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Memories of Another day

Memories of Another day
While my Parents Pulin babu and Basanti devi were living

Sunday, December 11, 2011

UID in trouble as Home Ministry raises questions!Anna Hazare ends fast, vows more anti-graft crusade!Civil Society Anna Brigade diverts the Nation as Ruling Zionist Brahaminical Hegemony is All Set for the FINAL Killing!Social activist Anna Hazare on


UID in trouble as Home Ministry raises questions!Anna Hazare ends fast, vows more anti-graft crusade!Civil Society Anna Brigade diverts the Nation as Ruling Zionist Brahaminical Hegemony is All Set for the FINAL Killing!Social activist Anna Hazare on a day-long fast here Sunday threatened to intensify his anti-corruption protests by courting arrest if the government fails to pass a law for a strong Lokpal in India.


Hazare told the politicians - including Arun Jaitley of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Brinda Karat of theCommunist Party of India-Marxist and A.B. Bardhan of the Communist Party of India -- to fight for a strong Lokpal inside the parliament and force the government to pass an effective law.
Forensic experts fail to collect evidence at AMRI

Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee that went into Lokpal, Abhishek Singhvi, today hit back at Team Anna for its comments that dissent outweighed consensus in the panel's report and said those who speak about democracy should learn principles of democratic discourse.
Anna grabs Opposition support, raises battle pitch!Leaders of BJP, CPI(M), CPI, JD(U), Akali Dal, TDP and BJD participated in the public debate on Lokpal Bill at Jantar Mantar, where Hazare was sitting on a one-day dharna protesting against Parliamentary Standing Committee report on the Lokpal Bill.


Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and

Time - SEVEN HUNDRED SEVENTY

Palash Biswas

http://indianliberationnews.com/

http://indianholocaustmyfatherslifeandtime.blogspot.com/





http://basantipurtimes.blogspot.com/


UID in trouble as Home Ministry raises questions!


Anna grabs Opposition support, raises battle pitch!It is said to be a head-to-head battle now between social activist Anna Hazaare and Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi.The government seems to be far from crossing the Lokpal hurdle. This was clearly established as a section of the political establishment engaged in a debate with veteran anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare at his day-long fast at the Jantar Mantar!Anna Hazare today said the youth should be ready to fill the jails of the country if the government did not listen to the voice of the masses.


The principle of equity founds its place back on the table at the climate talks and Kyoto Protocol will continue to be in force beyond 2012.
11/12/2011

Quote, Unquote: The rhetoric flows at Jantar Mantar

Thousands join Anna Hazare as he begins his third fast for a stronger Lokpal Bill.
Anna Hazare
"The anshan has started so I won't speak much but Bharat Mata ki Jai, Vande Matram, Inquilab Zindabad!"
Kiran Bedi, Team Anna member
"We are here to pay back our debt to this country. What is the result of our more than 1 year of agitation? Just an enquirypal? We have got nothing. So the mass agitation will continue! We will not stop until we get a janlokpal."
Arvind Kejriwal, Team Anna member
"The lokpal made by standing committee looks to be made for the high command and not for the people... CBI has become a tool to run coalition governments and not to punish the corrupt."
"SMS played a big role in our movement and Kapil Sibal changed the telecom policy to limit daily SMS limit to 200. Facebook is also playing a big part in our movement and now he is talking about prescreening of Facebook posts. But how will you stop this public from coming to Jantar Mantar?"
Gopal Rai, Activist
"We can do jail bharo from 1 January if Janlokpal is not passed."
Shanti Bhushan, Activist
"In constitution people are supreme. This movement is an example for people in other countries on how to carry out non violent agitations."
Medha Patekar, Activist
"It's not only the middle class but also the tribals and villagers that will benefit from Janlokpal."
Sharad Yadav, JDU
"Lokayuka along with Lokpal, all govt. employees and citizens charter, we agree to all the three. The Bihar Lokayuka is now on lines with Janlokpal and we will soon give it to Team Anna to have a look at. If you do not find it acceptable then you can get hold of us again. CBI is like a key, whether in hands of the current party or us in government. It has to be made free from clutches of the government. They use it to force people to support them. Either extend the current session or call a special session but there should be a thorough debate in the parliament on Lokpal and we won't go back on what we said as part of Sense of the house."
Brinda Karat, CPM
"Only 542 members of parliament do not represent India but not all politicians are corrupt. We need politicians but we need good politicians. The Lokpal bill being brought in the parliament right now is equivalent to not having a Lokpal at all. License/lease give due to corruption should be stopped/taken back. PM should be under Lokpal, including corruption in army! MP's behavior inside parliament should be under Lokpal. Group C employees should also be under ambit of Lokpal. CBI should be under Lokpal. However, judiciary should come under a separate bill and grievance redressal should also be separate. We also need electoral reforms and other reforms. All sections of society should get representation in Lokpal."
AB Bardhan, CPI
"We give credit to Anna ji for bringing corruption in agenda of political parties. PM should be within ambit of Lokpal as there are many ministries that come directly under PM. All govt. officials should be within ambit of Lokpal. CBI is used as a tool to tighten screw of opposing politicians. It's anti-corruption part should be a part of Lokpal. However, don't expect every word, comma and full stop of Janlokpal proposed by Team Anna to be accepted. As per judiciary being within ambit of Lokpal we would prefer a national judicial commission that has been discussed for last 20 years."
Sukhbir Singh Dhimsa, Akali Dal
"We are with Anna ji and when the Lokapl bill comes to parliament we will support Anna ji." Sukhbir Singh Dhimsa (Akali Dal)
Arun Jaitley, BJP
"The country needs a strong and nonpartisan Lokpal for sure. PM should be under Lokpal, while being the PM, not after completing the tenure. Citizen charter and lower bureaucracy have to come under Lokpal as promised in the parliament in it's sense of the house in August. The appointment of members of Lokpal should be not in only the hands of Government. Other parties and eminent citizens should also be part of the appointment process. The CBI also needs to be made independent."
Ramgopal Yadav, SP
"We agree to most of your demands and will support Team Anna's views in the parliament. However, the SC's, ST's, OBS's and women should have representation in the search committee and Lokpal committee as well. The current bill given by the Standing committee is of no use but we need to make a stronger Lokpal and we will fight for it in the parliament."
Yeren Naidu, TDP
"Thanks to Anna team for striving for a strong Lokpal. All parties should extend full support to a strong Lokpal. Why are Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi not speaking about corruption? All govt. employees should be under Lokpal. In all party meeting our party will give letter to PM in support of Janlokpal. Either the current session should be extended or special session should be called for discussion on strong Lokpal."
Source: India Syndicate
11/12/2011

Anna ends fast, vows more anti-graft crusade

New Delhi: Social activist Anna Hazare Sunday vowed to continue his anti-corruption crusade, and if need be hold street protests and fill jails, till the government heeds the will of the people for a strong Lokpal law.
Addressing a huge gathering at Jantar Mantar after breaking his symbolic day-long fast, Hazarethreatened to intensify the stir by courting arrest if the government fails to pass a law in the winter session of parliament for a strong Lokpal that covers the entire bureaucracy and the prime minister under its purview. "The government should listen to the voice of the people. Agitation will continue for a strong Lokpal," said Hazare, flanked by leaders of various political parties who debated in favour of an effective ombudsman.

Hazare told the politicians -- including Arun Jaitley of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Brinda Karat of the Communist Party of India-Marxist and A.B. Bardhan of the Communist Party of India -- to fight for a strong Lokpal inside the parliament and force the government to pass an effective law.
"You fight inside parliament, we will fight outside. If the government disagrees you should join us in street protests," he said. "Come to the streets for a larger campaign. Let us see how the government does not listen to us."

He said if the Lokpal bill is not passed in the winter session, his supporters would intensify their protests and let themselves get arrested to fill the jails of India. "Not a single jail should be left empty, such will be our campaign," he said, to thunderous applause from his supporters.

The politicians earlier backed Hazare on having a strong ombudsman with the prime minister under its ambit but cautioned that he should be rigid about getting his version of the bill adopted. Hazare launched a bitter attack on the government saying it was "intoxicated" by power.

He reiterated his warning to the government to go on an indefinite fast from Dec 27 if it does not pass a strong Lokpal bill.
Source: IANS
Image Source:Reuters


Sharing Anna Hazare's platform, Opposition parties today backed his demands for inclusion of Prime Minister and lower bureaucracy under the ambit of Lokpal but some counselled Team Anna to be flexible and not expect every point raised by it to be accepted.

While almost all the speakers were on the same page on most of issues raised by Hazare, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan warned Team Anna against branding as "corrupt" those people who disagree with its views and asked the activists to "listen to others".

Leaders of BJP, CPI(M), CPI, JD(U), Akali Dal, TDP and BJD participated in the public debate on Lokpal Bill at Jantar Mantar, where Hazare was sitting on a one-day dharna protesting against Parliamentary Standing Committee report on the Lokpal Bill.

No representative of Congress was present.
Most of the leaders concurred with Hazare's demands for inclusion of Prime Minister, lower bureaucracy and CBI's anti-corruption wing under Lokpal but they did not favour bringing higher judiciary under the ombudsman and argued for a separate mechanism to check corruption in it.

Bardhan, however, said, "Team Anna should not expect that each and every point it makes is accepted. They should show some flexibility." "They should not think that the entire wisdom of the world is with 9-10 people. There is no dearth of scholars in a country of 120 crore. Team Anna should also listen to others and have patience to listen to others," he said.

