and 14-year-old boys of today are far more mature than 14-year-old boys from a decade earlier. Hence, the law must take into consideration this factor.
Are we mixing sexual maturity with maturity of the mind, and the hormonal with the sociological?
Almost the entire debate around the Delhi gangrape appeared to revolve around the sexual violence aspect of it. But the gravity of the matter, and also the solution, calls for a clear understanding of the bigger scenario. It goes beyond the victim. It’s natural for hormonally-charged children to be curious about sex and indulge in it for the sake of experimentation. Given their age they won’t be in a position to distinguish between what is normal and what’s not; and what’s legal and what isn't. A bit of the sociological ecosystem they grow in comes into the picture too.
The debate, as some expert rightly points out, has pitted juveniles against women. The logical progression from this would be creating degrees of culpability — for instance, sex with violence or just sex; consensual sex or otherwise; natural or unnatural and so on. Again, the judgment will be left to the wisdom of the emotional voices on the streets. It’s easy for the outrage mob out there to pronounce a kid a criminal and make an example out of him. But the majesty of the law cannot make a sense of vengeance and retribution the yardstick in dispensing justice. In that case, we will be turning into barbaric societies.
Let’s shift to the application part of the law.
In India, we are good at making laws, but pretty weak at getting them to work on the ground. How do you enforce the new juvenile law? Who decides the gravity of the crime? At the first level, it is the police, of course. The Juvenile Justice Board has to decide within three months whether the juvenile accused should be treated as an adult. It has to base its assessment on the police’s version of the crime. Forget the part that the police can be manipulated, given the way they go through routine inquiries and their lack of training to observe the nuances of such delicate cases, it’s possible they would make a travesty of the Act. There’s also more incentive for them to push younger children into the adult judicial system.
There’s a possibility that the law would create more victims by way of complaints in the nature of allegations and accusations. Assuming less mature boys or girls are more prone to indiscretion, we will have more accused in the lowest age brackets.
The issue is infinitely complex and it does not lend itself to easy solutions. The most pressing question however, remains: Have we gone the right way by allowing emotion to dictate reason?
Goodnight, INS Godavari: India's first indigenously-designed warship to be decommissioned
MMNN:23 Dec. 2015
India's first indigenously designed and built warship INS Godavari will be decommissioned tomorrow in Mumbai, thirty-two-years after it was inducted into the Indian Navy.
Over the past three decades, Godavari has successfully been deployed in numerous operations including Operation Jupiter - 1988 (Sri Lanka), Operation Shield and Operation Bolster - 1994 (de-induction of Indian Army from Somalia) and Patrol of Gulf of Aden (PoG) - 2009 and 2011 (anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden).
In 1988, in an operation called 'Operation: Cactus', India successfully thwarted a coup detat against Maldivian Government, a Navy official said.
Godavari and INS Betwa intercepted, following which the mercenaries who tried to flee Male on board the Merchant Vessel Progress Light were arrested.
The mercenaries were later handed over to Male, earning great respect and goodwill for India in the international community. Being the first indigenously designed and constructed ship, INS Godavari was showcased around the world as a symbol of India's growing military might and self-reliance and the warship has also participated in numerous operations and deployments, across the expanse of the Indian Ocean and beyond.
Godavari class frigates were armed with surface to surface and surface to air guided missiles. INS Godavari was also among of the first frigates in the world capable of carrying two Sea King helicopters.
How many Nirbhayas needed for laws to change, victim's parents ask
NEW DELHI:MMNN:21 Dec. 2015
With the Supreme Court rejecting the plea against release of the juvenile convict, the parents of the December 16 gang-rape victim on Monday said the courts have failed them and asked how many Nirbhayas would it take for the laws to change.
The victim's mother Asha Devi said her fight against the system would continue.
"We were not very hopeful that the Supreme Court will give a favourable verdict but I want to ask how many Nirbhayas are needed for the laws to change in the country," the victim's father Badri Singh told reporters.
"The court is not bothered about the concerns of the public....This fight is not just about Nirbhaya but for every girl who is unsafe in a country which has such laws," he added.
The victim's mother said she would fight till the law is changed.
"I will not be defeated, the SC decision can't stop me, I have to fight a long battle, I will fight till the bill is passed and law is changed.
"The court is saying that the law does not permit further punishment for the juvenile but why is the case against other convicts still pending. Why have they not been hanged yet?," she said.
Black day for women of country, DCW chief Maliwal says
DCW chief Swati Maliwal termed it a "black day" for women and said the country has been "cheated" as a proposed law which could have allowed stronger punishment to him remains pending in Rajya Sabha.
"It is a black day for women in history of the country. I also believe that the Rajya Sabha has cheated the country by keeping the law pending which could have facilitated stronger punishment for juveniles in heinous crimes," the chief of Delhi Commission for Women told reporters outside the Supreme Court.
She was referring to the bill to amend the Juvenile Justice Act which remains stuck in the Rajya Sabha. The proposed amendment bill seeks stringent punishment for children aged 16-18 years involved in heinous crimes.
"The judges told me that they share our concerns but there is no provision to subvert the existing law. I think the time for candle marches is over and women should pick up mashaals (torches) instead to demand for justice," Maliwal added.
Hours before the juvenile was to be freed from an observation home on completion of his three year term at Majnu Ka Tila, Maliwal had moved the Supreme Court on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday in a last-ditch effort to try and stall the release.
In its post midnight order, the Supreme Court had declined to stop the release of the juvenile offender and posted the matter before a vacation bench to be heard today.
Amid continued protest by the victim's parents, the juvenile convict was on Sunday released and sent to an NGO at an undisclosed destination with police no longer guarding him.
'Modi Jacket' becoming popular in the country: Kalraj Mishra
New Delhi:MMNN:21 Dec. 2015
'Modi Jacket', a half sleeve coat often worn by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has become "very popular" among the people in India as well as in some foreign countries, Union Minister Kalraj Mishra said on Monday.
Mishra, Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, said in Lok Sabha that there was a time when 'Jawahar Jacket, worn by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, was very popular in India.
"Now, the Modi Jacket has become very popular among a cross section of people. Modi Jacket is popular even in foreign countries. Recently, Japanese Prime Minister (Shinzo Abe) had worn a Modi Jacket," he said during Question Hour.
Mishra said government has taken a number of steps to promote and popularise Khadi among people.
In reply to a written question, the Minister said the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) was set up in 1956 for the development of Khadi and village industries and for matters connected therewith.
KVIC extends financial support for creation of employment opportunities and for marketing of products of khadi and village industries.
There were 7050 outlets of Khadi institutions, seven departmental Khadi gramodyog bhavans and one Gramshilpa, he said adding that during 2014-15, Rs 12,513.72 crore worth of products were sold through Khadi stores.
Mishra said to renovate the outlets and strengthen the production infrastructure, government has a separate scheme called 'Strengthening of Infrastructure of Existing Weak Khadi Institutions and Assistance for Marketing Infrastructure'.
Sanjeev Baliyan Surrenders After Warrant For Non-Appearance In Court
MUZAFFARNAGAR:MMNN:18 Dec. 2015
Samajwadi Party leader and Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan made a shocking allegation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi figures in the list of top 10 criminals of the world.
"If Modi ji can be the Prime Minister, then why can't I? Have you seen in Google whose name is there in world's ten top criminals. I have not said this, it is the Prime Minister's name," Khan told the media here.
Khan has said that he aspires to become the Prime Minister, since he is the fittest person for the post. He even claimed that Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh would suggest his name for the post at the right time.
"I am the fittest person to become the Prime Minister of the country and I aspire to be the Prime Minister. If Narendra Modi resigns and all MPs elect me the Prime Minister, it will send a good message across the country and India will progress each passing day. When the time comes, Mulayam Singh will propose my name," Khan said.
When reporters asked Azam about posters being put up in Lucknow demanding his elevation to the post of deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, he said, "You are insulting me. I want to be become the Prime Minister and I deserve to hold the post. That's why I have removed posters of me becoming deputy chief minister."
On the CBI raids at the office of Rajender Kumar, the Principal Secretary of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, he said that the Central Government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have shown disrespect to political beliefs.
"Everyone knows that it's a biased action. I think there should not be raids at office of any chief minister of the country without prior permission," he added.
Khan had earlier accused Prime Minister Modi of his alleged involvement in the 2002 riots in Gujarat and asked him to clarify his position on the same.Union Minister Sanjeev Baliyan today surrendered in a court in Muzaffarnagar after a bailable warrant was issued against him for failing to appear in connection with a 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Sitaram had on November 24 asked the accused, including Baliyan, BJP lawmaker Bhartendra Singh, party legislator Suresh Rana and VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi, to appear in the court on December 18.
According to prosecution, they are facing charges under various sections of IPC for violating prohibitory orders, deterring public servants from discharging their duties and also wrongful restraint.
It is alleged that the accused participated in Nadala Mador panchayat meeting and incited violence through their speeches in the last week of August of 2013.
The communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas in August and September of 2013 had claimed 60 lives and displaced over 40,000 people.
Pune teen radicalized by IS, used web to contact 200 Islamic State sympathisers
Pune:MMNN:18 Dec. 2015
A Pune-based 16-year-old Muslim girl, who was reportedly radicalised by her IS contacts abroad and brain-washed to go to Syria, has been questioned by sleuths of Pune Anti-Terrorism Squad and sent to a de-radicalisation programme, an ATS officer said on Thursday night.
According to the officer, the girl is a bright convent educated class XI student, studying in a city college.
"The girl was interrogated by the ATS last week after monitoring her movements for many days on getting information about her. It confirmed her initiation by the IS. The interrogation of the girl revealed that she was ready to go to any extent to carry out the IS directive," Pune ATS officer Bhanupratap Barge told PTI revealing the details of the ATS operation.
The girl is now undergoing a de-radicalisation programme with the help of her family members and community religious leaders, who are fully cooperating with us, he added.
According to the ATS, the minor girl got attracted to the IS ideology after watching a documentary on television and subsequently started regularly monitoring news on Al Jazeera channel.
"Later, she used the internet to get in touch with IS contacts and got in touch with about 200 young persons from different countries. Her interrogation revealed that she was told to come to Syria for medical education and for further initiation," Barge said.
He said that the girl, who is highly intelligent, had recently changed her lifestyle and started wearing burqa, giving up jeans she used to wear before her exposure to the IS contacts.
"Even her family members noticed the change in her and felt disturbed," the ATS inspector said.
Barge said the de-radicalisation programme of the ATS with the help of community clergy and family members was "working" for the girl with encouraging results. Pune has been on the terrorist radar and had witnessed bomb blasts including the German Bakery blast that killed 17 persons including many foreigners in 2010.
PM Modi's name among world's top ten criminals: Azam Khan
Kanpur:MMNN:16 Dec. 2015
Samajwadi Party leader and Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan made a shocking allegation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi figures in the list of top 10 criminals of the world.
"If Modi ji can be the Prime Minister, then why can't I? Have you seen in Google whose name is there in world's ten top criminals. I have not said this, it is the Prime Minister's name," Khan told the media here.
Khan has said that he aspires to become the Prime Minister, since he is the fittest person for the post. He even claimed that Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh would suggest his name for the post at the right time.
"I am the fittest person to become the Prime Minister of the country and I aspire to be the Prime Minister. If Narendra Modi resigns and all MPs elect me the Prime Minister, it will send a good message across the country and India will progress each passing day. When the time comes, Mulayam Singh will propose my name," Khan said.
When reporters asked Azam about posters being put up in Lucknow demanding his elevation to the post of deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, he said, "You are insulting me. I want to be become the Prime Minister and I deserve to hold the post. That's why I have removed posters of me becoming deputy chief minister."
On the CBI raids at the office of Rajender Kumar, the Principal Secretary of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, he said that the Central Government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have shown disrespect to political beliefs.
"Everyone knows that it's a biased action. I think there should not be raids at office of any chief minister of the country without prior permission," he added.
Khan had earlier accused Prime Minister Modi of his alleged involvement in the 2002 riots in Gujarat and asked him to clarify his position on the same.
Nirbhaya case: If he walks free, will the juvenile's 'punishment' act as a deterrent or an excuse?
New Delhi:MMNN:16 Dec. 2015
Had Nirbhaya's juvenile rapist and killer been born a few months earlier, he would have been waiting for the noose to tighten around his neck, like his co-convicts.
But, now he may walk out after just three years in a reformatory, with a sewing machine as a farewell gift.
Watching him walk out free just because of an ill-timed evolutionary mishap would make many of us feel like Bhishma witnessing the disrobing of Draupadi.
Like Bhishma, who was bound to Hastinapur and its laws, we too can just wring our hands in frustration because extant laws forbid strict punishment for even the most heinous crimes committed by children below 18.
So, the 17-year-old drifter who first got drunk with his friends on a moving bus, then lured Nirbhaya and her friend into the vehicle in his sing-song voice, raped her with his five accomplices, inserted a rusted L-shaped tool to eviscerate her and then threw out the unconscious, bleeding girl to die on the road would be free to board a bus that could take him anywhere--both literally and figuratively.
And, like Bhishma and other darbaris, we would all be watching with our hands tied to the back, heads hanging in shame.
Sorry, Nirbhaya, he was just a boy.
If events unfold according to schedule, the boy-who-can't-be-named, could walk out any time. Perhaps, he would be one of the onlookers when people gather for a candlelight march in Nirbhaya's memory on the fourth annual reminder of the ghastly incident, smirking, smiling or crying--depending on his mindset--at the memory of that night.
We do not know his name, do not recognise his face; nobody knows if he has been suitably reformed--Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi argues he should be released but believes he was not given any reformative therapy. Those keen to show him in a better light say he is an "award-winning" painter who loves to draw women in various attires and moods and cook when he is in the mood.
But, we also know that he never confessed to his crime, obviating thus, any need for regret and repentance. And since nobody would be watching him--it would be illegal, isn't it?--we would be at the mercy of his conscience. Hopefully, he found one in the reformatory.
There is, of course, the possibility that we would all be proved wrong and the boy who raped and killed would go on to become a responsible, reliable adult, ready to be invited home, picked as a groom by somebody courageous enough to ignore his past. Those who watched him in the reformatory believe he fears god, that he fasts during a religious festival. May be now he fears the law too.
It is true that laws can't be changed for individuals. Just because Nirbhaya's rapist is getting away with mild punishment, the criminal justice system can't be subjected to reactionary, post-facto overhaul. God forbid, if tomorrow a 14-year-old commits a similar crime, we wouldn't be shouting silly for turning Tihar into a crèche.
Yet, as Maneka Gandhi rightly said, when the juvenile walks out free, it would imply we failed to ensure justice for Nirbhaya. "Let us not confuse justice with the law. The law said that he could only go to children home... That's the anomaly we are trying to correct. So he served his sentence and according to the law he is coming out. And there is nothing we can do about it until or unless he commits another crime. So that is all we can do," Gandhi argued recently.
Could this hand-wringing have been avoided? While convicting Afzal Guru to death for his role in the attack on Parliament, the Supreme Court had made an interesting observation: "The incident, which resulted in heavy casualties had shaken the entire nation, and the collective conscience of society will only be satisfied if capital punishment is awarded to the offender."
So, let us ask ourselves, a simple question: Did the punishment to the juvenile guilty of Nirbhaya's rape and murder satisfy the collective conscience of the nation? Did it deter other juveniles from committing the same crime or the mild reprimand act as an inspiration and an excuse?
Just a year later, when five persons were accused of raping a photo journalist inside Mumbai's Shakti Mills compound, one of them immediately drew attention to his juvenile status to seek leniency. Perhaps he was emboldened, not deterred, by the fate of Nirbhaya's juvenile murderer.
When we talk of justice, an old aphorism always comes to mind: Justice should not only be done but it should also be seen to be done. Often we argue that the law should not be implemented just in word, but in its spirit. And that rules are meant to protect social functions, uphold moral values and deter criminals by instilling in them fear of deserved retribution.
Much of this wisdom, however, would sound like a cruel joke when the juvenile walks out of the reformatory to begin his life afresh.
Hema Upadhyay case: Mumbai Police team on double murder suspects’ trail in Uttar Pradesh
Mumbai:MMNN:14 Dec. 2015
A Mumbai Police team which is probing the double murder of installation artist Hema Upadhyay and her lawyer Harish Bhambhani has gone to Uttar Pradesh as it suspects that the culprits must have taken shelter there.
“A police team left for UP to trace the culprits, as it suspects that they must have fled to that state,” a senior police official told reporters on Monday.
According to police, the bodies of Hema (43) and Bhambhani (65), their hands and feet tied with ropes, were recovered from a drain in suburban Kandivali on Saturday night. The bodies were stuffed in two cardboard boxes.
Their samples have been sent for chemical analysis and their autopsy reports are awaited, the senior offical said. “As per our probe, their bodies were transported in a tempo from suburban Juhu to Kandivali (W),” said DCP (Detection) Dhananjay Kulkarni on Monday.
In this connection, police has also quizzed the transporter, who confirmed that he dumped the two boxes in a nullah in Kandivali on Saturday afternoon thinking that it contained broken antiques. The statement of the transporter has been recorded, they said.
Also, police on Saturday recorded the statement of the watchman at Hema’s apartment in Juhu Tara Road and her domestic servant Lalit Mandal. Besides, Hema’s estranged husband Chintan, who was in Delhi and arrived in the city on Sunday, was questioned by the Crime Branch on Sunday.
According to police, Hema’s domestic help had filed a missing complaint at Santacruz police station on Saturday. Even Bhambhani’s younger daughter Anita had filed a missing complaint at Matunga police station on Saturday.
Hema and Bhambhani were missing since Friday evening, said police, adding the watchman of Hema had last seen her on Friday at 11 AM. Whereas according to Anita, at around 6.30 PM on Friday Bhambhani had left his King Circle home in Matunga to meet Hema.
As per police, Bhambhani met Hema at her art studio in Andheri and at around 8.30 PM on Friday. Then he had a word with his wife on phone, after which the Bhambhani family couldn’t speak with the latter despite calling him frantically several times.
Police suspect that an unidentified person, but known to the duo, had called the lawyer to give fresh evidence in a property dispute case of Hema. They also strongly suspect that the duo were smothered by the killers.
Meanwhile, Additional Commissioner of Police (North Region) Fatehsingh Patil informed that his team is very close to cracking case but did not divulge anything further. Police said Bhambhani’s car, in which he had left for the meeting, is still to be traced.
The Baroda born artist had in 2013 filed a case against Chintan, alleging he painted obscene pictures of women on the walls of their matrimonial home in Mumbai to harass her. Bhambani had represented Hema in the case.
16 December Delhi gangrape: Centre seeks extension of juvenile convict's stay
New Delhi:MMNN:14 Dec. 2015
The Centre on Monday asked Delhi High Court to extend the observation home stay of the juvenile convict in the 16 December, 2012 gangrape case who is scheduled to be released on Sunday, saying several mandatory aspects were missing from the post-release rehabilitation plan which needed to be considered before setting him free.
After hearing the brief arguments and perusing the post-release plan which was submitted by the central government, the court reserved its verdict on BJP leader Subramanian Swamy's PIL seeking stay on the juvenile's release.
No mention of mental health status and follow-up were among the concerns listed by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sanjay Jain while appearing for the Centre. He sought an extension of the juvenile's stay till the time all the missing aspects in the post-release plan are taken into account.
Swamy told a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath that though the juvenile's term may have ended, but the court can "circumscribe" his movements.
The ASG told the court that it has several "concerns" regarding the plan made by the management committee (MC), set up as per the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Rules.
He said the committee's plan does not mention the mental health status of the juvenile, which is a mandatory requirement under the rules.
He said the mental health aspect was missing from the report of the person who counselled the juvenile.
The ASG also said that the plan does not mention anything regarding the juvenile's willingness to continue in the societal mainstream.
He said that no follow-up action has been contemplated in the MC's report and this aspect was "completely missing".
He told the bench that as per records, the juvenile is set to be released on December 20 this year and not tomorrow and sought that his stay be extended till the time the MC takes into account all the missing aspects in its post-release plan.
The court, thereafter, said it now shall go through the MC's plan and the Intelligence Bureau's report, which was placed in a sealed cover, and will pass an order.
It also wondered whether it can curtail the liberty of a person.
No New Diesel Vehicles to Be Registered in Delhi, Says Green Tribunal
New Delhi:MMNN:11 Dec. 2015
No new diesel vehicles will be registered in Delhi, the National Green Tribunal has said.
It has also directed the Centre and state government not to buy any diesel vehicles for their departments.
A petition seeking a ban on diesel cars in Delhi and other cities will be heard by the Supreme Court on December 15.
