BSNL DEAD! Just Sack the INCOMPETENT INEFFICIENT LETHARGIC Managers and Engineers! Sixth Pay Commission Has NOT Helped WORK CULTURE of the CREAMY Layer DETACHED from Public Service Liabilities. Masses Persecuted Do Justify DISINVESTMENT and Privatisation. GOVT. and PSU Employees DIG Their Own Graves! SORRY!
Automobile Service Centre Complaints - BSNL's Dead Telephone
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Phones dead, but BSNL still charges - Right to Information
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CONSUMER GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL MECHANISM IN BSNL
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High-powered panel to look into vendor complaints against BSNL ...
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Results 1 - 10 of about 106,000 for Masses against Govt, and service and PSU. (0.30 seconds)
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Should The Sacked Employees of Navratna PSU Oil Company's like ...
While the Govt.itself allowed the strike to take place in the first ... goverment and didnt bring out the clear picture to the masses; second, ... control.in cases like this,Government should first take action against the Functional Directors to set the things right. ... For reprint rights Times Syndication Service ...
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Citizens' Guide To State Services
Online edition of print publication outlining constitutional officers, services for children, administration, economic development, educational information, ...
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Penn State University Chooses RSA Security to Protect ...
BEDFORD, Mass.— RSA Security Inc. (NASDAQ: RSAS), the most trusted name in e-security® ... the PSU's administrative systems serves as a safeguard against the growing number ... for Administrative Information Services at Penn State University. ... In addition, new government regulations, such as the Health Insurance ...
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Mass.Gov
Online services are arranged here by topic - click one of the links below to find the online service you are looking for. ... File a complaint against a telecom or energy utility company .... Mass.Gov® is a registered service mark ...
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The Power Is Yours: Electricity Industry Restructuring - Office of ...
Office of Consumer Affairs, In Mass.Gov ... Basic service is power supply you receive from your distribution company, rather than buying it ... rights that will help you to make informed decisions and protect you against unfair conduct. ...
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20% Discount on Broadband Central/State Govt and PSU Employees ...
20% Discount on Broadband Service charges (Usage and Rental) for broadband ... by every one so the BB reaching the masses at cheap rates will come true. ... Actually the article speak about 20% discount given to GOVT/PSU ...
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Thousands of anti-govt protesters mass in Bangkok | Penn State ...
News and information about State College, Penn State, ... 2009, supporters of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship gather in Bangkok, Thailand. .... 400 amp electric service, the building has a central smoke&heat detection ...
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Govt OKs further pay hike for PSU officers - The Financial Express
30 Mar 2009 ... This is shameful to see that Govt. has approved this Pay ... needs of the young mass.otherwise in job advertisement PSUs should not specify SALARY IS DUE REVISION. ... the action taken against the officers of ONGC to be withdrawn. ... a further hike implies better salaries for psu employees for all ...
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Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited
Govt/PSU employees with minimum of 5 years service in Executive/ Gazetted. Level in Legal Department in Govt./ PSUs,pertaining to legal matters, litigations ...
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Govt OKs further pay hike for PSU officers - Express India
30 Mar 2009 ... needs of the young mass.otherwise in job advertisement PSUs should not specify SALARY IS DUE REVISION. .... This is for the persons talking against the pay revision:-These very ... Govt Pay Hike to PSU officers ??? by Ramanathan Rajan on 30 Mar 2009 ... Featured Services. Zopag.com News & Pics ...
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PM hints at PSU disinvestment in Budget 2009-10 - Economy and ...
The government has already cleared the disinvestment of NHPC and Oil ... a disinvestment of government stake in public sector companies. ...
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PM hints at PSU disinvestment in Budget
28 May 2009 ... Latest news, breaking news - PM hints at PSU disinvestment in Budget. ... a disinvestment of government stake in public sector companies. ...
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PM hints at PSU disinvestment in Budget - Express India
28 May 2009 ... a disinvestment of government stake in public sector companies. "Fiscal prudence and disinvestment of public sector units -- all these ...
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Pranab tries to revive PSU disinvestment plan - 2 days ago
The government on Monday announced the first tentative steps to kickstart the stalled disinvestment programme of Central public sector undertakings (PSU). ...Hindustan Times - 11 related articles »
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domain-b.com : PSU disinvestment to begin with NHPC and OIL
9 Jul 2009 ... The government will kick-start its public sector unit disinvestment programme with an initial public offering by National Hydroelectric ...
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news.outlookindia.com | PM Hints at PSU Disinvestment in Budget ...
28 May 2009 ... PM Hints at PSU Disinvestment in Budget 2009-10 ... for 2009-10 may announce a disinvestment of government stake in public sector companies. ...
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Domain B June 25, 2009 PSU Divestment Now Is The Best Time
25 Jun 2009 ... On the other hand if the government goes slow on disinvestment, ... and functioning of unlisted PSU companies into the public domain, ...
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Industries Department, Govt. Of Sikkim
10 May 2007 ... Disinvestments would expose the privatised companies to market ... Government would disinvest/Privatize public sector undertakings, ...
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Indian Public sector disinvestment | Suite101.com
These companies, known as public sector companies, were promoted by the ... It advises the government on the need for PSU disinvestment in the local market ...
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Sucheta Dalal : Danger Signals Over PSU Disinvestment (2 September ...
Disinvestment minister Arun Shourie bought his government much needed credibility by setting a spanking pace for the disinvestment of Public Sector ...
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PSU Disinvestment- Need for Guidelines and Accounting Standards
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loses its entity as a Government Company. But even then will it be called a PSU ? Such type of relevant questions in. PSU disinvestment should draw the ...
