TRADE UNION Indigenous with an Immediate ACTION Plan for RESISTANCE Wanted to Stop MASS Destruction!
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Financial crisis? No, capitalism as usual
Just five months ago, when stock and commodity markets hit rock bottom, capitalism was viewed as seriously if not terminally sick. The Financial
Today, that looks like much ado about nothing. Stock markets are booming, commodity prices are rising, and shipping rates have tripled. Pessimists warn of rising defaults in credit cards, commercial realty and corporate debt, so we could have a double-dip recession. But markets believe the worst is over. Despite political and public outrage over "casino capitalism" the financial reforms being contemplated across the world are not fundamental.
Four months ago, pundits waxed eloquent about learning lessons for reform from the financial crisis. Today the greatest lesson of all seems to be that capitalism, with all its flaws, can cope with Great Recessions. We have always had financial crises and always will: that's the nature of capitalism. The system will always need reforms to keep pace with changing technologies and innovations. Yet it has proved its resilience. Mark Twain once said that rumours of his death were greatly exaggerated. The same can be said of capitalism.
In years ahead, financial regulation will definitely increase. But this will change capitalism's profile only slightly, since the financial sector was the most regulated one even before the crisis. Hedge funds, the least regulated financial entities of all, survived the crisis without bailouts, even as banks, the most regulated entities, suffered badly. Regulation does not prevent all crises: Japan had the most regulated financial sector among developed countries but suffered a lost decade in the 1990s. Lesson: while the future will see more regulation, financial crises will still happen.
Stiffer capital adequacy norms look certain, to check the excessive leverage of the last decade. Yet history suggests that financial innovation will ultimately find ways round regulations. Bank regulation was ultimately circumvented by a shadow banking system, and off-balance sheet vehicles. Expect ultimate circumvention of the new regulations. This will not be entirely a tragedy. The gains of financial innovation may initially be eclipsed by losses, but the losses are typically checked after a fiasco whereas the gains become permanent.
In future, most derivatives will have to be traded through a clearing house, ending the counterparty risk that sank the asset-backed securities market. Despite criticism, securitisation will continue with modifications. Banks will be able to securitise mortgages subject to retaining a certain proportion of mortgages they originate, a safeguard against excessive risk-taking in mortgage origination.
Some flaws will not be reformed at all. A special US problem is that its mortgages are non-recourse loans: the lender can get back the house after a default, but cannot go after the other assets of the borrower. This encourages massive willful default. Mortgage lenders in India, Europe and most countries, can go after other assets. But US politicians portray the entire housing bust as an evil perpetrated by lenders on innocent home buyers, and this political theatre avoids making borrowers accountable too. This carries the seeds of a future bust.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Opinion/Financial-crisis-No-capitalism-as-usual/articleshow/4858105.cms
Gas dispute: Mukesh, Anil Ambani meet PM
NEW DELHI: Amid continuing battle for gas, both the warring Ambani brothers are believed to have met Prime Minister
Anil, whose group company RNRL is seeking gas from Mukesh Ambani-led RIL's KG fields at the committed price of $2.34 per mmbtu, is understood to have met the Prime Minister today. Elder brother Mukesh is believed to have met Singh yesterday.
However, no comments could be obtained from either side.
The two brothers are also believed to have met other senior ministers and key officials in the central government.
ADAG firm Reliance Power today alleged that there was a conflict of interest between the experts who carried out the validation and the contractor (RIL) for approving the Rs 45,000 crore field development costs.
RPower CEO J P Chalsani today said Mustang Engineering has been advising RIL on various projects, while P Gopalakrishnan, the other independent expert, was on faculty of the School of Petroleum Technology, which is chaired by RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani.