DURBAN: UN climate talks today okayed a roadmap for a 2015 accord that will, for the first time, legally force all major carbon polluters to cut greenhouse gas emissions, a landmark move that followed days of wrangling between India and the EU over the language of the new deal.
The pact on tackling climate change — the agreement on which came after hard negotiations that ran 36 hours beyond schedule — must be completed by 2015 and will go into effect from 2020.
Talks on the new legal deal covering all countries will begin next year, when Kyoto Protocol expires.
The 194-party conference here agreed to the second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, the only legally binding treaty for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
The Kyoto Protocol sets binding targets for 37 industrialised nations and the EU to slash carbon emissions to 5 per cent below the 1990 levels by 2012.
Up to now, China and India have been exempt from any constraints because they are developing countries, while the US has opted out of the Kyoto Protocol.
During the conference here, which was originally scheduled to close on Friday, the EU had pushed hard for a "roadmap" to a new, legally binding treaty against fierce resistance from India and China, whose delegates argued that mandatory cuts would slow their growth and condemn millions to poverty.
"Am I to write a blank check and sign away the livelihoods and sustainability of 1.2 billion Indians, without even knowing what the EU 'roadmap' contains?" asked Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan. "Please do not hold us hostage." — PTI



Hitting out at Anna Hazare for criticising Rahul Gandhi, the Congress on Sunday accused Team Anna of playing politics.

"This is taking people to a wrong path. It's Anna Hazare's right to sit on fast, but the way he is pointing Sonia Gandhi and Rahul is just a political stunt. He is playing politics," Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said.

Anna Hazare on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh alleging that he was not able to take any decisions and no one listened to him. "Prime Minister wrote a letter to me saying he is ready to give powers to village panchayats but will he able to do that. He
has to keep silent or his ears will be cut.
"He is the Prime Minister but three-four other people too think they are Prime Ministers. He is not able to take decisions and no one listens to him," Hazare said addressing his supporters during his one-day fast for a strong Lokpal.

Hazare alleged that the Prime Minister does not take decision on 150 MPs who have criminal records.
"Then how will the country progress? He has become the Prime Minister but who will take decision. He does not take decisions...That is why we want the Right to Recall act. We want the right to reject candidates and recall them if they do not perform," he said.

The Gandhian said he wrote to the Prime Minister saying that the provision that allows non-auditing of donation less than Rs 20,000 should be withdrawn.
He said he was in favour of auditing of even one rupee donation. "Bring a law in this regard," he said.
He said people should be ready to go to jail. "There should be no place in any jail in the country," he said adding, "Why are you reluctant, you get breakfast and two square meal in jail?"

Calling upon youth to join the struggle, he said, "There are unemployed youth who are roaming in the country... Go to jail for bringing in a new law."
Hazare also said attempts were made to break his team but no efforts would succeed in creating rift in his team.


Politics News | Updated Dec 10, 2011 at 08:26am IST

UID in trouble as Home Ministry raises questions

Meetu Jain, CNN-IBN
Click to play video
New Delhi: The UPA government's Unique ID (UID) project has run into trouble after the Home Ministry raised questions about the security of data collected. A Parliamentary Standing Committee has also proposed a new bill in its place.
Sources say that this is a last ditch attempt at saving the UPA's favourite project.
CNN-IBN has accessed the planning commission's draft cabinet note pushing for the project. This despite a thumbs down from Parliament Standing Committee as well as the Home Ministry.
What the planning commission draft suggests
The draft by the planning commission suggest that the rules be amended so that it allows the Registrar General of India to accept UIDAI data.
The Planning Commission has also suggested the census exercise be completed without collecting biometrics.
The Home ministry, however, says the project is halfway through with biometrics already being collected in the coastal areas.
The cost of the project is also in question.
While the National population registrar will require nearly Rs 6650 crore to collect data of 1.12 billion people, the UIDAI will need nearly Rs 18,000 crore for the same exercise.
The home ministry views are already being echoed in Parliament.
MP Maneka Gandhi said, "I went to get my UID but someone else signed on my behalf."
The cost apart, the very project's future is in jeopardy with the Standing Committee calling for a new bill on UIDAI and that the present project is directionless and implementation faulty.
The Aadhar controversy started off with the home ministry questioning its unsecured data and it got worse with Parliament questioning the very basis of the UID project.
The cabinet note, however, shows the importance of the project. Not just the plan panel, but the Prime Minister's Office also attaches to the project despite mounting objections from not just the executive but the legislature as well.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter andGoogle+)
#UID #UPA #Home Ministry #Parliament Standing Committee #Nandan Nilekani
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/uid-in-trouble-as-home-ministry-raises-questions/210426-37-64.html

Forensic experts fail to collect evidence at AMRI
Forensic experts on Sunday could not collect evidence at the AMRI Hospital, where more than 90 persons lost their lives after inhaling toxic fumes from a devastating fire on Friday, as the basement where the fire started was still under several feet of water.

As the basement is still flooded, forensic experts could not go inside to collect evidence to ascertain the cause of the fire and what materials were stored there, police sources said.

The experts are expected to visit the hospital once again on Monday to carry out their investigations, the sources said.

The basement was still under a few feet of water and until it was drained out, investigation and collection of samples would not be possible.

The basement was flooded by the fire brigade personnel for cooling of the overheated basement and the walls and to ensure that no new fire started from any burning ember.

Six directors of AMRI Hospital have been arrested and sent to police custody for ten days after they were produced before a city court on Saturday.

An almost deserted AMRI Hospital, where more than 90 people have died in a devastating fire, wore a haunted look on Sunday as only a few patients remained at the facility.

Even as the annexe building, where the fire occurred, was sealed, there were only 18 patients at the unaffected main building, hospital sources said.

"At present there are only 18 patients at the main building, which has 182-bed capacity," the sources said.

While no new admission has been made since Friday's gruesome incident, most of the patients have been shifted to other hospitals in the city.
The deathly silence inside the hospital was broken only by the shrill ringing of bell by a fire tender.

Smoke was seen emanating from some parts of the debris and water jet from a fire tender was used to douse that, fire brigade officials said.

Hospital sources said that doctors and nurses were attending to the patients in the ITU and wards which were functioning properly.

However, operations were not being carried out as the old block did not have heart care or cathlab facilities.

Several people, however, gathered outside the hospital and placed wreaths and lit candles to pay respect to the hapless patients who died inhaling the poisonous smoke from the fire in the basement of the centrally-airconditioned seven-storied annexe building of the multi-speciality hospital.

A silent procession was taken out in the evening from in front of the hospital to pay respect to the dead and to protest the deaths of so many patients.

Actors from Tollywood and law school students took part in the procession holding candles from AMRI Hospital to nearby Ramakrishna Mission headquarters in front of which the candles were placed.

Anna Hazare ends fast, vows more anti-graft crusade!Civil Society Anna Brigade diverts the Nation as Ruling Zionist Brahaminical Hegemony is All Set for the FINAL Killing!Social activist Anna Hazare on a day-long fast here Sunday threatened to intensify his anti-corruption protests by courting arrest if the government fails to pass a law for a strong Lokpal in India. Hazare told the politicians - including Arun Jaitley of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Brinda Karat of theCommunist Party of India-Marxist and A.B. Bardhan of the Communist Party of India -- to fight for a strong Lokpal inside the parliament and force the government to pass an effective law.


Opposition political leaders on Sunday snapped at Arvind Kejriwal after he pressed them to make public their opinion on some of the key issues pertaining to Lokpal Bill during Anna Hazare's day-long agitation and asked him to leave the matter to Parliament for a decision.

As soon leaders finished their speeches during the activist's day-long dharna at Jantar Mantar, Kejriwal requested them to clear their position on specific issues relating to Lokpal like composition of selection committee, appointment of CBI director and grievance redressal mechanism for complaints against group C employees.

As Kejriwal was speaking, CPI leader D Raja took the microphone and asked him to leave the detailed discussions on the Lokpal Bill to Parliament.
Apparently unhappy with Kejriwal's proposal, BJP leader Arun Jaitley said all the leaders have already discussed the fundamental issues and agreed to most of the key demands of Team Anna.

"We have already discussed the fundamental issues pertaining to Lokpal. We gave our opinion on most of the sticking issues. We all agreed that there should be a strong and effective Lokpal and we will do our best to make it happen. But details on specific issues should be left to Parliament for discussion," said Jaitley.

A visibly upset BJD leader Pinaki Misra said the draft Bill prepared by the Parliamentary Standing Committee was not cast in stone and that it can be changed by Parliament when comes for discussion.

"The whole system cannot go backward. It will only go forward. The details can be discussed in Parliment," he said.

CPM leader Brindra Karat, resolving to do everything possible for a strong Lokpal, said the issues raised by Kejriwal can be discussed in details by lawmakers in Parliament.

As Anna Hazare held his day-long fast for a strong Lokpal Bill at Jantar Mantar, people protesting here for other causes were sore at being "ignored".

Agitators demanding Telangana statehood and those seeking solution to Mullaperiyar issue said that Hazare grabs all the limelight because he is eulogised in the media.

"Nobody cares to listen to us. Media has to be blamed for this. Although our causes are also important and need immediate attention, but it is Hazare who has been made a hero," says RB Kaul, working president of Vishwa Bauddha sangha fighting for separate Telangana.

Kaul who's protesting only 20 metres away from Hazare's stage said that till yesterday there were around 50 different stalls where people were protesting for causes such as solution to Mullaperiyar dam issue.

"They were all threatened by police or asked to vacate the venue since Hazare was to fast here. Is this the way? We have been fasting here since November 1, we have as much right to protest here as Hazare does," said Kaul.

Rajiv Khosla, of Mafia Unmoolan Samiti(MAUS), fighting against the concept of Jan Lokpal believes that since big NGOs are associated with Anna's movement, he was able to catch the attention of people and media alike.

"They have fundings from several NGOs and media frenzy provides incentives to people to join their agitation. Media too wants a posterboy whom they can sell in their stories, " Khosla said.

"People also think that Jan Lokpal is a magic wand which will remove corruption. If according to Hazare, government's version of Lokpal will increase corruption by 10 per cent, Jan Lokpal will increase it by 50 per cent," alleged Khosla.