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Govt gets cracking on disinvestmentBusiness Standard - - 20 hours ago The company plans to launch the IPO before Sebi's clearance expires on September 10. After the IPO and disinvestment, the government's stake in the company ... PSU public offers will kick off next month Financial Express NHPC, OIL IPOs to raise Rs 1854cr Times of India Pranab tries to revive PSU disinvestment planHindustan Times - Jul 7, 2009 The government on Monday announced the first tentative steps to kickstart the stalled disinvestment programme of Central public sector undertakings (PSU). ... Govt to dissolve investment fund? Hindustan Times Strong government means higher growth: Deepak ParekhNDTV.com - 4 hours ago ... will see disinvestment and some announcements have been made. For instance there are many companies in the public sector where the government holding is ... Union Budget 2009-'10: Divestment target for year set at measly Rs ...Economic Times - Jul 6, 2009 While reiterating the government's commitment to disinvestment, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee made it clear that the government's stake in public sector ... Divestment when time is right: Pranab Times of India Share pricing may complicate PSU divestmentLivemint - - 20 hours ago That is, if one only refers to the prevailing share prices as the benchmark for pricing the shares for divestment of government companies. ... "Disinvestment in phased manner"Hindu - - Jul 6, 2009 NEW DELHI: In its second innings, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government plans to go ahead with disinvestment of public sector undertakings ... Greed cannot be our creedHindustan Times - 21 hours ago In India, however, the cries for disinvestment are masked behind the need to meet the burgeoning fiscal deficit. Selling family silver to meet deficits is ... Subir Roy: Money alone can't buy inclusive growth Business Standard PSU stocks wealth erodes by Rs 82000 cr on Budget dayEconomic Times - Jul 6, 2009 Analysts said the PSU stocks have taken a hit as the government did not detail out the expected roadmap for disinvestment of unlisted PSU firms. ... Markets may see more correction: Reliance Money Moneycontrol.com Government to raise Rs 1120 cr from divestments in FY10Reuters India - Jul 6, 2009 On disinvestment in public sector undertakings (PSU), the budget said that PSUs "are the wealth of the nation, and part of this wealth should rest in the ... Nifty slips in red as FM brushes aside disinvestment plansEconomic Times - Jul 6, 2009 ... Minister Pranab Mukherjee said PSU banks and insurance companies would remain under government control and was less specific on the divestment front. ... No budget hangover for Sensex India Infoline.com Stay up to date on these results: |
News results for BSNL DEAD
Calcutta Telegraph | BSNL fire: phone lines dead, ATMs shy on cash - 16 hours ago Kolkata Communication lines in many parts of the city remained dead following the Tuesday night fire at the BSNL office on Hungerford Street, ... Kolkata Newsline - 10 related articles » |
BSNL EVDO Broadband dead in weekends bangalore - Broadband Forum India
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Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.- India's No. 1 Telecommunications Company
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Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.
Offers residential and business listings in India.
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News results for BSNL
Calcutta TelegraphBSNL may take two weeks to be back online - 14 hours ago
KOLKATA: At least 64500 phone lines and 12000 broadband connections have gone dead in the heart of the city following the fire at BSNL's Circus exchange on ...Times of India - 10 related articles »
BSNL Opened Bids From Ericsson, Huawei - Wall Street Journal - 3 related articles »BSNL open to offer stake to foreign firm - paper - Reuters India - 22 related articles » -
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BSNL broadband
BSNL broadband - Bsnl broadband internet connection and modems, routers and other bsnl dataone related issues can be discussed here.
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Sancharnet (BSNL)
Internet access network of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited. Offers dedicated and dialup (PSTN and ISDN) Internet access services across all the major cities in ...
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Bhopal Telecom - BSNL
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Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (known as BSNL, India Communications Corporation Limited) is a public sector telecommunication company in India. ...
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Welcome to Bangalore Telecom District website
BSNL Bangalore introduces following composite customer plans: ... Click here for more information on BSNL's internet services and ...
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BSNL shelves tower hive-off planEconomic Times - - 18 hours ago NEW DELHI: BSNL has shelved its plans to hive off its towers and other related infrastructure into a separate company on the likes of all major private ... After BSNL blaze, risk of fraudTimes of India - 14 hours ago The blaze that devastated BSNL's Circus exchange on Tuesday night might lead conmen to dupe hotels and restaurants. The failure of internet and phone ... BSNL Opened Bids From Ericsson, HuaweiWall Street Journal - - 7 hours ago NEW DELHI -- State-owned telecommunications company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. - or BSNL - is evaluating bids from Ericsson India Pvt. Ltd. ... Budget may give revenue targets from BSNL listing, 3G auctionTimes of India - Jul 5, 2009 5 Jul 2009, 1313 hrs IST, PTI NEW DELHI: The listing of state-run BSNL and the expected realisation from the auction of 3G spectrum are likely to find ... Network faces cash jam Calcutta Telegraph BSNL, MTNL yet to recover Rs 3962 cr in duesEconomic Times - Jul 5, 2009 MUMBAI: Public sector telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) is yet to recover Rs 3092 crore of dues from its customers, including government ... BSNL open to offer stake to foreign firm - paper Reuters India BSNL mulls stake sale to foreign investor Business Standard BSNL to auction cellphone numbersExpress Buzz - Jul 7, 2009 Kickstarting the customised bandwagon is BSNL's Andhra Pradesh Telecom Circle, which announced that it would be auctioning a number of made-to-order ... RoundUp: Rediff, TalktoHT, Yota For WiMAX, DoT On Spectrum, BSNL ...MediaNama.com - 3 hours ago Both BSNL and MTNL already have WiMAX spectrum and BSNL has floated a tender inviting private players. New bands of spectrum, recently vacated by the Army, ... Yota may partner MTNL, BSNL for WiMAX servicesHindu Business Line - - Jul 5, 2009 By partnering MTNL and BSNL, Yota will have the first mover advantage, apart from not having to buy spectrum through a competitive bidding slated for later ... Telecom majors log onto IPTV NDTV.com Mounting Pressure Voice & Data Online Though broadband has been the power packed agenda for the last few ... Voice & Data Online BSNL directed to scrutinise Nokia Siemens Network bidEconomic Times - Jul 4, 2009 4 Jul 2009, 2134 hrs IST, PTI CHANDIGARH: On a plea by Nokia Siemens Network (NSN), the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed BSNL to get scrutinised ... Stay up to date on these results: |
400 phone lines go dead in Kotturpuram area
Air India may rope in Murthy, Ramadorai 9 Jul 2009, 1837 hrs IST, PTI
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BMW to re-think planned India launch of Mini
BMW, the world's largest premium car maker, is reconsidering a plan to launch its Mini hatchback in India by the end of this year. BMW X6: In Pics | BMW Roadster Z4 Nooyi among 13 women CEOs in Fortune 500 list
India origin Indra Nooyi is among the 13 women who are at the helm of cos featured in Fortune 500 list compiled by the US magazine. Top 10 Wealthiest CEOs | |||
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Worse, it may take BSNL nearly a fortnight to restore all the connections. The sphere of disruption touches Park Street in the north; AJC Bose Road, Bondel Road and Picnic Garden in the south; EM Bypass in the east and Jawaharlal Nehru Road in the west
Calcutta Telephones chief general manager S K Chakra-varti said critical lines like hospitals and banks would be restored in 24-36 hours, followed by major corporate networks within a week. However, it could take 12-14 days for the entire network to go online. In the meantime, BSNL has provided wireless telephone connections to key subscribers like chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and police commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakrabarti.