Petitioner Arvind Gupta has requested the Chief Justice of India, TS Thakur, to hear the case.
Justice Thakur said that Delhi pollution cases were being taken up on 15 December and this petition would also be taken up the same day.
The petition filed in 2013 has gained currency as policy-makers and experts worry about the severe pollution levels in Delhi.
As a radical step to cut down pollution, the Delhi government has announced that from the New Year, odd and even numbered cars will be allowed on alternate days. The system will be tested for 15 days, says the government.
Yesterday, the top court called the pollution in Delhi 'embarrassing'.
"Delhi has earned a bad name that it is the most polluted city. Last week a Judge came from International Court of Justice to Delhi. It is very embarrassing for us to tell him that this is the level of pollution in Delhi," said the court.
The Chief Justice questioned why "there was no discussion taking place, no forum is provided" to deal with the problem.
"If you expect us to provide solution to every problem, it is not possible," said Justice Thakur, hearing a petition filed by highway toll operators who had said that they could not collect the 'Green Cess' announced in October from trucks entering the city.
This case will also be heard on December 15.
Justice for Nirbhaya: Juvenile is an 'animal', dangerous to free him, says Subramanian Swamy
MMNN:11 Dec. 2015
Terming the juvenile accused in the December 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape case as an 'animal', Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Friday said it is dangerous to free such a convict and appealed to the courts to make certain provisions in the law to deal with such serious offences.
"The juvenile convict should be kept with wild animals for committing such heinous crime. It is dangerous to free such people. There are certain flaws in our law. The juvenile laws are applicable only for people committing crimes like stealing food or bicycle but this law is not applicable for such kind of heinous crimes. There is no provision in the law that if such juvenile accuse do not change in the three years, then what action needs to be taken," Swamy told.
"According to the report of Indian Intelligence bureau, the juvenile accuse has turned into a jihadi. So, the court should interfere and make certain provisions in the law regarding this. The government should move court and seek to arrest the juvenile accused under National Security Act. I am going to court and the court will decide what needs to be done. Let us see how the court case goes," he added.
The Union Home Ministry is contemplating to ask the juvenile convict to sign a legal bond affirming good behaviour after his release from the reformatory home.
The bond as per Section 107 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) will act as security for keeping the peace after his release from a juvenile remand home.
Apprehensions were made by Nirbhaya's parents against the release of the juvenile, who was reportedly the "most brutal" of all the six offenders.
The juvenile, who was under 18 when he was arrested for rape and murder of Nirbhaya, was tried under the Juvenile Justice Act and ordered to keep in a remand home for three years. He is set to be released this month.
Chennai rains: 14 ICU patients die due to ‘power failure’ at hospital
CHENNAI:MMNN:4 Dec. 2015
Forty-three bodies were brought to the Roypettah government hospital in Chennai in the last 24 hours, of which 14 came from the Madras Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (MIOT). Relatives of some of the deceased brought in from the MIOT alleged that negligence by the hospital authorities caused about a dozen deaths.
Twenty three of the remaining bodies were brought in by the public while five of the deaths were not related to the floods, said the resident medical officer at the government hospital.
Durga Prasad, whose mother had been injured in the recent Mangalore train derailment, accused MIOT of not having enough backup power. His mother had been hooked to a ventilator, which collapsed soon after power snapped on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, city officials said the body count has gone up to 269 even as rescue workers managed to evacuate 2,000 people stranded across the inundated city.
Receding water cleared up some of the main roads of the capital, facilitating movement and relief efforts as people joined the army and NDRF personnel in whatever capacity they could.
Some shops even managed to open up again in nodal areas like Teynampet and Mylapore though food shortage persisted through the city.
Communication lines remained to be restored along with electricity, though a few areas did receive power.
Connectivity out of the city was marginally restored as seven commercial flights were given clearance to operate from the Rajali naval base in Arakkonam, and the Southern Railways announced special trains to Tirunelveli, Rameswaram and Howrah from Chennai Beach station.
Rain continues to batter Puducherry
Heavy rains pounded Puducherry, throwing a wrench in rescue and relief work in the Union Territory.
The coastal area recorded 8.4 cm rainfall during the last 24 hours, ending 8.30 am on Friday.
Inundation damaged over 400 houses, forcing evacuation of thousands from this area as well into about 173 relief centres that have been set up in Puducherry and Karaikal.
The Union Territory government had sought a central assistance of Rs 182 crore. The Chief Minister N Rangasamy had sent letters seeking the assistance to Prime Minister and also to the Union home minister.
India finalizing plans to order three more Scorpene submarines
New Delhi:MMNN:4 Dec. 2015
Faced with an ageing underwater combat arm even as China and Pakistan bolster their fleets, India is now finalizing plans to order three more French Scorpene submarines after the first six are constructed at Mazagon Docks as well as issue the tender for six new-generation stealth submarines by next year.
India is also steadily cranking up military force-levels and infrastructure in the strategically-located Andaman and Nicobar Command in a bid to effectively counter China's strategic moves in the IOR as well as ensure security of sea lanes converging towards Malacca Strait, as was reported by earlier.
'Every naval ship a microcosm of India'
"The aim is to ensure the islands are not only well protected but also act as a strategic location for basing aircraft, warships and submarines. The proximity of A&N Islands to Malacca Strait makes them very strategic since they overlook busy sea lanes and choke points," said Navy chief Admiral Robin Dhowan on Thursday.
On the underwater combat front, work is also underway to draw up technical parameters and select the shipyard for the construction of six nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs), which got "acceptance of necessity" earlier this year. "The six SSNs will be constructed under the Make in India programme," said Admiral Dhowan.
INS Arihant, the country's first nuclear-powered submarine armed with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles, called a SSBN in naval parlance, will also be commissioned next year. The other two follow-on SSBNs are in an advanced stage of construction at Vizag. "INS Arihant's sea trials (which began a year ago) are proceeding satisfactorily," said the Navy chief.
All these projects may seem a lot but remember India currently has just 13 ageing conventional diesel-electric submarines -- 10 of which are well over 25 years old -- and one SSN in INS Chakra on lease from Russia, which is not armed with nuclear missiles in line with international treaties.
China, in sharp contrast, has 51 conventional and five nuclear submarines, and is on course to induct another five JIN-class SSBNs with the 7,400-km range JL-2 missiles. The frequent forays of Chinese conventional and nuclear submarines in the Indian Ocean region, with halts from Colombo to Karachi, has only added to India's strategic challenges in the region over the last couple of years. The combat edge India has over Pakistan is also fast eroding, with Islamabad recently ordering eight more advanced diesel-electric submarines from Beijing.
The Navy, however, is nonchalant. "Collaboration between Pakistan and China is nothing new, nor is their development of Gwadar port. The geostrategic environment keeps on changing. We take note of the developments and factor them into our own plans," said Admiral Dhowan.
Asked about China's plans for an overseas military logistics facility in Djibouti, he said: "It's their plan. We are focusing on our strategy of shaping a favourable and positive maritime environment with presence and cooperation with IOR countries."
"Today, our Navy is a multi-dimensional, networked force, which is combat-ready to take on any challenge in the IOR as well as protect the country's huge maritime interests," he said, adding his force's "operational footprint" had steadily increased over the years from the Western Pacific in the east to the North Atlantic in the west.
The maritime capability perspective plan has laid down the route for the Navy to become a 198-warship and 600-aircraft force by 2027, even though it's currently grappling with critical operational deficiencies in submarines, multi-role helicopters and minesweepers.
Parrikar clarifies retirement rumours, says will finish task at Centre
New Delhi:MMNN:30 Nov. 2015
Defence minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday took to Twitter to clarify his statement on retirement saying he is not thinking about quitting and will return to Goa only after finishing his “bigger responsibilities at the Centre”.
“My correct statement - At the age of 60, normally people think of retirement and perhaps I would have also,” Parrikar, who served as the chief minister of Goa from 2012 to late 2014 when he was inducted into the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government, posted on the social media platform.
“But I had to take bigger responsibilities at Centre and I assure you that I will come back only after finishing the task I am given,” he added.
Earlier in the day, the minister told that his statement was misinterpreted and that it was made in a “lighter moment about general retirement of a man in our country”.
“It has nothing got to do with my retirement,” he told.
Parrikar had made the statement on Sunday while speaking at a function organised by the Lokmmanya Multipurpose Co-Operative Credit Society, in Mapusa town about 10 km north of Panaji.
“After 60 (years), one has to think about retirement. I turn 60 on December 13, therefore, I had started thinking about retirement two-three years back. I have to intensify that, therefore, I don’t feel inclined to take up big responsibilities,” Parrikar was quoted as saying by media agencies.
He had also said that his attention would always linger on Goa and that if the state government veers onto the wrong path, he would endeavour to bring it back on track.
“Finally, there is a question mark over the possibility of finding people with leadership qualities in a small state. But one thing I will say, my attention will be on Goa. And if the government in Goa goes on a wrong path, then I will bring it back on track. I can give this guarantee to Goans,” he had said.
Jammu and Kashmir: CRPF jawan injured in firing at Kathua
Jammu:MMNN:30 Nov. 2015
A paramilitary trooper was injured on Monday in a firing incident in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir.
"A trooper got injured in a firing incident at a CRPF picket in Malhar (Billawar) area on Monday morning," a police official said.
"The injured CRPF trooper was shifted to a hospital...further details are being awaited as reinforcements have been rushed to the spot." the police added.
It was not immediately clear whether it was a militant attack or an accidental fire.
A jawan on Monday suffered a gunshot injury at a CRPF post in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir and authorities are probing the incident.
A round was fired in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) post in Malhar belt of Kathua district early this morning which injured jawan Ramesh Chan, a senior police officer said.
It is being ascertained whether the same was a result of a clash or accidental weapon handling or something else, the official said.
Winter session: Jaitley rakes up Emergency to corner Congress
New Delhi:MMNN:27 Nov. 2015
Finance minister Arun Jaitley led the government charge in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, hitting out at the Congress for imposing the Emergency that endangered the right to life and liberty and swept aside charges of rising intolerance in the country.
Speaking on the second day of the winter session of Parliament, Jaitley said the biggest challenge before the country was the suspension of Article 21 of the Constitution – the provision that gave people the right to life and liberty – a reference to the Emergency imposed by then Congress prime minister Indira Gandhi.
“Today if someone comes on TV and gives an irresponsible statement, it is called intolerance. Earlier, people’s life were being taken away illegally --- of course there’s no comparison, it’s like comparing a mountain to a molehill,” Jaitley said, triggering uproar in the Upper House.
The government has been determined to push through its reform agenda, including the landmark goods and services tax bill, in the month-long session but a belligerent Opposition is planning to corner the ruling coalition on a number of issues, including price rise and the snowballing debate over intolerance.
The Congress has been at the forefront of the campaign against the government, accusing BJP leaders of backing fringe elements driving a wedge between communities.
Several thinkers, writers, scientists and historians have returned top government awards and top Bollywood actors such as Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan have spoken out against a barrage of communal violence, triggering a wave of stinging criticism from the BJP.
To break GST deadlock, PM Modi invites Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan for a 'chai pe charcha'
New Delhi:MMNN:27 Nov. 2015
In an attempt to break the impasse over the passage of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday invited Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for tea at his residence.
The face-to-face meeting between the two political rivals would be the first since the BJP won a landslide victory 18 months ago, and could herald a compromise between the government and the main opposition party on GST and a number of other bills scheduled for discussion and passage in the winter session.
On his various trips abroad, PM Modi has assured foreign investors that he would make the landmark indirect tax law a reality by 2016. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said that Modi is willing to discuss the GST bill with everyone so it can be passed. "We have absolutely no hesitation even at the level of Prime Minister, we have never had in it in the past, we don't have it (now). He is willing to speak to everyone," Jaitley said.
The Congress had stalled the passage of the GST Constitution Amendment Bill in the last session of Parliament and demanded that a revenue-neutral rate not higher than 18 per cent be mentioned in the bill. It is also opposed to states being given powers to levy an additional 1 per cent tax on the supply of goods over and above the GST rate.
On Friday, Modi is also likely to make the concluding remarks at the ongoing Parliament discussion on Constitution Day. A war of words over the word 'secular' is already on since Thursday.
Shortly after the House met on Thursday, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, in his speech on India's Constitution and its architect Dr B R Ambedkar, called 'secular' the most misused word in Indian politics and asked why the words 'Secular' and 'Socialist' were added to the preamble of the Constitution by a Congress government in the 1970s.
Rajnath even targeted actor Aamir Khan over his remarks on rising intolerance in the country. "Ambedkar too faced injustice and discrimination due to social iniquities, but kept control over his feelings, and always presented an objective point of view," the minister said.
"He (Ambedkar) never said how much he is being insulted in India. He said he will live in India for strengthening the country. He never thought he will go somewhere elsewhere," he said, drawing strong protests from the opposition benches.
A furious Congress hit back, with Sonia accusing the Modi government of deliberately attacking "the ideals and principles that inspired the country for decades". "The people who have no faith in the Constitution, who have not contributed to its making, they are talking about it repeatedly, are trying to appropriate it. There cannot be a bigger joke," she said.
J&K: Three terrorists, one civilian killed in attack in encounter in Kupwara
Kupwara (Jammu and Kashmir):MMNN:25 Nov. 2015
Three terrorists and one civilian have been killed in encounter with the Army in Tangdhar sector of Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. The army called in special forces to deal with the crisis.
Terrorist group jaish-e-muhammad has claimed responsibility for the attack. One soldier has also been injured in the attack. The encounter started when the terrorists were challenged by an Army unit after they tried to infiltrate into the Tangdhar sector along the Line of Control with Pakistan.
Several barracks in the army camp have been gutted after an oil dump caught fire during the encounter.
Kupwara senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajaz Ahmad claimed it was a fidayeen (suicide) attack. "First there was an explosion inside the camp, followed by heavy firing at the camp. After the explosion fire broke out in one portion of the camp. Two to three fidayeen have entered into the camp," he said.
Three blasts reportedly took place in dump of 3/1 Gorkha Rifles (104 Infantry Brigade in Karnah sector, Tangdhar). Initially at about 7 am, some rifle firing was heard followed by the sound of three consecutive blasts.
Huge smoke was seen around the area. The location is about 350 metres away from location of 38 Battalion of Border Security Force towards the Tangdhar town. "There was a stand off fire from Kalsuri Ridge (in Tangdhar sector) towards an army camp this morning," an army official said.
The official said the terrorists seem to be heavily armed as they used small fire arms and UBGLs to carry out the attack.
Tangdhar sector is close to the LoC in Kupwara district and has been used as an infiltration route in the past. The official said it was not yet clear whether the terrorists were part of infiltrating group. "That is a matter of investigation. We can comment on it only after the operation is over," he added.
Katra chopper crash: 'Dead pilot' Sumita Vijayan says she is alive
Dubai:MMNN:25 Nov. 2015
Seven people including six pilgrims and a woman pilot were killed in a chopper crash near the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu earlier this week.
The woman pilot was identified as Sumita Vijayan from Hyderabad.
However, 'Sumita Vijayan' has now come out in the open to claim that she is alive and is living in Dubai!
This 'Sumita Vijayan' is one whose photo had been mistakenly used by media outlets for the pilot of the same name who died in the helicopter crash.
Sumita Vijayan is a Kerala-born resident who lives in Dubai.
As per mdia reports, her family and friends frantically called her on Tuesday morning after seeing her picture in newspapers a day after the chopper crash.
With the deceased pilot's picture unavailable, several media outlets used Sumita Vijayan's photos available on social media networks like Facebook and Twitter.
In the process, they used the picture of the wrong Sumita Vijayan and hence the confusion.
"I had recently visited Delhi. All my dear and near ones called me and they were panic stricken," Mail Today quoted Sumita Vijayan as saying.
Sumita said her relatives and friends in India got worried on seeing the picture as she had been to Delhi recently.
"Unfortunately for me I did travel to Delhi recently... so they almost believed that when they saw my picture," she said, according to the daily.
Sumita then had to clarify on Facebook that she is alive.
"Dear all, please do not be overwhelmed with the rubbish by media!! I m very much alive and breathing!!" she wrote.
Sumita Vijayan was born in Kerala, brought up in Mumbai, and has been living in Dubai for the last 15 years.
She has threatened to sue media outlets which used her picture if they fail to apologise.
Full Text: Joint Statement on Enhanced Malaysia-India Strategic Partnership
MMNN:23 Nov. 2015
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak this morning. They discussed ways to ramp up bilateral cooperation with the focus on building a "well-rounded partnership". They also spoke about enhancing defence and security between India and Malaysia.
Here is the full text of the Joint Statement:
At the invitation of The Honourable Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia, Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi undertook an Official Visit to Malaysia on 23 November 2015. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the ASEAN-India Summit and East Asia Summit on 21-22 November 2015. The two Prime Ministers held official talks in Putrajaya and jointly inaugurated the Torana Gate in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, a gift from India to Malaysia, as a symbol of India-Malaysia Friendship.
During the official talks, which was held in a warm and cordial atmosphere, the two Prime Ministers acknowledged that India-Malaysia relations have made impressive strides in recent years. The dialogue mechanisms at Ministerial and Official level, supported by a wide range of agreements have also provided a framework to harness the full potential of the Strategic Partnership, established between the two countries in October 2010.
Both leaders also conveyed their condolences to the families of all those on board Malaysian Airlines flight MH 370. In this context, the Prime Minister of Malaysia recalled with appreciation the ready assistance provided by India in the search operations through the deployment of six ships and seven aircraft, including at Subang airbase in Malaysia.
The two leaders welcomed the increasing two-way tourist movement and recalled the close cultural and religious affinity of the people of the two countries, including the presence of a large Indian community in Malaysia, which is a positive factor in fostering and developing current and future linkages to imbue greater dynamism to the friendly relations between Malaysia and India.
Recalling their stake in promoting multiculturalism, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to democracy, pluralism and development.
The two leaders acknowledged the contribution made by Malaysia and India in promoting growth, economic development and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, and recognized each other's responsibility in the promotion of peace, development and security of the region, and beyond, based on a convergence of political and socio-economic interests and aspirations.
The two Prime Ministers, while expressing satisfaction with the progress of bilateral relations over the years, reaffirmed their determination to take the Strategic Partnership between the two countries to the next level by deepening existing areas and exploring new areas of cooperation.
Both Prime Ministers then witnessed the signing of one Agreement on Cultural Exchange Programme for 2015-2020 and two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Project Delivery and Monitoring, and Cooperation on Cyber Security.
In an effort to further broaden and deepen the relationship between the two countries, both leaders agreed to proceed with efforts to develop the Strategic Partnership between the two countries as follows:
Political Consultation
1. To hold regular Summits, including on the margins of multilateral events;
2. To arrange the next meeting of the Joint Commission headed by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the two countries, with the next meeting in New Delhi in the first half of 2016;
3. To arrange regular exchanges at the Cabinet level between the Ministers in charge of Trade & Industry, Transport, Public Works and Infrastructure, in line with the new developmental initiatives introduced by India, and the investment and trade opportunities opening up in each other's country;
4. To hold regular Foreign Office Consultations between the Senior Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia and the Ministry of External Affairs of India, to enable both countries to monitor the progress of bilateral cooperation, including on regional and strategic issues of mutual interest;
5. Reaffirmed their continued commitment to Parliamentary democracy and to promote further cooperation between the Parliaments of both countries, and underlined the importance of regular and enhanced exchange of visits between Parliamentarians from India and Malaysia; Economic, Trade and Financial Areas
6. Reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen bilateral trade and investment cooperation, and to deepen and widen their economic engagement, which has emerged as an important fulcrum of the strategic partnership;
7. Underlined the importance of holding regular meeting of the Ministers of Trade and Industry of both countries;
8. To promote joint collaboration, especially in infrastructure and construction sectors, and to facilitate joint projects and collaboration between the private sectors of the two countries, in line with the new developmental and business initiatives undertaken by India, such as the Make in India, Digital India, Smart Cities and Skill Development that offered significant investment opportunities for Malaysian businesses. The Prime Minister of India conveyed the steps being taken by the Government of India to provide a conducive environment for investors, and invited Malaysian investors to participate in economic activities for the mutual benefits of both countries;
9. Recognising the need to energise the activities of the high-level India-Malaysia CEOs' Forum, called upon the CEOs' Forum to develop specific recommendations to enhance business links in priority areas. They further urged the CEOs' Forum to meet bi-annually and in a timely manner to ensure meaningful follow-up and implementation of recommendations;
10. Welcomed further contributions of Malaysian and Indian-owned financial institutions in both jurisdictions, which reflects the growing economic and financial linkages between the two countries;
11. Commended the contribution of IRCON over the past two decades on railway cooperation in Malaysia, and welcomed IRCON's significant interest to participate in railway project in the future;
12. Encouraged public and private sector companies from both countries to pro-actively look at large investment opportunities at each other's country. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the significant interest shown by Malaysian companies to partake in the business opportunities provided by India and their aspiration to invest in infrastructure projects;
13. Welcomed the contribution of Indian investment in Malaysia, in particular India IT firms, especially those located in Cyberjaya, and agreed to continue to promote greater engagement of Indian IT companies in Malaysia;
Defence and Security
14. Agreed to enhance defence exchanges through regular dialogue at various levels, including between the Defence Ministers, senior defence officials, Chiefs of the Armed Services and through Service-to-Service Staff Talks;
15. Agreed to convene the next India-Malaysia Defence Cooperation Meeting at Defence Secretary/Secretary General level;
16. Welcomed the outcome of the joint exercises HARIMAU SHAKTI and to upgrade the exercises to company level, and subsequently to tri-services exercises;
17. Agreed to set up the SU-30 Forum for cooperation in training, maintenance, technical support and safety-related issues, building on the assistance by India for successful completion of the SU 30 MKM training programme by Indian pilots in Malaysia;
18. Further agreed to promote joint collaboration on projects of mutual interest in the defence sector including in the areas of defence equipment and industry, research, training and capacity building;
19. Agreed to institute annual talks between the Heads of the Indian Coast Guards and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency including during Head of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM).