None of the two experts could be contacted for comments. The government, he said, stands to lose Rs 30,000 crore revenue because of the inflated capex, as RIL is entitled to recover the entire cost before sharing revenues with the government.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Gas-dispute-Mukesh-Anil-Ambani-meet-PM/articleshow/4860939.cms
Publisher: Oxford University Press, New Delhi
Year: 2001
Pages: 271
Price: Rs.595
ISBN: 019565520-6
The Muslims of Bengal, including the present-day state of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, form the single largest Muslim ethnic group in the world after the Arabs. This book, a collection of ten essays, seeks to provide a broad overview of the Bengali Muslim identity. Although each of the essays deals with a particular aspect of Islam in Bengal, they all seek to grapple with what, for many Bengali Muslims, has seemed an almost insoluble dilemma -- whether they are Bengalis first or Muslims, and how their ethnic loyalties can be reconciled with the demands of a faith that transcends national boundaries. Little is known about how the Bengal countryside, particularly the eastern part of the province, located far from the centers of Muslim political rule, emerged as the home to the largest number of Muslims in the South Asian sub-continent. Richard Eaton, in his brilliantly researched essay, explores the fascinating process of the Islamization of the people of eastern Bengal, a process that he believes began in the sixteenth century. He writes that conversion to Islam was actually discouraged by the Mughal governors of the province, but, despite this opposition, large masses of Bengalis turned Muslim. Relying on hagiographies of local Sufi saints and Mughal land records, he argues that the process of Islamization in Bengal must be seen as, above all, a result of the agrarian policy of the Mughals. Mughal governors, eager to augment their revenues from the land, provided rent-free land grants to both Hindus as well as Muslims to cut down the dense forests in the eastern parts of the province and bring them under settled cultivation. The Muslim pioneers in this region employed local, largely aboriginal tribal people, as cultivators on the new lands. After their deaths they began being revered as saints, being attributed with supernatural powers. Gradually, these aboriginal people were Islamized, a process that did not reject previously-held beliefs directly, but accommodated Islamic elements within pre-existing cosmologies. Hence, conversion to Islam in eastern Bengal, as indeed in many other parts of India, took the form of an extended process of cultural change over several generations, rather than a sudden and complete change in identity, beliefs and allegiances. Because of the nature of the process of Islamization in Bengal, the Bengali Muslims continue to share much in terms of world-views, beliefs and practices with non-Muslim Bengalis, a phenomenon which Ralph Nichols observes in his paper on Islam and Vaishnavism in rural Bengal. While many ulema and Muslim reformers see this shared tradition as a sign of incomplete conversion or as 'unlawful innovation' (bid'at), Nichols seems to suggest that it was actually through developing this shared tradition that Islam was able to make headway in Bengal in the first instance, successfully expressing itself in terms which the Bengali peasants would find understandable. Peter Bertocci examines, in his contribution, the way in which rural Bengali Muslims understand their faith in precisely these local terms, drawing close parallels between institutions and identities that both Bengali Muslims and Hindus construct their own social worlds.
The local Bengali expression of Islam (a term I deliberately use in place of the more commonly used expression Bengali Islam) is not a static, unchanging phenomenon, however. From the eighteen century onwards, reformers and radicals have been active in Bengal, seeking to purge the Bengali form of Islam of what are seen as 'un-Islamic accretions', seeking to bring it in line with a shari'ah-centric scripturalist understanding of Islam. Muhammad Shah's paper looks at this process of reform in the context of the Khilafat movement in the early years of the twentieth century, arguing that one of the principal aims of the Bengali activists in the movement to protect the Ottoman Khilafat was to reform the Bengali Muslim tradition, bringing it closer to a shari'ah-centred understanding of Islam as defined by the reformist ulema. Yet, the Khilafatists were not alone in seeking to redefine the ways in which the Bengali Muslims understood their faith at this time. Sonia Amin, in her paper on Rokeya Sakhawat Hossein, the pioneer of Bengali Muslim women's education, and Shahadat Khan, in his article on the reformist and anti-colonial activist Kazi Abdul Wadud, show how a different agenda for the Bengali Muslims was also being articulated at this time, centred on issues of modern education, women's rights and inter-communal harmony. Despite the efforts of reformists, whether ulema or modern, western-educated Muslims, the Bengali Muslims have been unable, the book suggests, to comfortably reconcile their twin identities: as