With the Camac Street-Park Street-Shakespeare Sarani commercial hub located smack in the middle of the affected zone, businesses are taking a battering, with losses pegged in excess of Rs 5 crore a day.
Altogether, 52 ATMs and several hundred credit card swipe machines went blank, crippling transactions at travel houses, hotels, restaurants and other retail establishments. Several hospitals including National Medical College & Hospital, Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital, Sambhunath Pandit and Belle Vue were hit.
The exchange that is the nucleus of CalTel's commercial activity, handles 4 lakh voice calls and 1 tera byte (1,000 giga bytes) data daily that results in annual revenue earning of Rs 116 crore for the telecom company. In revenue terms, it is the largest of the 24 mother exchanges that BSNL has in the city.
Among the interim measures rolled out by BSNL include free voice and data services at Telephone Bhavan, Ballygunge Place and the Entally phone exchange from 10 am to 10 pm for affected customers and a discount of Rs 100 from the next telephone bill.
Tuesday's fire at BSNL's Circus exchange on Hungerford Street has damaged equipment worth Rs 1 crore besides disrupting 64,500 telephone lines, 12,000 broadband lines, 57 switching nodes and 60 high value business establishments connected by ISDN primary route access.
A forensic team inspected the site on Wednesday morning and ruled out sabotage, pinning the blame on a short circuit. Ironically, it is not the fire but the water sprayed by fire fighters that caused such damage to equipment at the exchange.
A similar fire-fighting exercise during a fire at the CalTel headquarters two years ago had also resulted in such damage.
"Fighting a fire in a bazaar is very different from that in a telecom office. The priority of the fire brigade is to put out the flames. Since they use conventional means, it leads to extensive damage. If we can set up a team that specialises in fires in an electronic environment, it can contain the damage," Caltel chief general manager S K Chakravarti said.
The Department of Public Enterprises has issued several instructions regarding the manner in which payment of incentives are to be made to the employees of the PSUs.
"It has been observed that various PSUs are paying incentives in the form of ex-gratia, honorarium, reward, cash award, stagnation relief, leave encashment etc to their employees in contravention of these guidelines," the report for the year ended March 2008 tabled in Parliament today said.
This has been pointed out in various audit reports since 1994 and also brought to the notice of DPE and concerned Ministries, it said.
"Despite this, the practice of payment of various types of incentives in contravention of DPE guidelines is still continuing and no corrective action has been taken by the concerned Ministries\companies," it said.
Sectors and PSUs in which major irregularities have been reported include petroleum and natural gas, coal, civil aviation, power and heavy industries.
The report said that ONGC had taken different stands for deciding viability of the projects for acceptance of bids. "Bids re-invented consequently resulted in extra expenditure of Rs 193.97 crore," the CAG found.
The report, tabled in Parliament today, said that as on March 2008 "the accumulated losses in these 72 companies were Rs 94,428 crore against equity investment of Rs 15,762 crore as on March 2008, making their combined net worth negative at Rs 78,665 crore".
This included six listed companies, whose accumulated losses were Rs 11,349 crore against equity investment of Rs 1,451 crore, making their combined net worth negative at Rs 9,898 crore, the report said.
During 2007-08, the total outstanding government loans in 46 firms, out of those 72, amounted to Rs 49,926 crore, it added.
The principal amount of government loans remaining unpaid on the due dates amounted to Rs 11,973 crore, it said.
As the capital of 46 companies was fully eroded, the recovery loans amounting to Rs 49,926 crore became doubtful.
Besides, it said that recovery of loans of Rs 2,755 crore given by government companies to their 14 subsidiaries (included in the 72 companies the equity capital of which had fully eroded) has also became doubtful, the report added.
Air India needs Rs 4,500 cr bailout package
Air India would need a bailout package of around Rs 4,500 crore to bring the national carrier out of financial crisis, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said in New Delhi.
"The Government needs to put in around Rs 2,500 crore of equity, which can be repaid in future once partial disinvestment takes place. You can look at another couple of thousand crore by way of soft loans, which is again repayable," Patel told a TV channel.
On the proposition of eminent personalities such as Ratan Tata, N R Narayan Murthy and Sam Pitroda joining the Air India board of directors, he said, "Why not? Ultimately if such people are willing to contribute for a public cause, for bringing the national carrier back on track, I think it is a great thing."
Explaining their role, Patel said "they would be independent directors".
He said that the Government was still talking to some eminent personalities and would come out with the names of those who would be part of the AI board once it is finalised.