20. Agreed to establish mechanism for sharing of information, including for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster relief (HADR) and white shipping;
21. Agreed to establish linkages between the Centre for UN Peacekeeping of India (CUNPK) and Malaysian Peacekeeping Centre (MPC);
22. Expressed strong condemnation for terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and called upon all States to reject terrorism and bring perpetrators of terrorism to justice. In this context, they welcomed the ongoing cooperation between the two countries on counter terrorism and agreed to further enhance cooperation in this direction;
23. Agreed to continue sharing of information and best practices to address the challenges posed by terrorism, and other traditional and non-traditional threats; Reaffirmed that the two countries share a mutual interest in cooperating for peace, prosperity and security of the Asia-Pacific region and beyond;
24. Agreed to discuss further with a view to conclude the signing of the MoU on Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners, which act as an important humanitarian gesture towards sentenced prisoners;
Tourism and Education
25. Acknowledged the success of the Festival of India in Malaysia 2015, supported by the Malaysian Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Indian Ministry of Culture and the Indian High Commission, and held for the first time in all major cities and States of Malaysia;
26. Reaffirming their desire to promote greater opportunities for students to pursue their higher studies in each other's' country, agreed to conclude a MoU on mutual recognition of Universities and degrees between India and Malaysia at the earliest;
27. Welcomed the additional contribution by India of Indian Rupees 50 million to the Indian Scholarship Trust Fund, managed by the High Commission of India in Kuala Lumpur, which has been operating since 1954 for deserving Malaysian Indian students;
28. Welcomed the renaming of the Indian Cultural Centre in Kuala Lumpur as "Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre";
Human Resources
29. Welcomed the contribution of Indian workers to the Malaysian economy;
30. To further enhance mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in the field of labour through Joint Working Group Meeting, as well as exchanges of visits and information on latest policies, laws and regulations;
Health
31. Recognising the need to promote greater cooperation between the two countries in Ayurveda and other Indian systems of traditional medicine, Malaysia welcomed the deputation of an Ayurveda practitioner and two therapists from India under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme. The two sides also welcomed the gift of a Shirodara Yantra machine from the Government of India to Malaysia;
32. Agreed to receive a Siddha practitioner from India to Malaysia under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme;
Science and Technology
33. Sustainable Energy development has been a key component towards achieving energy security in the future with both Malaysia and India having actively pursued to increase renewable energy sources so as to strengthen their energy security while increasing energy access. Noting that, both sides agreed to set up a Joint Working Group on New and Renewable Energy at the earliest that would serve as a good platform for both countries to exchange ideas and forge mutually beneficial collaboration;
34. Public Administration Noted the excellent ongoing cooperation between the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, India and Public Service Department, Malaysia under the MoU on Cooperation in the field of Public Administration and Governance.
35. Following the 3rd Joint Working Group Meeting held in Kuala Lumpur on 28-30 September 2015, both sides will work on implementing the decisions made in the Meeting for fostering cooperation in English language training, Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET), e-governance, training institute collaboration, retirement benefits management, taxation data and business intelligence, and project implementation and oversight;
36. Welcomed the proposal for both sides to establish cooperation in areas of performance management, project delivery and monitoring;
37. Welcomed the conclusion of the Bilateral Work Agreement between Malaysia and India that authorise spouses of diplomatic agents and members of the administrative and technical staff of diplomatic missions and spouses of consular officers at consular posts for employment in the respective receiving State on a reciprocal basis;
Regional and International Cooperation
38. Reaffirming the importance of strategic engagement of India in regional initiatives to shape an open, transparent and inclusive regional order and ASEAN's centrality in the evolving regional architecture, welcomed the enhanced relations between ASEAN and India, especially since the elevation of the partnership to a strategic status at the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in 2012 in New Delhi;
39. Welcomed the adoption by ASEAN and India of the new Plan of Action (2016-2020) to implement the ASEAN-India Partnership for Peace, Progress and Shared Prosperity at the ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on 5 August 2015;
40.Welcomed the successful holding of the 27th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits and commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of the East Asia Summit in November 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, and further welcomed the 2015 Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the Establishment of the ASEAN Community and the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together;
41. Welcomed the signing of the ASEAN-India Trade in Services and Investment Agreements, and took note of the progress towards finalising the Regional Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Partnership (RCEP) Agreement;
42. Stressed that the 70th anniversary of the United Nations is an occasion to urge for early reforms of the United Nations, including the reform of the UN Security Council. Malaysia took note of India's aspiration for permanent membership of a reformed United Nations Security Council; and
43. Welcomed the post-2015 Development Agenda adopted by the United Nations with eradication of poverty by 2030 as its core objective.
The Prime Minister of India expressed his appreciation to the Prime Minister of Malaysia for the warm reception and hospitality extended to him and his delegation for the visit, and invited the Malaysian Prime Minister to undertake another visit to India at a mutually convenient date, which was accepted by the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
PDP's Mehbooba Mufti promises 'new era of inclusiveness' in Jammu and Kashmir
Srinagar:MMNN:23 Nov. 2015
Resolution, reconciliation and development constitute the ruling Peoples Democratic Party's core agenda and it would continue to pursue the same with unflinching consistency to ensure political stability and economic prosperity of Jammu and Kashmir, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said on Sunday.
"It is with this objective that, despite all odds, PDP entered into an alliance with BJP to revive the process of political reconciliation and economic rejuvenation in Jammu and Kashmir which was initiated by the PDP-led coalition government in 2002," Mehbooba who is a member of parliament from South Kashmir's Anantnag said.
Maintaining that gun is no solution to any problem, she expressed hope that the country’s leadership would take a cue from the events in the Middle East and work with a fresh resolve towards fostering a new era of inclusiveness and reconciliation in the South Asian region.
"The lesson to be learnt from the death and destruction in Afghanistan and now in Middle East is that gun is no solution to any problem, whether used by the state or the non-state actors, and only way to ensure stability is through dialogue and reconciliation.
"I am sure that India’s political leadership will take a cue from the tragic events in the Middle East and work, with fresh resolve, towards fostering a new era of inclusiveness and reconciliation in the country and the region," Mehbooba said while addressing a party workers convention.
She said in the emerging global scenario where some "dubious fringe elements" are resorting to atrocious violence in the name of Islam, reconciliation in the sub-continent has become an inevitability to keep such elements away from destabilizing the region.
"J&K can become the torch-bearer of such a reconciliatory process in the region as the State and its people have exhibited the mellowness and highest levels of religious tolerance even during the worst times of the sub-continent’s history," she said.
She said at the time of partition, the State’s then political leadership did not accept the "two nation theory" and preferred India over Pakistan.
"In lieu of this, J&K was granted special status in the Indian Constitution which distinguishes it from the other states of the country in many ways," Mehbooba said, adding, "While, it has been made clear in the PDP-BJP 'Agenda of Alliance' that the State’s present position will be maintained on all the constitutional provisions pertaining to J&K including the special status in the Constitution of India, the state government is continuing its efforts to catalyze reconciliation and confidence building process within and across the Line of Control (LoC) to create an enabling environment for sustainable peace, all round economic development and prosperity of J&K."
Mehbooba said the reconciliatory and developmental process facilitated by the then PDP-led government between 2002 and 2005 had sparked political, economic and social activity on a phenomenal scale in the state facilitating complete transformation of the ground situation on almost
every front.
"We are looking forward and working towards facilitating a similar scenario in the State and the region so that Jammu and Kashmir could become a bridge of friendship between India and Pakistan instead of a bone of contention," she said.
"The process of political and economic transformation in J-K has already been set into motion and the results will be visible on the ground soon with people reaping the benefits of a new era of peace and development," the PDP leader said.
Mehbooba said the biggest challenge for the PDP is to be with the people, show solidarity with them and give them the much needed sense of security and relief on development front and the party is committed to its resolve of bringing prosperity to J-K and its people.
"We are firm in our resolve to mark a new beginning and with the support of the people end the gloomy scenario of despair, alienation and development deficit, in the state," she said.
She said with the announcement of the Rs 80,000 crore economic package by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the State Government is going to revive the process of rehabilitation, reconstruction and economic rejuvenation on a massive scale.
"The package would not only ensure fresh relief for the flood-affected people, but also bring a turnaround in key sectors like road communication, health, education, tourism, power, urban development and employment generation with huge resources being made available for new initiatives in these sectors," she said.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Denies Saying 'Cow Killers Can't Live in India'
HARIDWAR:MMNN:20 Nov. 2015
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat today denied saying that those who kill cows have "no right to live in the country."
"I cannot speak such nonsense. The statement has been falsely attributed to me. I attended the function in which I talked about our measures to promote cow protection by linking it to the economy of poor people," Mr Rawat told.
The Chief Minister, a veteran Congress leader, had been quoted by the Press Trust of India as saying at a function in Haridwar on Tuesday: "Anyone who kills cows, no matter which community he belongs to, is India's biggest enemy and has no right to live in the country."
The statement runs contrary to the stand of his Congress party, which has strongly protested against recent incidents and pronouncements linked to cow slaughter amid a swirling debate on "intolerance" in the country.
"The nation is waiting to see what Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have to say. The Congress has vociferously expressed their opinion to anything to do with cow slaughter," the BJP's Nalin Kohli said.
Mr Rawat has since disowned the statement.
Last month, ML Khattar, the Chief Minister of BJP-ruled Haryana, had backtracked after appearing to suggest that Muslims in the country must give up beef.
"Muslims can stay, but in this country they will have to give up eating beef. The cow is an article of faith here," Mr Khattar was quoted by a newspaper as saying.
Mr Khattar later amended that all he meant was "we should show respect for each other's sentiment."
Modi seeks economic sanctions to curb funding for terror activities
New Delhi:MMNN:18 Nov. 2015
Pushing for "targeted economic sanctions" to disrupt fund flows for terrorists, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday the dastardly attacks in Paris were a grim reminder that terrorists have shown remarkable flexibility in arranging finances.
Modi said the terrorists derive funding from a variety of criminal activities which include smuggling of narcotics, bank robbery, vehicle thefts, fake currency or from state sponsored activities in failed states.
"The dastardly acts committed in Paris a few days ago are a grim reminder that terrorists have shown remarkable flexibility and adaptability in meeting their funding requirements.
"Disrupting fund flow constrains the capabilities of terrorists and reduces their ability to execute attacks," he said, addressing the sixth Global Focal Point Conference on Asset Recovery and 21st conference of CBI and state anti-corruption and vigilance bureau.
"This involves putting in place both systemic safeguards, and targeted economic sanctions based on credible counter-terrorism intelligence," Modi told the gathering of investigators from 33 countries.
Some of the countries were unable to take part in the meet following cancellation of flights in the wake of Paris attacks, CBI officials said.
"There is an imperative need to focus our efforts to enhance international cooperation in the field of asset recovery for fighting crime, corruption and terrorism," PM Modi said, calling for global cooperation.
Globalisation of organised crime poses a major threat to economies throughout the world and it is a well known fact that dirty money drives out good money, he warned.
"Organised crime can hamper investment and economic growth. It can also infiltrate or control a large section of economy. Illicit funding promotes organised criminal activities like drug trafficking, arms trafficking, human trafficking and terrorism," he said.
Calling for a concerted efforts to clamp down on proceeds of crime, the Prime Minister said economic liberalism and globalisation have drastically increased the ability to park profits of crime anywhere in the world.
"Today proceeds of crime can be routed through dozens of countries within seconds. By a process of layering the money-trail can be concealed. Investigation agencies are limited by national boundaries.
"Our Government is committed to the implementation of a uniform global standard on Automatic Exchange of Information, on a fully reciprocal basis. This will facilitate exchange of information regarding persons who have concealed their money in offshore financial centres and tax havens," he said.
Modi said India is currently in a crucial phase of nation building and the government’s mission is to build a prosperous nation where farmers are capable, workers satisfied, women empowered and youth self-reliant.
"However, to achieve this objective, it is essential to fight relentlessly against corruption. India stands committed in its fight against corruption," he said.
The Prime Minister also said his government has taken significant steps to check corruption and the menace of black money in a short span of time.
"The very day that we assumed office, we constituted a Special Investigation Team under the supervision of the Supreme Court to look into the issue.
We have entered into agreements with many countries for exchanging real time information on black money," he said.
Modi said India has signed the Inter Government Agreement with the United States to implement the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. This Agreement enables Indian tax authorities to receive financial account information of Indians from foreign countries on an automatic basis.
"A comprehensive and deterrent law, the Black Money Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets and Imposition of Tax Act has been enacted. It provides for stringent penalties and prosecution."
"We have also introduced a provision under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for restitution of assets. This will enable millions of poor investors who have lost money in ponzi schemes to recover a part of their hard earned money," he said.
Need to Finalise Global Convention on Terrorism: India to UN Security Council
UNITED NATIONS:MMNN:18 Nov. 2015
India has said the multiple terror attacks in Paris and Beirut highlight the urgent need to finalise a global convention on terrorism, asserting that the financing being provided to terrorist groups such as Islamic State (ISIS) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) needs to be addressed collectively.
"The terrible events of last week, in Beirut and Paris, demonstrate to us that the greatest threat to peace and security comes from violent extremism and religious fanaticism, not from the absence of economic and social development," India's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Bhagwant Bishnoi said yesterday.
He told the UN Security Council (UNSC) that the terror attacks also highlight the international community's unfinished business in the fight against terrorism.
"Leaders had, in the 2005 Summit, decided that expeditious action would be taken to finalise the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. That has not happened. The price that we pay for procrastination is often in human lives... That should not be allowed to continue. Terrorism takes away the foremost of human rights, the right to life. It is truly a crime against humanity," he said at the UNSC session on 'Maintaining of International Peace and Security'.
Mr Bishnoi also underscored the need to address the issue of financing that terrorists obtain saying that ideology alone is not sustaining the terror groups.
"All terrorist organisations - Daesh, or Al Shabaab or Lashkar-e-Taiba or Al-Qaeda - have an ideological basis that contradicts the basic tenets of humanity. Ideology alone, however, is not enough to sustain terrorists. They need financing and space to operate. That is, unfortunately, provided to them. And that is what needs to be addressed collectively," he said.
Mr Bishnoi also stressed on the need to acknowledge that absence of state authority, or a weak state authority, that provides the breeding ground for extremist organisations to operate.
"Terrorism is evil, as is violent extremism. The lack of economic and social development cannot be justification for either. Terrorism has to be eliminated. The events of last week have shown so tragically that there can be no other alternative," he added.
The UNSC held the already scheduled debate on conflict prevention amid added urgency fuelled by last week's terrorist attacks in Beirut and Paris, with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon stressing that counter-terrorism must also tackle such root causes as bad governance, injustice and exclusion.
Immigration, air strikes, oil? Here's what caused the Paris attacks, according to some 'experts'
MMNN:16 Nov. 2015
The horrific Paris terror attacks, in which at least 129 people were killed, have evoked a lot of strong reactions from leaders from across over the world. Many of them have made controversial statements on the cause of the attack, blaming immigration or the US air strikes on the Islamic State targets for the attacks.
Samajwadi Party leader and Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan faced a lot of criticism on Monday when he linked the Paris attacks to the air strikes on Islamic State targets. "The bombardments in Iraq and Syria on suspected IS strongholds apart from killing innocent civilians are also rendering thousands homeless. What justification do they have for this?" Khan as saying.
In what could be construed as a case of schadenfreude, Khan went on to ask, "Do you want to light up cities like Paris, known for their wine and party culture, with the money earned through illegally occupying oil reserves in Iraq, Syria, Libya and Iran?"
However, Khan is not the only leader to have made such remarks. Leaders from other countries also gave controversial reasons for the Paris terror attacks, with many of them, apart from making remarks on air strikes on Islamic State targets, also linking immigration with the attack and calling for an immediate ban on immigration of Syrian refugees.
Bill Maher, host of HBO political talk show 'Real Time', also said that the cause for the attack was "bombing IS". "Bombing (IS) over there is what is causing the Paris thing to happen!" The Daily Beast quoted Maher as saying. However, Maher's remark was less of a justification for the attack and more of a cause behind it, unlike Khan's remark.
On Saturday, US presidential candidate Donald Trump, infamous for his views on immigration, said that it would be "insane" for the United States to accept any refugees from Syria in the wake of the Paris attacks, according to AP.
Apart from his rigid stance on immigration, Trump also said that the terror attacks in Paris would have been "a much, much different situation" had the victims been armed with guns.
Republican presidential contender Marco Rubio on Sunday said the United States should no longer accept Syrian refugees because it's impossible to know whether they have links to Islamic militants. Another Republican presidential hopeful Ben Carson said Syrian refugees should not be brought to the US because it is too easy for jihadis, intent on "wreaking havoc in this country," to embed with them.
Other US politicians like Chris Christie, Rand Paul and Bobby Jindal also linked the attacks to immigration. "President (Barack) Obama and Hillary Clinton’s idea that we should bring tens of thousands of Syrian Muslim refugees to America: It is nothing less than lunacy," Politico quoted US politician Ted Cruz as saying.
The new right-wing government in Poland declared that the Paris attacks showed that the European Union's compulsory system of quotas for sharing refugees had to be rejected, according to The Guardian.
"Poland must retain full control over its borders, asylum and immigration," the report quoted Konrad Szymanski, the new minister for European affairs, as saying.
Will McCants, an expert on terrorism and author of The ISIS Apocalypse, linked the airstrikes by France on Islamic State targets to the terror attack, although he did not blame the airstrikes for the attack and did not say that the airstrikes should be stopped. "(It could be) to say to France, 'If you continue to bomb our positions, there's going to be more of the same and you had better leave off or more of your civilians will die,'" Business Insider quoted McCants as saying.
Pakistan shifts to hard line on Kashmir; local leaders still fine with the 'Musharraf formula'
MMNN:16 Nov. 2015
A series of interviews following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kashmir a week ago have given a clear insight into why he did not allude to India-Pakistan talks. Evidently, Pakistan is not willing for a solution along the lines of wide autonomy on both sides of the Line of Control and overall joint management – which is commonly known as `the Musharraf four-point plan.’
Although a wide spectrum of other Kashmiri leaders still endorses this flexible formula, Hizb-ul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin told a Kashmiri interviewer in Pakistan that talks had to be triangular and should move towards implementing the UN resolutions for a plebiscite.
The interview, which Salahuddin gave to Kashmiri youth leader Touseef Raina, was published on 11 November in the Srinagar-based daily Kashmir Images. Since Hizb has been armed, financed, trained and closely coordinated by the Pakistan Army’s powerful Inter-Services Intelligence, this interview indicates that Pakistan’s Army is not currently in tune with the position laid down by former army chief, Musharraf.
As if to confirm that this is now the line of the Pakistani state and not only of its Army, extremist leader Asiya Andrabi announced on 13 November that Pakistan Prime Minister had written this to her too.
She shared Nawaz Sharif’s letter to her with the press. In it, he wrote: "The essence of the principles of partition is that the Muslim-majority state of Kashmir should be given the right to self determination. This right has been recognized by the entire world through the forum of the United Nations. …lapse of a long time does not mean that these resolutions have become outdated.”
On the other hand, a range of other leaders within Kashmir do not share this hard-line position. This range includes a wide spectrum, from former Union cabinet minister and diehard pro-India leader Farooq Abdullah to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. Both told this writer last week that they were eager for India-Pakistan talks to go forward. Both blamed India for intransigence.
