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Political Diary
Terror Spreads Far & Wide:STATES REVIEW SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS, by Insaf,19 July 2006 |
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ROUND THE STATES
New Delhi, 19 July 2006
Terror Spreads Far
& Wide
STATES REVIEW
SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS
By Insaf
Mumbai’s killer blasts have triggered overdue introspection
and soul-searching by the State Governments on the sensitive issues of security
and intelligence. Outwardly, everything looks honky dory. Yet the situation is
far from reassuring. In fact, an authoritative assessment
shows that the internal security scenario across
the country is alarming, requiring urgent handling of three main sources of
threat: militant outfits operating from Pakistan,
Bangladesh and Nepal; banned
terrorist outfits at home like the ULFA and CPI (Maoists); and local frustrated
people, described by intelligence agencies as the “sleepers”. All the three sources, especially in the
States bordering Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh have now joined hands
under the command and control of outside agencies like the ISI of Pakistan.
The Mumbai blasts trail is veering to the India-Bangladesh
border through the north-eastern States, leading to a terror chain. The
grilling of two Maharashtra-based youths detained in Agartala, Tripura,
revealed that they were part of a group of eleven Islamic preachers. They were
rounded up by the police from a remote mosque.
The Naxalites, now called the CPI (Maoists), too are not only continuing
their violent activities in as many as 13 States, but have stepped up their
activities in the tribal-dominated States of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. Despite the Centre’s repeated efforts to
strengthen security forces in the Naxal-hit States, the dreaded outfit
continues to strike. On Monday last, the Naxals massacred
31 men, women and children in Chhattisgarh. They even engaged a CRPF unit at
their camp for two hours.
* * * *
Crucial Naga Talks
July 28-29
Peace talks between the Centre and the Naga rebel group,
NSCN (I-M) have now entered a crucial stage.
For the first time in five years, they are being held on a monthly
basis, leading to significant progress
in May and June. Much is now expected in
the next round at Bangkok
on July 28-29. With the Prime Minister
firmly holding by his stand that the borders of the States cannot be redrawn
without the consent of the concerned States, the NSCN(I-M) leadership appears
inclined to give up its demand for Nagalim (greater Nagaland) and instead opt
for a separate Constitution, on the lines of the Jammu & Kashmir
Constitution. The Group of Ministers,
headed by Oscar Fernandes, alongwith the Centre’s interlocutor K.
Padmanabhaiah, seem to be in favour of enlarging the scope of Article 371-A
which gives special status to Nagaland. Bangkok could well mark a
possible breakthrough next weak.
* * * *
Madhya Pradesh
Towards Progress
Madhya Pradesh has pulled out of the sick State syndrome. Incredibly enough, it is now among the ten
leading States in industrialization and infrastructure development. Industrial
investments proposed in the State last year totaled Rs.73,608 crore and,
importantly, the implementation of the proposed projects was as high as 72 per
cent, according to a recent survey by the Tata Services. Several new roads have
been constructed benefiting 4103 villages.
Many schemes have also been drawn up to attract investment in the
industrial sector. These include provision of cheap land and labour resources, peaceful
industrial environment and availability of unrestricted power. All this has made Madhya Pradesh a model
State for industrial investment.
* * * *
Punjab Congress Prepares
For Poll
The ruling Congress
in Punjab and its Chief Minister Amarinder Singh have started hectic
preparations for the Assembly polls
about six months away. The CM, who will
lead the poll campaign, has taken a policy decision that the party would field
a large number of new faces. For the
sitting legislators, the criteria for the party tickets would be their
performance during the last five years.
Importantly, all those who had been critical of the Government policies
in the past participated in the Punjab PCC meeting last week and promised to
work unitedly for the success of the
Congress candidates. Amarinder Singh
has also taken steps to look into the plight of the farmers, which would be the
main poll issue. He has sought a 25 per cent hike in the
minimum support price (MSP) for wheat and paddy this year.
* * * *
Raje’s “Historic”
Visit To America
Rajasthan Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje’s recent visit to
the United States,
described by her as “historic”, has proved to be successful beyond expectations. Besides the super deal which Raje signed with
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, as reported in this column last week, for a massive Information Technology (IT) promotion plan,
the Chief Minister has roped in the Rajasthan Association
of North America (RANA) to invest in the State in a big way. At an
international conclave in New York,
RANA’s delegation evinced keen interest in the development of the State and
assured Raje of their full and active cooperation. Raje has also signed an
agreement with the “North Shore”, reportedly the biggest hospital in the US, for the
establishment of a similar hospital in Rajasthan. A delegation of the Hospital
would soon visit the State.