Government invites EOI for starting 4 universities for NRIs
The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has invited Expression of Interest (EOI) from academic institutions for establishing four
The EOI has been called for setting up universities in cities other than Bangalore as one NRI university is already going to come up there.
The EOI said preference would be given to those institutions which are already in possession of at least 100 acres of land and have experience in the field of university education as compared to primary and secondary education.
The government had indicated about plans for starting universities for children of NRIs\PIO at a Pravasi Bharat meet held last year.
The guidelines for setting up these universities, put out on the website of the ministry, said that 50 per cent of the seats in these universities would be reserved for children of NRIs and PIOs while the remaining 50 per cent seats would be given to resident Indian students.
New Delhi (PTI): Air India is in the process of having a seven-member International Advisory Board, with former top officials of global carriers, to turn the organisation around.
The Board, which is likely to be headed by industrialist Ratan Tata, may have former heads of leading carriers like Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines, sources said.
Discussions are on to finalise the names of other members on this global advisory board, sources said, adding that an advertisement would soon be issued for the newly-created post of Chief Operating Officer so that a professional airline manager works under Chairman cum Managing Director Arvind Jadhav to improve AI's operations.
The names of National Knowledge Commission Chairman Sam Pitroda, Infosys mentor and Chairman N R Narayana Murthy and TCS CMD S Ramadorai are doing the rounds for appointment as independent directors of the airline.
Hectic activity is on at the national carrier's headquarters for preparing a comprehensive financial restructuring plan, which is to be submitted to the government in the next few weeks. Air India's losses mounted to about Rs 5,000 crore in 2008-09.
The plan would be vetted by a high-level committee headed by Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar, which would be monitoring each month the steps taken by the airline to cut cost and enhance revenue generation.
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Air India to overhaul top management Strike will send a wrong message: Patel - Exclusive
Air India should put its house in order: Praful Patel - InterviewNew Delhi (PTI): Government on Thursday informed the Rajya Sabha that the United States has not requested India to sign the CTBT in recent bilateral discussions.
In a written reply, Minister of External Affairs S M Krishna said CTBT does not affect the October 10, 2008 agreement which enables civil nuclear cooperation between India and Pakistan.
"India has declared a voluntary, unilateral moratorium on nuclear explosive testing," he said.
Giving a list of the countries which have signed the CTBT, he said India, Pakistan and DPR Korea have not signed it while 181 states have signed the treaty.
Hyderabad (PTI): A local court on Thursday allowed the CBI to conduct lie-detector and brain mapping tests on Satyam Computer founder B Ramalinga Raju and two others to help unravel the multi-crore accounting scam in the IT firm.
The CBI had filed a petition on March 24 seeking the court's permission to conduct forensic tests.
Fourteenth Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate K Sudhakar, who is designated to try CBI cases, on Thursday allowed the agency to go ahead with the tests on Mr. Raju, his brother Rama Raju and Satyam's former CFO Vadlamani Srinivas anytime within the next eight weeks.
Mr. Raju and the others were arrested in early January after he wrote to the company board disclosing falsifying profits and cookings the books for years.
The CBI was handed over investigation of the case and is probing whether Mr. Raju siphoned off money from the listed company, which has since been sold to Tech Mahindra by a government appointed board.
New Delhi (PTI): Congress on Thursday appreciated the honesty of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari in admitting that terrorism has been "created and nurtured" by the establishment there for tactical gains.
The party also demanded the terror camps in that country be dismantled with the same honesty.
"Pakistan President has admitted with honesty that the extremists were created and nurtured as a short term policy.
The same honesty should be shown in dismantling the terror camps in the country," party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told reporters here.
For the first time, Mr. Zardari admitted during an interactive meeting with former senior civil servants on Tuesday night, that militants and extremists were "created and nurtured" in Pakistan as a policy to achieve some short-term tactical objectives.
Mr. Ahmed hoped Mr. Zardari would not change his statement due to internal or external pressure.
Pak downplays Zardari's statement on 'nurturing' militants
Islamabad (PTI): Playing down President Asif Ali's remarks that Pakistan "created and nurtured" militants to achieve short-term objectives, the government here on Thursday said the statement should be seen in the context of the situation that prevailed after Soviet forces pulled out of Afghanistan.
Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said the President was referring to the period when the "West left Pakistan high and dry after the withdrawal of Soviet troops" from Afghanistan.
Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US, Pakistan has been dealing with the "spill-over effects of the Afghan war," Mr. Basit said in reply to a question about Zardari's comments.
He said there is a need to "transcend limited objectives" and to adopt a comprehensive and holistic approach to tackle issues and problems in the region.
During a meeting with former senior civil servants on Tuesday, Zardari had said militants and extremists were "deliberately created and nurtured" in Pakistan as a policy to achieve "some short-term tactical objectives."
"The terrorists of today were the heroes of yesteryears until 9/11 occurred and they began to haunt us as well," he had said.
Earlier this week, Mr. Zardari said in an interview that military operations were required against militants who were considered as "strategic assets" in the past.
Meanwhile, the influential Dawn newspaper, in an editorial on Thursday, suggested that the military faced some hard choices.
"Perhaps more than anything else impeding the defeat of the militants today is the inability of the security establishment to revisit the strategic choices it made in the past and hold up its hand and admit candidly that grave mistakes were made," it said.
While the religious justifications of the militants remained the same, what had "changed is that the militants were fighting the state's 'enemies' yesterday but have turned their guns on the state and its allies today," the editorial said.
"Whatever the catalyst, the fact remains that it was because a 'jehadi' network was allowed to flourish inside the country that we were left exposed to its eventual wrath against us," it added.
In its editorial titled "Waning power of Taliban", the Daily Times said "Zardari's comment can only be described as brave though greatly needed."
Previous report:
Pakistan admits to creating militant groups
Manmohan to meet Gilani in Egypt next week
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani will meet in Egypt next week on the margins of NAM Summit to decide on the future course of ties on the basis of what Islamabad has done to address India's concerns on terrorism.