The Mirwaiz said he wanted Kashmiri leaders to be consulted as well but did not insist that they necessarily be at the India-Pakistan table for talks. Describing the ten years of the UPA government as `pathetic’ with regard to a Kashmir solution, the Mirwaiz said that `we were hoping Modi would be Vajpayee 2.0,’ but `there is no comparison.’
Abdullah went further, insisting that Pakistan was committed to the four-point formula that General Pervez Musharraf had proposed when India-Pakistan talks were in full steam about a decade ago. On the other hand, he said India was being inflexible. "Pakistan is willing to settle – autonomy under
India here, and under them there. They want a solution that will not make them lose face," he asserted.
The moderate faction of the Hurriyat has shown great flexibility in backing the `Musharraf formula.’ It is quite possible that this group could gain power under that arrangement – which could explain why `hard-liners’ such as Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Syed Salauhddin and Aasiya Andrabi are against the scheme.
Pakistan seems eager to bring the Mirwaiz in line with their current objectives, but the latter has shown flexibility in order to promote a resolution. The Mirwaiz revealed that he had told Pakistan High Commissioner Basit not to invite Hurriyat leaders to meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif when the latter visited Delhi to attend Modi’s investiture as prime minister. The Mirwaiz did not visit Delhi even when he was invited before the scheduled foreign secretary level talks.
Despite this, he said that there had been absolutely no initiatives from New Delhi, whether back-channel, informal or just some preliminary feelers to the Hurriyat. Emphasizing the urgency for negotiations to move forward, Mirwaiz Umar observed that the current militants were often inspired by the idea of a khilafat, and there was a possibility of militant anarchy in the period ahead.
"We had influence in the past but not on this generation of militants," the Mirwaiz said. His colleague and former chairman of the Hurriyat, Abdul Ghani Bhat, added a more somber note in a separate interview. "Kashmir has assumed monstrous dimensions in my calculation," he warned.
Analyzing the range of recent interviews, the bottom-line appears to be that every sort of Kashmiri leader backs Indo-Pak talks in one or other paradigm. The crucial difference between militants and others is a deal-breaker.
Text of India-Britain joint statement
London:MMNN:16 Nov. 2015
The following is the full text of the joint statement issued by India and Britain on Thursday, the first day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-day visit to Britain:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister David Cameron met in London on 12-13 November. The two Prime Ministers celebrated the growing strength, breadth and depth of the relations between the two countries. They emphasised that this enduring connection between the UK and India plays a vital role in safeguarding and promoting the security and prosperity of both peoples. India's economic development and rise as a global power affords opportunities to further deepen and extend this partnership to foster economic growth and inclusive development, update and strengthen the rules based international system, and counter global threats.
The two Prime Ministers endorsed a "Vision Statement" setting out the fundamental principles on which the UK-India partnership is built, and outlining a roadmap for deepening co-operation. They resolved to hold biennial PM-level summits to advance the partnership. They also resolved to agree on a new Defence and International Security Partnership which will intensify cooperation on defence and security, including cyber-security, counter-terrorism and maritime security.
Noting that addressing climate change and promoting secure, affordable and sustainable supplies of energy are shared strategic priorities for India and the UK, they agreed to endorse a Joint Statement on Energy and Climate Change. The two Prime Ministers also agreed to scale up bilateral cooperation to a global partnership for development through a "Statement of Intent on Partnership for Cooperation in Third Countries" which will facilitate working together to benefit third country partners by assisting them in addressing their development challenges in a wholly demand driven manner.
A Global Partnership
The two Prime Ministers noted that in an increasingly complex and interconnected world, deepening the already close partnership on global issues would be vital for safeguarding and promoting prosperity and security.
They agreed that this prosperity and security rests on an international system of rules, widely accepted and consistently applied. The international architecture built 70 years ago has played an invaluable role in securing the space for transformational development. Since the world has changed, this rules-based international system should adapt and renew itself. Prime Minister Cameron reaffirmed the UK's commitment to a reformed United Nations Security Council with India as a Permanent Member, and to enhancing India's voice in international financial institutions. Both Prime Ministers underscored the importance they attach to the G20. They agreed to remain engaged closely with each other and with other G20 members to realize the full potential of the G20 as the premier forum for international economic cooperation as well as for successful outcomes at the G20 Summits.
The UK and India share interests in stability and prosperity across Asia and the Indian Ocean. Taking into account India's geostrategic location and interests in the South Asian region, the two Prime Ministers resolved to deepen and extend existing bilateral consultation and cooperation in these areas through the establishment of an annual senior official South Asia dialogue covering security including terrorism, connectivity, and maritime issues.
The leaders condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and directed their relevant officials to have close and regular consultations on UN terrorist designations. They reiterated their call for Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the November 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai to justice.
The two Prime Ministers stressed the importance of a lasting and inclusive constitutional settlement in Nepal that will address the remaining areas of concern and promote political stability and economic growth. They hoped the National Reconstruction Authority begins to function as soon as possible to facilitate post earthquake reconstruction. They also hoped that, following the recent UN Human Rights Council Resolution, Sri Lanka will now be able to deliver lasting peace and prosperity for all its people and underlined their commitment to working with the Sri Lankan Government to achieve this. They emphasised the importance of a stable and inclusive democracy in the Maldives including an independent judiciary.
The two Prime Ministers emphasised their shared commitment and support for a stable, secure and successful future for a sovereign, democratic and united Afghanistan. They emphasised the importance of a sustainable and inclusive political order in Afghanistan which ensures that the gains of the past decade are consolidated and remain irreversible.
The two Prime Ministers stressed the need for inclusive political settlements in Syria and Iraq and committed to further support the victims in these brutal conflicts. They agreed to continue to hold regular annual senior officials dialogue on West Asia/Middle East, as a priority area for both countries.
The two Prime Ministers welcomed the historic agreement on Iran's nuclear programme, and noted the strong commitment of the international community to its swift and full implementation.
The two Prime Ministers agreed that the only way to de-escalate the crisis in eastern Ukraine was the full implementation of the Minsk measures by all parties to the agreement.
The two Prime Ministers welcomed the adoption of the Post-2015 Development Agenda aTransforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development' and committed to supporting its implementation. They recognized that the new 2030 Agenda along with the Sustainable Development Goals has poverty eradication as its overarching focus.
The two Prime Ministers noted with satisfaction, the progress made at the 2015 India-UK Cyber Dialogue. They supported an open, inclusive, transparent, and multi-stakeholder system of internet governance and welcomed the ongoing review of the World Summit on the Information Society by the United Nations General Assembly. They planned to work together to promote cyber security, combat cyber crime, and advance voluntary norms of responsible state behaviour and the application of international law in cyberspace.
They agreed to improve cooperation between their technical, law enforcement, cyber R&D, cyber security standards & testing and capacity building institutions. They also agreed to promote public-private partnerships to support all aspects of cyber security. They welcomed the 2015 report of the UN Group of Governmental Experts on international cyber security and looked forward to seeking broader agreement on principles guiding state behaviour in cyberspace. They also expressed the need for both India and UK to participate and actively cooperate in these areas in the future.
The Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that the Commonwealth remains relevant, realises its potential, and brings strong values, development and prosperity to all its citizens.
The two Prime Ministers noted the importance of preserving the environment and sustaining diverse ecosystems, and recognised the rise of international criminal networks engaged in the illegal wildlife trade. They resolved to work together to combat the illegal wildlife trade and to improve protection for both captive and wild Asian elephants. India endorsed the London Declaration and Kasane Statement on Illegal Wildlife Trade.
Economic Development and Finance
The two Prime Ministers welcomed the strengthening economic outlook in both the UK and India but shared their concern that global growth is falling short of expectations and that the risks to the global outlook have increased. They agreed to continue working towards strong, sustainable and balanced growth, and agreed on the importance of structural reforms and pursuing credible fiscal policies in order to raise living standards.
They hailed the strength of the economic partnership between India and the UK: India already invests more in the UK than in the rest of the EU combined, and the UK is the largest G20 investor in India. They committed to further strengthening the economic relationship, including through deepening the bilateral trade and investment relationship, and agreed that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne will drive this forward in their forthcoming Economic and Financial Dialogue.
The UK and India remain committed to working together to substantially increase trade and investment opportunities. The two governments underlined the particular importance of the information technology and digital industries in both countries, and the contribution that they make towards strengthening trade ties between the UK and India as a key driver of growth and prosperity. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to work together to deepen and reinforce bilateral trade in goods and services in this area. Acknowledging the valuable contributions made by skilled workers to both countries' economies, they agreed to facilitate the temporary movement of skilled personnel in accordance with applicable international commitments.
The two Prime Ministers agreed that the City of London should play an important role in channelling investment into infrastructure projects in India including in the railways sector, laying the foundation for a long-term strategic partnership that leverages the capital and expertise of the City of London to finance India's continued rapid growth. In this context, they also welcomed the announcements by HDFC, Bharti Airtel, State Bank of India and Yes Bank to raise finance through the City of London which also opens up the opportunity for the Indian private sector to raise capital for their investment and growth.
The two Prime Ministers welcomed a long-term strategic partnership between India and the UK on the former's flagship infrastructure investment initiative, the National Infrastructure Investment Fund (NIIF), and announced the setting up of a India-UK partnership fund under the umbrella of the NIIF. The collaboration will help bring global investors through the City of London to help finance Indian infrastructure in a sustainable way, further supporting India's rapid growth.
Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Cameron welcomed the ongoing collaboration by the India-UK Financial Partnership led by key industry figures on both sides. They look forward to considering the Partnership's proposals for deepening the links between the two countries' financial services. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the creation of a new Chevening Financial Services course, sponsored by Standard Chartered, aimed at mid-career professionals wanting to study in the UK. They also welcomed the initiative taken to launch the first-ever exchange programme between the economic services of our two countries to support economic policy making in both countries.
The two Prime Ministers agreed that India's huge achievements in economic growth and inclusive development are not just important for India's own ambitious goals and targets, but an inspiration to the world and critical to the achievement of global targets. They recognised that both India and the UK are thought leaders on development, and agreed to elevate the official-level development talks to a Biennial Ministerial dialogue on Development.
The two Prime Ministers recognised the importance of infrastructure for sustainable development and launched India's first Low Income State Infrastructure Equity Partnership with co-investment from the UK Department of International Development and the State Bank of India. This aims to provide equity partnerships for small infrastructure development in sectors like water & sanitation, clean energy and urban infrastructure.
Prime Minister Modi noted the partnership of UK and India in efforts to improve the Ease of Doing Business. They announced a new Ease of Doing Business Partnership including several different strands of work which will provide impetus to greater investments.
The two Prime Ministers welcomed the first meeting of the reconstituted India-UK CEOs Forum. This Forum will be tasked with advising the Prime Ministers about the trade and investment opportunities and challenges. Prime Minister Cameron welcomed a new fast track mechanism by DIPP for UK investments into and trade with India.
The two Prime Ministers acknowledged the need for technical cooperation between the offices of both the countries on Patents, Trademarks and Designs.
Prime Minister Modi appreciated the advances made by UK in rail project management and operations. The two Leaders welcomed the MoU on Technical Co-operation in the Rail sector and acknowledged the potential business opportunities for the rail industry. Both sides agreed to encourage their institutions to work together, develop options for infrastructure financing, share knowledge and expertise and to deepen research and development exchanges. Prime Minister Modi announced the Government of India's intention to launch the first government-backed rupee bond in London.
The two leaders expressed their wish to promote innovation led growth in the automotive sector in India. They identified a need to collaborate and exchange technical knowledge in research and development, testing and administration of testing systems for vehicles. The UK and India are willing to share expertise in these fields to develop knowledge and experience. This will be achieved through an MoU to be signed between appropriate departments and agencies under the Government of India and UK.
Prime Minister Cameron and Prime Minister Modi recognised the importance of the multilateral, rules-based trading system, and agreed to work together to help ensure a successful outcome at the Nairobi World Trade Organisation Ministerial in December, in conformity with the development mandate of the Doha Development Agenda.
The UK and India agree that corruption is one of the greatest enemies of progress in our time. Both sides will work together, bilaterally and in multilateral fora like UNCAC and G20, in order to strengthen the global response to corruption, including through improving cooperation among law enforcement agencies, strengthening procedures for the identification and return of stolen assets, and increasing transparency around the true (or "beneficial") ownership and control of companies.
Both Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to finalisation of an EU-India BTIA as soon as possible. The UK and India committed to work closely together towards this end.
Make in India
Prime Minister Cameron welcomed Prime Minister Modi's 'Make in India' initiative. Prime Minister Modi noted that this model of collaboration was already deeply ingrained in UK investments and partnerships with India. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the initiatives taken by both sides to deepen defence technology and industry cooperation.
Business
Prime Ministers Cameron and Modi noted the deep and fruitful business relationship between the UK and India and welcomed the $9.2 Billion of commercial deals between the UK and India announced during the visit and listed in the annex. The UK has accounted for 8.56 percent of total foreign direct investment in India during the last 15 years. Indian companies employ 110,000 people in the UK.
Prime Minister Cameron noted the opening of the Indian market to greater foreign direct investment in the insurance sector. In order to extend insurance cover to India's large population, the Government has increased the FDI limit in insurance and pension sector to 49%. As a result, the UK's insurance industry with joint ventures in India, have announced a number of agreements to increase their Foreign Direct Investment in the country. These agreements would amount to approximately A¿238 million of Foreign Direct Investment in the first instance subject to regulatory approvals. This will support the ongoing development of the Indian insurance and reinsurance sectors, which are key elements in promoting sustainable economic growth.
The two Prime Ministers welcomed HSBC's "Skills for life" initiative in India, a A¿10 million programme to skill 75,000 disadvantaged young people and children over 5 years.
Smart Cities and Urban Renewal
The two Prime Ministers announced three UK-India city partnerships with Indore, Pune and Amaravati to support India's ambitious urban development goals through technical assistance, expertise sharing and business engagement.
The two Prime Ministers welcomed the development of Technical Assistance partnership between the UK Department of International Development and the Indian Ministry of Urban Development for national and state-led support for the development of smart and sustainable cities that are drivers of inclusive growth and job creation.
The two Prime Ministers launched a new Thames/Ganga partnership for healthy river systems. This partnership will consist of a collaborative programme of research and innovation to enable the sustainable management of water resources in the Ganga basin and a policy expert exchange in 2016 supported by the UK Water Partnership.
Education, Skills, Science and Research
Prime Minister Cameron offered to support Prime Minister Modi achieve his goal of preparing young Indians for the 21st Century. Under the new UK-India Skills pledge, 11 UK companies have committed to support skills development in India. Together, the UK government and UK businesses will establish new "Centres of Excellence" in key sectors, starting with a centre for Automotive and Advanced Engineering in Pune. The UK will also support the Indian Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to develop new models of skills training and entrepreneurship with a focus on digital delivery, women, the excluded and the disabled.
The two Prime Ministers announced that 2016 would be the UK-India year of Education, Research and Innovation. This will highlight the strengths of the bilateral relationship, drive further collaboration, including a range of digital technology enabled education and training initiatives, so that both countries create a new 21st century framework as partners in education, research and innovation partners, in the global context.
Both Prime Ministers agreed to initiate virtual partnerships at the school level to enable young people of either country to experience the school system of the other country and develop an understanding of the culture, traditions and social and family systems.
The Prime Ministers announced that UK will be the partner country for the 2016 Technology Summit in Delhi. Committed to promote further joint research partnerships, the two Prime Ministers noted with satisfaction, the planned academic exchange which would enable access for Indian scientists to the Neutron Facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxford University. They welcomed the establishment of a Newton-Bhabha fund for joint research, capacity building and translation, noting that joint investment in UK-India research has grown from less than $1 million in 2008 to over $200 million today. New substantial investments include multi-million-pound UK-India virtual centres in Clean Energy, Water Security and Agricultural Nitrogen. The two Prime Ministers also welcomed new joint research and innovation programmes on Childhood and Maternal Health and Nutrition, Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Urbanisation and Heritage, Sustainable Water Resources for Food, Energy and Ecosystem Services, Atmospheric Pollution and Human Health in an Indian Megacity, Aquaculture, and the joint UK-India observational campaign on the South Asian Monsoon.
They welcomed the announcement by Innovate UK, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Global Innovation and Technology Alliance (GITA), of the opening of a third round of collaborative industrial R&D, making up to $3.5 million available to support novel commercial solutions in the areas of clean-tech energy, affordable healthcare and ICT related to clean-tech energy and healthcare.
The two Prime Ministers recognized that climate change and its impact on agriculture was a serious challenge confronting the world; they welcomed establishing the joint India-UK collaboration in crop sciences which will bring together the best UK universities -- Cambridge University, National Institute of Agricultural Botany, John Innes Centre, Rothamsted Research and University of East Anglia to work through Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Government of UK and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India to address fundamental plant science underpinning yield enhancement, disease and drought resistance and translation of research into sustainable agriculture. They also welcomed establishing of a joint Indo-UK Plant Science Centre in India.
The two Leaders welcomed UK's plans to send 100 academics to India over the next two academic years as part of the Global Initiative for Academics Network (GIAN); and the ambition for 25,000 UK students to come to India through the Generation UK-India programme by 2020, including 1000 UK interns with Tata Consultancy Services in India by 2020. The two Prime Ministers also welcomed the 3rd phase of the UK India Education and Research Initiative.
The two Prime Ministers welcomed the commitment to achieving mutual recognition of UK and Indian qualifications.
Health
The two Prime Ministers were also happy to announce the setting up of joint India-UK Vaccine Development collaboration between the Department of Biotechnology and Research Councils, UK. The Department of Biotechnology would also work with Research Councils to establish a strategic group which would explore the mechanisms to develop the evidence base which would address anti-microbial resistance at the genomic level of the host-pathogen interactions to accelerate the development of new drugs and diagnostics.
The two Prime Ministers underlined their joint determination to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR), noting that it poses a grave public health and economic threat to both countries. Both Prime Ministers recognised that a global response is required and supported a high level meeting on antimicrobial resistance at the 2016 UN General Assembly. India and the UK will also contribute their scientific expertise to a global summit to be held in London in 2016 as part of the AMR initiative of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India and the Research Councils, Government of UK.
The two Prime Ministers welcomed the cooperation in the health sector between the two countries and the on-going Memorandum of Understanding covering areas including Medical Education and Training, Universal Health Coverage, containment of Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR), improving patient safety through quality, safe and efficacious drugs and the collaboration between NICE International, UK and the Department of Health Research in India on medical technology assessment.
The two Prime Ministers emphasised the potential increased investment and co-operation in health and related sectors. Prime Minister Cameron welcomed the decision of the Indian Government to set up a taskforce under the stewardship of the Department of Health and Family Welfare to facilitate such investment. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the agreement signed between King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Indo UK Healthcare Pvt Ltd to open King's College Hospital, Chandigarh.
The two Prime Ministers noted the finalisation of a Memorandum of Understanding between Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India and a leading UK institute for Integrated Medicine to strengthen and develop cooperation in the field of research and education in this area.
Culture
The two Prime Ministers announced that a UK-India Year of Culture will be organised in 2017 to celebrate our deep cultural ties and the 70th anniversary of Indian Independence.
The two Prime Ministers committed support to the digitisation of the shared archival collections housed in the British Library and the National Archives of India.
Both Prime Ministers welcomed the posthumous reinstatement of Shyamji Krishna Varma to the bar, noting his key role in the Indian independence movement and the inspiration he has provided to subsequent generations.
The two Prime Ministers welcomed the intention of the Indian Ministry of Tourism and the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism to promote safe and sustainable tourism between the two countries.
Crime
Prime Minister Cameron and Prime Minister Modi noted that in an increasingly complex and interconnected world, enhancing cooperation to target criminals across borders will be critical for guaranteeing the security and safety of both nations. They agreed to work together to disrupt the flow of New Psychoactive Substances that harm both countries and to open the door for further negotiations on criminal record exchange to ensure greater collaboration between law enforcement agencies in both India and the UK.
Prime Minister Cameron and Prime Minister Modi reiterated their determination to enhance cooperation in the area of Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, particularly where it is related to terrorism cases.
The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of co-operation to tackle the trafficking of stolen artefacts/antiquities.
Conclusion
Prime Minister Modi thanked Prime Minister Cameron for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation and invited Prime Minister Cameron to visit India in 2016. The two leaders affirmed their vision of a forward-looking partnership between the UK and India that would play an indispensable role in creating economic growth, jobs and security for the people of both countries. They reaffirmed their commitment to working together to build such an enhanced and transformative partnership for the betterment of their two countries and the world.