* * * *
Mayawati Off Poll
Block
In U.P., which goes to the Assembly
poll along with Uttaranchal and Punjab early
next year, the BSP supremo Mayawati is the first to take off the poll
block. Even as her main rival, the
ruling Samajwadi Party and Chief Minister Mulayam Singh are busy consolidating
their vote banks, Mayawati has gone one step further by finalizing the first
list of 300 of the BSP candidates. This list has two significant features. One,
it includes five Samajwadi Party and 13 BJP MLAs who cross-voted
in favour of the BSP in the recent Rajya Sabha election. These MLAs have
shifted their loyalty on the ground that the Mulayam Singh Government had
failed on the law and order problem and that the BSP was the only option for
the people. Two, the list includes
considerable number of Brahmin and Muslim candidates.
* * * *
Kerala Seeks
Central Aid
Kerala’s new Left Democratic Front Government has demanded
from the Centre a Vidarbha-like relief package which Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh has offered for the farmers in the western region. Chief Minister Achuthanandan rushed to New Delhi the other day
and sought Rs.2,000 crore for the farmers in four hardest-hit districts of the
State. In his first meeting with the PM
after assuming charge as the CM,
Achuthanandan made out a case for the relief package. The CM also urged the Centre to include Idukki among the 31 districts identified
in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala for grant of a
rehabilitation package to ease the plight of farmers. In his detailed
wish-list, Achuthanandan also sought an additional Rs.991-crore Central assistance over the next five years for
rehabilitation and reconstruction of the ravage-prone coastal areas of the
State.
* * * *
Delhi’s Power Woes
Delhi’s Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s much trumpeted and
highly appreciated “Bhagidari Scheme” (Citizen-Government partnership in
governance) is slowly losing its popularity.
The reason? Unscheduled and
prolonged power cuts by the private power distribution companies. The
privatization move, which was criticized even by the Comptroller and Auditor
General (CAG), has actually brought much trouble for the ruling Congress Government.
Besides, prolonged power cuts, inflated bills and fast-running meters
have added fuel to the fire. In fact, an NGO, People’s Action has written to
the Congress President, Sonia
Gandhi, demanding a CBI probe into the power privatization deal, described as a
“sell out” of the erstwhile Vidyut Board to private power distribution
companies. ---INFA
(Copyright, India News and Feature
Alliance)
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Orissa Gallops Ahead:MASSIVE INVESTMENT BY GLOBAL GIANTS, by Insaf,11 July 2006 |
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ROUND THE STATES
New Delhi, 11 July 2006
Orissa Gallops
Ahead
MASSIVE INVESTMENT
BY GLOBAL GIANTS
By Insaf
Orissa and its
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik have reason to rejoice. The State is on a roll.
With the international steel sultan Lakshmi Mittal announcing last week his
company’s decision to set up a 12-million-tonne plant in Orissa at an estimated cost of Rs.40,000 crore, the
total quantum of investment in the steel sector in the State has shot up to
Rs.1,78,000 crore. As many as 43 MoUs
have already been signed, and the one with Arcelor-Mittal is awaiting some
formalities to be completed. Those which have inked the MoUs include the Pohang
Steel Company (POSCO) of Korea,
at an estimated investment of Rs.51,000 crore, Tata Steel, Essar Steel, Jindal Steel and Power and Bhushan
Steel. With the commissioning of the POSCO and Arcelor-Mittal plants,
Naveen will have earned a special place for himself in the State’s history.
The two deals with the global giants in the steel sector
provide personal satisfaction to the Chief Minister on two other counts,
besides putting the backward State on a fast track towards prosperity. First, he has succeeded in fulfilling his
father Biju Patnaiak’s dream for securing big foreign investment. Kalinga Bull,
as Biju Patnaik was known, had invited as the Chief Minister Swaraj Paul to
invest in the State. That did not
work. Naveen has now got Lakshmi Mittal,
who used to be a great friend of his father.