Mr. Singh will be travelling to Sharm-el Sheikh on July 14 for the two-day 15th Non Aligned Movement Summit beginning next day focussing on the global financial crisis and international peace.
On his way to Egypt, the Prime Minister will visit Paris where he will be the Chief Guest of Honour at the French National Day, Vivek Katju, Special Secretary in the External Affairs Ministry, said while briefing mediapersons on the two-nation visit beginning July 13.
During his three-day stay in Sharm-el Shaikh, Mr. Singh will have a meeting with Gilani besides some other leaders.
Prior to the meeting between Singh and Gilani, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and his Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir will discuss terrorism and steps taken by Islamabad to bring to book perpetrators of November 26 Mumbai attacks and dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism.
Mr. Menon and Mr. Bashir, whose meeting is expected on July 14, will then report to their respective leaders who will take stock of the situation and decide on future course in bilateral ties.
"There will be a meeting," told reporters here on Thursday when asked whether Mr. Singh and Mr. Gilani will meet.
Mamata unveils measures to tone up functioning of Railways
New Delhi (PTI): The Railway Budget was passed on Thursday by the Lok Sabha with Minister Mamata Banerjee announcing a slew of measures to tone up the functioning of the Railways in terms of amenities and safety and deciding to set up an expert committee to prepare a blueprint for future.
Replying to a marathon discussion on the Budget, she said two more non-stop 'Duranto' (fast) trains --Delhi-Secunderabad and Delhi-Nagpur-- would be introduced in addition to 12 such trains already announced.
Two of the 14 such trains would start within a month, she said but did not identify them.
Catering to regional sentiments which have often erupted in the form of violence in recent times, she favoured 50 per cent quota for locals in induction in Railways through the Railway Recruitment Board and question paper in regional language as she promised to review the process of intake.
She also included several more stations in the list of those to be developed as 'adarsh' (model) and world class ones, responding to demands by members from all parties, who accused her of only focussing on West Bengal while neglecting rest of the country.
The Budget was passed by voice vote after suspension of a rule which provides for referring of Demand for Grants and Appropriation Bills to the Standing Committees.
Govt to roll back fuel prices if crude rates dip
New Delhi (PTI): Government will roll back the Rs 4 a litre hike in petrol prices and Rs 2 a litre increase in diesel rates if international crude oil prices stabilise between USD 50 and 60 a barrel, Oil Minister Murli Deora said.
"Yes, we will cut prices if crude prices stabilise for sometime between USD 50 and 60 per barrel," he said here.
The Government had last week raised petrol and diesel prices citing spike in international crude oil prices to USD 70 a barrel.
International rates have eased since. The basket of crude oil India buys was at USD 61.58 a barrel yesterday but the average for July was USD 65.34 per barrel. The July average was certainly lower than USD 69.12 a barrel average price of Indian basket of crude for June.
Mr. Deora said the price rise was unavoidable as India was dependent on imported crude oil to meet 75 per cent of its domestic oil needs. Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum were projected to lose Rs 4,870 crore in revenues every month on selling petrol, diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene below the cost.
"To cover this (revenue loss), the retail prices were required to be increased by Rs 6.94 per litre on petrol, Rs 4.11 a litre on diesel, Rs 96.68 per LPG cylinder and Rs 16.01 per litre on kerosene," Mr. Deora said. "However, the Government increased the price of petrol only by Rs 4 per litre and of diesel by Rs 2 a litre."
The price hike had been necessitated as international prices of crude oil had jumped 75 per cent – from USD 40 a barrel in December to USD 70 per barrel.
The monthly revenue loss on sale of petrol and diesel came to Rs 2,800 crore and urgent cash flows were needed to keep the capital expenditure plans on track, Mr. Deora said.
The price increase will reduce the revenue losses by about Rs 13,000 crore during 2009-10. "Even after this increase, oil PSUs are projected to suffer a burden of around Rs 27,000 crore on the sale of petrol and diesel," he said.
Mr. Deora said the Government has not increased the retail price of kerosene and diesel and a projected Rs 30,000 crore subsidy burden would have to be borne by the Government on this account.
He said since 2003-04, the Government has issued oil bonds worth Rs 142,203 crore to oil marketing companies IOC, BPCL and HPCL to keep retail selling prices below the international rates.
Upstream firms like ONGC contributed another Rs 101,285 crore while the three retailers absorbed Rs 55,734 crore of losses instead of passing the rise in crude oil prices to consumers.
Railways to introduce 'clone trains' to meet festive rush
New Delhi (PTI): "Clone" trains may just be the answer to your travel woes during the holiday and festival season.
Considering the long waiting period during festivals and lesser frequency of some trains, Railways has decided to introduce "clones" of existing trains in that period.
"These set of trains will have the same stoppages, timings and coach composition," a senior Railway Ministry official told PTI, adding two such trains will run during the ensuing Puja vacation.
One would be a clone of the Sealdah-Delhi Sampark Kranti and the other of the Sealdah-New Jalpaiguri Darjeeling Mail, the official said.
"Running of these clone trains would not pose any technical challenge," the official said.
Eastern Railways have announced that they will run as many as 120 puja special trains to various parts of the country with a 50 per cent increase in availability of berths.
The Sampark Kranti will leave Sealdah at 1 pm on Wednesdays from September 16 and from Delhi at 7.10 pm on Thursdays from September 17.
New Delhi (PTI): The global micro finance industry may see a fall in growth and funding due to the economic crisis and declining investor confidence, a survey says.
"Far from being insulated from the economic mainstream as traditionally thought, micro finance could face a fall in growth and funding because of the global recession and declining investor confidence," the 'Microfinance Banana Skins 2009' survey said.
The survey, published by the CSFI and sponsored by Citi Foundation and the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) and supported by the Council of Microfinance Equity Funds (CMEF), was designed to identify and rank the main risks or "banana skins" facing the industry at a time of economic crisis and change.