Reconciliation with Pakistan is my dream, says J&K CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed
JAMMU:MMNN:13 Nov. 2015
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said reconciliation with Pakistan is on the agenda of the ruling PDP-BJP alliance in the state but termed it as an "evolutionary process".
Mufti said that he will continue perusing the agenda of reconciliation with the neighbouring country with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
When asked about why he termed the Modi's Srinagar rally as historic even though he did talk about reconciliation with Pakistan, Mufti said,"Modi is not under any pressure to talk about Pakistan."
Mufti said that Modi has been totally focused on the development of the state.
"You (media) should not jump to conclusions. Everything is in an evolutionary process... Whatever is that. Reconciliation with Pakistan, it is on the agenda of alliance," Mufti told a press conference at his residence here today.
"It (reconciliation with Pakistan) is there. I have high hope on that. Why should we make Prime Minister say everything like that (talk about reconciliation with Pakistan). Why should he say that. He is not under pressure to say that," Mufti said.
The PDP chief was replying to a volley of questions on the Prime Minister's rally in Srinagar.
"I met the Prime Minister in private and impressed upon him that it will be good to talk to Pakistan the way Atal Bihari Vajpayee did. But he is PM of the country. But there is no option except reconciliation," he said.
The chief minister said,"I have been insisting on that. It (reconciliation with Pakistan) is a process. It is not necessary that the PM will accept everything like this as of now."
"I say if there is friendship with Pakistan, we are bestowed with peace here. During the Vajpayee's period he got peace and everything was peaceful. I will not give up my effort, it will be my endeavour to pursue it with the PM to have reconciliation and that is my dream," he added.
Asked whether Modi is proving to be difficult for you as compared to Vajpayee as far as holding talks with Pakistan is concerned, Mufti said, "during my previous meetings with him, Modi has been totally focused on Jammu and Kashmir on development front.Good governance and development one major issue."
"When he (Modi) entered into alliance with me, it (reconciliation with Pakistan) is written there that there will be friendly relations with the neighbouring state.
"It is not possible that Mufti will achieve everything in one go. It is important that I be able to create atmosphere of friendship between two countries," he added.
On Advani's 88th birthday, Modi calls him 'guide', 'great teacher'
New Delhi:MMNN:9 Nov. 2015
BJP stalwart LK Advani turned 88 on Sunday and was greeted by a host of leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi who called him the party's "guide" and "best teacher" on the birthday which fell on a day when it was trounced in Bihar Assembly polls.
President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and Congress President Sonia Gandhi were among other personalities who greeted Advani.
Hailing him as a guide and an inspiration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi drove down to Advani's residence and offered him his greetings. BJP Chief Amit Shah also personally wished Advani and was present when Modi visited him.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat also called up the former deputy Prime Minister and wished him.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, besides a host of other leaders also wished Advani on his birthday.
President Mukherjee, Vice President Ansari and Sonia Gandhi sent bouquets to Advani's residence along with letters greeting him.
"Warmest birthday greetings to our guide & inspiration, the respected Shri LK Advani ji. I wish Advani ji a long life filled with best health.
"Advani ji's contribution to the country is invaluable. He has always been respected as a person of immense knowledge & integrity," Modi tweeted while hailing the veteran leader.
"Personally, I have learnt so much from Advani ji. For Karyakartas like us, he is the best teacher and the epitome of selfless service," the Prime Minister also said.
Shah also wished Advani saying, "Best wishes on his birthday to respectable Advaniji who has been an inspiration to all us workers. I pray that may God grant him good health and a long life."
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who also called on him personally said, "Greetings to our beloved leader Shri Lal Krishna Advaniji on his 89th birthday today. May God bless him with good health and long life."
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley after personally greeting Advani at his residence said, "I wish Sh. Lal Krishna Advani ji, my senior colleague, a veteran parliamentarian and BJP leader, a healthy and long life on his birthday today."
Among others who also personally called on him at his residence include Chhattisgarh Governor Balramdass Tandon, Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghuvar Das and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
So did Union Ministers Ananth Kumar and Harshvardhan, besides BJP general secretary (Organisation) Ramlal.
BJP patriarch L K Advani was born on November 8, 1927 in Karachi in Pakistan.
Modi chooses awkward time for UK rock star welcome
Hong Kong:MMNN:9 Nov. 2015
Modi mania may be over but nobody seems to have told the Indian diaspora. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a crowd of around 60,000 at London’s Wembley Stadium during a three-day visit to the United Kingdom later this week. After a big election defeat in Bihar, the country’s third most populous state, the rockstar welcome looks ill-timed.
Eighteen months after his landslide election victory, overseas enthusiasm for Modi is still strong. The invitation-only event, which coincides with the festival of Diwali, will attract three times as many admirers as his sell-out gig at New York’s Madison Square Garden last year.
It makes sense for Modi to court his fans abroad. India’s diaspora has savings of $44 billion, just behind the overseas populations of Mexico and China, according to the World Bank. But the euphoria seems out of tune with current affairs. For one, the rapturous reception called “Two Great Nations. One Glorious Future” glosses over poor relations between the United Kingdom and India.
Traditionally strong financial ties between the countries look strained. London-listed companies like Vodafone and Cairn are still struggling to resolve retrospective tax disputes worth billions of dollars. Meanwhile Britain’s biggest steelmaker, owned by Tata Steel, just axed 1,200 jobs.
At home, things aren’t great either. The heavy defeat in the Bihar election will make it harder for the prime minister’s Bharatiya Janata Party to win support in the upper house for stalled landmark reforms on tax and land. The stock market, a good barometer of hope, is down 4 percent so far this year.
Sentiment has soured in recent weeks as members of the BJP and its powerful backers have engaged in what Moody’s Analytics has called the “belligerent provocation” of India’s religious minorities. The country’s main opposition party called the Bihar victory “a decisive mandate against divisiveness”.
Modi was subject to a 10-year diplomatic boycott by the United Kingdom after deadly communal riots in Gujarat while he was chief minister. His recent reluctance to confront religious intolerance in his Hindu nationalist party has intensified worries that such issues will derail economic reforms. Against this troubling backdrop, Modi’s stadium show strikes a bum note.
UK highlights
# India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a crowd of more than 60,000 at Wembley Stadium in London on Nov. 13 during a three-day visit to the UK.
# Tickets for the event called “Two Great Nations. One Glorious Future” will be distributed free-of-charge through a lottery system to members of the general public who have applied for an invitation and also through over 400 not-for-profit organizations.
# Modi will address the crowd in Hindi at the event which coincides with Diwali, a five-day festival celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains that coincides with the Hindu New Year. The event is being organized by the Europe India Forum, a not-for-profit group.
Full Text of PM Narendra Modi's Address at Delhi Economics Conclave
New Delhi:MMNN:6 Nov. 2015
My colleagues in government,
Friends and Distinguished Guests from India and abroad,
I am happy, to be here today, to address the Sixth Delhi Economics Conclave. This is a good platform for bringing together economists, policy-makers, and thought-leaders, from India and abroad. I compliment the Ministry of Finance for organising it.
Your topic of discussion is JAM, that is, Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhaar and Mobile. This JAM vision, will serve as the bedrock of many initiatives to come. For me, JAM is about Just Achieving Maximum.
- Maximum value for every rupee spent
- Maximum empowerment for our poor
- Maximum technology penetration among the masses
But let me start by taking a brief look at the Indian economy. By almost every major economic indicator, India is doing better, than when we took office 17 months ago.
GDP growth is up and inflation is down.
Foreign investment is up and the Current Account Deficit is down.
Revenues are up and interest rates are down.
The fiscal deficit is down and the rupee is stable.
Obviously, this did not happen by accident. And the world economy is not exactly doing well. This success, is the result of a series of well thought out policies. Many of the purely macro economic reforms we have undertaken, are probably well known to this audience. We have embarked on a course of fiscal consolidation. We have entered for the first time into a monetary framework agreement, with the Reserve Bank to curb inflation. Even while cutting the fiscal deficit we have substantially increased productive public investment. This has been made possible in two ways. Firstly, we have imposed, carbon taxes on fossil fuels. We took the bold step of de-controlling diesel prices and thereby eliminated energy subsidies. We have replaced them with taxes. The coal cess has been increased by four times from Rs. 50 per ton to Rs. 200 per ton. Globally, there is much talk of carbon taxes but much of it is just that - TALK. We have actually acted. Secondly, we have reduced wasteful expenditure through innovative methods like the use of technology. Some of the methods, are part of your agenda, such as using Aadhaar to target subsidies to the deserving. These are reforms that you are probably aware of. But our reforms are far broader, and far deeper, than is generally recognised.
Before I elaborate on this, I would like to raise two issues. The first is, REFORM FOR WHAT? What is the aim of reform? Is it just to increase the measured rate of GDP growth? Or is it to bring about a transformation in society? My answer is clear. We must REFORM TO TRANSFORM.
The second question is, REFORM FOR WHOM? Who is the target audience? Is our aim to impress groups of experts and score points in intellectual discussions? Or to achieve ranks in some international league table? Again, my answer is clear. Reform is that which helps all citizens, and especially the poor, achieve a better life. It is Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.
In short, reform is not an end in itself. Reform for me, is just a way station on the long journey to the destination. The destination is transformation of India. Therefore, REFORM TO TRANSFORM. And reforming to transform, is a marathon, not a sprint.
The reforms we have undertaken, are of many types. For simplicity, I will classify them as financial, structural and institutional. It will not be possible for me to cover all of them here. But I will certainly mention some of the most important.
Let me start with the financial reforms. We talk often about interest rates and credit policy. Changes in interest rates are debated for months. Tons of newsprint and hours of television are spent on it. Interest rates are no doubt very important. But are they important to a person locked out of the banking system? To a person who has no prospect of ever lending or borrowing from a bank? And if large sections of a country are in this position then how important are interest rates? It is for this reason that development experts have been advocating financial inclusion. What we have done in the last 17 months is to bring one hundred and ninety million people into the banking system. This is more than the population of most of the countries in the world. Now these millions are part of our banking system, and words like 'interest rate' have a meaning for them. Not only have these people been brought into the system but they have shown that there is great strength at the bottom of the pyramid. Believe it or not, accounts opened under the Jan Dhan Yojana today have a total balance of almost Rs. 26,000 crores or nearly four billion dollars. Clearly our financial inclusion reform has been transformational. And yet this quiet revolution has hardly been noticed.
The Jan Dhan Yojana has also transformed the ability of the poor to make and to receive electronic payments. Every Jan Dhan account holder is eligible for a debit card. India's banks are also being encouraged to operate 'mobile ATMs'. A mobile ATM is one where cash can be drawn and simple banking tasks done through a hand held device. Thanks to Jan Dhan Yojana and the RuPay debit card, we have also introduced healthy competition in the debit-credit card space. This has traditionally been dominated by a few international players. Even one year ago, there were hardly any indigenous card brands in the market. Today, 36 % of debit cards in India are Ru-Pay cards.
Financial inclusion is not just about opening bank accounts or enabling electronic payments. I firmly believe, that India has tremendous entrepreneurial energy. This needs to be harnessed so that we become a nation of job-creators, rather than job seekers. When we took office, we found that 58 million non-corporate enterprises provided one 128 million jobs. 60% of them were in rural areas. Over 40% were owned by people from the Backward Classes and 15% by Scheduled Castes and Tribes. But bank credit accounted for a tiny share of their financing. Most of them never get any bank credit. In other words the most employment-intensive sector of the economy gets the least credit! While Jan Dhan Yojana was to bring banking to the unbanked the second reform was to bring funding to the unfunded.
We are creating a new financing and regulatory architecture under the Micro-Units Development and Refinance Agency scheme popularly known as MUDRA. Already under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana banks have provided More than six million loans to small businesses for a total value of nearly Rs. 38,000 crores or six billion dollars. If one conservatively estimates that each loan creates 2 jobs we have laid the foundation for 12 million new jobs. Even Rs. Two Hundred Thousand crores invested in the corporate sector would not produce this many jobs. We have now launched a programme where each branch of each bank that is a total of 125,000 bank branches will assist one Dalit or a Scheduled Tribe person and one woman in starting a business. We are also creating an environment that fosters innovation and start-ups through the Atal Innovation Mission and the Self Employment and Talent Utilisation programme.
Another financial reform is the provision of a safety net through new social security schemes. We have introduced three non-subsidised but low cost schemes covering accident insurance life insurance and pensions. Because of their massive coverage the premia are low. There are now over 120 million subscribers.
For many of these reforms to be successful we need a strong banking system. We inherited a system where cronyism and corruption were believed to be rampant in banking decisions and in appointments to public sector banks. After the first ever retreat of a Prime Minister with bankers, known as the Gyan Sangam, we have moved decisively to change this. Major steps have been taken to improve efficiency, including clear performance measures and accountability mechanisms. We have made a commitment to ensuring adequate capital.
But more than that there have been very powerful non-financial steps. Interference in banking decisions has ended. A new process for appointments is being put in place under the Bank Boards Bureau. Credible and capable bankers have been appointed to head banks. For the first time since banks were nationalised 46 years ago private sector professionals have been appointed in key positions. This is a major reform.
There is a whole eco-system focused on alleviating poverty. Perhaps this can be called the 'poverty alleviation industry'. Obviously the intentions are good. Well designed schemes and subsidies do have an important place. But empowering the poor is far more effective than empowering the poverty alleviation industry. Our financial reforms empower the poor to fight poverty themselves. I can take the analogy of a house. The foundation and basic structure occupies some of the costs. Then come the fixtures, fittings and furniture. If the foundation and structure are weak any investment in nice fittings or attractive floor tiles or beautiful curtains is unlikely to last long. So also, empowering the poor through financial inclusion and social security will provide a more stable and lasting solution.
Let me now turn to structural reforms in various sectors.
Agriculture remains India's mainstay in terms of providing livelihood. We have introduced a series of reforms. There was a tendency to divert subsidised fertiliser for the production of chemicals. A simple but very effective solution is neem-coating of fertiliser which makes it unsuitable for diversion. This had been tried on a small scale earlier. We are now moving towards universal neem-coating of urea. This has already saved crores of rupees of diverted farm subsidies. It is an example of how simple reforms can be very effective.
We have introduced a Soil Health Card nationally which tells every farmer the condition of his or her soil. It enables the farmer to choose the right quantity and mix of inputs. This greatly reduces wastage of inputs and increases crop yield besides protecting the soil. By reducing unnecessary chemical inputs, it is also good for health of consumers. It enables farmers to choose the best crop for their soil. Many farmers have been unaware that their land is actually more suited for a different crop. In economic terms, it is a win-win-win-win. It reduces costs, increases yields, improves the environment and protects the health of consumers. 140 million soil health cards will be issued, requiring a collection of over twenty-five million soil samples. They will be tested through a nationwide network of nearly 1500 laboratories. About four million samples have already been collected. This too is a reform to transform.
We have launched a housing for all program - one of the most ambitious in the world. It involves building twenty million urban houses and thirty million rural houses, totalling nearly fifty million. The programme will make sure no Indian is houseless. It will also generate a large amount of employment mainly for the unskilled the semi-skilled and the poor. This multi-pronged program is also a transformative reform.
Much has been said and written about India's labour markets. We have already undertaken some important steps. Many workers in the organised sector have suffered when changing jobs by being unable to access provident fund and other benefits. The benefits accrued under one employer become difficult to account for under another employer. We have introduced a Universal Account Number which will remain with an employee even when he changes jobs. This greatly improves labour mobility and makes life easier for employers and employees.
We have gone a step further We have started empowering the unorganised sector employees by giving them a Universal Identity Number and providing certain minimum social security benefits to them. Over a period of years, this will have a major impact on the quality of employment in India.
Before becoming Prime Minister, I had received many inputs about the reforms needed in India from many economic experts. However, none of them touched on the issue of cleanliness and sanitation. Sanitation has languished for years as a poor cousin of health or of drinking water supply. It has often been viewed as a question of budgets and projects and expenditure. Yet, you will all agree that poor sanitation and lack of cleanliness is much more than an issue of health. It touches upon every aspect of our well-being. It is of particular importance to women. Our Swacch Bharat or Clean India campaign will impact not only health and sanitation but also uplift the status and security of women and above all create a powerful sense of well-being. If this reform succeeds, as I am confident it will, India would have been transformed.
We have undertaken major managerial improvements in the transport sector. Our major ports have seen a 5% growth in traffic and an 11% increase in operating income in 2014-15 despite a global contraction in trade volume. The Shipping Corporation of India had been making losses continuously for several years and had a loss of Rs. 275 crores in 2013-14. In 2014-15 it earned a profit of Rs. 201 crores a turnaround of nearly Rs. 500 crores in one year. The pace of award of new highway works has increased from 5.2 km per day in 2012-13 and 8.7 km per day in 2013-14 to 23.4 km per day currently. These managerial reforms in the working of the public sector will have large multiplier effects throughout the economy.
Another measure we have taken is to identify what can be called 'dead money' and use it productively. The best example is gold. India is well known for its cultural affinity for gold. As economists you will probably understand that this so-called cultural affinity has a strong economic logic. India has often witnessed high inflation. Gold is an excellent hedge against inflation and is a highly portable store of value. Its portability and usability, also make it a source of empowerment of women who traditionally are the main owners of gold jewellery. However, this micro-economic virtue, can become a macro-economic vice. It implies a high level of gold imports. We have just launched a series of gold-related schemes. These will provide Indians with the inflation protection of gold along with a modest interest without actually holding it. If the scheme reaches its potential, it will help meet the rational expectations of the public while moderating imports. Surely, this too is an important reform with potential to transform.
Let me now turn to institutional and governance reforms.
For years, the Planning Commission was widely criticised. It was generally seen as a cumbersome centralising force which imposed central will on the states. It is another matter that some of its strongest critics suddenly developed a nostalgic admiration for the institution they had hated till the previous day. After coming to power we created a new institution, the National Institution for Transforming India, or NITI. My vision of NITI is very different from the Planning Commission. It is to be a collaborative forum for ideas and action where States are full partners and where Centre and States meet in a spirit of co-operative federalism. Perhaps some people thought this was merely a slogan. But we already have concrete examples of its transformative power. Let me explain.
As you all know, the 14th Finance Commission recommended that states be given an enhanced share of Central revenues as automatic devolution. Despite some internal advice to the contrary, I decided to accept the recommendation. This has created a need to restructure Centrally Sponsored Schemes. Ever since the First Five Year Plan in 1952, such decisions were taken unilaterally by the Centre. We did something very different. The task of fixing the sharing pattern of Central schemes was entrusted not to a group of Central ministers but to a Sub-Group of Chief Ministers in NITI. And I am delighted to say, that in a fine example of co-operative federalism at its best, the Chief Ministers have unanimously agreed on a set of recommendations. This is despite the fact that this is a very complex issue, and that they come from many different political parties. I received their report, on 27th October. The main recommendation on the sharing pattern was accepted the very same day and written instructions were issued the very next day. On many other issues too, the Chief Ministers are taking the lead in setting the national agenda. By reforming the institution, we have transformed the relationship.
Our work on 'Make in India' and 'Ease of Doing Business' is of course well known. Our push to 'Make in India' must be viewed in the context of the very slow growth in world trade. The growth rate of trade exceeded GDP growth from 1983 to 2008. Since then, trade has been growing more slowly than GDP. Therefore, producing for domestic consumption is important for growth.
You are all probably aware, that India has substantially improved its ranking in the World Bank's Doing Business survey. But a new feature, is the very healthy and constructive competition among states. You would be surprised to know, that among the top few states are Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Odisha. This is an example of constructive competitive federalism.
In a break with over sixty-five years of tradition we have involved states even in foreign policy. The Ministry of External Affairs has been asked to work with the States. When I visited China, a state-to-state summit was also held. And states have been asked to create export promotion councils. Making the States think globally is yet another reform with potential to transform.
I firmly believe that India's people are far more mature and far more public-spirited than arm-chair critics and experts give them credit for. An important governance issue is the mutual trust between citizens and the state. We made a beginning in trusting the citizens by abolishing many requirements for 'attestation' of signatures. For example, the Department of Higher Education, has permitted self attestation by students of documents used for admission in various academic courses. We also ended the requirement to visit government offices for life certification for pensioners by introducing online biometric identification. Economists have traditionally believed that people act in their self interest. But India has a long tradition of voluntarism. We introduced the Give-it-up Campaign seeking the cooperation of the public in voluntarily giving up cooking gas subsidies. We promised them that for every connection given up one poor family currently without gas would be given a connection. This will enable us to liberate many poor women from the health hazards of using firewood including respiratory illness. The response has been tremendous. Within a few months over four million Indians have given up their cooking gas subsidies. Most of them are not rich households and belong to the lower middle class. If any of you in this room still have a subsidised connection let me appeal to you to join them.