India's Defence Strategy
After uranium nod, Australia may rejoin Indian naval drills
The two nations are in the process of building ties in maritime security, esp in the South and East China Seas & the Indian Ocean rim.
Social Media & Censorship
Kapil Sibal beware, social media can't be, and shouldn't be, policed
Sibal is not completely wrong, there is plenty of perverseness on SNWs. Question is, who should take it down? Users, hosts or govt?
FDI in Retail: Controversy & Fear
FDI in retail: Are commission agents really that bad?
If the arthiyas were to be got rid of from the fruit and vegetable trade, how easily could they be replaced? And what are the costs?
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/jantar-mantar-anna-hazares-pride-neighbours-envy/articleshow/11072246.cms

Noteworthy: Rs 500 minting up 17 fold in 10 yrs

Hemali Chhapia, TNN | Dec 11, 2011, 01.31AM IST
There has been a fundamental change in what is sitting in an Indian's wallet: it's got more peach-pink and moss-green than ever before. The appetite for the big bills - Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 - is growing furiously.

The figures tell the story. The number of Rs 500 notes minted across the country has grown almost 17 fold in the last decade, from 213 million pieces in 2000-2001 to 3,543 million pieces in 2009-10. The number of Rs 1,000 notes minted annually has grown nearly nine times, from 115 million in 2000-01 to 1,008 million in 2009-10.

Today, there are fewer notes of Rs 20 and Rs 50, whether individually or collectively, than the total number of Rs 500 notes out there. These notes have quietly disappeared from automated teller machines with the value of every cash withdrawal rising. "Growth in the value of banknotes outpaced that of volume, reflecting the continuing compositional shift towards higher denomination banknotes, particularly 1,000 and 500," the RBI said in its annual report.

RTI activist Manoranjan Roy, who sought information on the number of notes printed by the RBI, found that the big denomination notes are in huge demand.

Economist Ajit Ranade tried to explain the demand pointing at the near double-digit inflation for the last two years. "The same lifestyle today requires 10-20% more money." he said.

K Gayathri from the Institute of Social and Economic Change, Bangalore, added that the growing economy had put more money in people's hands, especially those from the manufacturing and service sectors. Consequently, spending too had gone up.

Companies that run ATMs too say they are stocking more money in the machine trays as the "average ticket size" (simply put, the one time withdrawal) has ballooned from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 approximately in the last three years. "Cost of living has gone up, the rise in our aspirations and desires push up demand for cash," said Mani Mamallan, chief marketing officer of C-H Technologies that manages ATMs for the State Bank of India.

Currency in circulation is the largest component of reserve money and is primarily determined by demand. "There was acceleration in currency in circulation in 2010-11 due to increased demand due to economic growth, high inflation and low yield on deposits," said RBI officials.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Noteworthy-Rs-500-minting-up-17-fold-in-10-yrs/articleshow/11064515.cms

"You fight inside parliament, we will fight outside. If the government disagrees you should join us in street protests," ANNA said.

He said if the Lokpal bill was not passed in the winter session, his supporters would intensify their protests and let themselves get arrested to fill the jails of India. "Not a single jail should be left empty," he said, to a thunderous applause from his supporters.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee that went into Lokpal, Abhishek Singhvi, today hit back at Team Anna for its comments that dissent outweighed consensus in the panel's report and said those who speak about democracy should learn principles of democratic discourse.

Singhvi said the Committee has given its report on 25 issues with overwhelming majority and on few issues there is dissent, asserting that "if parliament wants to legislate on the Anna model, it can obviously decide so."

"Let Arvind Kejriwal not try to fool the nation by suggesting that dissent outweighed consensus," Singhvi, also Congress spokesman, said.

He said the Parliamentary Committee decided on the basis that one Lokpal covering each and every employee with all powers over both corruption and citizens grievance redressal in exercising preliminary inquiry, investigation, prosecution and departmental powers would create excessive fusion of all powers in an institution making it not only an unmanageable mammoth behemoth but also intrinsically susceptible to exercise of arbitrary and absolute powers.

"This will be Team Anna's conception of Lokpal but it is not that of the committee. If parliament wants to legislate on the Anna model, it can obviously decide so," he said.

Singhvi said the show of support that political parties at today's rally was largely opportunistic since their dissent notes are already on record.

"We would like to remind Team Anna and some of its members who resort to personal rhetoric that they are not the arbiters of democratic discourse. It is time that those who spoke in the name of democracy begin to learn the elementary principle of democratic discourse," he said.

The politicians earlier backed Hazare on having a strong ombudsman with the prime minister under its ambit but cautioned him not to be rigid on his version of the bill.

"The government should listen to the voice of the people. Agitation will continue for a strong Lokpal," Hazare said in his brief speech at Jantar Mantar, the protest venue, in the presence of leaders of various political parties debating in favour of an effective ombudsman.

Social activist Anna Hazare Sunday vowed to continue his anti-corruption crusade, and if need be hold street protests and fill jails, till the government heeds the will of the people for a strong Lokpal law.


Addressing a huge gathering at Jantar Mantar after breaking his symbolic day-long fast, Hazare threatened to intensify the stir by courting arrest if the government fails to pass a law in the winter session of parliament for a strong Lokpal that covers the entire bureaucracy and the prime minister under its purview.


"The government should listen to the voice of the people. Agitation will continue for a strong Lokpal," said Hazare, flanked by leaders of various political parties who debated in favour of an effective ombudsman.


Hazare told the politicians -- including Arun Jaitley of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Brinda Karat of the Communist Party of India-Marxist and A.B. Bardhan of the Communist Party of India -- to fight for a strong Lokpal inside the parliament and force the government to pass an effective law.


"You fight inside parliament, we will fight outside. If the government disagrees you should join us in street protests," he said.


"Come to the streets for a larger campaign. Let us see how the government does not listen to us."


He said if the Lokpal bill is not passed in the winter session, his supporters would intensify their protests and let themselves get arrested to fill the jails of India.


"Not a single jail should be left empty, such will be our campaign," he said, to thunderous applause from his supporters.


The politicians earlier backed Hazare on having a strong ombudsman with the prime minister under its ambit but cautioned that he should be rigid about getting his version of the bill adopted.


He thanked the youth in particular for coming out in large numbers for the day-long agitation.


Hazare launched a bitter attack on the government saying it was "intoxicated" by power.


He reiterated his warning to the government to go on an indefinite fast from Dec 27 if it does not pass a strong Lokpal bill.

Facing attack on Lokpal issue, Congresstoday accused Anna Hazare of insulting Parliament with his campaign at Jantar Mantar and said it was nothing but coming together of detractors of the party and the government.

"Whatever has happened at Jantar Mantar is premature and they should have waited for the final shape of Lokpal Bill which would be passed by Parliament," party spokesman Rashid Alvi said.

"Laws cannot be made at Jantar Mantar. I have no hesitation in saying that Annaji is insulting Parliament," Alvi said, adding that the activist has had his say and should now allow Parliament to carry out its mandate.

He accused Hazare of indulging in politics by attacking Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi.

"It is the Constitutional right of Annaji to sit on protest, but the manner in which he is trying to target Rahulji and Soniaji makes it clear that he only wants to indulge in politics," he said.

His remarks came soon after several political parties, including BJP, Left parties, BJD shared dias with Hazare and backed Team Anna's key proposals for a strong Lokpal.

"It was an assembly of anti-Congress organisations. Nothing has happened beyond our expectations," Alvi said.

He warned against exerting "unnecessary pressure" on any isuse.

The Congress leader pointed out that Parliament was not bound to accept every suggestion of the Standing Committee and at the same time it go beyond its recommendations.

He contended that there were inherent contradictions in Hazare's utterance when he exhorts every institution to work independently and at the same time expects the government or the Congress to influence the Standing Committee to accept the activist's version of Lokpal.

CHANDIGARH: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is keen that the office of the PM is included under the purview of Lokpal, Union Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said here today.


"The Prime Minister is keen that his office should be included under the purview of Lokapal," he told reporters.


The Parliamentary Affairs Minister said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh upholds principles of integrity in public life.


Referring to the report of Parliament's Standing Committee on Lokpal bill, he said all concerns would be addressed. "Change in bill will be done in a harmonious manner," he said.


On protests by some parties on Lokpal bill, he said, "They just want to show they are against corruption. Their (political parties) double standards are not acceptable."


He also said there was need to bring amendments in the existing laws on corruption.


Referring to BJP steps against Lokpal, he said that it was politically motivated. "Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi wants that the Lokpal should get constitutional status," he said.


Bansal said the BJP had failed to understand the Lokpal bill. "I feel sorry that socialist Anna Hazare is opposed to the present form of Lokpal bill...Anna must come forward with his suggestions...Parliament is not irrelevant," he said.


"Wait for three to four days for an all party meeting's consensus on Lokpal bill," he said, adding all political parties were committed to fight corruption.


He said there were over 30 lakh government employees under class D service. "If these employees are put under Lokpal it will become difficult to give a judgement," he said.


On judiciary to be part of Lokpal, he said, "Wait for the amendment to come in Lokpal."


He said the Centre was committed to pass the Lokpal bill in this session itself.


On Anna's fast in Delhi, he said if he was only fighting against corruption, he was welcome.


He lashed out at the BJP for allegedly denigrating the prime minister's office. "I pity on BJP," he added.

Anna Hazare should focus only on corruption: Supporters


While Anna Hazare may have widened the scope of his agitation to include issues like electoral reforms and public-flogging of alcoholics, a section of his supporters at Jantar Mantar feel that the Gandhian should only concentrate on the core issue of corruption.


Madhu Thakur, a 65-year-old businessman from Golf link area of the capital, claims to have been a part of Hazare's anti-corruption movement from the very beginning.


"I have supported Anna everytime, but he should be focusing on corruption. Isn't it irrelevant and unnecessary to demand flogging of alcoholics or for that matter electoral reforms?


"Law and order can take care of that. Hazare should deal with corruption, the issue for which hundreds are supporting him," Thakur said.


"One can come up with a number of issues in this country but the need of the hour is to demand a strong Lokpal bill. If this demand is fulfilled it would anyway solve 90 per cent problems of the country. Everything else will follow," opines P K Verma, a retired defence officer from Haridwar.


Amit Pandey , a research scholar in the Chemistry department of Delhi University, however, supports the Gandhian's demand for public flogging of alcoholics.