Bengalis, on the one hand, and as Muslims on the other. Joseph O'Connell discusses the ways in which Bengali Muslim self-identity has undergone radical shifts in the course of the previous century. Pitted against the Hindu 'upper' caste bhadralok, Bengali Muslims enthusiastically supported the cause for the separate Muslim state of Pakistan, stressing their religious identity over their ethnic identity. Yet, not long after the creation of Pakistan, a strong movement based on a sense of a separate Bengali identity, pitted against what was seen as the oppressive West Pakistani 'Other', emerged, galvanizing itself as a mass movement that ultimately succeeded in creating the basis of the new state of Bangladesh. O'Connell contends that torn apart as the Bangladeshis are between their Islamic and Bengali identities, a new understanding of national identity must be articulated, one based on humanism, not shunning religion altogether, but drawing inspiration from humanist strands in the various different religions that are practiced in the country. This calls for a redefinition of what it means to be a Bangladeshi Muslim today, seeking to express Islam in a manner that takes into account modern sensibilities on issues related to pluralism, democracy, human rights, and the rights of women and religious minorities. This is a point also made by Shelly Feldman in her paper on gender and Islam. The process may not be smooth, however. As Enayatur Rahim shows in his brilliantly argued piece on the Jama'at-i-Islami in Bangladesh, hostility to ethnic aspirations and local identities, and an unwillingness to reflect and redefine perspectives in the face of new situations on the part of influential Islamist groups in the country do not help make matters simpler for this task of developing new visions of religion. Overall, this book excels as an overview of the social history of the Bengal Muslims. The scant attention paid to the Muslims of West Bengal and the Bengali-speaking Muslims of Assam and Tripura, and the silence on the Tablighi Jama'at, easily the single largest Islamic movement in Bangladesh and on the contemporary Bengali ulama are, however, unfortunate. But, perhaps, that can be left for another book.
http://www.renaissance.com.pk/maybore2y2.html
KG Basin Gas Reliance Feud has well EXPOSED how the National Resources and revenues have been CAPTURED. Nilekani, SUNIL Mitra, MONTEK, PITRODA and India Inc machinery have taken over GOVERNANCE. Disinvestment is ACOMPLISHED with ROTHSCHILD Lead! Mass DESTRUCTION Continues!!We NEVER Effort DELAY for Self DEFENCE as our People, the Majority of the Geopolitics have been SUBJECTED for TARGET Practice!
We have NO ESCAPE Route from this GAS Chamber ! Killing Field!
We have not INFINITE Time to wait with SOCIAL Movement Agenda TEETHLESS unless we STAND UNITED Rock Solid to defend our People AS IT Is! We have to discard RESOURCE GENERATION Traget Practice and haev to address the Grievances of the MASSES.
Peasants in India do COMMIT Suicide.
I must WARN you, now it is TURN for White COLOR People emplyed in GOVT as well as public Sector. Those who availed SIXTH Pay Commission as Govet or PSU Employees!
No Traditional TRADE Unions does defend or address you!
What have you DECIDED as SURVIVAL Strategy?
We were facing peculiar circumstances in Murshidabad. Estranged BAMCEF leader Dr Jagatbandhu and Ideolgue Swapan Kumar Biswas, IAS and their supports have launched a Campaign against us. Jagatbandh Babu has landed in BSP and Swapan Babu, famous author of False Gods, has recently launched a Bangla Bamcef rejecting Ambedkar and Ambedkarite Ideology on communal line! Swapan Babu now hplds Dr Ambedkar and Jogendra Nath Mandal RESPONSIBLE for the Persecution of bengalies across the BORDER! It is democratic RIGHT of any individual citizen to discard or accept any Ideology or Organisation. Everyone is sovereign enough to launch any Poltical Social forum. But these GENTLEMEN do try to BLOCK us everywhere in Bengal. Moreover Jagatbandhu babu has captured Ambedkar Mission building erected on Five Kutta. he does not allow anyone but BSP supporters to use the venue!
Jagatbandhu baubu and Swapan Babu had challeneged us to arrange any convention in Murshidabad. While we arranged one , they Knocked every door to oppose us.
They failed Miserably! We arranged the Convention in Penasoners` Association hall near Adhir Chowdhuri`s, the Powerful MP from Beharampur, house just opposit the Police line and eside the Collectrate! It was a LIVE Interaction as no less than ten Speakers spoke in depth on Ambedkarite Ideology and supported us!
Meanwhile, Major barves kept on calling me. He has initiated the process to launsh the Trade Union in Mumbai. We would validate it very soon. The Sate and national conventions would be held as soon as Possible. We have to complete the national Network within three months and then launch the Action Plan for Resistance!
I have been talking to editors, social and Human Right activists, NGOs and Nationality Movement leaders, nonpolitical social Organisation to take over the TRADE Union Movement as all TRADE Unions including CITU, AITUC, INTUC and BMS have alligned with the Government of India Incorporation for the FINAL Destruction!