This brings me to an achievement that I think even our worst critics do not dispute. This is the change in levels of corruption. For many years, economists and other experts have held corruption to be one of the main constraints on the growth of any developing economy. We have taken decisive steps to curb corruption. I have already referred to what has been done in public sector banks. Another major reform is well known. This is the removal of discretion in allocation of key resources. Our auctions of coal spectrum and FM radio licences have produced major additional revenues. In the case of coal the major beneficiaries are some of India's poorest states, who will now have much more resources for development. Interviews for lower level government jobs have widely been seen, as a source of corruption. We have recently abolished the system of interviews for lower level posts in government. We will rely on transparent written examination results to decide who will be selected. Our campaign against tax evasion and money laundering is also well known. Rs. 6500 crores has been assessed before the new Black Money Act was implemented. Additionally, over Rs. 4000 crores has been declared under the new Act. Thus over Rs. 10,500 crores of black money from abroad has been detected and assessed. If we can sustain this improvement in integrity and transparency what can be a more transformative reform?
We are also taking several steps to serve the honest taxpayer better. Electronic filing of returns now covers 85% of all tax returns. Earlier, electronic returns had to be followed by a paper verification which used to take weeks to be processed. This year, we have introduced e-verification using Aadhaar and over four million taxpayers made use of this facility. For them, the entire process was simple, electronic and completed instantly with no paper at all. This year, 91% of electronic returns were processed within ninety days as compared to 46% last year. Nearly 90% of refunds were issued within 90 days. I have asked the Income Tax Department to move to a system where not only returns but also scrutiny is done without having to go to the office. Queries could be raised and answered online or by Email. There should be a visible electronic trail of what is pending with whom, where, and for how long. This is being piloted in five big cities. I have also instructed that the performance appraisal system, for Income Tax Officers be changed. The appraisal should reflect, whether or not the officer's orders and assessments have been upheld on appeal. This will deter corruption and also motivate officers to pass correct orders. When fully implemented, these changes, namely online scrutiny, and changes in performance appraisal have transformative potential.
This is a distinguished gathering. You have many interesting and thought provoking sessions ahead. My appeal to all of you, is to think beyond conventional remedies. We should not limit our idea of reforms to a few standard notions. Our idea of reforms should be inclusive and broad-based. The goal of reforms is not better headlines in the pink papers, but better lives for our people. I am sure you with your knowledge will come up with even better ideas. I look forward to hearing from you of more 'reforms to transform' which will make life better for the whole of India. Then not only we in India but the whole world will benefit.
Thank you.
Ek se bhale do? Chhota Rajan to travel with lookalike to 'confuse possible attackers'
MMNN:6 Nov. 2015
Following 27 years of being on the lam, Chhota Rajan — or Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, if you prefer — was brought back to India early on Friday morning, and whisked straight to the CBI headquarters.
In anticipation of a massive media presence at the airport, the CBI used a decoy car to ward them off. However, it isn’t this particular decoy that’s raising eyebrows. Instead, it’s the human decoy procured by Indian intelligences agencies to keep Rajan safe.
Indian intelligence agencies have spent the past three days searching high and low for a doppelganger to shadow Rajan, and ‘confuse possible attackers’. The lookalike — who shall hereafter be called Doosra Rajan — was reportedly at work from 6 am on Friday, ahead of Rajan’s arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.
Doosra Rajan’s job description includes accompanying the original Rajan wherever he is taken from his detention centre, whether to court or hospital.
But, whether or not the humshakal will accompany Rajan if he is taken for a spot of sight-seeing — given his emotional return to a country that he left nearly three decades ago — cannot be confirmed.
What is known is that both Rajans will be taken around wearing similar masks, in similar vehicles, with a similar security detail — the report refers to between 25 and 30 commandoes and cops wielding assault rifles, MP5 sub-machine guns and Glock pistols.
And that’s not all.
Should Rajan require a medical check-up or an extended stay in hospital on account of his reportedly worsening kidney troubles, the report adds that he will be treated by ‘special and verified’ teams of medical staff. Meanwhile, Doosra Rajan will be put up in a different room with an ‘identical set-up’.
According to sources quoted by The Times of India, the need for Doosra Rajan’s deployment isn’t only the threat from gangsters in the employ of one-time associates Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel. In fact, it appears some ‘politically-connected’ people and a handful of ‘law-enforcement personnel’ could also pose a risk to Rajan’s safety.
Which could explain why Rajan is being kept away from Mumbai — a city in which he is alleged to have committed a lion’s share of his crimes. This has naturally not gone down well with the Mumbai Police. A city crime branch official admitted that this move had “demoralised the entire force… (which) was ranked next only to the Scotland Yard police”.
Industry-Academia interaction, exchange of MOUs and lectures by eminent persons at Rashtrapati Bhawan today
New Delhi:MMNN:4 Nov. 2015
The first ever Visitors Conference is being held today at Rashtrapati Bhavan with an interactive session between Industry and Academia, exchange of 44 MOUs and lectures by eminent persons.
Participants in the interactive session will include Sumit Mazumder, President, CII; Shobana Kamineni, Vice President CII; SK Sopory, Vice Chancellor, JNU; Devang V. Khakhar, Director, IIT-Bombay and Swapan Bhattacharya, Director, NITK-Surathkal.
Lectures will be delivered by Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, Bharat Ratna CNR Rao and India's foremost agriculture scientist MS Swaminathan.
44 MoUs for cooperation will be exchanged between Industry and Academia in the presence of the President.
The President has in the past three years, convened annual conferences of Central Universities, NITs, IITs, and other institutions. These have been merged into a single three day ‘Visitor’s Conference’ this year to create synergy amongst all central institutions of higher learning.
The agenda for the three day Conference includes (a) improving the quality of higher education in institutions to bring them at par with the top institutions of the world; (b) capacity development of faculty; (c) engagement of institutes of higher learning with community and society for sustainable and inclusive development and (d) promotion of gender equity and cultural inclusion through higher education.
Participants in the conference include all heads of Central Universities, IITs, NITs, IISc, Bangalore, IISERs, IIITs, NIPERs, NIFT, IIEST, Shibpur, RGIPT, Rae Bareli, RGNIYD, Sreperumbudur and School of Planing and Architecture Bhopal and New Delhi.
Sexual assault case: complainant against Pachauri resigns from TERI
New Delhi:MMNN:4 Nov. 2015
The complainant in the sexual harassment case against climate scientist R K Pachauri has resigned from TERI alleging that the organisation treated her in the “worst possible manner” and harmed her “mentally, professionally and economically”.
In her resignation letter to TERI HR Director Dinesh Verma, the complainant, a research analyst, has said that despite the enquiry committee finding Pachauri guilty of misconduct, the organisation has “failed” to do the “bare minimum” to ensure that she is not impacted.
“Your organisation has treated me in the worst possible manner. TERI failed to uphold my interests as an employee, let alone protecting them.
“The organisation has instead protected R K Pachauri and provided him with full immunity, despite being held guilty of sexual harassment at the work place by your own inquiry committee. The Governing Council too let me down in an unprecedented way,” she said.
“The Council could not even suspend a man pending inquiry and took no action despite the indictment. You also created a hostile environment for me which has only escalated and showed no signs of subsiding whatsoever. It is becoming clear that the Governing Council works for the DG and under his instructions.
“There has been no changeover in the DG as well as stated on 23 July, 2015.I am tendering my resignation from TERI with immediate effect,” the complainant wrote in the letter.
The complainant had registered a complaint against Pachauri for sexual harassment at the workplace and lodged an FIR with Delhi Police in February 2015.
The complainant also alleged that the organisation had changed her work profile and played “deaf” to all her request for not doing so.
“You changed my work profile and played deaf to my requests for not doing so. I was given zero explanation of taking such an action and none of my emails/requests were heeded to. I only got vague responses.
“I refuse to be associated with an organisation such as yours for the way you have mistreated me, for not standing by the law, for not having respect for my capabilities, for doing nothing to ensure that my career is not harmed and instead harmed me mentally, professionally and economically,” she wrote.
She also said that she tendered her resignation without any prejudice to her rights to claim salary, damages and other dues/costs for the “gross misconduct and mental torture” meted out to her at the work place, apart from taking all pending litigation to their logical conclusion.
On February 13, an FIR was registered against Pachauri on charges of sexual harassment under IPC sections including 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354 (d)(molestation) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
The court had granted him anticipatory bail while imposing the conditions that he will join the probe as and when called and not enter the TERI office premises.
In the place of Pachauri, TERI governing council had on July 23 appointed Ajay Mathur as its Director General.
Pachauri had also stepped down from United Nations’ IPCC and the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change.
Always seen Russia as an all-weather friend for India: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar
New Delhi:MMNN:30 Oct. 2015
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday called Russia an "all weather friend" of India ahead of his visit to Moscow, where he is expected to discuss several key deals.
In an interview to Russian news agency TASS, Parrikar said India-Russia relationship should be enhanced.
"I have always seen Russia as an all-weather friend for India - the two countries have always had a great relationship. I believe that this relationship should be enhanced. My visit to Moscow will be an attempt to help the relationship blossom further," Parrikar said.
"There are many issues that can always be in such relationships, and I think the best way is to have them resolved. I see a certain enthusiasm to resolve them from both sides as well as possibilities to involve Russia in the "Make it in India programme."
The defence minister will leave India for Russia on 30 October, and will be there till 2 November, after which he will leave for ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM-Plus) in Malaysia.
Asked if any joint projects under Make in India programme were expected to be inked during his visit, Parrikar said there will be discussions to prepare ground for inking some deals when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Russia in December.
"They (projects) may not take final shape during my visit but we'd like to prepare some of them for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Russia in December - for example, the project for joint production of Kamov Ka-226 helicopters. I hope to use my visit to have it inked on paper when the prime minister arrives. Also the purchase of S-400 missile systems. We anticipate these projects to be coordinated by next month," he said.
The minister added that there are also proposals for small private-sector companies interested in tying up with Russian companies to manufacture spares for Su-30 jets.
"Then there are Mi-17V-5 helicopters, which we also intend to negotiate and finalize procurement for 48 more. With that, we will have some 280 Mi-17 helicopters," he said.
Another report by the agency quoting sources meanwhile said that Parrikar during his visit will also discuss leasing of another nuclear submarine, and a deal for it may be inked during Modi's visit.
Once a month, PM Modi steps in to revive stalled projects
MMNN:30 Oct. 2015
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is personally taking on India's notorious red tape to clear tens of billions of dollars worth of stalled public projects, hoping that his hands-on intervention can bend a vast, dysfunctional bureaucracy.
Once a month, Modi holds a meeting with top state and federal bureaucrats to check why projects have not got off the ground. Since March this year, his intervention has helped revive nearly $60 billion in federal and state projects, according to the government data through September seen.
Modi has won plaudits for the initiative that has chipped away at a $150 billion backlog of planned roads, ports, railways, power stations and other projects. But equally, critics say, the fact he needs to personally intervene shows the level of government inertia in Asia's third-biggest economy.
"It is a systemic problem that the prime minister needs to work on," said Arun Maira, a management consultant and member of the previous Congress government.
The initiative, launched by Modi in March and publicised on his personal web site and Twitter feed, is called pro-active governance and timely implementation, or Pragati, which means "progress" in the Hindi language.
Federal and state bureaucrats are linked by video to Modi's office for the meeting, usually held on the fourth Wednesday of each month. They are typically from the finance, law, land, environment, transport and energy ministries whose clearances are needed for many projects.
The agenda is set the previous week and usually has about a dozen stalled projects, public grievances and other governance issues.
A senior official who has attended said that when a project comes up for discussion, Modi turns to the representative of the ministry where it is being held up.
He simply asks, "Please tell me why it hasn't happened," the official said.
Several months into Pragati, the official said, a majority of the projects are cleared before they come up for discussion.
The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state, Akhilesh Yadav, a political rival of Modi, wrote to the prime minister's office requesting the inclusion of a $1 billion metro rail project in the state capital at one Pragati meeting.
It got the clearances, including a pledge of federal funding, at the September meeting.
"This is a welcome move which would go a long way in doing away with avoidable delays," said Alok Ranjan, the state's top bureaucrat.
SYSTEMIC PROBLEM
Still, critics say that while Modi can quickly cut through red tape, his style centralises decision-making and will not be sustainable in a country as large as India.
The stock of stalled projects in the country has come down, but remains high.
In the July-September quarter, projects worth 7.6 percent of India's GDP, or $152 billion, were stalled, down from a peak of 8.5 percent in the January-March 2014 quarter, according to CMIE, a think-tank. The data includes private investment plans.
"Running a country is far more challenging than managing a state," said Maira, the consultant, referring to Modi's reputation as an effective administrator when he was chief minister of Gujarat state from 2001 to 2014.
During those years, he used a similar initiative to get projects off the ground.
After taking over as prime minister last year, Modi vowed to fire up India's notoriously slow bureaucracy. He has set an ambitious goal of making
India one of 50 most business-friendly destinations in the world by 2017.
The World Bank ranked India 130th out of 189 economies, up from 134th last year, in its annual Doing Business report released this week.
The previous government set up a cabinet task force to clear the backlog of projects but failed to make much of an impact because state governments were not involved.
Modi's initiative has tried to plug that loophole.
I.Y.R. Krishna Rao, the top bureaucrat in Andhra Pradesh state, said projects are usually held up by a lack of coordination between different departments and governments.
Rao said he was pushing to get clearances for a railway line in his state. After it was reviewed by Modi, the response from the railway ministry improved substantially.
"This is a very good forum," Rao said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold bilateral meetings wtih African leaders today
New Delhi:MMNN:28 Oct. 2015
A day ahead of the India-Africa Forum Summit in the national capital,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold bilateral meetings with Heads of State of 20 African countries here on Wednesday.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will also inaugurate the Business Forum,
which will be attended by the business associations of India and Africa, and also hold bilateral meetings with some of her African counterparts.
Several African businessmen are expected to participate in the day-long deliberations.
Swaraj had earlier highlighted how India and Africa have worked together to develop a common understanding of core priorities for an inclusive economic growth to eradicate poverty and allocate adequate resources for sustainable development.
Close aide Vicky Malhotra likely to take over Chhota Rajan's business empire
NEW DELHI:MMNN:28 Oct. 2015
Underworld don Chhota Rajan's trusted aide Vicky Malhotra could be taking over Rajan's business - with his mentor's blessings - to emerge as an independent entity who could be a check on the Dawood Ibrahim gang's network. Going by Malhotra's movements in recent months, it would appear that he is now looking to carve a niche for himself, agencies tracking him feel.
Malhotra has been Rajan's closest associate who has been with him for the last two decades through thick and thin. Malhotra's loyalties did not waver even when the don split with confidantes like Ravi Pujari and Santosh Shetty after the Bangkok attack on him in 2000. Malhotra was last arrested from outside Ashoka Hotel in Delhi in 2005 but jumped bail in 2010.
He is since learnt to be juggling between Dubai and Africa. Interestingly, Africa is a relatively new hunting ground for Dawood who now also dabbles in blood diamonds.
While Malhotra's crowning is being seen as an attempt to prevent Chhota Shakeel, who is in command of the D Company's operations, from gaining unopposed supremacy in Mumbai's underworld, officials say that the development could unleash fresh gang wars in the city if the D Company tries to stop the new rival.
Elaborating on the development, an official said Rajan had contacted several senior intelligence officials many times in April-May. This was when Chhota Shakeel and his men had cornered Rajan in Australia.
The pressure grew even more in July after D Company's operation to get Rajan came out in the open. The Newcastle police too got hot on his trail even as Australian government stepped in and asked authorities to fish the gangster out.
Now, it is believed that Rajan got in touch with Malhotra and persuaded him to take over in the wake of "extremely hostile circumstances". The other theory suggests Malhotra too may have ditched Rajan and joined hands with D-Company with an eye to being installed as in-charge of India operations. But agencies are not buying it.
"The D-Company has been trying to break Malhotra away from Rajan for long but has failed in the past. Early this year too, there was buzz that Malhotra and Rajan had split but the two were in touch through VOIP," an official pointed out.
Geeta arrives in India, will be reunited with her family after DNA test
MMNN:26 Oct. 2015
Some 15 years after she strayed across the border in a train and was stranded in Pakistan, speech and hearing impaired Geeta made an emotional return to India on Monday to be reunited with her family.
Geeta flew into the international airport in Delhi on a Pakistan International Airlines flight from Karachi at 10.20am, accompanied by five representatives of the Edhi Foundation, including Bilqees Edhi, the Pakistani woman who cared for her and led a campaign for her return to India.
Before boarding the flight in Karachi, a beaming Geeta, clad in a red and white salwar-kameez, used sign language to thank the Pakistani people for hosting her and caring for her.
Faisal Edhi of the Edhi Foundation, Pakistan’s largest charity, told reporters they would stay in touch with Geeta through social media and even visit her. “She is not really separating from us,” he said.
Geeta, believed to be 23 now, was received at the airport by officials from the external affairs ministry and senior Pakistani diplomats. In a rare gesture, the Indian government will treat the representatives of the Karachi-based charity as state guests.
In the evening, Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit and his wife will host a reception for Geeta and those accompanying her.
Though Geeta is convinced about the family in Bihar which has claimed her, she will be handed over only after DNA tests. If the tests turn out negative, she will be placed in a home either in Delhi or Indore.
Indian authorities are proceeding cautiously, according to MEA sources, because at least four families had come forward to claim her.
The woman apparently entered the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on a train from India almost 15 years ago. She was found by police and sent to a state-run shelter.
She was then moved from one shelter to another – because she often tried to escape and quarrelled with staff – before she arrived at the Edhi Foundation. It was Bilqees Edhi who named her Geeta.
Geeta’s story evoked considerable media interest in India and Pakistan, especially after the Bollywood film Bajrangi Bhaijan – which features Salman Khan as an Indian overcoming all odds to reunite a speech and hearing-impaired girl with her family in Pakistan – became a hit in August.
“We are happy that finally she is going home,” said Faisal Edhi, the son of Edhi Foundation chief Abdul Sattar Edhi. The foundation said it had got an assurance from Indian authorities that its representatives could remain in New Delhi till DNA tests to confirm Geeta’s parentage are completed.
Geeta identified her family through a photograph sent to her by the Indian high commission in Islamabad. The family reportedly is from Bihar.
“This is my father, and my younger brother,” Geeta told the media through a combination of sign language and facial expressions as she pointed to the photograph. She also showed off the clothes she plans to wear for Diwali next month – a scarlet blouse and a turquoise and heavily embroidered ghagra.
CIA chief's hacked e-mail: Pak uses militant proxies to counter India's growing influence in Afghanistan
MMNN:26 Oct. 2015
CIA chief's hacked email: Pakistan uses militant proxies to counter India's growing influence in Afghanistan
Pakistan uses militants as proxies to counter India's growing influence in Afghanistan, according to a set of documents released by WikiLeaks from the hacked personal email account of CIA Director John Brennan.
The documents, released by the whistle-blower website and deemed classified by the CIA, contained reports on Afghanistan and Pakistan, and also ideas for US policy towards Iran.
Brennan, three days after Barack Obama was elected US President in November 2008, wrote to him in a position-cum- strategy paper that Pakistan uses the Taliban to counter India in Afghanistan.
"Pakistan's desire to counter India's growing influence in Afghanistan and concerns about US long-term commitments to Afghanistan increase Pakistan's interest in hedging its bets by ensuring that it will be able to have a working relationship with the Taliban to balance Indian and Iranian interests if the US withdraws," Brennan wrote on November 7 in 2008.
Brennan, then a top foreign policy and counter-terrorism adviser to Obama, then a president-elect, was in the running to be CIA Director. The post, however, went to Leon Panetta.
Obama initially made Brennan his top counter-terrorism adviser, and in January 2013 he nominated him as CIA Director.
Brennan's views on Pakistan was disclosed in a 13-page executive summary of key findings and recommendations on Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Brennan, in the summary, said efforts in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) have been challenged by Pakistan's ambivalence towards, and perhaps outright support for, the Taliban.
"While the US Intelligence Community differs on the extent of the relationships, at least some elements of Pakistan's military and intelligence services appear to be ambivalent about the anti-Taliban and anti-militant mission in the FATA, in part due to their history of close ties to the Taliban in Afghanistan's conflict with the Soviet Union and Pakistan's use of militant proxies in its conflict with India," he wrote.