When Mittal acquired a 65,000 tonne steel plant in Indonesia, his
first foreign venture, Biju Patnaik inaugurated it. The, then, Chief Minister had close ties with
Sukarno of Indonesia. That plant made
huge profits and the acquisition became a hallmark of Mittal’s successful business
strategy. Mittal has now returned the compliment to Biju’s son and political
heir.
* * * *
Jharkhand’s Loss
Orissa’s gain may
well turn out to be Jharkhand’s loss. Although Mittal has denied that he is going
to pull out of the State, he candidly told a Press
Conference in New Delhi that Jharkhand had disappointed him by the slow pace of
land allotment for the Rs.40,000-crore, 12-million-tonne steel plant for which
he had signed an MoU last year. "The position in Jharkhand is not
satisfactory……We are keeping our fingers crossed”,
he said. Politically too, the BJP-led NDA Government is facing a major problem of
sheer survival. A group of five
independent MLAs, whose support is crucial for keeping the Government afloat,
have threatened to review their support.
They are upset by Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari’s accusation that Home
Minister Sudesh Mahto was inducting “criminals” in his All-Jharkhand Students’ Union.
* * * *
Setback To
Telangana Demand
The Andhra Pradesh Congress
and its Chief Minister, Rajasekhara Reddy have proved the party’s solidarity
and popularity, if the recent local body elections are any indication. It has
won a majority of seats in the three-tier Panchayati Raj, leaving its main
opponent TDP far behind. The Telangana Rashtriya Samithy (TRS) too suffered a
crippling rout, thanks to Reddy’s two-pronged strategy --- fast-track
development and little forward movement on the statehood issue. The TRS, despite its President Chandrasekhar
Rao’s statement that it was a “do or die battle” for the Telangana state, has
suffered a further setback. The long-awaited report of the Group of Ministers (GoM),
headed by Pranab Mukherjee, shows a lack of consensus among the UPA allies for a
separate State, which was put down as a “must” in the Common Minimum Programme.
* * * *
Terror In Mumbai
July this year has turned out to be a month of misery for
the Mumbaikars--- and the Maharashtra Government. It started with the monsoon fury and
unprecedented water-logging across
the financial capital of India. Shiv Sainiks thereafter took the streets
after a gap of three years, violently protesting against the desecration of the
bust of Bal Thackarey’s wife Meenatai.
The city and several other towns in the State were brought to a
standstill. But the bloodiest worst happened on terror Tuesday. Eleven-minute bloodshed on local trains was
caused by a series of seven bomb blasts during the afternoon rush hour. More than 200 people died on the spot and
four to five hundred commuters injured.
The terror has stunned the world. The finger of suspicion points to the
banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and the Pak-based
Lashkar-e-Toyyeba. Is India being soft towards the terrorists?
* * * *
ULFA Scores A
Self-Goal
The ULFA cadres in Assam
have scored a self-goal. At a time when the Centre was all set to have direct
peace talks with the underground outfit, they have struck once more in
Guwahati. Three of the cadres were
arrested by the police last week-end for serving an extortion notice for Rs.15
lakh on the Reserve Bank Regional Director and for other unlawful activities. A
hand grenade was also recovered from their possession. This
has prompted the Union Home Ministry to make it clear that it would consider
the outfit’s demand for release of its top leaders only if it publicly abjures
violence and sets a definite timeframe for initiation of the dialogue. The Ministry has reiterated its stand to
ensure that the freed leaders do not pull a fast one on the Government by
dumping the peace talks half way, perhaps under pressure
of Pakistan’s ISI.
* * * *
Ghulam Nabi’s
Landmark Decision
Even as grenade attacks on innocent people continued in
Jammu and Kashmir all of last week, intense celebrations were held in townships
elevated to the status of district headquarters and tehsils in a landmark
decision by Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Eight new districts, thirteen tehsils and three sub-divisions have been
created, taking the number of districts to 22 and tehsils 81. The people of most of the militancy-hit
townships have been demanding upgradation to district level to ensure better
security management and greater employment potential. The creation of four more
regional districts was recommended by the J.N. Wazir Commission --- three in Jammu and one in Kashmir. The
Azad Government reconsidered the recommendation and looking at the “changed
political scenario”, decided to give four districts each to Jammu and Kashmir.
Now the two regions will have ten districts each, with Ladakh comprising two
districts of Leh and Kargil.