Friends, we have no time!
Meanwhile, BAMCEF President Waman Meshram has ENDORSED the plan and promised the support of BAMCEF! We wait Positive respose from friends working as ISOLATE Islands countrywide!
Major Barves informed me that the STATE Power has decide to use GUNSHIP Attacking Helicopters to Tame the REBEL Aboriginal Indigenous people country wide. since Internal as well as External Security haave been VESTED in CIA and MOSAD, it is never UNEXPECTED. They have used the KILLING Machinery worldwide and INDIA replicates it!
Just after the Dinner, I reached the Behrampur Court Rly station but Lalgola DN was scheduled on 10.55 pm. I managed to get the Ticket around 9.50 and reached the Platfarm Number One. It was packed up with the passangers. Most of them had to reach transit Point Kolkata to scatter all over the country in surch of employment as they consist the bulk of Majority Slum Dewlers countrywide.
Major Barves called me on 10PM and we interacted in Open for half an hour. It was an unexpected random Audiances on transit. I always enjoy the train Journey while I get infinit chance of Interactions! In my daily routine, these interactions make my Talking Tour. I get and pick up cadres and workers with such interactions.
We did every Economic Issue which this particular Audiance is unaware of an hundreds of people just siezed me on the Paltfarm. I was not addressing them but they were interested to hear the talk as it related to their life and livelihood, past, presnt and Future.
I knew, the Political and social Set Up in Bengal and specilly, Murshidabad does not allow the masses to participate and share anything which they need most. Is it not the trend elsewhere?
Deprived of INFORMATION and Knowledge, the Masses feel Helpless and they lend their ears to everything in AIR. This is an Opportunity I enjoy most. I always address RLY compartments despite warnings from my friends that some day I would face DIRE Consequences! But always I get some new friends, new contacts!
On Behrampur Rly Platfarm on the night, they witnessed an UNFAMILIAR Interaction which was perhaps more important than our organised convention! But as I expcted, they could not RSPOND! They are so much so TERRORISED of DIRE Cosequences!
I Never Tried hard for Career. I NEVER applied for GOVT. Job or Position! I Never joied a Political Party! I was writing for mainstream Media. I just gave up becuase I never felt FREE to express TRUTH! My life is spent.My son is grown up enough to look after himself. may parents DEAD already. I have no OBLIGATION to be afraid of!
Well, I am ready to face whatsoever DIRE Consequences!
How many of you do feel to accompany me?
"Madrassas have nothing to do with terrorism," a religious group says in a report that also negates the allegations that Muslim seminaries in India are breeding ground for terror.
The report by All India Coordination Committee for Madrassas (AICCM) said "a concerted campaign… to malign madrassas" had led to the deterioration of educational standards in Muslim seminaries.
"A concerted campaign was going across the country to malign madrassas' image by branding them as breeding ground of terrorism. There is no truth in it," said AICCM general secretary Maulana Shaukat Ali Bastavi.
Bastavi said an AICCM team prepared a report on madrassas after visiting different seminaries all over the country.
"None of the madrassas across India has been a centre of terrorism," the report concluded.
It said the terror charges against madrassas and the students were baseless and "none of the madrassas in India is involved in any anti-national activity".
"We probed into allegations against madrassas," Bastavi said.
There are over 4,000 madrassas in Bihar, including the seminaries where the staff gets the salary from the state government.
There are 2,459 unaided madrassas. According to the first-ever status paper brought out by the AICCM, there are only 32 madrassas for girls under the government-aided category and 576 madrassas in the unaided category.
Some madrassas in Bihar have begun modernising their education system by introducing computers and science subjects.
They even encourage students to join the National Cadet Corps (NCC) training.
Jet Airways sacks two pilots for joining union
Jet Airways has sacked two of its senior pilots for joining a newly formed
Balaraman and Sam Thomas were sacked for joining the National Aviators Guild - the pilots' union - which was registered with the labour commissioner in Mumbai last month.
"The two pilots were asked to leave last week. It is, however, not part of our cost restructuring operations," a spokesperson for the airline told IANS Wednesday.
The official, however, refused to share further details. "This is our internal issue. We do not discuss it in public."
In November 2008, Jet had sacked 32 foreign pilots in order to cut costs.