"You have to see his intention, while his old-age may have been the factor behind these remarks but his basic intention was right," he said.


A group of Delhi University students said, "Anna ji should take the youth along. If he gives such statements like flogging and all, then he is in a danger of isolating the youth from the movement".

Politics News | Updated Dec 11, 2011 at 09:36pm IST

Anna grabs Opposition support, raises battle pitch

Seemi Pasha, CNN-IBN
New Delhi: It is a head-to-head battle now between social activist Anna Hazaare and Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi. On his day-long fast at Jantar Mantar, the anti corruption crusader made it clear that it was Rahul Gandhi who is responsible for Lokpal deadlock.
Anna said, "When the Prime Minister has given in writing... then who can be behind that. it is Rahul Gandhi. Who else can influence? I think who has the courage to influence or to go against?"
Anna's return to Jantar Mantar this time had strong political overtones. Joining him on the stage were BJP's Arun Jaitely, CPIM's Brinda Karat and other leaders from the Opposition.

IBNLive

But it was clear that they were simply interested in using this platform to embarras the already embattled UPA.
Arun Jaitely said the "sense of house was ignored" and demanded that the Prime Minister and lower bureaucracy be brought under Lokpal ambit.
Brinda Karat said, "Anna's andolan shows the strength of the people. Though we do not agree that all politicians are corrupt, I hope Team Anna will do think of this."
The Congress may have chosen not to come for this public debate but the pressure was clearly showing.
Union Minister Pawan Bansal said, "The politicians who are sharing the dais with Anna have been stalling Parliament."
CNN-IBN has learnt that a cabinet meeting has been called on December 19. There is a likelihood of the government conceding the demand of Team Anna on inclusion of the Prime Minister with a few riders under Lokpal.
Even Group C and D employees could ultimately be put under the Lokpal.
Anna has spelt out clearly - either it's his way or he is already preparing for another round at Ramlila Maidan by the month end - a prospect the government would best like to avoid.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter andGoogle+)
#Anna Hazare #Token Fast #Jantar Mantar #Jan Lokpal Bill #Manmohan SIngh#Team Anna #Parliament #Rahul Gandhi #BJP #Congress
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/anna-grabs-oppn-support-raises-battle-pitch/210927-37-64.html
11/12/2011

For people in Imphal, the state is a failure

Ibungochoubi Ningthoukhongjam, 49, owns five mobile phones, not because he is a gadget freak but to ensure he does not lose contact during an emergency, as one cannot count on the erratic telecommunication network in the Manipuri capital plagued by months of civil unrest and supply blockages.
"Carrying five mobile phones is cumbersome. The extremely poor mobile connection forces a person like me to keep them. When the diesel supply won't reach the gensets in mobile towers, how can you expect uninterrupted communication? This state is a failure," Ningthoukhongjam told a visiting IANS correspondent.
There are many like Ningthoukhongjam, who are languishing in Manipur which is riddled with decade-old ethnic clashes, insurgency, sporadic economic blockades and the clamped under the much hated Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
The recent 121-day economic blockade, brought about by a dispute between the Nagas and the Kuki tribes over the creation of a new administrative district, literally brought the entire state to its knees by pushing prices of essential commodities sky-high. The blockade led to severe shortage of essentials, petroleum products and cooking gas cylinders, besides medicines and machines, causing untold misery to Manipur residents.
Even on normal days, life in Imphal comes to a standstill after 5 p.m. All you can see on the deserted roads are stray dogs and police vehicles.
Shops too down shutters after 5 p.m. in this city of around 250,000 people. Venturing out alone, without any plausible reason, may be foolhardy as you or your vehicle may draw unnecessary attention of the armed forces, who dot the roads, and who can ask you to produce your identity cards.
However, with their gritty determination, people have come to terms with life here. They don't bemoan the bandhs, curfews, economic blockades or other travails of life in verdant and panoramic Manipur, home to some 2.7 million people.
"We don't complain any more as there is nothing much you can do as the state government is sleeping and the centre does not care. Movement for secession is bound to rear its head as Manipur has been forgotten by the government of India," a local told IANS, refusing to be named.
The students from upper middle class families go to other parts of the country to pursue higher education.
"Anyone who wants to pursue good education cannot do so in Manipur as, due to the numerous bandhs, education gets disrupted," said Nintagmba, who is studying in Delhi.
The prevalence of drug use is very high in this state bordering Myanmar, from where opium and other narcotics are smuggled here.
Many youngsters and middle-aged people in the state are in the grip of substance abuse.
"Seeing the present state of affairs in Manipur, it does not seem that the situation will improve even after 10 years. You cannot expect a miracle when nothing has changed over the decades," said 44-year-old Imphal resident Rakesh.
Source: IANS
11/12/2011

Children of lesser god living it out on the streets

Fourteen-year-old Gudiya gets up at the crack of dawn and immediately gets on to work. Empty stomach, she walks the capital streets and around dump yards carrying a tent house of a bag on her frail shoulders to pick rags -- all for a day's meal.
LEFT: 15-year-old Ganesh smiles for the camera as he carries on with his work in Connaught Place in central Delhi. RIGHT: A young ragpicker putting together the recyclable material he collected from the capital streets.
She is among the several thousands of street children who go through trash heaps day in and out to collect material that can be recycled.
"Digging rubbish and filth is fine. What else I can do to earn a living? One of the major problems I face is abuses from men, beggars on streets and even policewallahs," says Gudiya.
Her friend Manu, 10, taking a deep drag of beedi, says he had to run away from his home in Bihar to escape his drug-addict father who often "used to beat me for silly reasons".
According to a 2010 survey by Save the Children, an NGO working for children, as many as 51,000 children live on the streets of the national capital.
The figure comprises of 'street-working children' who return home on a regular basis, 'street-living children' who live on the streets but not with their families, and children who live on the streets with their families.
These children can be easily spotted at every bend and corner of capital streets, especially in Okhla, Rangpuri Pahari in south Delhi, Tughlaqabad in central Delhi, and Bhalswa Dairy and Jahangirpuri areas in north Delhi.
"Children who live alone on streets are vulnerable to exploitation and face abuses, be it sexual or verbal. Several of them later in their life become addicted to drugs and turn into criminals," Surinder Sharma, a counsellor, said.
Speaking to IANS, Sanjay Gupta, director of NGO Chetna, said: "In Delhi alone, several thousands of children are living on the streets. The police turn a blind eye to the soaring crime against these children. Police, who on many occasions treat these kids as accused, often hesitate to take action to curb crime against them."
Brushing aside the NGO's claim, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Protection Unit for Women and Child) Suman Nalwa said: "It is totally false. Delhi Police are working with many renowned NGOs and social workers to give care and protection to children living on the streets."
Ananthapriya Subramanian of Save the Children says it's high time the government took appropriate and effective measures to rehabilitate the children living and working off streets.
Unfortunately, the Delhi government's plan to set up around 40 centres for street and working children, under the National Child Labour Project (NCLP), still remains a non-starter.
"The Delhi government thought of coming up with 40 centres to provide shelter, education and other facilities to around 30,000 working children who live off the streets in the city. The project is still pending since we lack financial assistance. We're waiting for the central government's aid," Labour and Industries Minister Ramakant Goswami told IANS.
However, Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DPCR) chairman Amod Kanth said: "The funds are lying with the Delhi government, but still there is a delay in implementation of this programme."
"Generally, there is a poor regard to child-related projects by the government. Though the labour ministry is keen to support and voluntary organisations are ready to help, nothing is being done. I am not able to understand the real cause for the delay in implementing the project, which benefits thousands of children," Kanth added.
The sad part, according to Brinda Viswas, a volunteer working with an NGO, is that these children are made to cough up a major portion of their earnings to gang leaders or lower-rung policemen. "On an average, a child earns around Rs.2,000 a month."
Even as NGOs and policy-makers debate action plans to rehabilitate the street children, thousands like Gudiya and Manu sleep near piles of rags when temperature dips well below 10 degrees Celsius during chilly winter nights.
Source: IANS