* * * *
Separate High Court
For Haryana
Haryana will soon have a separate High Court --- as soon as
the State Government identifies the site and provides the required funds for
the purpose. Union Law Minister H.R. Bhardwaj has ruled out an earlier
suggestion to have the Court in the State’s present capital, Chandigarh, on the
plea that two High Courts cannot operate from the same city (Punjab will retain
its High Court in Chandigarh). Bhardwaj
has already written to the State Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, to
locate a site. The strength of judges for the new High Court would initially be
the same as the number of judges presently handling the work in the present
Punjab-Haryana High Court. It would finally depend upon the disposal of
cases. The disposal rate for a High
Court Judge works out to 2,000 cases per year, which is the national average.
* * * *
Rajasthan Towards
e-Governance
Rajasthan is all set for a leap forward in the Information
Technology (IT) sector. Chief Minister
Vasundhara Raje has finalized a deal with Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates in
Redmount, USA last week. The State
Government and the Microsoft Corporation have decided to work together in IT
education, e-governance, healthcare and women empowerment through information
and computer technology. This would enable Rajasthan to enhance its status to
that of a progressive IT State. Raje is making an all-out effort of devising
an effective plan for technical development in the State. The Chief Minister would soon set up a
working group to prepare inputs for e-governance framework. Bill Gates is
taking great interest in working towards an effective government-private sector
partnership in making Rajasthan an IT progressive
State. . ---INFA
(Copyright, India News and Feature
Alliance)
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Directions to Congress CMs:RISING PRICES CAUSE ANGER, CONCERN, by Insaf,6 July 2006 |
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ROUND THE STATES
New Delhi, 6 July 2006
Directions to
Congress CMs
RISING PRICES CAUSE
ANGER, CONCERN
By Insaf
Rising prices of essential
commodities, which have triggered both anger and concern across the States, dominated the national scene during
the past week. Congress President
Sonia Gandhi discussed the problem in
depth, first with senior colleagues at a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), and next with the party’s
Chief Ministers at a damage-control conclave in New Delhi on Tuesday. All the CMs have been directed to quickly
launch schemes to control inflation in their respective State as it has hit
hard both the aam aadmi and the UPA’s
popularity. They have been specially
asked to strengthen the public distribution system and to reach the common man,
especially the BPL (below poverty line) families. Simultaneously, they have to open more fair
prices shops and take stern action against hoarders of consumer goods.
The Chief Ministers were unanimously of the view that the
sudden spurt in the prices of grains and pulses was mainly caused by low
procurement, hoarding and speculation in forward trading. The procurement of foodgrains was low to the tune
of about five million tonnes during the current year. It was unprecedentedly low in U.P. and Andhra
Pradesh. The latter’s Chief Minister
Rajasekhara Reddy attributed this to low minimum support prices, which he
wanted raised. Interestingly, the CMs unanimously held the NDA Government
responsible for it through its order of 2002, rescinding all control orders
under the Essential Commodities Act.
They want the order reconsidered and the State Governments empowered to
intervene effectively in cases of hoarding of essential
commodities.
* * * *
New Terror Trend In
J&K
Jammu & Kashmir is experiencing a sudden spurt in
violence and increasing infiltration attempts from across
the Line of Control (LoC). Especially worrisome for both New Delhi and the State Government is the new
terror trend. Most of the bloody attacks
during the recent weeks have been high profile, aimed at soft targets,
including tourists, minorities, small-time labourers and, above all, security
installations. The State Police chief holds Islamabad responsible for it as “there cannot
be any movement near the LoC without the Pakistan Government’s knowledge”. The
J&K Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, has therefore justifiably and
appropriately drawn Gen. Musharraf’s attention to this development. He has hoped
that the Pakistan President
would keep his solemn commitment to India and not allow infiltration to
continue.
Note has specially been taken of the fact that there are
more and more instances of grenade attacks nowadays instead of the earlier bomb
blasts. In fact, the Army Chief, Gen. J.J. Singh, convened a high-level meeting
on the subject in Srinagar
last week. This meeting decided to intensify operations to unearth grenade
dumps and identify the supply-chains across
the State. The meeting, attended by Union Home Secretary Duggal, Army
Commanders based in the State and Chiefs of BSF, State Police and the
intelligence units, also decided to concentrate on apprehending the grenade
carriers and those recruited by the jehadi
groups to lob them at chosen targets. A detailed
assessment
has been made of the causes of rising infiltration attempts, despite increased
vigil all along the LoC and the international border.