The two sacked pilots enjoy the backing of over 600 union members, union officials said.
They added that pilots were considering going on strike if the two were not reinstated.
MindTree to cut salary of about 200 R&D staff by 15%
Bangalore-based IT firm MindTree today said it will cut salary by 15 per cent of about 200 staff in the research and development
"The utilisation levels had fallen below 60 per cent and hence the decision to cut salary by 15 per cent was taken. This would be applicable on employees in the R&D services, who are neither on an customer-approved project nor on an internally-approved project," MindTree Senior Vice-President and Global Head (People Function) Puneet Jetli told PTI.
The cut would be applicable from August 1, 2009, and affect about 150-200 people, he added. MindTree employs 1,100 people in the R&D division.
"This salary cut is, however, for a short-term. The salaries will be restored if the employee gets assigned to a customer project or the utilisation levels cross the threshold of 65 per cent," Jetli added.
He said selective pay cut was better than measures like layoffs, across-the-board pay cuts or putting people on the 'virtual pool'.
Jetli said the company expected a turnaround soon. "There are signs of recovery. There might not be a drastic growth, but the situation is stabilising," he added.
Despite a net profit of Rs 54.54 crore in the first quarter of FY'10, MindTree, in view of the continued uncertainty in global markets, has revised its revenue guidance for this fiscal to USD 255-270 million.
Pak bans 25 organisations, including JuD, LeT
The Pakistan government has banned 25 religious and other organisations, including the Jamaat-ud-Dawah, Jaish-e-Mohammed and
The ministry presented a list of the banned organisations in the National Assembly or lower house of parliament. It also said the Sunni Tehrik had been put on a watch list.
Among the organisations included in the list of outlawed groups are JuD, LeT, JeM, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariah Muahammadi, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Al-Akhtar Trust, Al-Rasheed Trust, Tehreek-e-Islami, Islamic Students Movement, Khair-un-Nisa International Trust, Islami Tehreek-e-Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Islam, Balochistan Liberation Army, Jamiat-un-Nisar, Khadam Islam and Millat-e-Islamia Pakistan.
A majority of the groups have been linked to terrorist attacks and suicide bombings in Pakistan. India has blamed the JuD, LeT and JeM for several attacks on its soil, including the Mumbai attacks and the 2001 assault on the Indian parliament.
Pakistan banned the JuD after the UN Security Council declared it a front for the LeT in December last year. The LeT and JeM were banned by the country in 2002.
Five more power plants seek gas from RIL's KG-D6 fields
Five more power plants have joined the scramble for natural gas from Reliance Industries' KG-D6 fields, seeking a minimum allocation
Two power plants each in Delhi and Andhra Pradesh and one in Gujarat have sought gas from RIL fields before they are commissioned this fiscal, a government official said.
RIL is currently producing 36 mmscmd gas from KG-D6, half of which goes to power plants. The firm has the capacity to produce 60 mmscmd but is constrained to produce less as the government is yet to identify customers for buying gas beyond the initial 40 mmscmd, allocated primarily to fertiliser and power producers in accordance with the Gas Utilisation Policy.
RIL cannot sell gas to these and other users including its own refineries, which are starved of the fuel, unless allocation is approved by the Government.
The official said the Central Electricity Authority, the technical arm of the Ministry of Power, has recommended 1.37 mmscmd of gas to Lanco's 366 MW Kondapalli extension project, which will be commissioned in February 2010.
It sought 1.21 mmscmd for the 374 MW Utran plant in Gujarat, which will go on stream in November, and 0.82 mmscmd for the 220 MW Tanir Vavi plant before its commissioning in March 2010. For the 108 MW Tithalia and 250 MW Bawana power plants in Delhi, the CEA recommended 0.40 mmscmd and 0.93 mmscmd of gas from KG-D6.
ADAG questions credibility of DGH; evokes rebuttal
Clashing over RIL's gas field cost, an Anil Ambani group firm on Wednesday questioned the credibility of audits commissioned by the
ADAG firm Reliance Power today alleged that there was a conflict of interest between the experts who carried out the validation and the contractor (RIL) for approving the Rs 45,000 crore field development costs.
RPower CEO J P Chalsani today said Mustang Engineering has been advising RIL on various projects, while P Gopalakrishnan, the other independent expert, was on faculty of the School of Petroleum Technology, which is chaired by RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani.