Politics News | Updated Dec 11, 2011 at 08:24pm IST

Anna Hazare accuses PM, Rahul, PC at one-day fast

CNN-IBN
New Delhi: Social activist Anna Hazare asked the nation to join him in his fight to get a strong Lokpal as he end his one-day fast protesting against the Parliamentary Standing Committee report on Lokpal Bill at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday.
The social activist also threatened to intensify his anti-corruption protests by courting arrest if the government fails to pass a law for a strong Lokpal in India.
"The government should listen to the voice of the people. Agitation will continue for a strong Lokpal," Anna said in his speech at Jantar Mantar.
Why is the Prime Minister silent: Anna
Hosting a political debate in front of thousands of supporters, Anna also launched a direct attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and called him weak and powerless.
"The Prime Minister wrote a letter to me saying he is ready to give powers to village panchayats but will he able to do that. He has to keep silent or his ears will be cut. He is the Prime Minister but three, four other people too think they are Prime Ministers. He is not able to take decisions and no one listens to him," Anna said.
Hazare alleged that the Prime Minister does not take a decision on 150 MPs who have criminal records. "Then how will the country progress? He has become the Prime Minister but who will take decision. He does not take decisions. That is why we want the Right to Recall act. We want the right to reject candidates and recall them if they do not perform," he said.
The Gandhian said he wrote to the Prime Minister saying that the provision that allows non-auditing of donation less than Rs 20,000 should be withdrawn. He said he was in favour of auditing of even one Rupee donation. "Bring a law in this regard," he said.
He said people should be ready to go to jail. "There should be no place in any jail in the country," he said adding, "Why are you reluctant when you get breakfast and two square meal in jail?"
Calling upon youth to join the struggle, he said, "There are unemployed youth who are roaming in the country... Go to jail for bringing in a new law."
Hazare also said attempts were made to break his team but no efforts would succeed in creating rift in his team.
Anna told the politicians - including Arun Jaitley of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Brinda Karat of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and AB Bardhan of the Communist Party of India (CPI) - to fight for a strong Lokpal inside the Parliament and force the government to pass an effective law.
The politicians earlier backed Anna on having a strong ombudsman with the prime minister under its ambit but cautioned him not to be rigid on his version of the bill.
Chidambaram behind my arrest: Anna
Anna also hit out at Home Minister P Chidambaram, accusing him of getting him arrested during his hunger strike in August. "Who was behind my arrest? Chidambaram was behind it. If the nation gets home ministers like him what will happen to the country," Hazare thundered.
Hazare was arrested on August 16 from Delhi after he refused to call off his fast in violation of prohibitory orders imposed around the fast venue.
Anna said Chidambaram had also ordered the June crackdown against Baba Ramdev at the Ramlila ground.
One day in a hut is not enough: Anna on Rahul Gandhi
Taking on Rahul Gandhi, Anna said he aspires to be the Prime Minister but spending "one day" in a hut is just not enough. "I don't have any fight with Rahul Gandhi. He is also young man. He dreams of becoming the Prime Minister. But spending one day in a hut is not enough. He has to spend months doing it," Anna said.
Anna also accused the AICC General Secretary of being the person behind the watering down of the Lokpal report. "When the Prime Minister has given in writing... then who can be behind that. it is Rahul Gandhi. Who else can influence? I think who has the courage to influence or to go against?" Anna said.
Join my fight: Anna to Opposition
Even as the Congress chose to stay away, the Left, the BJP and other parties spoke out their stand on the Lokpal Bill, sharing stage with anti-corruption activist on Sunday. While the political parties flayed the government and the Parliamentary Standing Committee for preparing a weak Lokpal draft, some of them also appealed to Anna and his team to be flexible in their approach towards the bill.
CPI leader AB Bardhan advised Team Anna to be flexible and listen to other voices as well and not demand that Parliament pass their Jan Lokpal Bill in totality. "The issue is in Parliament let there be debate in Parliament," he said.
BJP leader Arun Jaitley on Sunday said that the Lokpal Bill draft prepared by the Parliamentary Standing Committee is a betrayal to the people of the country as it ignores the sense of the House resolution passed in August this year.
There is no difference between a debate in Parliament or on the street. Country needs an independent and strong Lokpal," said Jaitley.
On the inclusion of CBI under Lokpal, Jaitley said, "CBI should be independent. CBI top officials' appointment should be independent of Government. CBI's administrative control should be under Lokpal."
Brinda Karat from CPI(M) said that the Prime Minister should be included under the ambit of Lopkal. "Anna's andolan shows the strength of the people. Though we do not agree that all politicians are corrupt, I hope Team Anna will do think of this," she said.
JD (U) president Sharad Yadav said that no body has the right to change the Sense of the House on Lokpal. "The sense of house must be honoured. Neither the government, not Team Anna can violate that. We will see that it will be honoured," he said.
Samajwadi Party General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav alleged that Standing Committee acted under pressure. "Samajwadi Party is with Team Anna on most of their demands. There should be reservation in search committees. We will pressurise government to accept at least the most important parts of the recommendations," Yadav said.
With Additional Inputs from PTI and IANS
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter andGoogle+)
#Anna Hazare #P Chidambaram #Manmohan Singh #Rahul Gandhi #Team Anna#Jan Lokpal Bill #Jantar Mantar #Token Fast #Parliament #Congress #BJP #CPI#CPI(M) #SP
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/annas-fast-ends-parties-reveal-lokpal-stand/210909-37-64.html

9 DEC, 2011, 07.02AM IST, ET BUREAU

India Inc fears populist measures and higher fiscal deficit as general elections approach


Thomas Cook (India) Ltd.

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MUMBAI: India Inc is in a fretful mood. Businesses fear that reforms will be pushed back till the next elections. While some hope that the government may flirt with a few measures after the Uttar Pradesh polls, there are unsaid concerns that populism will surge and fiscal deficit may shoot as the country approaches thegeneral elections. Are companies changing tack as they read the writing on the wall?


"It will be a long pause before the next elections. On every count, the process of making infrastructure investments has been decelerated," says Ravi Uppal, CEO & MD of L&T Power. Uppal, whose company makes supercritical power turbines and boilers, puts the onus of the current dismal scenario on policy impediments, cost of funds, non-availability of coal blocks and environment policies.


"It is our own making. The government is not taking decisions," rues Uppal - a lament that can be heard across boardrooms of many corporates. India's doughty businessmen have seen such harsh times before and have learnt from their past experiences. The common buzzword across corridors of corporate India is to stay in cash and be cautious.


Ajay Piramal, who sold his pharma business that he built from scratch to Abbott Laboratories for $3.72 billion in May 2010, is biding his time by investing driblets of cash in his triedand-tested real estate business and also reinvesting cash surpluses in inter-corporate deposits.


"There is a move to introduce land acquisition bill. This could come in the way of big projects. In Mumbai, new real estate projects are not getting approval. We do not know what the new policy for drug pricing will be like," says Piramal, chairman of Piramal Healthcare. It's evident that the largesse from the Abbott deal will stay parked in the bank for some time. "We are becoming more careful about our future investments these days," he added.

*

It is not veterans like him alone who are conservative these days, but even first-generation entrepreneurs are holding their horses. A few kilometres away from Piramal's headquarters, the mood is cautious in the office of Indiabulls, which has been a brash entrant in Mumbai's property and financial market.


In 2008, Indiabulls was on a treacherous ground having overleveraged itself. "We are significantly better prepared this time," says Gagan Banga, chief executive of Indiabulls Financial Services. The firm has power and real estate projects worth Rs 30,000 crore under various stages of development. It has moved out of some of the more risky ventures and is focusing on mortgages.


A sense of impatience is palpable among some of the bigger houses. Mahindra & Mahindra, which has been promised some concessions along with other auto firms, wants some quick solutions. "Frankly we will have to take a very aggressive stand, if the solution is not in our favour," says Pawan Goenka, M&M's president (automotive). If the benefits offered by the Maharashtra government are reasonable enough, the company will go ahead with the proposed investment in Chakan Phase II. "But if it is not in our favour, we will have to keep all our options open," says Goenka.


At KEC, an infrastructure engineering, procurement and construction company belonging to the RPG group, the top priority is avoiding immediate pitfalls rather than thinking of a three-year business plan.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/india-inc-fears-populist-measures-and-higher-fiscal-deficit-as-general-elections-approach/articleshow/11038689.cms

5 DEC, 2011, 04.15AM IST, NIDHI NATH SRINIVAS,ET BUREAU

New green revolution: Producer comapnies help farmers reap profits

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NEW DELHI: Farmers are joining India Inc in mind, body and spirit. In a quiet revolution underway across the countryside, growers are setting up companies, replete with balance sheets, professional CEOs, board of directors, and income tax returns.

By pooling together the land and produce of their shareholders, these companies are signing lucrative deals with large retail chains, food companies and exporters keen to establish reliable supply chains. As many as 200 companies have been formed by farmers from different parts of the country and another 100 are likely to be set up by March next year.

With an average 1,000 members, more than 2 lakh farmers are now shareholders in what are known as 'producer companies' under the Companies Act. "It was a job offer like any other in the market," said Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, managing director, Devbhumi Natural Products Ltd, based in Uttrakhand, with 2,200 shareholders.

The company exports certified organic honey and also supplies silk and other produce to Fab India, the clothing and home furnishing chain.

"Agri-business enterprises are increasingly looking for direct tie-up with farmers to source agricultural produce. Producer companies are an important solution for aggregation and quality management," said Bhaskar Reddy, director, Ficci.

"The trigger was an amendment to the Companies Act in 2004 to allow producer companies," said Pravesh Sharma, managing director, Small Farmers Agri-Business Consortium, under the ministry of agriculture, which has given seed capital to 400 producer groups and helps negotiate bank finance.

But registrations gathered steam only recently when farmers realised the value of economies of scale and collective negotiation in a more market-driven agriculture. Most companies are located in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

"Organised retail is doubling its share every three years or so and is likely to play an increasingly important role in influencing the nature of agricultural markets in the coming decade. Farmer-owned companies demonstrate the benefits of aggregation of production base and produce at a time when 83% of the land holdings are owned by small and marginal farmers," he added.

Producer companies offer farmers several benefits. They allow growers to formulate a collective production and marketing strategy in line with customer requirement, negotiate better terms with buyers, buy inputs such as seeds and chemicals in bulk, and receive technical guidance at their doorstep.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/new-green-revolution-producer-comapnies-help-farmers-reap-profits/articleshow/10986833.cms

11 DEC, 2011, 11.12AM IST, WRITANKAR MUKHERJEE & TV MAHALINGAM,ET BUREAU

AMRI fire: Will it impact the future of Emami & Shrachi brands?

AMRI fire: Will it impact the future of Emami & Shrachi brands?

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It's a tragedy that has left the country shocked and the business community in Kolkata numb. "Both Emami and Shrachi are revered corporates in Kolkata and this incident [the hospital fire in the city that killed 90 people] will not only impact their health-care plans, but can even risk their core businesses. It's a really sad and unfortunate day for West Bengal's commercial scene," says a city's prominent industrialist, requesting anonymity.


Questions abound in the Kolkata business community about the future of these business groups. Will these groups ever be the same again? What will be the impact on their non-health-care businesses? Right now, there are not too many bright answers.


For decades, Emami and Shrachi have been the pillars of Kolkata's business community. Take Emami, one of the few corporates from the state to take on MNC giants like Reckitt Benckiser nationally in the hypercompetitive FMCG space. In the past decade, its FMCG business has grown five times from `247.28 crore in 2001-02 to Rs 12,77.78 crore in 2010-11. Founded by two childhood friends, RS Agarwal and R S Goenka, Emami was started in 1974 with a modest capital of Rs 20,000.


The Rs 1,000-crore Shrachi group, on the other hand, has local roots and is a mover in Kolkata's real estate business. The Todis of Shrachi have a joint venture with the West Bengal government to develop subsidised housing projects across the state.