* * * *
PM’s Roadmap For
Rural India
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s much-hyped visit to the
rural areas of Vidarbha was not merely to provide a Rs.3,750-crore package of
relief measures for farmers of six districts in the region. It was equally to
unveil the UPA Government’s roadmap for the development of the rural areas,
especially the agricultural promotion programmes which have not received the
attention they deserved after the early 1980s.
Based on the report of a fact-finding team of the Planning Commission on the farmers’ plight, the Prime Minister
announced several programmes at the end of his two-day visit to Vidarbha. These
include higher procurement price, writing off of debts, assured
supply of good quality seeds and close monitoring of credit institutions. However,
it is still to be seen how far and how soon the PM’s package begins to yield
results. Seven farmers ended their lives within three days of the PM’s announcement.
Meanwhile, Vidarbha itself continues to suffer, as
discovered by the Planning Commission’s
team. Its backlog of investments totals 14,434.64
crore. This clearly shows that the
region has not got its share of Government funds for several years, compared to
the Marathwada region and the rest of the State. Ironically, Vidarbha was
solemnly assured at the time of its merger
with Maharashtra that it would receive its due share of funds vis-à-vis the other
regions under Article 371(2) of the Constitution. Vidarbha’s backlog of irrigation alone has
more than doubled during the last 20 years in percentage terms from 38.05 per
cent. In sharp contrast, the backlog for the rest of the State declined from
31.1 per cent to 4.7 per cent. Shockingly,
the provision of agricultural pumpsets in Vidarbha is less
than 20 per cent of over two lakh pumpsets installed in Nashik district alone!
* * * *
Moves On Poll Chessboard in U.P.
New calculated moves have been made on the electoral chessboard in U.P. While Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav is
announcing sops after sops in an obvious bid to keep his vote banks in good
humour, the Congress High Command is
concentrating on strengthening its popularity at the grassroots. Mulayam Singh, who announced a few days ago
an increase in the unemployment allowance from Rs.500 to Rs.1,000 per month if
voted to power again, has now promised an unusual allowance of Rs.500 per month
to those who suffered excesses
during the emergency of 1975-77. The Congress
High Command, on its part, has effected massive
changes in its district and city units. About 85 per cent of the district and
city unit presidents have been changed, making place for new faces in the first
major overhaul after 17 years.
* * * *
Political Crisis In
Karnataka Again
Karnataka’s political scenario is suddenly changing once
more. Initially, the unholy alliance
between the Congress and its rival
JD(S) following the fractured verdict in the 2004 Assembly
poll ended in a disaster. The marriage of convenience for power between the
JD(S) and the BJP is also heading for the rocks. A fresh realignment of forces and leaders is
on the cards and so also another election to the Assembly
even if Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy manages to survive longer than expected
in the company of what his father, former Prime Minister Deve Gowda chooses to
label as the “communally evil BJP”. Former
Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is all set to join the Congress with eight of his MLAs. Once this happens, none
of the three major parties --- the Congress,
the BJP and the JD(S), will be able to cobble up a majority. Dissolution of the Assembly
will then become unavoidable.
* * * *
Kerala Act To Stop
Farmers’ Suicides
The new Left Front Government in Kerala, led by the veteran
CPM leader, V.S.P. Achuthanandan, has prepared a legislation to
institutionalize monitoring and control of farm loans and provide a support
mechanism during any crop failure. This
has been done to cope with a spiraling agrarian crisis that has been driving
hundreds of farmers to suicides. The legislation is designed to end the current
knee-jerk approach and resolve the farmers’ problems by offering loan waivers,
moratoriums, compensations and subsidy hand-outs. At the same time, the State
Government has sanctioned Rs.50,000 each to the families of 137 farmers of the
dead who have committed suicide It is also trying to get the Banks to write off
all farm loans upto Rs. one lakh. ---INFA
(Copyright, India News and Feature
Alliance)
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Haryana Towards Progress:POLL POLITICS HOTS UP IN U.P., by Insaf, 21 June 2006 |
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ROUND THE STATES
New Delhi, 21 June 2006
Haryana Towards
Progress
POLL POLITICS HOTS
UP IN U.P.