None of the two experts could be contacted for comments. The government, he said, stands to lose Rs 30,000 crore revenue because of the inflated capex, as RIL is entitled to recover the entire cost before sharing revenues with the government.
DGH Director General V K Sibal said in New Delhi that RIL's cost of gas production even after higher capex was comparable to any other field in the country. World over exploration and development is not judged by the capital expenditure incurred but by the actual cost of production.
On the experts, he said Mustang was selected through an international bid, while Gopalakrishnan was on DGH's panel.
The cost of production for Dhirubhai 1 and 3 fields at the approved field development cost of USD 8.836 billion came to USD 1.28 per million British thermal unit, he said.
"I don't want to join issues with them but you should let people who know this subject decide on the issue," he said. "If Rs 45,000 crore capital expenditure claimed by them was inflated, the cost of production in terms of cost per million British thermal unit would also come higher."
Economy of Murshidabad
he economy of Murshidabad is fundamentally agrarian. The lack of economically important minerals and proper infrastructure is a hindrance to the growth of industries in Murshidabad. Hence agriculture, supplemented by the cottage industries shaped the economic scenario of Murshidabad.
The triangular tract of Murshidabad presents regional homogeneity and is provided by ample water of the Ganges and its tributaries, which favorably helped the agriculture to thrive, thereby supporting the economy greatly. The yield per hectares of land in respect of rice, wheat and fibers are respectively 1124 kgs, 2007 kgs and 1540 bales. Apart from this, horticulture also provides a considerable section of the economy of Murshidabad. The production of sugarcane and potato were 7375 kgs and 14826 kgs per hectare. After being a proper utilization of the agricultural products, the ample quantity of surplus is exported to the neighboring districts. Agriculture, being the principal source of the income of Murshidabad, supports the economy dually.
The agriculture in Murshidabad is supplemented by the cottage industries, which shares an equal importance in the economy of Murshidabad. However the silk weaving industry constituted to be the principal cottage industry in Murshidabad. The raw silk weaving has been growing prominently since the pre - historic times. However the silk industry in West Bengal is concentrated in Murshidabad. The brand "Murshidabad silk" is not only famous across India, but also has a great demand throughout the world. Sericulture industry is the principal agro-based rural industry in Murshidabad.
The livestock of cows, goats and buffaloes served the rural economy of Murshidabad. Ivory carving is another industry of Murshidabad, which supports its economy. The ivory industry in Murshidabad is the only one of its kind in West Bengal. The other small-scale industries like the bell metal and brass utensils, carpentry, earthenware making, smithy, and pottery and bidi-making etc. served the rural economy.
The major trade in the Murshidabad is the silk fabrics. The ivory trading is also an important source of income of Murshidabad. About 99% of total production of ivory is exported, which draws a significant amount of Murshidabad`s income. The entire jute products are exported to the mills throughout the country. Among other things onions, pulses, oilseeds and vegetables constitute the main item of export. The handloom items and the woolen garments are the important items, which are being exported.
However, the economy of Murshidabad is mainly supported by the export of the surplus agricultural products and silk, ivory and vegetables.
http://www.indianetzone.com/15/economy_murshidabad.htm
Report on Starvation Deaths in Murshidabad, West Bengal
Author:Publication:
Date:
[Note from the Hindu Vivek Kendra: This report will be conveniently ignored by those who go under the rubric intellectuals in India, and the foreign media would like to believe that it does not exist. Now, if such a report had been made relating to a BJP-ruled state?]
This 64-page report, compiled by Dr. Zafar ul Islam Khan, editor of the Delhi-based magazine Milli Gazette, details the starvation deaths that have taken place in and around Jalangi in Murshidabad district in Werst Benegal in recent months, which have received but scant attention in the media. In the supposedly Marxist state of West Bengal, the report says, grinding poverty is widespread, particularly among the state's Muslims and Dalits, who account for more than half of West Bengal's population and who are the principal victims of the near famine conditions in the Jalangi area.