Emami and Shrachi entered the health-care space around 1996 when they joined hands to acquire the majority stake in a polyclinic owned by the West Bengal government. Eventually, the facility became popular and tied up with Apollo Hospitals Group for a management contract, and was run as AMRI Apollo Hospital. However, the contract expired when Apollo invested in its own facility in the city and Emami-Shrachi combine started running the show some 7-8 years ago.


Since then, AMRI has grown dramatically. In 2005, AMRI set up their second facility behind the existing one, a super-speciality 190-bed hospital. In 2006, the group acquired a 184-bed speciality hospital in Salt Lake. In February 2011, AMRI launched a speciality women and child-care hospital in Kolkata.


AMRI is 66% owned by Emami, 32% by Shrachi, and the balance 2% by the state government. The company has a turnover of around Rs 250 crore and operates around 800 beds through five hospitals in Kolkata.


In West Bengal, AMRI had plans to further expand by setting up a 500-bed hospital in the city's eastern fringes in Rajarhat. It is also setting up a 100-bed facility in Burdwan and another 250-bed unit in Siliguri. Emami and Shrachi also hoped to take AMRI brand national and take on the likes of Apollo, Fortis and Max. A Rs 2,000-crore investment outlay over the next few years was drawn up.


AMRI was about to unveil a 300-bed multi-speciality unit in Bhubaneswar and had plans for two more hospitals in Ranchi and Raipur. It was recently among the frontrunners to buy Ahmedabad's Sterling Hospitals, but decided against increasing its Rs 640-crore bid offer after a foreign health-care group topped the bid.


More stories from this edition of Weekly News Brief


Politics News | Posted on Dec 10, 2011 at 10:32am IST

Need to teach politicians a lesson: Anna Hazare

CNN-IBN
Ralegan Siddhi/New Delhi: Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Saturday left for the national capital from his hometown Ralegan Siddhi to sit on a day-long fast at the Jantar Mantar on Sunday.
Before leaving Ralegan Siddhi, Anna addressed mediapersons, saying his movement was the second struggle for independence.
He also said that the politicians were greedy for money and power.
"This is the second struggle for independence. Politicians in their greed for money and power have turned corrupt. We have to teach them a lesson," he said.
Following his day-long fast on Sunday, the anti-corruption crusader will from December 27 sit on a longer fast if a strong Lokpal bill is not passed.
"I will sit on a day-long fast tomorrow. But will sit on a longer fast from 27 December," said Anna.
This comes a day after the Parliament Standing Committee tabled its Lokpal Bill draft report with 16 dissent notes, which failed to impress Team Anna and the Opposition who rubbished the report.
Team Anna has invited all political parties to debate on the anti-corruption Bill before the people during the rally on Sunday.
Anna has called Parliamentary Standing Committee's Lokpal draft report an insult to the Prime Minister's promise.
Not just that, he also targeted Rahul Gandhi saying, "This is a betrayal, Rahul Gandhi must be behind this. They said they would introduce a strong bill but this is a weak effort. The Prime Minister had written to me about three issues, Pranab Mukherjee passed that on to the Lokpal Committee and now they say that they didn't receive it. Is this how a government functions?"
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter andGoogle+)
#Anna Hazare #Teal Anna #Lokpal Bill #Lokpal #Lokpal draft
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/need-to-teach-politicians-a-lesson-anna-hazare/210474-37-64.html

11 DEC, 2011, 08.18AM IST, SUNANDA PODUWAL & KAMYA JAISWAL,ET BUREAU

Technological beasts like Facebook, Orkut, YouTube & Google impossible to control

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They were places that let you be: to chat with buddies, exchange photos and plan parties. The rules of engagement were loose, voyeurism passed off as curiosity, vanity as sharing and gibes as friendly banter.

Becoming the voice of a generation was never the agenda. Neither was toppling governments or inciting riots. But technological beasts are impossible to tame. And social networking sites (SNWs), made up of millions of lives, have morphed into the most unpredictable monster yet.

What started as online hangouts, have become a melting pot of opinions and ideas. Facebook, Orkut,YouTube and Google+, enjoy power of the collective, bolstered by technology that allows real-time interaction and blurs physical distances. The effect has shaken up the world: Wall Street to West Asia.

Little wonder parts of the Indian establishment also seem worried. They don't know what to make of a few thousand people who publicly "hate" a political leader, trash a public policy in tweets or support the conventionally profane.

But the government ought to have been smarter than to call the biggest social media intermediaries, Yahoo, Google, Facebook and Microsoft, into a closed door meeting and force stricter rules. The news leaked, and the beast became angry. Social network users have gone into a frenzy to protect their rights.

Kapil Sibal, communications minister, held a press conference to highlight the kind of user-content that the government opposes. He clarified the government wants pre-screening not censoring. But SNW followers have paid no heed. For any external control taints the idea of an online hangout.

But one can't wish away perverseness. And Sibal is not completely wrong, there is plenty of it on SNWs. The question is, who should take it down? Users, hosts or the government?

Extra Rules Not Required

The country has not been running without cyber laws. So why invent new ones for the social media? "Rules are already in place, the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Information Technology Rules, 2011, which allow anyone, including the government, to take a legal recourse," says Pawan Duggal, advocate in the Supreme Court of India and a cyber law expert.

Section 2(1) of IT Act defines an "intermediary" as any person who on behalf of another person receives, stores or transmits a message or provides any service with respect to that message. By this definition, an intermediary is just a messenger. SNWs, internet service providers and web hosts fall in this category.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/technological-beasts-like-facebook-orkut-youtube-google-impossible-to-control/articleshow/11062088.cms

11 DEC, 2011, 01.32PM IST, AVINASH CELESTINE,ET BUREAU

FDI in retail: Are commission agents really that bad?

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A few days before the government stopped foreign investment in retail dead in its tracks, ET on Sunday caught up with A Mohammad, a commission agent or arthiya at the fruit and vegetable mandi in Okhla in south Delhi.


Such agents are essentially dealers, who buy produce from the farmers and then supply them to everyone, from hotels to the neighbourhood vegetable seller. An executive in an agribusiness company who deals with Mohammad described him as one of the two biggest dealers of carrots in the mandi. "Together, these two arthiyas dominate the trade in carrots," said the executive.


Okhla mandi is much smaller than the giant Azadpurmandi situated in north of Delhi, but it still handles thousands of kilos of vegetables and fruits per day, which pour in by trucks from all parts of India. But to look at him, you wouldn't think Mohammad (everyone in the business calls him Pappu) dominates much of anything. He's the kind of person who you would pass by on any street without a second glance.


When ET on Sunday asked him about his thoughts on the new policy on FDI in retail (still undead at the time), Mohammad said: "I am illiterate. I don't know much about these things." When prodded he did confess to being worried about the new FDI policy, but he actually seemed barely concerned.


Squeezing Both Sides


It is Mohammad, and his fellow arthiyas in Okhla, Azadpur and hundreds of other agricultural markets in the country who are the poster boys for much that is wrong with the trade in agricultural produce, and the reason why foreign investment in retail, or organised retail is needed.


They are accused of contributing to an enormous wastage of produce, and underinvesting in critical market infrastructure such as cold chains which prolong the life of otherwise perishable commodities. They are also seen as squeezing both sides, paying farmers a low price for their produce, holding onto a fat margin, and forcing consumers to pay high prices (officially, the arthiyas in Delhi take a 5% commission on what they buy, with a further 1% being paid as tax to the mandi).


By reaching out and procuring directly from the farmer, by investing in the necessary infrastructure, and by the ability to process large volumes, the big retail chains, whether a Reliance Fresh or a Walmart, would be able to cut out the many intermediaries (anywhere between four and seven) in the current flow of food from farm to a consumer's plate. Farmers would get a higher price and consumers would still be charged lower prices for the goods they buy.


If there is one aspect of the retail trade where this vision of the future will probably be most tested, it will be in the marketing of fruits and vegetables. It is here that the problems of the agricultural trade are starkest, sharp price spikes in one year (or even over a few months), followed by sharp price falls, and high levels of perishability and wastage of produce.

More stories from this edition of Sunday ET


http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/services/retailing/fdi-in-retail-are-commission-agents-really-that-bad/articleshow/11061530.cms

11 DEC, 2011, 10.49AM IST, BIBEK DEBROY,

Assessing Manmohan Singh: He was never a true reformist by instinct


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Rare is the person who reads Robert Browning now. He wrote a poem titled "The Patriot" and it begins, "It was roses, roses, all the way, /With myrtle mixed in my path like mad." Somewhere down the line, the poem says, "And you see my harvest, what I reap, /This very day, now a year is run."


It has been more than a year now, seven years if one counts from 2004. As prime minister, Manmohan Singh(let's call him MMS) is most likely on his way out, once the Congress figures out the exit policy.


Since clamours for removal have emanated from within the Congress too, we aren't talking about 2014. More like 2012. As PM, the MMS legacy has been the nuclear deal, aborted peace initiatives with Pakistanand part-aborted agreements with Bangladesh. But MMS is an economist. As FM, he is the one who liberalised the economy in 1991 and reminded us about an idea (reforms) whose time has come.


Rao, Not Singh To put it mildly, the economy is in a shambles now. Reforms most likely are on permanent pause. The sound and fury over FDI in retail amounted to nothing. During UPA-I, we had RTI and NREG. The rest was a legacy. During UPA-II, we have Right to Education and may have Right to Food. As a reformer, lauded by the external world and urban India, I doubt MMS will be proud of this legacy.


But should we be surprised? We have conjured up an image of MMS as the original reforming FM. There are several problems with this identification. First, MMS wasn't PV Narasimha Rao's original choice as FM. IG Patel was, though that is neither here nor there. Second, the credit for those reforms should largely go to Rao, though the Congress conveniently chose to ignore this later. Indeed, MMS also distanced himself from Rao, though that too is perhaps neither here nor there, except that it reveals some of MMS' personal attributes. The point is, any FM in 1991 would have had to introduce those reforms. The agenda was known. The blueprint was known.