Coalition forces have won every major battle with Afghan insurgents, but these tactical successes have not resulted in a strategic victory, largely because insurgents are free to regroup in sanctuaries across the Af-Pak border, he wrote.
On Wednesday, WikiLeaks began publishing documents from "Brennan's non-government email accounts". They appear to date back to 2007-09, when Brennan worked in the private sector.
Take lead in resolving Israel-Palestine tensions: India to UNSC
United Nation:MMNN:23 Oct. 2015
India has criticised the UN Security Council for being a mere "standby witness" to the escalating tensions between Israel and Palestine, saying the Council's effectiveness in dealing with crises has been brought into question.
"The situation in the Middle East region continues to remain fragile and unpredictable with unprecedented changes in several countries in the region...We have seen that the Council has at best been a standby witness to phases of escalation and relative calm which has become characteristic of this unsettled issue," visiting Member of Parliament Kamlesh Paswan said at an open debate in the UN Security Council on the situation in the Middle East on Thursday.
He said the effectiveness of the Council has consequently been brought into question. "We join others in urging the Council to step up its efforts and take the lead in resolving this problem," he said.
He reiterated India's support for a negotiated solution resulting in a sovereign, independent, viable and united State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living within secure and recognised borders, side by side at peace with Israel.
Paswan said the recent State visit by Indian President Pranab Mukerjee to Palestine reinforced India's strong commitment to the Palestinian cause and renewed its political and diplomatic support to Palestine.
He voiced India's distress and sadness at the loss of lives in the region and welcomed efforts to mitigate the situation. He urged both sides to exercise restraint to reduce the level of tensions and create a conducive environment for resumption of peace talks.
"We are particularly worried that since last year there has been a downward trend in the Peace Process despite efforts for serious negotiations between the parties which remained inconclusive. Unilateral actions by the parties unfortunately are moving them further apart," he said.
He stressed that India remains firmly convinced that dialogue remains the only viable option that can effectively address the Middle East issue. "The imperative need is for restraint, to avoid provocation and unilateral actions and to return to the peace process. We remain hopeful and urge both sides to resume the peace process soon, for a comprehensive, just and lasting resolution of the Palestinian issue," he said.
He also voiced deep concern with the activities of "proscribed outfits, radicalised and extremist groups" in the West Asia and Gulf region especially in northern parts of Iraq and Syria which are critically impacting on peace and stability in the region.
Modi is crimping the black economy; but this is also delaying the economic revival
New Delhi:MMNN:23 Oct. 2015
If the Indian economy is not rebounding quickly back to 8 percent after UPA more or less killed growth in its final scorched-earth years, it is because of an "X" factor. This “X” factor is directly related to a key success of the Narendra Modi dispensation: the assault on black money and cronyism. There is a short-term downside to fighting crooks and cronies as the old ways of doing business start shrinking.
Unaccounted cash is no longer king. It is certainly not about to disappear, but its growth has been checked and new business uncertainties are being created as a result.
The problem with considering black money as pure evil is that it discounts the reality that it is also an engine of demand and growth. Black money is high-powered money, as it evades taxes and leaves more money in the hands of cronies and ordinary citizens. Whatever the moral objections to it, the fact is it also drives growth in the form of consumption, even conspicuous consumption. So any fundamental attack on the sources of black money will have a medium-term impact on consumption and investment.
Consider what has been done by the Narendra Modi government.
First, it has more or less banished business lobbyists from the "bhavans". This means the big time business of buying and currying favours by plying netas and babus with cash is difficult. Businessmen ave found that PM Modi is not accessible as CM Modi in Gujarat, as the Economic Times story documents. When cronyism is banished from the corridors of Delhi's durbar, it automatically shrinks bribery and cash.
Second, coal allocations - one of the biggest reasons for corruption during UPA - are now being done entirely by auction. The UPA had made spectrum auctions more transparent towards the end of its regime, and NDA has continued with this policy. When so much money is sucked out from corporations legally, their ability and willingness to pay bribes - with cash or other unstated resources - reduces. The rentier economy is shrinking, and the bank-funded formal economy is swelling.
Third, the whole subsidy regime is shifting towards direct credit of beneficiary accounts, often with the help of Aadhaar unique identification of the poor. In the case of cooking gas, the entire subsidy payment has shifted to direct benefits transfer, a process facilitated by Modi’s Jan Dhan universal bank account that has achieved close to 100 percent coverage of households. In the months ahead, when the direct benefits transfer scheme is extended to other subsidies and government payments (for kerosene, food subsidies, and NREGA wages), the cash economy - pilferage from which is a key source of multi-point corruption - will be in further retreat.
Fourth, the hunt for black money has further crunched the space for cash in the economy. The government's black money penalty scheme – the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015 - did not gain much traction, but has effectively locked out cash from coming back to government coffers through the formal route. The only routes left for unaccounted cash in Swiss banks and other tax havens is the use of anonymous participatory notes (P-notes) for investment in Indian stocks and private equity funds funnelled into real estate projects. If the government now phases out these options, black money flows will taper down further. This will impact stock and realty valuations, curbing liquidity further.
Fifth, when the goods and services tax (GST) comes into force, perhaps by late next year if the political stars are in alignment, excise and tax evasion will become even tougher. This means cash - the bribes given to excise staff to under-declare production or avoid paying entry and local taxes - will be in final retreat.
When cash is crunched by law, the economy takes a blow too. If grease is in short supply, the wheels will face friction in the short term.
Estimates of black money in the economy vary from 30-50 percent of GDP, but no one can say for sure. This kind of money sloshing about creates its own economic activity, aiding growth surreptitiously.
Take an illustration. Let's say I am a small-time babu earning money from every file I push in Udyog Bhavan. My income is thus more than my tax-paid salary. This cash income goes to buying my daily necessities or minor luxuries, generating demand for the formal economy. I can't put this money in the bank, so I have to spend it - or hoard it another way. The only way to hoard it is by investing in land/property or gold, or spending on inessentials like a lavish wedding party.
When my cash flow is constrained, I will spend less and hence contribute to the consumption slowdown. This logic applies whether I am a small-time babu in Delhi or a businessman with hundreds of crores stashed away somewhere. Or even a crooked politician who hoards cash for election-eve spending or to ply his party faithful with funds when they need it.
The fact that real estate is seeing two years of de-growth is further evidence of the dethroning of the illegitimate economy under Modi. Politicians usually invest their dirty money in benami property, since this is the last refuge of rentier income. This is because supplies of land and building permissions can be artificially curbed and illegal profits harvested by the neta-babu combine.
Rajiv Kumar, a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, makes the linkage between cash and growth very clear in an article in The Times of India. He writes: "Chartered accountants and legal consultants.....complain about the government having come down too heavily and too early on the cash economy. This seems to have unnerved private business, especially in real estate, defence...and some service sectors.”
He adds: "With government signalling strongly against the cash economy, it has turned turtle. Almost 50 percent of economic activity, a conservative estimate for the parallel economy's share in aggregate economic activity, has consequently been hit."
The short point is the attack on black money is growth-retarding in the short-to medium-term till cronies and crooks learn more honest ways of doing business.
This has two implications. As banks and corporations are short on capital and also cash for investment, it is government that has to step in to fill the void. It is happening in roads and railways, but not fast enough. It could do more.
If government is needs to be the engine for growth, it should not focus on the fiscal deficit, but only the revenue deficit, in the short term. A small rise in fiscal deficit will do no harm as long as the extra money is used only for public investment that will enhance economic activity.
Having decided to attack cronyism and cash, and after declining to offer an amnesty for black money (which would have given the government enormous and cheap tax revenues for investment), the Modi government has to get the investment cycle going largely on its own. Growth now depends largely on government spending on infrastructure.
India, Russia take forward 'Druzhba-Dosti' vision at inter-governmental commission meeting
Moscow:MMNN:21 Oct. 2015
India and Russia took forward their time-tested friendship and their "Druzhba-Dosti" vision as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday co-chaired a crucial inter-governmental commission meeting with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.
Sushma Swaraj, who is here on a three-day visit, also held talks with her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
She co-chaired the 21st India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission meeting on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) with Rogozin,
During her talks with both Russian leaders, she conveyed that the word 'Russia' immediately invokes a feeling of warmth among Indians.
"I want to tell you that Russia is India's tried and tested partner and a real friend. Our foreign policy towards Russia has always been the same," she said.
Lavrov, during the interaction, pointed to the privileged nature of cooperation between Russia and India.
"The privileged partnership between our countries is a unique achievement of our peoples," he said.
Lavrov voiced confidence that Sushma Swaraj's visit to Moscow would provide added impetus to taking forward the agreements arrived at during Russian President Vladimir Putin's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi last December.
She noted that India's policy towards Russia had always been the same irrespective of who was in the government.
Earlier, addressing a meeting of Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) industries ministers, she urged the Brics partners to invest in India's flagship programmes including 'Make in India' and 'Skill India'.
Sushma Swaraj said the government has laid down a clear roadmap for lowering corporate taxes.
She also held talks with her Turkmen counterpart Rashid Meredov on key issues, including TAPI gas pipeline and Ashgabat Agreement on trade and transit.
Sushma Swaraj, who had a stopover in Ashgabat on her way to Moscow, met Meredov who said that they will be sending the Ashgabat Agreement copy to India for further discussion.
Criteria to select judges should be in public domain, government to tell SC
New Delhi:MMNN:21 Oct. 2015
The Centre plans to tell the Supreme Court that the criteria for selection of judges to the higher judiciary should be spelled out, must be part of the memorandum of procedure and put on the websites of the apex court and high courts. These measures, the Centre believes, will make the functioning of the Supreme Court's collegium system more transparent.
In its judgment last week holding the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) unconstitutional, the SC had invited suggestions for improving the working of the collegium system. The court listed the matter for November 3.
Soon after the SC verdict, the law ministry held a high-level meeting where it was decided not to go for a review of the judgment. The government also decided to file a detailed response to the SC's poser on improving the collegium system.
A source said the government would rather wait for the parliamentary standing committee and the select committee to take a view on the SC's order and the issue to be discussed in Parliament than take any proactive stand. "The 99th Constitution amendment on NJAC was unanimously passed by Parliament and ratified by more than half the states, it is for political parties to decide whether the government should reiterate the amendment," the source said.
Already, the logjam over the NJAC has resulted in huge vacancies in high courts. No fresh appointments have been made ever since the NJAC was passed by Parliament in December last year. There are 384 vacancies out of the 1,017 sanctioned posts of judges in 24 high courts across the country. This has also been one of the causes of large pendency of cases.
The government, in its suggestions to be made before the SC on bringing transparency in the functioning of the collegium, is likely to emphasize on bringing accountability in the judiciary, with judges' performance indicators being one of them.
The law ministry had earlier conveyed to the apex court's e-committee to make the SC-monitored National Judicial Data Grid more broad-based where the performance of the SC and high courts should be appropriately displayed along with the performance of the subordinate judiciary.
Court-specific data would set judges' performance standards and would be key in determining promotion of judges to higher judiciary besides bringing in much desired transparency in the functioning of courts.
The performance indicators could be in the form of disclosures about years of pendency and number of adjournments being granted on an average during life cycle of the case by a judge; cases in which trial proceedings have been stayed by superior courts and average time for which such trial proceedings remain stayed; cases were orders of the district courts were challenged in appeal before HCs every year; average time taken for disposal of cases and category-wise disposal of cases per judge per year etc.
Criticism continues for Supreme Court’s verdict on NJAC
New Delhi:MMNN:19 Oct. 2015
The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down a constitutional amendment that sought to give the executive a say in the selection of top judges is continuing to draw criticism.
Finance minister Arun Jaitley, a lawyer, wrote a stinging critique on Sunday on the apex court’s judgment on Friday that the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) was unconstitutional.
Jaitley wrote that in bringing back the collegium system for selection of Supreme Court and high court judges to protect the independence of the judiciary, the apex court had forgotten to consider the larger constitutional structure—that of Parliamentary democracy which represents the “will of the sovereign.”
Lawyer and Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi, clarifying that it’s not the party’s stand, said the NJAC judgment was an example of a legally and constitutionally erroneous ruling, almost quoting Jaitley.
Immediately after the judgment on Friday, Singhvi said: “Having seen the good and bad of the system we have in place, I think that the NJAC should have been given a chance. In my personal view, the judgment is disappointing as passing of the NJAC would have helped to set up a new system.”
Singhvi, in a column in The Times of India, wrote while the NJAC called for a more broadbased approach to judicial appointments, sought to address the criticisms of the collegium system (where a small group of five senior-most judges of the apex court appoint judges), the court struck down the law on this inclusive nature of the NJAC.
“It is this very virtue—broadbasing and inclusion—which the majority verdict treats as the NJAC’s biggest vice, holding that any dilution of the judicial element per se violates judicial independence and hence the basic structure of the Constitution. India is perhaps the only nation which has this hypnotic and mesmeric faith in the infallibility of judges and in the gross and heightened fallibility of non-judges, howsoever eminent,” Singhvi wrote.
Think tank Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy’s executive director Arghya Sengupta, in The Hindu, quoted paragraphs from the judgment to argue that the court had overstepped its mandate.
In an “open letter to the Supreme Court judges”, Sengupta, writing as a citizen of India, said that the court’s verdict showed a deep “mistrust of the government”, “lack of respect for the people of India” as well as “ unquestioned faith in your own absolute competence as judges.”
Earlier, lawyer Harish Salve had called the reasoning of the court fallacious, in an interview on India Today TV. “This is a method for checks and balances, why are we running away from it?,” Salve asked.
Salve told Mint on Friday that he was “deeply disappointed with the judgment”. “I have always been of the opinion that judges should not get to appoint judges of the higher judiciary. This happens nowhere in the world,” he added.
The Supreme Court collegium, meanwhile, has started functioning again, according to the Indian Express. According to the report, chief justice of India H.L. Dattu has called a meeting of the collegium for making appointments to the high courts.
According to news agency Press Trust of India, there are 400 vacancies in high courts; full-time chief justices have to be appointed in eight high courts.
Hindu Mahasabha to observe Nathuram Godse's death anniv as 'balidan diwas'
New Delhi:MMNN:19 Oct. 2015
In what may mean more trouble for the Narendra Modi government – already battling accusations on the growth of the Hindu right wing - the Hindu Mahasabha has announced that it wants to to commemorate November 15 – the day Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse was hanged – as 'balidan diwas'.
The Mahasabha had last year declared that it will build temples in honour of Godse – he was hanged in Ambala jail on November 15, 1949.
As per a newspaper report, Mahasabha president Chandraprakash Kaushik has drawn up plans to observe 'balidan diwas' all across the country.
"Godse was much more patriotic than Gandhi. I am very sure several people in the country think so. 'Balidan diwas' should be a day for the countrymen to sit and think why Godse killed Gandhi," Kaushik told The Economic Times.
Among the other plans, students will enact plays on Godse's life.
Members will also read out Godse's speech during the trial and distribute copies of 'Gandhivadh Kyon', a book written by Gopal Godse, Nathuram Godse's younger brother.
The Mahasabha will build a Godse rath as well. The rath will have pictures of Bhagart Singh, Savarkar and other revolutionaries besides that of Godse.
A decade of RTI: All you need to know about the game changing law
New Delhi:MMNN:16 Oct. 2015
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday is addressing a convention on the 10th-anniversary celebrations of the Right to Information (RTI) Act which was brought in ‘to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority’.
As the act completes a decade of existence, here is how (and why) it changed the way the government and public servants function:
1. What is RTI?
A law that empowers every citizen to seek replies from the public-funded organisations. It came into force on October 12, 2005, almost 25 years after the proposal was first mooted.
What does it do?
The law provides a mechanism to ensure that information is given in a time-bound manner and imposes a penalty for willful default by government officials. It provides transparency guidelines for the government’s functioning through suo moto disclosure.
It requires the appointment of public information officer, from the panchayat level to the Prime Minister’s Office.
What comes under its purview?
Citizens can ask for anything that the government can disclose to Parliament.
What doesn’t?
Information that can prejudicially impact internal security, relations with foreign countries, intellectual property rights, breach of parliamentary privilege and impedes investigations cannot be shared with the public.
Cabinet papers are exempt until a decision has been implemented. However, discussions within the Cabinet can never be disclosed.
2. RTI for change
Transparent examination
Students can now access answer keys of objective type question papers. After much reluctance and a CIC order, the answer keys of civil service examination and IIT-JEE are now available on the websites of the Union Public Service Commission and IIT-JEE respectively, helping students to find out their scores even before the official announcement.
Transparency at highest level
Assets and wealth declaration of all public servants — PM and his entire council of ministers, civil servants — are now in the public domain.
3. Hurdles
Delay in appointment of the central information commissioner for almost eight months had increased pendency in the clearing of appeals by the information watchdog.
Also, public authorities delay or do not give information, leading to harassment of RTI users.
4. Effective law
Proactive declaration of information by the government as stipulated in RTI law will reduce applications. Putting all RTI replies on government websites will also curb unnecessary applications.
Empowering public authorities to give out information will make the process transparent.
5. Misuse
There have been some complaints of frivolous RTI applications. Public authorities have also accused some applicants of using RTI for blackmail.
Gujarat fisherman hurt in Pakistan firing near IMBL, 24 in captivity
Ahmedabad:MMNN:16 Oct. 2015
At least one fisherman from Gujarat was injured in firing on Thursday by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (MSA) which also captured 24 fishermen and seized four of their boats near the International Maritime Boundary Line off Gujarat coast.
However, the MSA later released the injured fisherman, identified as Dhanji Bamaniya, on humanitarian grounds along with five others who sailed back to Jakhau coast on Thursday night.
According to National Fishworkers’ Forum (NFF) Secretary Manish Lodhari, Bamaniya, a resident of Union Territory of Diu, was hit in his arm in firing that took place in the afternoon.
“Showing some mercy on the injured fisherman, the Pakistan MSA allowed him to sail back to Gujarat with five other fishermen who were on board ‘Surya Kiran’ boat. Bamaniya and others ventured into the sea on October 7 from Mangrol,” he said. The incident occurred as the MSA fired some rounds on their boat as “warning”, which resulted in injuries to Bamaniya.
“He was hit on his arm. Luckily, he is out of danger and admitted to a hospital in Bhuj,” Lodhari said. The released fishermen took help of Coast Guard to return to Jakhau. “After these six fishermen on one boat were allowed to go, they contacted Coast Guard for help.
A Coast Guard boat went into sea and guided their boat safely to the coast,” said Lodhari. However, 24 fishermen are still in captivity of MSA and they were taken to Karachi during afternoon. “Though one boat and 6 fishermen were allowed to go, the MSA has captured 24 of our fishermen and seized four of their boats and took them to Karachi port. The fishermen told us that the MSA personnel fired on Bamaniya’s boat as a warning,” he said.
The four boats captured by MSA are- ‘Maheshwari-2’, ‘Shiv Shakti-5′, Matrubhoomi-2′ and Raj Laxmi-3’ and each of them was carrying six fishermen and sailing from Mangrol a week back. This is the second such incident of firing on Gujarat fishermen within one month. Earlier on September 18, one fisherman from Okha port was killed in firing near IMBL.
Shiv Sena attacks PM Modi after Dadri remark, says 'we respect him for Godhra'
MUMBAI:MMNN:14 Oct. 2015
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's condemnation of the Dadri lynching incident and the cancellation of Ghulam Ali's concert in Mumbai as "unfortunate" hasn't gone down well with Bharatiya Janata Party's alliance partner in Maharashtra - Shiv Sena.
Coming down hard on the Prime Minister, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut raked up the 2002 Gujarat riots and said, “PM Modi got worldwide recognition because of Godhra and Ahmedabad incidents and we also respect him because of that, but if he has made such comments on Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and Ghulam Ali then it is unfortunate.”
Raut stressed that the particular statements have been made by the 'Prime Minister' and not his 'dear Modiji'.
Shiv Sena leader's reaction came hours after PM Modi spoke to Bengali daily Ananda Bazar Patrika and said, “The Dadri incident or opposition to Pakistani singer is undesirable and unfortunate. But what is the central government's relation with these incidents.”
Shiv Sena had earlier forced the cancellation of Pakistan ghazal singer Ghulam Ali's concert in Mumbai.
Columnist Sudheendra Kulkarni was also attacked with black paint by Shiv Sena activists protesting former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri's book launch on Monday.
This is the first time that the Prime Minister has spoken directly on the Dadri incident, where a Muslim man was killed over rumours of beef eating, though last week he had made a strong plea that Hindus and Muslims should not fight each other but poverty. He had also referred to the President's call for maintaining India's core values of tolerance and mutual respect.
The Prime Minister had made his remarks last week in an election meeting after coming under attack for his "silence" on the Dadri incident.