By Insaf
Pre-poll politics in U.P. has suddenly hotted up. All political parties have swung into
election mode for the next battle for the Assembly
early next year. In a financially audacious
move, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh has announced a hundred per cent hike in the
unemployment allowance – from Rs.500 per month to Rs.1,000 – if his Samajwadi
Party is voted back to power. Denouncing
this as a “cash-for-votes” scheme, the Opposition parties too have fired their
first salvos. The Congress Chief,
Sonia Gandhi, focused on the Mulayam Government during her two-day visit to her
constituency Rae Bareli, last week and lambasted it for victimising her voters.
She alleged that they were being singled out for “maltreatment” and, among
other things, were being deprived of uninterrupted power supply. She has urged them to spread out and work hard
for regaining power in the State.
Former Chief Minister and the BSP supremo Mayawati,
presently considered to be a strong favourite as Mulayam’s successor, has launched an anti-Congress and anti-Samajwadi Party offensive. She has
planned to hit the road against the Congress-led
UPA Government’s reservation and economic policies. Smaller parties too have started a
realignment process. The Left Front, which is presently supporting
the UPA Government at the Centre, is talking to Mulayam Singh for a possible electoral adjustment. The CPM General
Secretary, Prakash Karat announced at Lucknow
that the Left parties were behind the Samajwadi Party for taking up the issues that concern the common man. The JD(U) Chief
Sharad Yadav has declined to have any poll ties with the BJP in U.P., without
affecting its relationship at the national level.
* * * *
Haryana Towards
Global Economy
Haryana has taken a giant step towards a place in global
economy, thanks to the untiring efforts of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh
Hooda. It has signed a landmark deal with the Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL)
for setting up a massive Special
Economic Zone (SEZ), spanning 25,000 acres in Gurgaon and Jhajjar districts
adjoining the Union Capital. According to the RIL Chairman, Mukesh Ambani, the
massive project involves an
investment of about Rs.40,000 crore and would have a potential of creating
about ten lakh jobs. It will have low
polluting units in 6,500 acres, institutional and recreational area in 1250
acres, a cargo airport and a residential complex in 3,750 acres. About 500
companies are expected to invest in the project, including 10 to 15 of the
world’s best companies.
The agreement for the massive
project was to be signed a week earlier, but had to be deferred amid criticism
by some political opponents, including Congress
MP, Kuldeep Bishnoi, younger son of Bhajan Lal, who was thereupon pulled up by the
party’s High Command. Surprisingly, the opponents of the project attacked the
public-private venture as a sell-out, even though the State’s equity in the
project is only upto 10 per cent. As Hooda explained after the deal was signed
at Chandigarh on Monday, the project will benefit the entire country and help
the State generate an additional revenue of Rs.10,000 crore. The CM has accused the BJP and the INLD for
misleading the public. And about Bishnoi, his own party’s MP? “Somebody might
have a personal problem”, says the CM.
* * * *
M.P. CM’s
Priorities
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chauhan has
given top priority to development of the State and welfare of the people,
unconcerned by the threats to his Government by his opponents. Sharply reacting to the challenge by his
predecessor Uma Bharti that she
would bring his Government down by September, Chauhan told a Press meet in New Delhi that he would concentrate on his
development priorities, leaving her to “focus on her job”. The BJP has its base in Madhya Pradesh, since
the 1960s, thanks to dedicated efforts of the party, not of any
individual. The party, he said, had won
the Assembly poll in 2003 on the bijli, sadak and pani (electricity,
roads and water) plank. The Government was, therefore, focussing its attention on all the three basic problems
of the people.
Chauhan trots out “solid facts” in support of his claim.
During the last two-and-a-half years, the BJP Government has laid 17,200 km of
roads and is targeting to add another 22,000 km during the second half of its
tenure. In fact, he is confident that by the end of his Government’s term in
2008, Madhya Pradesh would easily match the developed States in regard to
roads. Insofar as electricity is
concerned, the Government has already generated additional 1700 MW and his aim
is to add another 2,600 MW by 2008 through various ongoing schemes. Several
irrigation schemes too have been developed, bringing about 24,700 hectares more
under irrigation. The CM has planned to bring another 18 lakh hectares under
irrigation by constructing small checkdams, stop dams, rejuvenation of village
ponds through a “Khet Talab Yojana” and development of new waterbodies. A meeting
of non-resident Indians to boost investments is also planned. A “single table” system has been created for
speedy clearance of investment proposals.