It reflects the views of more than 400 practitioners, investors, regulators and analysts in 82 countries.
The survey shows that the greatest risks all stem from the crisis, which include-- a surge in bad loans, shortages of liquidity and funding, and declining profitability.
Other top concerns surround the ability of micro finance institutions (MFIs) to manage their way through the crisis because of weaknesses in management and corporate governance, the survey pointed out.
This would present the industry with its first major stress test since it emerged in recent decades as a fast-growing provider of small-scale financial services to the world's poor.
The survey updates a previous poll carried out in early 2008 at the beginning of the crisis, and shows how sharply risk perceptions have changed since then.
Most of the risks which are now seen as threats to the sector's prospects, such as the world recession and the credit crunch, were considered negligible only 18 months ago, it added.
"Last year's result reflected the traditional view that micro finance operates in a world of its own with abundant funding and loyal customers. But the crisis has shown that it is also exposed to the shocks of the "real economy," survey editor David Lascelles said.
The Banana Skins report said that the crisis was global in its impact and every one of the 82 countries participating in the survey reported that financial and economic conditions had worsened, and were affecting local MFIs, though with regional variations.
However, the main sources of comfort are that MFIs have traditionally shown resilience to stress and could emerge from the crisis with a better reputation for looking after their customers than mainstream banks.
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NEW DELHI: Crisis-ridden Air India was in for its first shake-up on Wednesday, with two of its senior directors getting reassigned, and the The move follows civil aviation minister Praful Patel's statement on Tuesday that the board of the national carrier, which is struggling to meet even its salary commitments, would be overhauled and that "some heads would roll". Directors Anup K Srivastava (personnel) will now oversee the integration and wage-related issues of Air India and the erstwhile Indian Airlines, while S Chandrasekhar (finance) will look after the restructuring plan being worked out by SBI Caps. People close to the development told ET that, in effect, the reassignment puts these two board members lower in the pecking order. "The plan is to gradually ease out some of these officials," the person said requesting anonymity. The company board will have to take the approval of the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) before the removal of a director. The government is also planning to appoint seven independent directors on the board, besides setting up an international advisory committee. This new panel will have members comprising top aviation leaders from the world, and will supplement the work of the airline management. The ministry has approached Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata to head the panel. "Starting today, restructuring of the airline will be done in the next 30 days," minister Mr Patel said on Wednesday, adding that the role of existing board members are being worked out. The carrier is facing the worst crisis in its 60-year history. The airline deferred the June salary of its 31,000 staff by 15 days on account of poor cash position. It also asked its top managers to forego the July salary, a practice followed by many airline executives in the world. Till March 31, 2009, the airline has an accumulated loss of Rs 7,200 crore. The restructuring by the top management, however, does not have a complete buy-in amongst employees. "There are too many things being done at the same time. The management is talking of a wage cut, voluntary leave scheme, or a voluntary retirement scheme at the same time leading to confusion. This has left airline employees either demotivated or hostile which would have a bearing on the operation," an airline executive said on the condition of anonymity. High fuel price, in the first half of last year, coincided with economic slowdown and swine flu, and has broken the backbone of most of the air carriers across the world. Over 30 airlines have gone bust in the past one year.
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Declaration of the leaders of the major economies forum on energy and climate
The Guardian has been passed a draft of the communique that is due to be issued by world leaders at the Major Economies Forum later today. You can read it below
- guardian.co.uk, Thursday 9 July 2009 15.25 BST
Article history
We, the leaders of Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States met as the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate in L'Aquila, Italy, on July 9, 2009, and declare as follows:
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. As leaders of the world's major economies, both developed and developing, we intend to respond vigorously to this challenge, being convinced that climate change poses a clear danger requiring an extraordinary global response, that the response should respect the priority of economic and social development of developing countries, that moving to a low-carbon economy is an opportunity to promote continued economic growth and sustainable development, that the need for and deployment of transformational clean energy technologies at lowest possible cost are urgent, and that the response must involve balanced attention to mitigation and adaptation.
We reaffirm the objective, provisions and principles of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Recalling the Major Economies Declaration adopted in Toyako, Japan, in July 2008, and taking full account of decisions taken in Bali, Indonesia, in December 2007, we resolve to spare no effort to reach agreement in Copenhagen, with each other and with the other Parties, to further implementation of the Convention.
Our vision for future cooperation on climate change, consistent with equity and our common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, includes the following:
1. Consistent with the Convention's objective and science:
Our countries will undertake transparent nationally appropriate mitigation actions, subject to applicable measurement, reporting, and verification, and prepare low-carbon growth plans. Developed countries among us will take the lead by promptly undertaking robust aggregate and individual reductions in the midterm consistent with our respective ambitious long-term objectives and will work together before Copenhagen to achieve a strong result in this regard. Developing countries among us will promptly undertake actions whose projected effects on emissions represent a meaningful deviation from business as usual in the midterm, in the context of sustainable development, supported by financing, technology, and capacity-building. The peaking of global and national emissions should take place as soon as possible,
recognizing that the timeframe for peaking will be longer in developing countries, bearing in mind that social and economic development and poverty eradication are the first and overriding priorities in developing countries and that low-carbon development is indispensible to sustainable development. We recognize the scientific view that the increase in global average temperature above pre-industrial levels ought not to exceed 2 degrees C. In this regard and in the context of the ultimate objective of the Convention and the Bali Action Plan, we will work between now and Copenhagen, with each other and under the Convention, to identify a global goal for substantially reducing global emissions by 2050. Progress toward the global goal would be regularly reviewed, noting the importance of frequent, comprehensive, and accurate inventories.
We will take steps nationally and internationally, including under the Convention, to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and to enhance removals of greenhouse gas emissions by forests, including providing enhanced support to developing countries for such purposes.