All of these had been firmed up by the end of 1990. All that remained was for FM to read out the speech. MMS wasn't the engineer or the architect. At best, he was the contractor.


Third, MMS may have been an economist once. But for years and years, he was a laterally inducted bureaucrat. A requisite characteristic of a successful bureaucrat is lack of conviction, economic, political or ideological.


You need to be malleable. And MMS was successful at that. It isn't generally known that the "garibi hatao" slogan was thought of by MMS. Therefore, we have ourselves conjured up this 'father of reforms' image and MMS chose to go along.


Honest, But... Part of the image also concerns honesty. Honesty is a relative expression. I have been severely reprimanded by an MP for calling MPs and politicians dishonest. I have been advised to call them differently honest and there is a grain of truth in that.


More stories from this edition of Sunday ET


http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/guest-writer/assessing-manmohan-singh-he-was-never-a-true-reformist-by-instinct/articleshow/11061385.cms

Durban climate talks end, new global climate change regime from 2020

Nitin Sethi, TNN | Dec 11, 2011, 10.35PM IST
Executive Director of Congress of Parties (COP17) Christiana Figueres gestures to South African Foreign Affairs Minister and President of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) Maite Nkoana-Mashabane (R) during the final press conference on the final day of negotiations of the COP17 Climate Change Conference at International Convention Centre in Durban today.

New Delhi: The Durban climate talks finally ended more than 36 hours after the scheduled closure on Sunday early morning. The world agreed to a new global climate change regime that will come in to force starting 2020. India took over centre-stage as a force to reckon with, regained its position as the leader and moral voice of the developing world as the EU and the US were forced to address its demands.

The principle of equity founds its place back on the table at the climate talks. Life was resuscitated back into Kyoto Protocol, which will continue to be in force beyond 2012.

Beginning next year the 195 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change shall start negotiating a new global regime that will be finalised by 2015 and become operational from 2020. The decision came after the EU was forced to go into a huddle with India at the wee hours of the morning, when talks seemed at the brink of collapse, and address its concerns even as the developing world, including China backed the latter on its demand for an equitable future deal.

India had gone into Durban with two major demands - that the principle of equity remain intact in any new climate regime and that this new global deal be launched after 2020. It went in to the talks with the EU demanding that equity be set aside and the world kick-start a new deal from 2015 with all countries, regardless of their historical responsibilities, be forced to take legally binding obligations.

Ultimately, India achieved its objectives with the Union environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan becoming the voice and leader of the developing world, gaining unflinching support from its ally, China and the respect of many other developing countries in the G77+China group.

When the EU backed by the small island states demanded that China, India and other developing countries stop objecting and accept a globally binding agreement, Jayanthi Natarajan took on the inflexible developed world, "Am I to write a blank cheque and sign away the livelihoods and sustainability of 1.2 billion Indians, without even knowing what the EU roadmap contains? I wonder if this is an agenda to shift the blame on to countries who are not responsible (for climate change). I am told that India will be blamed. Please don't hold us hostage. We will not give up the principle of equity."

China's minister stood up in support and slammed the EU. Xie Zhenhua, said, "What qualifies you to tell us what to do? We are taking action. We want to see your actions." Other developing countries got behind too. Countries like Pakistan, Phillipines and Egypt came out in support demanding a more equitable deal that would secure the development space for the poorer nations even as their obligations under the new regime increase after 2020.

The host and chair of the meeting was forced to adjourn the main meeting and ask the EU and India to find a compromise. Other key countries, including China and the US huddled around the Indian minister and her team to find the right language that would be acceptable to all.

Showing leadership and flexibility, India agreed to phrases for a final decision that ensured that the world could transit to a new regime post 2020 but not be locked into commitments that had not even been tabled so far.

The countries decided "to launch a process to develop a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force," that would increase the emission reduction targets to reach a level that keeps global temperatures in check. The meeting decided that this would be done after a review of the existing deliverables under the UN convention and the UN IPCC's report on climate change science due in 2015.

At the end of an unprecedentedly long and hard-fought meeting India had put equity back on table, gained another decade of space for unfettered but responsible economic growth and moved from becoming a dealmaker to a leader at the climate talks.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/developmental-issues/Durban-climate-talks-end-new-global-climate-change-regime-from-2020/articleshow/11073527.cms
11/12/2011

India gets its way as climate summit closes

Durban: An impassioned speech by Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan capped the finale of the UN climate summit that ended here early Sunday with a Durban Package, after she warned that India "will never be intimidated by any threat or pressure".
Natarajan's speech ensured that India's main concern - the inclusion of the concept of equity in the fight against climate change - became part of the package. The package said all countries would be part of a global pact to control greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Natarajan ensured there was a third option -- "an agreed outcome with legal force" -- apart from protocol or a legal instrument.

The conference ended a day and a half behind schedule because of intense negotiations over contentious issues. The third option was included after a dramatic huddle while the plenary session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change summit came to a halt.
The two main actors were Natarajan and European Union Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard, who started the row by objecting to the agreements reached behind closed doors. India had wanted a "legal outcome" as the third option, but Hedegaard said this would put countries' sincerity in doubt.

That set off Natarajan, who roared: "We have shown more flexibility than virtually any other country. But equity is the centrepiece, it cannot be shifted. This is not about India. "Does fighting climate change mean we have to give up on equity? We have agreed to protocol and legal instrument. What's the problem in having one more option?

"India will never be intimidated by any threat or any kind of pressure. What's this legal instrument? How do I give a blank cheque? "We're talking of livelihoods and sustainability here. I'm not accusing anybody, but there are efforts to shift the (climate) problem to countries that have not contributed to it.
"If that is done, we're willing to reopen the entire Durban Package. We did not issue a threat. But are we being made into a scapegoat? Please don't hold us hostage." As Natarajan finished her speech amid a thunderous ovation from a hall packed with thousands of delegates from 194 governments, observers and the media, some countries backed the EU but China strongly supported India.

Xie Zhenhua, the vice minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, pointed out that the developing countries like India and China were "already doing much more than developed countries" against global warming. "We should look at not what is said but what is done. Some countries have made (legal) commitments but are not meeting them," he said.

"We are doing whatever we should do. We are doing what you (rich nations) are not doing. What qualifies you to say all this? We are taking real actions. We want to see your actions." Then some countries supported India and China, while others still supported EU.
Conference president and South Africa's Foreign Minister Maite Nkoane Mashabane then halted the session and asked EU and India to go into a huddle there and then. Unprecedented scenes followed beyond midnight as negotiators from all countries mobbed Natarajan and Hedegaard and snapped photographs, with no sign of exhaustion even at 2 in the morning.

US and Chinese chief negotiators joined the huddle too. More frenzied applause indicated an agreement had finally been reached. When the session reconvened, Natarajan announced that India had agreed to a change of wording in the third option "in a spirit of flexibility and accommodation". Hedegaard thanked India.

Under the four-pronged Durban Package, rich nations have now agreed to reduce their GHG emissions from 2013 under the Kyoto Protocol, a key demand of developing countries. The end date of that commitment period has not been fixed, though. Negotiators will now have to choose between 2017 and 2020.
In return, all countries have agreed to be part of the global treaty, which is supposed to be negotiated by 2015 and to come into force in 2020. The package included the birth of the Green Climate Fund, which had been conceived at the last summit in Cancun.

The fund is meant to help poor countries cope with climate change effects, though there is no money in it yet. As dawn broke over this port city and tired negotiators rushed to catch flights home, US chief negotiator Todd Stern said: "I think in the end we did quite well."
Source: IANS
11/12/2011

Pakistan takes control of Shamsi airbase as US forces leave

Islamabad: Pakistan's defence ministry on Sunday took control of the Shamsi airbase as the US vacated the facility after the government ordered this following the NATO strikes that killed 24 Pakistani troops last month, Geo News reported.
According to security sources, the officials of Pakistan's civil aviation authority, ministry of defence and ministry of interior were present at the Shamsi airbase, located in Pakistan's Balochistan province. The decision on whether to hand over the airbase to UAE will be taken later on, the sources added.

"A cargo plane of the US Air Force arrived at the airbase today to take the US troops to their next destination," Dawn News quoted a senior Pakistan government official as saying on Saturday night.
According to sources, about 20 US cargo planes landed at the airbase over the past week to shift sensitive equipment, vehicles and belongings of the US troops who had been using the base for the last 10 years. Following the 9/11 terror strike in 2001 in the US, then president Pervez Musharraf had allowed the US to use two airbases in the province of Dalbandin and Shamsi.
Source: PTI
Image Source: Reuters
Full coverage on Shamsi airbase
11/12/2011

Plot to kill Iran's supreme leader unearthed

Islamabad: An alleged plot to kill Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been unearthed, a media report here said.
Khamenei recently discussed the matter with Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council, an administrative council, Geo TV reported Saturday quoting the Aab TV.
The report however did not say who was behind the plot.
Iranian Petroleum Minister Major General Rostam Qasemi would also have been murdered, it said.
The meeting between Khamenei and Rafsanjani took place at a secret location in Tehran, the report added.
Source: IANS
10/12/2011