On his party's stand (on such incidents), Modi said, "BJP never supported such kind of incidents. The opposition is raising the bogey of communalism against BJP bringing those incidents, but are they themselves not doing politics of polarisation".
He said, "Such debate has taken place in the past. BJP always opposed pseudo-secularism. Now again this debate is taking place in the face of unfortunate social malaise".
"This debate can be resolved through dialogue and discussion," he said.
Modi claimed those parties were resorting to such propaganda which did not want the development of minorities and look at them as vote bank.
Jawaharlal Nehru sought US assistance during 1962 Indo-China war, says a new book
MMNN:14 Oct. 2015
Former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had sought American assistance and wrote to the then US president John F Kennedy to provide India jet fighters to stem the Chinese tide of aggression during the 1962 Sino-India war, according to a new book.
The main objective of Mao Zedong, the founding father of the People’s Republic of China, to attack India in 1962 was to “humiliate” Nehru who was emerging as a leader of the third world, it said.
“India’s implementation of the Forward Policy served as a major provocation to China in September 1962,” Bruce Riedel, a former CIA official, wrote the book titled ‘JFK’s Forgotten Crisis: Tibet, the CIA and the Sino-Indian War’.
“Mao’s focus was on Nehru, but a defeat of India would also be a setback for two of Mao’s enemies: (Nikita) Khrushchev and Kennedy,” Riedel wrote.
As India was losing its territory to China fast and suffering heavy casualty, Nehru in a letter to Kennedy in November 1962 said India needed “air transport and jet fighters to stem the Chinese tide of aggression.”
“A lot more effort, both from us and from our friends will be required.”
Nehru wrote another letter to Kennedy in quick succession, Riedel writes.
This letter written by Nehru in a state of panicky was hand delivered by the then Indian Ambassador to the US B K Nehru to Kennedy on November 19.
“Nehru was thus asking Kennedy to join the war against China by partnering in an air war to defeat the PLA (Peoples Liberation Army of China). It was a momentous request that the Indian Prime Minister was making. Just a decade after American forces had reached a cease-fire with the Chinese Community Forces in Korea, India was asking JFK to join a new war against Community China,” Riedel wrote in his book.
Ahead of Nehru’s letter, the then US Ambassador to India Galbraith sent a telegram to the White House giving the President an advance notice that such a request was coming from Nehru.
In the letter, Nehru asked for 12 squadrons of US air forces, Riedel told the Washington audience during the preview of the book at an event organised by the Brookings Institute – a top American think-tank – yesterday.
“A minimum of 12 squadrons of supersonic all weather fighters are essential. We have no modern radar cover in the country. The United States Air Force personnel will have to man these fighters and radar installations while our personnel are being trained,” Nehru wrote in the letter, which has been quoted by Riedel in the book.
In addition, Nehru also requested “two squadron of B-47 Bombers” to strike in Tibet, the author says quoting the letter.
In the letter, Nehru assured Kennedy that these bombers would not be used against Pakistan, but only for “resistance against the Chinese”.
The stakes were “not merely the survival of India”, Nehru told Kennedy “but the survival of free and independent Governments in the whole of this subcontinent or in Asia”.
Khurshid Kasuri's book launch: Black paint smeared on Sudheendra Kulkarni's face
MUMBAI:MMNN:12 Oct. 2015
Despite Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis' assurance of "total security" for the book launch of Pakistan's former foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri in Mumbai on Monday, the Shiv Sainiks allegedly managed to hackle former top diplomat Sudheendra Kulkarni.
Kulkarni alleged that Shiv Sena workers smeared black paint on his face.
The incident happened outside Kulkarni's residence.
Mahmud Kasuri's book "Neither a hawk, nor a dove - An insider's account of Pakistan's foreign policy" is scheduled to be launched today at 5.30pm in Worli's Nehru Centre.
Kulkarni will be moderating the discussion.
Shiv Sena had asked the Nehru planetarium to call off former Pakistani foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri's book launch function.
Citing the neighbouring country's support to terrorism as the reason behind the opposition, the party warned that the function will be disrupted if not canceled.
Sena vibhag pramukh Ashish Chemburkar submitted a letter to director of Nehru planetarium here, demanding that the event be cancelled and organisers informed accordingly.
Last week, despite assurances of protection from Fadnavis, a concert by Pakistani singer Ghulam Ali was cancelled by the organizers following threats by the Sena. This time the chief minister seems keen to avoid a repeat of that embarrassment.
"For all foreigners, diplomats or foreign dignitaries who are allowed on a proper visa in our country, it's the responsibility of our government to provide them security.
Hence Mr Kasuri and the programme will be provided total security," the chief minister had earlier said. "But this does not mean that we endorse all his views.
No anti-India propaganda will be tolerated through any such programme, and if found so (sic), the organizers would be held responsible," the chief minister added.
Bribery sting a body blow to Nitish’s sushasan plank; may impact first phase of Bihar polls
MMNN:12 Oct. 2015
The Bihar election now moves on from Lalu Yadav’s controversial beef statement to a sting exposé, released 12 hours before the first phase of polling. The video depicts a top-ranking minister of the Nitish Kumar government, Awadhesh Prasad Kushwaha, accepting Rs four lakh as an advance bribe from a ‘Bombay-based firm’ for favours, which he promised on his return to power, and has changed the electoral discourse in the state.
Kushwaha is also the JD(U) candidate from the Pipra Assembly constituency in East Champaran. Soon after the sting video went viral, chief minister and JD(U) boss Nitish Kumar asked him to resign. The party will also withdraw Kushwaha’s candidature and named a fresh candidate for Pipra constituency. But the damage has been done to the JD(U) and the Mahagathbandhan.
The political circles in Bihar are abuzz with two more possible exposes in the pipeline, both involving RJD leaders, one a powerful Yadav minister during the Lalu Yadav-Rabri Devi regime and the other an important leader. Both are contesting these elections in constituencies that are less than 50 km from Patna.
In the video clip, Urban Development and Registration, Excise and Prohibition minister Kushwaha is seen walking to the door, latching it shut, and then making himself comfortable on a sofa. The person handing him bundles of currency notes announces that 'Chaar lakh hai (its Rs four lakh)'. The minister then makes a call to one of his colleagues saying: ‘Arre, ek Bombay ki party hai, woh kaam kuchh kuchh ho raha hai aur do-chaar-panch mantri log jo ek mansikta ke hai unko chunav me madad karenge aur aane wale dino aap sahyog kariyega.. Hum kal aapko unlog se milwayenge (there is a party from Bombay. Some of their work is in progress. They are saying that they want to help some like-minded ministers in these elections, and expect favours from us in days to come. I will introduce them to you tomorrow)'.
Kushwaha also claims that his actual election expenditure will go up to Rs 1.5 to Rs 2 crore.
While there were some murmurs of such a sting for the past couple of days, the actual timing of the exposé, 12 hours ahead of the first phase of polling in 49 constituencies, was critical. It left Nitish little time to undertake damage control, at least for the first phase. The BJP has already gone to town about it, while Nitish has not said anything as yet.
The exposé also coincided with birth anniversary of Loknayak Jaiprakash Narayan. All JD(U)-RJD leaders including Nitish and Lalu claim their political lineage to JP, an iconic leader from Bihar who stood for probity and the fight against the Congress’ corruption and authoritarianism.
The development takes a heavy toll on Nitish’s `sushasan’ (good governance) claim. He will have a difficult time in responding to the BJP’s charge that his prospective Jungle Raj II, if he wins, will have the twin components of criminality and corruption. So far Lalu was allegedly identified with criminality and the Congress with corruption. But the sting has brought corruption charges inside the higher echelons of Nitish’s own party.
It’s not going to be easy for Lalu either. The other exposés involving RJD leaders could come at any time. So far the Mahagathbandhan had shunned the faces of Lalu and Sonia-Rahul Gandhi, and used Nitish’s to claim that it would provide good governance in Bihar. The exposé will change the internal dynamics of the Mahagathbandhan.
Consider Pakistan's proliferation record before any deal: India
NEW DELHI:MMNN:9 Oct. 2015
India on Thursday expressed its apprehensions over media reports about the US exploring a civilian nuclear deal with Pakistan on the lines of its agreement with India and said Islamabad's track record on proliferation should be taken into account in any such decision.
Answering queries on the issue, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said India has seen such reports and these have not appeared for the first time.
"All I would say is whosoever is examining that particular dossier should be well aware of Pakistan's track record in the area of proliferation," Swarup said.
He said India got the civil nuclear deal on the basis of its own impeccable non-proliferation track record.
"That is the reason the US gave us the 123 agreement in 2005 and that is why we got an NSG waiver in 2008. Pakistan's track record is completely different, so we hope that will taken into account," Swarup said.
There have been concerns in the West about nuclear proliferation activities linked to Pakistani scientist AQ Khan.
Reports said the Barack Obama administration was considering a civilian nuclear deal with Pakistan ahead of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's visit to Washington later in October.
Asked about India proposing a National Security Adviser-level meeting between Indian and Pakistan on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings last month and the idea being abandoned due to Islamabad's insistence on meeting of the two foreign ministers, Swarup said there was an issue of sequencing.
He said India was committed to the understanding reached between India and Pakistan in the Russian city of Ufa in July.
He said the Ufa understanding was very clear -- that two NSAs have to meet to discuss all issues connected to terrorism and the DGMOs and chiefs of border guarding forces have to meet to sort out issues related to firing on border.
"We have told that we are ready for a NSA-level dialogue. Last time Pakistan walked out of it. But we remain committed to Ufa understanding that if Pakistan is willing to have a dialogue of two NSAs on all issues connected to terrorism, we are all for it," Swarup said.
He said the foreign ministers meeting was not part of the agenda agreed in Ufa.
Lawmaker Abdul Rashid's Supporters Detained During March to Jammu and Kashmir Assembly
SRINAGAR:MMNN:9 Oct. 2015
Supporters of independent lawmaker Sheikh Abdul Rashid were detained today as he led a march towards Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly to protest against the alleged "sabotaging" of the bill against beef ban.
Mr Rashid along with his supporters assembled near Exhibition Crossing, near the civil secretariat in Srinagar, and shouted slogans against the PDP-BJP government.
As they tried to march towards the secretariat which also houses the legislature complex, police swung into action and detained scores of protesters.
However, Mr Rashid, who represents North Kashmir Langate constituency in assembly, managed to reach the gate of the civil secretariat along with a few of his supporters.
But they were not allowed inside by the security staff. Speaking to reporters, Mr Rashid said Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed "has sold his conscience and sabotaged anti-beef ban bill".
"We want to send a message that whatever is allowed in our religion, we will consume that and nobody can stop," Mr Rashid said.
"This protest is against the sabotaging of the anti-beef ban bill and how Sayeed has sold his conscience to remain in power," the lawmaker said
The controversial anti-beef ban bill, which has put the PDP-BJP coalition government in a spot, could not be taken up in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly yesterday despite being listed for discussion.
Three private members' bills, seeking amendment to the Ranbir Penal Code that would decriminalise beef slaughter in the state, were listed in the business at serial number 10, 11 and 12. The bills were by three lawmakers from National Conference, CPI(M) lawmaker MY Tarigami and MLA Rashid.
The Assembly has been rocked by Opposition protests over the beef ban issue. BJP lawmakers had yesterday assaulted Mr Rashid in the Assembly for hosting a beef party at the MLA hostel in the city.
The beef row erupted after a division bench of High Court in Jammu directed the state to strictly enforce the legal bar on sale of beef. The order evoked strong resentment from various quarters with many outfits terming it as "interference in religious affairs" and sought revocation of the law.
After Nayantara Sahgal, Poet Ashok Vajpeyi Returns Award, Takes on PM
NEW DELHI:MMNN:7 Oct. 2015
After writer Nayantara Sahgal returned her Sahitya Akademi award protesting against what she called a "vicious assault" on India's diversity and debate, poet Ashok Vajpeyi has also given up the prestigious literary honour.
"It is high time that writers take a stand," Mr Vajpeyi, a former chairperson of the Lalit Kala Akademi, said.
Nayantara Sahgal, the 88-year-old niece of India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, recorded her protest against the government in a scathing statement titled "Unmaking of India". In it, she refers to the recent mob killing of a Muslim man over rumours that he had eaten beef, and also the killings of rationalists MM Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare.
Earlier, Hindi writer Uday Prakash had returned the award.
Ashok Vajpeyi said it was rare for a senior English writer like Nayantara Sahgal to take such a strong stand, and it needed support from the writing community.
"The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) keeps quiet. He is an eloquent Prime Minister who addresses lakhs of people, but here writers are being murdered, innocent people are being killed, his ministers are making objectionable statements...Why doesn't he shut them up?" he told NDTV.
"Why doesn't he tell the nation and the writing and creating community that the pluralism of this community will be defended at every cost? Although the government makes announcements that this would not be tolerated, that would not be tolerated ...but tolerance is there. How is it that all this has erupted now?"
Mr Vajpeyi also expressed disappointed at the silence of Sahitya Akademi, the national academy of letters comprising writers, and said it "failed to rise to the occasion and respect its autonomy."
Nayantara Sahgal had also questioned PM Modi's silence.
"He has uttered no word of condemnation at all at these incidents. The whole country wishes the Prime Minister to make a statement because the situation is getting more and more serious," Ms Sahgal said.
"Under Modi we are going backwards, regressing, narrowing down to Hindutva...there is rising intolerance and lots of Indians are living in fear," she commented.
Strongest action against those who disrupt communal harmony, warns Rajnath Singh
NEW DELHI:MMNN:7 Oct. 2015
Strongest possible action will be taken against those who try to disrupt communal harmony in the country, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday, days after a man was lynched in UP's Dadri district over beef consumption rumours.
"Be it the state government or the central government, strongest possible action will be taken against those who try to break communal harmony in the country," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function in New Delhi.
The Home Minister was replying to a question about tension in Dadri where a Muslim man was lynched by a mob over allegation of beef consumption.
Iqlakh was attacked by a 200-strong mob at Bishara village after a public announcement by a local temple that the family had slaughtered a calf and eaten its meat last Monday night.
Singh had on Tuesday termed the lynching episode as "unfortunate" and appealed to the people to maintain communal harmony. "It was an unfortunate incident. I appeal to every citizen to maintain communal harmony, which is everyone's responsibility," Singh had said.
The Home Ministry had on October 1 sought a report on the incident from UP government and advised it to ensure that such incidents did not recur.
Concerned over incidents of a communal colour, the Centre had also asked all states to take strictest action against those who attempt to weaken the secular fabric of the nation by exploiting religious sentiments.
In a statement, Home Ministry had said it was concerned over various incidents with communal overtones across the country, including the recent "unfortunate" incident at Dadri.
PM Modi meets Germany’s Merkel: Here is what’s on talks agenda
MMNN:5 Oct. 2015
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is in India on a three-day official visit, was accorded a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan and welcomed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Hyderabad House on Monday.
External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj called on the German leader ahead of delegational level talks between the two sides.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted: “It’s a Guten Morgen in Delhi as Chancellor Angela Merkel receives a ceremonial welcome at the @RashtrapatiBhvn.”
“A personal warmth. EAM @SushmaSwaraj calls on Chancellor Angela Merkel, welcomes her before delegation level talks,” he tweeted. “Bringing Berlin and New Delhi closer. PM @narendramodi greets Chancellor Merkel at Hyderabad House.”
Trade, security and the India-EU trade agreement are expected to figure in the talks and some agreements set to be inked.
Merkel would depart for Bengaluru, Karnataka, at 6pm on Monday. Merkel would visit the Robert Bosch Engineering and Innovation Centre in Bengaluru on Tuesday. She would also attend a business forum organised by NASSCOM and Frauenhofer Institute, Bengaluru.
India and Germany are strategic partners since 2001. Germany is India’s largest trading partner in the European Union and the seventh largest foreign investor in India.
Modi, Merkel to talk technology in Bengaluru
Modi and Merkel will discuss in Bengaluru on Tuesday the role of technology and innovation in manufacturing and IT services for the NDA government’s
‘Make in India’ and ‘Digital India’ initiatives.
While Merkel’s trip to this tech hub from Monday night has been on cards as part of her three-day official visit to India since Sunday, Modi is joining her for first hand view of the 50-billion euro German auto major Bosch facility and learn how other German firms in the country will contribute to the make in India and digitise India projects.
“Modi and Merkel will be apprised of our key innovation projects and commitments to skill development that can help the country become a manufacturing hub and a back office of the world,” a Bosh India official told IANS ahead of their visit.
After viewing presentations on Bosch engineering and business solutions and vocational centre, both leaders will walk through its facilities and interact with its executives.
“Bengaluru is the city where you can see how German firms like Bosch, Siemens, SAP, BASF and Mercedes-Benz innovate and make in India products and solutions for its development,” German Consul General Jorn Rohde said.
German President Joachim Gauck visited Bengaluru a year ago on a similar mission, as the city is host to about 200 leading German firms in diverse sectors.
“The visit of heads of the state to Bengaluru signifies the growing collaboration between the two countries in research and development, smart manufacturing and convergence of information and communication technologies (ICT),” Rohde noted.
Meeting the who’s who
Modi and Merkel will also participate at an ICT event in a star hotel, where they will interact with who’s who of the IT industry, including Infosys co-founder NR Narayan Murthy and Wipro czar Azim Premji and German software major SAP India executives.
“A large visiting German delegation, including ministers and business heads, will be present on the occasion to exchange views on entrepreneurship and start-ups to fuel our ICT products and services for domestic and global markets,” a top Nasscom official told.
Organised by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom), the apex organisation of IT firms in India, and the German Fraunhofer Institute, the luncheon meeting is a fallow-up of Modi’s participation at a similar event on start-ups during his visit to the Silicon Valley at San Jose in California, US, on September 27.
“Modi has addressed at the ‘India-US Start-Up Konnect 2015’ event we organised in partnership with The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) to showcase the strength of our start-up ecosystem, which attracted $2-billion venture funds in 2014,” the official added.
“The India-Germany meeting with Modi and Merkel will provide a boost to the Indian IT industry’s engagement with German industry’s 4.0 thrust, as engineering has been the fastest growing segment in the IT industry,” Nasscom president R. Chandrashekhar said on the eve of the event.
Trade, ‘Make in India’, ‘Digital India’ focus
Modi is expected to take up with Merkel the need to remove “avoidable irritants” for early conclusion of a free trade pact ahead of an India-European Union summit next month.
They will discuss cooperation in the fields of technology, skill development, river cleaning, clean energy, waste management and railways, and the expansion of the United Nations Security Council for which both nations have staked their claims.
According to German ambassador Martin Ney, both the leaders will focus on business ties between the two countries in the city.
“Merkel will meet with representatives of German firms present in the city, employing hundreds of young Indians and contributing to ‘Make in India’ as well as ‘Digital India’,” Ney told reporters in New Delhi on October 3.
The meeting between Modi and Merkel comes days after they met in New York on September 26 at a high-powered summit of India, Brazil, Germany and Japan (G-4 group), which the Indian prime minister hosted, as all the four countries are bidding for a permanent seat in the United Nation’s restructured Security Council.
PAN Card may become mandatory for cash transactions beyond certain limit: FM Arun Jaitley
NEW DELHI:MMNN:5 Oct. 2015
The Centre is at an advanced stage to make it mandatory for people to furnish PAN (Permanent Account Number) Card details for cash transactions beyond a certain limit to check generation of domestic black money.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in a Facebook post, said the government is at an advanced stage in considering the requirement of furnishing PAN Card details if cash transactions beyond a certain limit are undertaken.
He said the monitoring regime of the income tax department has been strengthened and its capacity to access information and apply technology driven analytical tools to expose evasion has been enhanced.
Stressing that bulk of black money is still within India, Jaitley said, "There is a need to change the national attitude so that plastic currency becomes the norm and cash an exception".
Noting that high taxation regime of past encouraged tax evasion, Jaitley said, "The government is committed to make tax rates reasonable and create deterrence to use of unaccounted money. He said compliance window declarants can sleep well and others with undisclosed foreign assets will be subjected to new black money law.
The finance minister said, to make India a more investment friendly destination, the government in the 2015 Budget announced that the rate of corporate tax would be brought down to 25% over the next four years and most exemptions, other than those which incentivise savings, would eventually be phased out.
Jaitley said the Government has formulated a conscious strategy to deal with the menace of black money. He said, a total peak balance of about 6,500 crore rupees in list of accounts in LGT Bank, Liechtenstein and HSBC, Geneva has been assessed.
He said the government has signed an understanding with the US wherein United States and India would disclose to each other any real time transaction in accounts with financial institutions, by its citizens in foreign territories.