2. Adaptation to the adverse effects of climate change is essential. Such effects are already taking place. Further, while increased mitigation efforts will reduce climate impacts, even the most aggressive mitigation efforts will not eliminate the need for substantial adaptation, particularly in developing countries which will be disproportionately affected. There is a particular and immediate need to assist the poorest and most vulnerable to adapt to such effects. Not only are they most affected but they have contributed the least to the build up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Further support will need to be mobilized, should be based on need, and will include resources additional to existing financial assistance. We will work together to develop, disseminate, and transfer, as appropriate, technologies that advance adaptation efforts.
3. We are establishing a Global Partnership to drive transformational low-carbon, climate-friendly technologies. We will dramatically increase and coordinate public sector investments in research, development, and demonstration of these technologies, with a view to doubling such investments by 2015, while recognizing the importance of private investment, public-private partnerships and international cooperation, including regional innovation centers. Drawing on global best practice policies, we undertake to remove barriers, establish incentives, enhance capacity-building, and implement appropriate measures to aggressively accelerate deployment and transfer of key existing and new low-carbon technologies, in accordance with national circumstances. We welcome the leadership of individual countries to spearhead efforts among interested countries to advance actions on technologies such as energy efficiency; solar energy; smart grids; carbon capture, use, and storage; advanced vehicles; high-efficiency and lower-emissions coal technologies; bio-energy; and other clean technologies. Lead countries will report by November 15, 2009, on action plans and roadmaps, and make recommendations for further progress. We will consider ideas for appropriate approaches and arrangements to promote
technology development, deployment, and transfer.
4. Financial resources for mitigation and adaptation will need to be scaled up urgently and substantially and should involve mobilizing resources to support developing countries. Financing to address climate change will derive from multiple sources, including both public and private funds and carbon markets.
Additional investment in developing countries should be mobilized, including by creating incentives for and removing barriers to funding flows. Greater predictability of international support should be promoted. Financing of supported actions should be measurable, reportable, and verifiable. The expertise of existing institutions should be drawn upon, and such institutions should work in an inclusive way and should be made more responsive to developing country needs. Climate financing should complement efforts to promote development in accordance with national priorities and may include both program-based and project-based approaches. The governance of mechanisms disbursing funds should be transparent, fair, effective, efficient, and reflect balanced representation. Accountability in the use of resources should be ensured. An arrangement to match diverse funding needs and resources should be created, and utilize where appropriate, public and private expertise. We agreed to further consider proposals for the establishment of international funding arrangements, including the proposal by Mexico for a Green Fund.
5. Our countries will continue to work together constructively to strengthen the world's ability to combat climate change, including through the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate. In particular, our countries will continue meeting throughout the balance of this year in order to facilitate agreement in Copenhagen.
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Declaration of the leaders of the major economies forum on energy and climate
This article was first published on guardian.co.uk at 15.25 BST on Thursday 9 July 2009. It was last updated at 15.25 BST on Thursday 9 July 2009.Ads by Google
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Green technology through the ages
22 May 2009:
In pictures: From electric cars in 1919 and solar powered printing presses, to passive houses and wave power, here is a selection of green inventions past and present
D. Murali
Chennai: The 1980s saw the emergence of a British Asian middle class, writes Ziauddin Sardar in 'Balti Britain: A journey through the British Asian experience' (www.landmarkonthenet.com). Asian businesses until then were largely the corner newspaper shop, halal butchers and grocery stores, he recounts. "But Asians began moving into electronics and computers, fashion and niche markets for ready-cooked Asian food. An Asian petty bourgeoisie class was evolving."
The author reminisces about shopping at the Ambala Sweet Centre in Euston, London in the 1960s and 70s, one of the few places in the capital which sold quality Indian sweetmeats. "It began as a dark, cramped, rather down-at-heel premises. But Ambala barfi was renowned, and people from all over Britain visited the shop. By the mid 1980s, there was a network of Ambala Sweet Centres throughout London."
The Euston shop had been extended and displayed a sophisticated elaborate array of sumptuous delicacies to rival the finest French patisserie; and by the end of the decade, Indian pickles were sold at the local Sainsbury or Asda, continues Sardar.
"The foundation had been laid for the emergence of future British Asian millionaires."
Riveting account.
**
Optimal searching strategy
Want to think out of the box? Try 'Do Polar Bears Get Lonely? And 101 other intriguing science questions,' edited by Mick O'Hare (www.profilebooks.com).
For instance, here is a question, in a section titled 'air traffic control': Why don't insects – particularly flies, wasps and bees – fly in straight lines like most birds do? Their flight patterns seem chaotic and often circular in motion; surely it is inefficient for them to fly in such a random way, wonders a questioner.
A helpful answer, from Octavio Miramontes, is that when insects are searching, their flight is an intermittent combination of long and short-distance steps where each step differs from the previous one by a small angle. "Small steps are the most frequent, while very long steps are rare. This is an optimal searching strategy known as 'Lévy flight.'"
It seems chaotic but it is not, explains the answer. "The angles and the distance follow well-defined statistical distributions. In the case of bees, they fly in amazingly straight lines for kilometres once they know where a food source is."
Useful lessons for marketers too?
**
Brighter side of life
If depression and anxiety are filling your living rooms through TV news bulletins about recession, slowdown and all such grim happenings, what you urgently may require is 'The Optimist' by Laurence Shorter (www.meetatthegate.com).
"It was starting to get under my skin. Even if these things were wildly exaggerated by the media, I was beginning to realise that – optimistic as I was – the background noise of gloom and catastrophe was slowly wearing me down, like the sound of an extractor fan that you don't notice until it gets switched off, and then you wonder how you survived all that time without going mad."
To cut the long story short, Shorter throws off his bedclothes, with a clear task in his mind: "I would track down the world's optimists and ask them the truth. I would print the interviews in a book. Together we would defeat the spectre of pessimism once and for all, and prove that everything was OK…"
Right pick for the weekend.