* * * *
Nitish’s Demand
From Centre
Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has discussed in depth the law and order situation in the
State with the Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil in New Delhi over the
week-end. He apprised Patil about the
constitution of a Special Auxiliary Police Force for the purpose, but wanted
more Central para-military forces to tackle increasing Naxalite menace in the
State. The CM has also demanded re-deployment of several Companies of Central
forces which were withdrawn from the State for duty in five other States for
the recent Assembly polls. He has
also demanded the setting up of a disaster management institute in Bihar, since
the State frequently faces the twin problem of drought and floods. The Home
Minister has assured the CM of early
consideration of his demands.
* * * *
Rumbai Meghalaya’s
New CM
A long-drawn political turmoil in Meghalaya ended last week
with J.D. Rumbai replacing D.D. Lapang as the Chief Minister. Lapang failed to
survive the second revolt against him in the 29-member Congress Assembly
group. He lost to Rumbai 12-17 at the
CLP meeting. A gentleman to the core,
Rumbai was chosen as the Chief Minister for his unanimous acceptance by all the
alliance partners of the Congress-led
Meghalaya Democratic Alliance. The
Alliance has 45 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly.
The new CM has now included Robert Lyngdoh in his 12-member Cabinet. Remember,
Lyngdoh was dropped by Lapang during the Cabinet downsizing two years ago. He
was then a powerful and popular Home Minister and was coming to be projected as
a potential Chief Minister.
* * * *
PM Monitors Rural
Area Plans
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has now planned to personally
monitor the progress in the
implementation of a series of his Government’s expensive welfare schemes for
the poor. He would start soon touring rural areas for the purpose. He has
planned a three-day visit next week to Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region, one of
the most backward areas where hundreds of farmers have been driven to suicide
over the last few years. Bihar, Orissa
and other States would be next on his itinerary to evaluate implementation of
the Central programmes, like the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme,
Bharat Nirman, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and the Mid-Day Meal Scheme for school
children. The PM is strongly of the view
that close watch on these mega plans is imperative to make a much-needed difference
to the lives of the poor.---INFA
(Copyright, India News and Feature
Alliance)
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NCP Slams Congress:OIL POLITICS UPSETS STATES, by Insaf,,14 June 2006 |
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ROUND THE STATES
New Delhi, ,14 June 2006
NCP Slams Congress
OIL POLITICS UPSETS
STATES
By Insaf
New Delhi’s oil politics has pushed the
States into a quandary. Already unhappy
by the high price hike on petrol and diesel, almost all the States are upset over
the Centre’s move: to thrust a part of the burden on the States by getting them
to reduce their share of the sales tax on petrol and diesel. The roll-back demand and the suggestion for
the States to forego a part of their share of sales tax has acquired political
shape, more than fiscal. Even some of the Congress-ruled
States, which were earlier directed by the party High Command to cut down their
share of the tax, resent the suggestion in view of the loss
of revenue this would entail. It is estimated that the States’ share of taxes
on petroleum products is only between 16 and 17 per cent, as against the
Centre’s 31 per cent.
The NDA and the Left parties are accusing the Centre of
unfairly using “political pressure”
on the States. A case in point is that of the Congress-led
Government in Maharashtra. It was the first to
oblige the Centre and announce the cushion. But it faced difficulty in
implementing it as its alliance partner, the NCP declared that it will not
allow reduction in the State’s share of sales tax. Eventually, the State
Cabinet has found another way out to provide some relief to the consumers: cut
in value-added tax by 80 paise and 30 paise per litre on petrol and diesel
respectively. The BJP, which organized a massive
rally in New Delhi
on Monday and had its leaders, including Vajpayee and Advani, court arrest, has
demanded a reduction in the “excessive
excise duty”. It also wants the Prime Minister to call a meeting of the Chief
Ministers to evolve a consensus on a unified tax rate across the country.
*
*
*
*
*
ULFA Warned To Stop
Violence
Bomb blasts triggered by suspected ULFA cadres across Assam almost all of
last week have upset the continuing efforts of both the Centre and the State
Government in negotiating peace with the militants. New Delhi had conceded Chief Minister Tarun
Gogoi’s recommendation for release of four jailed ULFA leaders. It had also fixed June 22 for a meeting in New Delhi with the
ULFA-constituted People’s Consultative Group (PGP) to finalise the agenda for
direct talks with the outfit. The Centre
has now informed the PCG negotiator, Indira Goswami, that the demand for the release
of ULFA leaders cannot be conceded until it gives up violence. The Centre is also firm that sovereignty is
non-negotiable and that the militants must lay aside arms before coming to the
negotiating table.