Big Moscow protest rally against vote fraud begins

Moscow: Tens of thousands of Muscovites thronged to a city square to protest against alleged electoral fraud and against Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his party on Saturday, and demonstrators gathered in other rallies across the vast country, the largest public show of discontent in post-Soviet Russia.
The protests come three months before Vladamir Putin, who was president in 2000-2008 and effectively remained the country's leader while prime minister, is to seek a third term in office. The public outpouring challenges his image, supported by state-controlled TV channels, as a man who won the affection of most Russians. That image was undercut by last Sunday's parliamentary elections, during which his United Party narrowly retained a majority of seats, but lost the unassailable two-thirds majority it held in the previous parliament.
Even that reduced performance was unearned, inflated by massive vote fraud, the opposition says, citing reports by local and international monitors of widespread violations. The reports of vote-rigging and the party's loss of seats acted as a catalyst for long-simmering discontent of many Russians.
"The falsifications that authorities are doing today have turned the country into a big theater, with clowns like in a circus," said Alexander Trofimov, one of the early arrivals for the protest at Bolotnaya Square, on an island in the Moscow River adjacent to the Kremlin. "I don't think any citizen of the country can say he is very happy with anything. We don't have an independent judiciary, there is no freedom of expression -- all this combined creates a situation where people are forced to protest," said demonstrator Albert Yusupov, who was dressed in civilian clothes but identified himself as a member of the Russian army.
By the time the rally started, the square and adjacent streets were packed shoulder-to-shoulder with protesters braving intermittent wind-blown snow. Police said there were at least 25,000, while protest organizers claimed 40,000. City authorities have given permission for a rally of up to 30,000 people, unusual largesse for an opposition that generally is either denied permission to rally or limited to small numbers. It was not clear if police would choose to crack down if the crowd clearly exceeded 30,000.
In the Pacific city of Vladivostok, several hundred protesters rallied along a waterside avenue where some of Russia's Pacific Fleet warships are docked. They shouted "Putin's a louse" and some held a banner caricaturing United Russia's emblem, reading "The rats must go." Police stayed on the fringes of that demonstration and made no arrests. But the Interfax news agency reported that about 15 people were arrested at a protest in the Siberian city of Perm and about 30 in the Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk when a flash-mob started an unauthorized protest.
Officials in many cities, including Moscow, gave permission for the protests. But in what appeared to be an attempt to prevent young people from attending the protest, Moscow's school system declared Saturday afternoon a mandatory extra school day for grades 9-11. Students were told of the decision only on Friday, news reports said. Hundreds of people, were arrested in smaller protests earlier in the week. Some, including prominent opposition blogger Alexei Navalny, were sentenced to 15 days in jail. Another prominent opposition figure, Sergei Udaltsov, was hospitalized after his Monday arrest.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev conceded this week that election law may have been violated and Putin suggested "dialogue with the opposition-minded" -- breaking from his usual authoritarian image. The Kremlin has come under strong international pressure, with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calling the vote unfair and urging an investigation into fraud. Putin in turn criticized Clinton and the United States for allegedly instigating protests and trying to undermine Russia.
If Saturday's protests are a success, the activists then face the challenge of long-term strategy. Even though U.S. Sen. John McCain recently tweeted to Putin that "the Arab Spring is coming to a neighborhood near you," things in Russia are not that simple. The popular uprisings that brought down governments in Georgia in 2003, in Ukraine the next year, and in Egypt last spring all were significantly boosted by demonstrators being able to establish round-the-clock presences, notably in Cairo's Tahrir Square and the massive tent camp on Kiev's main avenue. Russian police would hardly tolerate anything similar.
Opposition figures indicated Friday that the next step would be to call another protest in Moscow for next weekend and make it even bigger. But staged events at regular intervals may be less effective than daily spontaneous protests.
Russia's opposition also is vulnerable to attacks on the websites and social media that have nourished the protests. This week, an official of Vkontakte, a Russian version of Facebook, reported pressure from the FSB, the KGB's main successor, to block access to opposition groups, but said his company refused.
On election day, the websites of a main independent radio station and the country's only independent election-monitoring group fell victim to denial-of-service hacker attacks.
Source: AP
Images: AP/Reuters
Full coverage on Moscow protests
11/12/2011

Will bring Benazir killers to justice: Nawaz Sharif

Islamabad: Pakistani opposition leader Nawaz Sharif has vowed to bring to justice former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's killers if he comes to power, Dawn News reported.
Addressing a rally in Bhutto's hometown of Larkana in Sindh province Saturday, Nawaz Sharif, who has twice been the country's prime minister, said he would mobilise all resources to arrest theBhutto's killers. Criticising the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led government, Sharif said nothing could be expected from it when it failed to even catch the murderers of the slain former prime minister.

"Being her brother, it's my duty to arrest her killers," said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief.
He also said that he did not view his opponents "as personal enemy", adding "my dream is to see Pakistan flourishing and its people prospering". He also said that he did not view his opponents "as personal enemy", adding "my dream is to see Pakistan flourishing and its people prospering".

Sharif lamented that Sindhis were abandoned and neglected by the PPP government in both episodes of heavy floods and rains. He also accused the government of forgetting the displaced people after giving them the first instalment of Rs.20,000 and still over 600,000 people were waiting to get financial assistance of Rs. 10,000 to repair their houses.
Source: IANS
Image Source: Reuters
Full coverage on Nawaz Sharif
11/12/2011

Hospital fire: Kolkatans protest, Mamata orders judicial probe

Kolkata: Angry Kolkatans protested on the streets Saturday as the AMRI Hospital blaze toll rose to 91 while West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a judicial probe into the worst fire tragedy in any hospital in India. A forensic probe, however, failed to take off.
A day after the pre-dawn inferno at the hospital's Annexe-1 building in south Kolkata's upscale Dhakuria area led to the loss of lives, mostly of sleeping patients, a lower court remanded seven directors of the high-cost medical facility in ten days' police custody.
"I have taken a decision to conduct a judicial probe which will run parallel to the inquiry under Joint Commissioner of Police (detective department) Damayanti Sen," Banerjee told media persons at the state secretariat, Writers' Buildings.
With another injured succumbing in the hospital's main block adjacent to the fire-hit building, the death count has gone up to 91, the hospital said. Eighty nine of them were patients, and two nurses. A day ago, a senior hospital official had claimed three nurses had perished.
Bodies of six victims from Tripura and one from Bangladesh were flown home with the state government bearing the cost.
The Advanced Medicare & Research Institute (AMRI) Hospital Annexe 1 Saturday stood like a ghost building with shards of glasses and stone slabs strewn all around, soot and blood stained floors, the smell of death and smoke still in the air and fire brigade personnel on guard -- a grim reminder of the tragedy.
The state government has already sealed and cancelled the licence of the Annexe 1 block of the hospital - co-founded by the private Emami and Shrachi Groups along with the state government in 1996.
Forensic experts arrived for collecting samples, but had to return immediately as the basement from where the fire was said to have started, was still flooded. "We will return tomorrow (Sunday) after the water is drained out," said a team member.
Locals claimed a small fire had broken out in the premises Saturday morning, but the fire department did not confirm it.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials pasted a notice for cancellation of trade licence.
Meanwhile, intellectuals, celebrities and commoners demanded exemplary punishment for the culprits and a mechanism to keep a tab on the working of private hospitals.
"The culprits should be given an exemplary punishment so that from next time, nobody even thinks of ignoring basic fire safety norms for saving some money," fashion designer Agnimitra Paul told IANS.
"The government should prepare a mechanism to keep a tab on private hospitals who charge enormous amounts of money for treatment and that too by confusing people," writer Sirshendu Mukhopadhay said.
The AMRI directors, arrested Friday for offences including culpable homicide not amounting to murder which attracts a maximum punishment of a jail term up to ten years and fine, were brought to the Alipore chief judicial magistrate's court under tight security. Hundreds of protesters outside the court premises demanded death penalty for them and lawyers vowed not to defend them.
The directors, including Shrachi Group chairman S.K. Todi and his counterpart in the Emami Group R.S. Goenka, were sent to ten days in police remand by CJM S.M. Shahnawaz Khan.
One of the seven directors, R.S. Agarwal, who was admitted to a private hospital Friday evening, could not be presented before the court. He is placed under arrest in the hospital.
Over 1,500 people - comprising doctors, nurses, healthcare staff, school and college children, social activists other professionals and pedestrians - walked silently hand in hand carrying aloft posters and banners with black borders from Golpark to the hospital about half a km away.
"Aar noi, AMRI-r moto PPP Model hospital (No more PPP model hospital like AMRI)", - said a poster.
The state government constituted two panels to check safety measures in the city buildings. Fire Minister Javed Khan said notices will be issued to those flouting the fire safety norms.
But amidst all these activities, the dead were not forgotten. Many citizens went near the hospital, lighting candles and leaving bouquets and garlands to pay heir respect to the souls who had died a painful and slow death.
Source: IANS
11/12/2011

Rising raw material cost dampening manufacturing growth: Ficci

New Delhi: Fewer orders, moderate exports and rising raw material costs have dampened the manufacturing sector, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) says in its latest quarterly survey.
According to Ficci's survey, 87 percent of the 384 manufacturing units said they expect growth to moderate in the third quarter of 2011-12 as compared to the like period of 2010-11.
"The survey noted worsening demand conditions for the manufacturing sector in Q3 as compared with previous quarters; a significant fall in order books is evident," the industrial lobby said.
The survey also noted a fall in capacity utilisation in the third quarter as only 36 percent of the respondents said their capacity utilisation levels were higher than in the corresponding period of the last fiscal.
With a fall in existing capacity utilisation, the survey said capacity addition via new investments will fall from the levels of the previous quarter.
"In the previous quarter, 41 percent of respondents reported plans for capacity addition. In the latest survey, only 32 percent have done so."
The survey further revealed that the sector was not keen on increasing its workforce in the next three months, as compared to a 57 percent increase in the previous survey.
"The food processing and leather sectors are the exception because employment prospects have improved," it said.
Exports too have been hit due to global economic uncertainties, which has further damped the manufacturing sector growth.
"Ficci's survey also showed that growth of manufacturing exports was expected to moderate in the third quarter as only 29 percent respondents expect their exports to rise in third quarter compared to about 40 percent in the earlier survey," it said.
The latest data on the index of industrial production (IIP) -- a barometer of factory output -- showed industry production for September at 1.9 percent, the slowest in over two years due to rising interest rates and a slump in investments.
The review pointed at the slow growth in manufacturing, construction and mining sector for slackening pace of economic expansion.
Data for the second quarter showed manufacturing growing at a sluggish 2.7 percent, agriculture ouptut rising by 3.2 percent and the construction sector managing an expansion of 4.3 percent. Mining and quarrying, however, saw a decline.
Source: IANS






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Palash Biswas
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