**
I want to return home, Taslima petitions Hasina
Dhaka (IANS): Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen has petitioned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to be allowed to return home 15 years after fleeing death threats by Islamic militants. She has not yet received any response.
She is unhappy with all regimes in Dhaka and with India, where she lived for some years, but had to leave in 2007 following threats from Muslim extremists.
"The problem of all political parties in India is that they tend to appease the Muslim fundamentalists," Nasreen, who holds a Swedish passport and lives in Paris, told Blitz, a Dhaka weekly.
"Muslims comprise 25 percent of Indian population, this section generally relies on their religious leaders to choose the politician or party to vote. So, all political parties try to win the hearts of these religious leaders, who are often fanatics.
"The Indian authorities do not allow me to live in India, because they are afraid of being labelled as anti-Islam. Muslim fundamentalists claimed that I destroyed Islam. The politicians thought they, instead of supporting freedom of speech, should issue fatwa against it because to them supporting me would mean being labelled as anti-Islam which would destroy their Muslim vote-bank," she told the weekly.
Calling herself "truly secular", Nasreen however says she is not against Taliban who seek to enforce an extremist form of Islam. She wants the 'system' that produces Taliban to be destroyed.
She has disputed Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni's description of Bangladesh as a 'secular' nation, pointing to numerous religion-based laws in force.
Rather than being 'secular', which is an ideal situation, she would prefer Bangladesh to be a "moderate Muslim state".
Nasreen fled Bangladesh in 1994 to live in exile after death threats over her novel 'Lajja' (Shame) which depicts the life of a Hindu family persecuted in the Muslim-majority country.
Sheikh hasina was the prime minister then.
Her plea to return follows the poll victory of Hasina's Awami League last December. The new government has pledged to crack down on Islamic militancy.
"As there is no true secular political party in the country, it is the only party we have pinned our hopes on. There is no alternative," Taslima said.
"I hope I would be able to return to my country during Hasina's term. If I can't go back now, I am afraid whether I will ever be able to in future. I hope good sense would prevail," she said.
Taslima was forced to leave her adopted home in India's Kolkata city in November 2007, after receiving fresh death threats from radical Indian Muslims.
After several months in hiding under Indian government's protection, Nasreen fled to Sweden in March last year, where she was offered a two-year safe haven in the town of Uppsala, a monthly allowance and an apartment.
The author said she pined for her own country.
"I have been living in exile for 15 years. They are punishing me for crimes the Muslim fanatics committed against me. I have been to almost all Bangladesh embassies in the West to get my passport renewed," Taslima said.
"I was born in Bangladesh and as a citizen it is my legal right to be able to live in Bangladesh. My right has been violated time and again. They have never given me any reason for imposing the ban," she said.
Decision on judicial reforms within two months: Moily
New Delhi (PTI): With members cornering the government on the delay in implementing judicial reforms, Law Minister M Veerappa Moily today assured the Lok Sabha that a decision on the matter would be taken within two months.
"I assure the members that the matter has to come to a logical conclusion. We have to have a national consensus and also not take much time. We will take only a couple of months and not couple of years," he said during the Question Hour.
Moily said the process had been "agonising" and "too long" and informed members that the government was in the process of preparing a roadmap for judicial reforms.
Stating that a national consensus on judicial reforms was necessary to move forward, the Law Minister said "There is no need to confront the judiciary on this issue."
To a question on reservation in higher judiciary for the weaker sections, he said the government was not considering such a proposal.
"We are not considering reservations for SC, ST, BC and other weaker sections in appointment of judges to High Courts and Supreme Courts," he said.
However, he said, the government would consciously suggest names of persons from the weaker sections for the consideration of the Collegium to be appointed as judges in higher judiciary.
"Social engineering in whatever form, including in the judiciary, needs to be addressed. Social engineering is not charity, but a right," Moily said.
On the issues of transparency in judicial appointments, he agreed with the Lok Sabha members that it needed to be addressed.
He said the Law Commission had suggested in its report that the primacy of the Chief Justice of India and the power of the executive to appoint Supreme Court and High Courts judges should be restored.
The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee had recommended that appointment of judges could be entrusted to a wider body other than the Collegium with representation from both judiciary and the executive, he said.
To a question on capital punishment for dowry cases, the Minister replied in the negative.
India may face drought if monsoon is weak - attache 9 Jul 2009, 1321 hrs IST, REUTERS | |||||||
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WASHINGTON: India's huge farm economy may be hit by a bad drought if its annual monsoon rains remain weak with the window for planting crops closing "The slow progress of the monsoon and its poor performance during the first quarter of the monsoon season (June-September) is causing serious concern among farmers as well as the (Indian) government," said a report by the USDA attache in New Delhi. "The window of opportunity for planting most kharif crops (rice, coarse grains, soybeans, peanut, cotton and pulses) will be over by mid-July. If rains come in the next week, planting operations will pick up," the report said. "Otherwise, the country could be heading for a severe drought," the report added. Attache reports are not official USDA data. In Australia, a scientist said India's monsoon will remain weak, according to the Madden-Julian Oscillation index, which gauges the eastward progress of tropical rain. India's monsoon rains have now covered all of the country, but the country's Meteorological Department said last week that as of July 1, the rains were 29 percent below normal. Some weather experts have already raised the possibility that the formation of an El Nino weather anomaly in the equatorial Pacific Ocean may have led to a weakening of the annual Indian monsoon rains. Those rains are a lifeblood for India's farming sector. The country is one of the world's biggest producers and consumers of everything from sugar to soybeans. Worries that India's sugar production may be hit by the faltering monsoon is a prime reason why sugar values have rallied to a three-year top in the New York raw sugar market. "Since the beginning of the monsoon season on June 1, rains have been consistently below normal in almost all parts of the country with the deficiency widening with each passing week," the attache's report said. It added that this drought could be worse than the one that struck in 2002, which caused significant crop losses. |
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