What has prompted the ULFA to start afresh its violence,
especially when Tarun Gogoi had taken steps to ensure peace in the State? The
ULFA has apparently reacted sharply to a survey report (source undisclosed so
far) published in some local newspapers. The report has claimed that less than one per cent in Assam support the militant
outfit and its cessionist agenda and
that “sovereign Assam” for which
the banned outfit has been fighting since 1979 was “outrageous”. The PCG has
described the survey as a “sham, aimed at nipping the peace process in the bad”.
While the ULFA dismissed the report as a “plant” by the intelligence
agencies, the Union Home Ministry regards the serial blasts as “pressure tactics” to extract more concessions from the Government, including the release of
their leaders.
* * * * *
Muslim Front in
U.P.
A dangerous lead given by the Muslims of Assam in setting up
the Assam United Democratic Front, headed by businessman
Badruddin Ajmal, is being followed by fellow-Muslims in U.P. in the run up to
the State Assembly elections early next year. Encouraged by the formation of
the People’s Democratic Front comprising some smaller community outfits at Lucknow and Aligarh,
the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari has announced the formation
of a new political party in U.P. to garner the numerically and politically
significant Muslim votes in the State.
To be christened UP United Democratic Front (UPUDF), the new party would
comprise the Assam AUDF and includes leaders like CM Ibrahim, former Union
Minister who presently heads the All India Progressive
Janata Dal, and the National Loktantrik Party. This threatens to grow into a
formidable combine.
* * * * *
Vidarbha A
Neglected Sibling
The Vidarbha Rajya Vikas Parishad and all the others
clamouring for carving a separate State of Vidarbha out of Maharashtra, have
received solid and unexpected support for their cause from none less than the Planning Commission. Following an uproar in Parliament over farmers’
suicides, rural distress, social
unrest and regional disparities, in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra,
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had asked the Planning Commission to investigate the matter. The Committee,
headed by Adarsh Mishra, analysed the grim situation and has come to the
conclusion that “it’s a case of a neglected sibling” with institutionalized
bias in favour of the Maharashtra region. The
committee has found laxity in the implementation of projects for Vidarbha and
diversion of money to fund irrigation projects to western Maharashtra.
*
* * * *
Arunachal’s
Development Plan
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Gegong Apang has given a
new thrust to the planning process
in the State. His Government has worked
out a massive infrastructure
development programme, estimated to cost of Rs.100 crore. The amount is earmarked for mainly
replacement of ramshackle structures of all schools and health centres in the
State and improvement of roads and their connectivity network. The required funds would be made available
under the special planning assistance
(SPA) as additional Central assistance. They would be utilized for need-based and
time-bound schemes. Meanwhile, the State is greatly disappointed by the Prime Minister’s
decision to postpone his two-day visit to the State on June 13-14.
* * * * *
Himachal Drought
Package
The Congress Government
in Himachal Pradesh, led by Virbhadra Singh, is preparing a detailed note on
the damages it has suffered following a prolonged drought spell and hailstorm
that has caused great misery to the farmers. The “drought package” based on
damage assessment
is intended to seek from the Centre special financial assistance
to provide succuour to the farmers and others affected by the natural
calamities. It is estimated that the losses to the crops are in the range of 40 to 80 per
cent, with some pockets in Kangra suffering over 90 per cent. Revenue Minister Sat
Mahajan has stated that under the Centrally-assisted package, the Government
would waive off loans, provide subsidy on seeds, additional grants for revival
of water bodies and subsidy on transporting fodder.
* * * * *
Orissa Policy For Naxal Outfits
The Orissa
Government has worked out a rehabilitation policy for those militant
organizations in the State which choose to surrender. The package includes
payment of up to Rs.10,000 on acceptance of surrender, Rs 20,000 on surrender
of arms and ammunitions, allotment of land and house building grants up to
Rs.25,000. Also bank loan facility up to
Rs.2 lakh would be provided. After repayment of 75 per cent of the loan,
payment of interest would be waived.
Meanwhile, the CPI(Maoist) and seven other pro-Naxal organizations have
been banned in a determined effort to put an end to the increasing Naxal activity
across the State. ---INFA
(Copyright, India News and Feature
Alliance)
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