According to the report, near-starvation conditions in Jalangi have been caused by the changing course of the river Padma, which has destroyed farmlands, leading to numerous deaths and rendering hundreds of people to destitution, forcing them to beg or else to migrate outside the region in search of survival opportunities. Stark poverty has reduced many people to surviving on roots and leaves, leading to widespread disease and malnutrition. To make matters worse, apathetic local and state administrations are allowing food supplies to rot in godowns while a majority of the affected people are not even issued below-poverty-line ration cards. Poverty eradication programmes are not being properly implemented and people working under the Food For Work programme remain unpaid for long periods despite funds having been released to the local authorities. People complain that money is being deducted from the paltry wages that they are entitled to under the poverty eradication programmes in order to fund local CPI (M) party activities . It is also alleged that beneficiaries of these programmes are selected on the basis of party affiliation. Besides these programmes, the only alternative for many people in the area is casual work on private farms, for which they are often paid a measly Rs.20 for a day's work (and that in a state that has been ruled by an avowed Marxist government for decades now!). To protest against the apathy of the West Bengal government and to promote awareness about the issue, the compiler of this report, Dr. Khan, has filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Supreme Court.http://www.hvk.org/articles/0605/114.html
KG gas row: Centre may seek copy of Ambani family MoU
EW DELHI: The government is considering an option to ask for a copy of the Ambani family memorandum of understanding (MoU), the confidentiality
According to the officials, some of the legal experts advising the government point out the need for the MoU to present the government's position in a 'more focused' manner. The government wants to focus its plea in the Supreme Court on the natural gas issue, which it believes to be a national property that can't be divided between the two brothers on the basis of a private arrangement.
"It is important to go through the entire MoU or else somebody can take advantage of this during arguments," an official handling the case said on condition of anonymity. The parts of the MoU produced in the judgement may not be representing the true picture, and taking a stand on its basis could weaken the case, he added.
| Also Read |
| → DGH, Anil clash on D6 capex claims |
| → KG dispute: Anil steps on the gas against Murli Deora |
| → Gas row: Anil blames Mukesh again, Deora supports govt's stance |
But an RNRL spokesman said the oil ministry has relevant parts of the MoU. "Apart from RIL, we (RNRL) submitted the relevant details of the gas supply arrangements to MoPNG (ministry of petroleum & natural gas) way back in June 2006," he said.
"Also, the relevant extracts of the MoU regarding the gas supply arrangement are reproduced in the Bombay High Court judgement vide para 314 from page 301 to page 306," he added.
A Reliance Industries spokesperson declined to comment as the mater was sub judice.
The government official said experts are divided on demanding the MoU since the process could take some time. "They say they will have to approach the court to obtain the MoU. The process would be lengthy and it would divert focus from the core issue," he said.
A legal expert, advising the government, said on condition of anonymity, "There is no reason for the government to seek the family MoU". The existing SLP is comprehensive and supports the government's, he added. "The decision whether to revise the SLP with or without the family MoU will be taken in a week's time," the expert said.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Energy/Oil-Gas/KG-gas-row-Centre-may-seek-copy-of-Ambani-family-MoU/articleshow/4858398.cms
Commerce min for core tag for all loans to SEZs
NEW DELHI: The commerce department has urged the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to treat all bank loans to developers of special economic zones as
The central bank had said that since repayment of loans by developers who rent out units was linked to real estate prices and not economic activity, it was a real estate activity. The commerce department, however, disagrees. "We have pointed out to the RBI that ultimately repayment of all loans taken by developers are linked to economic performance of units and hence there should be no discretion in classification of SEZ development activities as infrastructure or real estate projects. All activities should be treated as infrastructure," a commerce department official, who did not want to be named, told ET.
Infrastructure projects get funds at about 2% lower interest rates compared to real estate projects, and also have access to funds earmarked for infrastructure activities.
While all SEZ activities, at present, are classified as real estate activities in terms of bank exposure, the RBI had last month defined SEZ projects as infrastructure projects. It then came up with draft commercial real estate exposure guidelines which, once formalised, would give clear instructions to banks on SEZ funding.
As per the guidelines, if a SEZ is being developed by a single company entirely or mainly for its own use, and the repayment depends on the cash flows generated by the economic activities of the units in the SEZ and the general cash flow of the company rather than the level of real estate prices, it should not then be classified as CRE but as infrastructure lending.
Similarly, if there are co-developers in a SEZ who undertake a specific job, such as provision of sewerage or electrical lines, and they are paid by the main developer based on the work in progress, such exposure will be classified as infrastructure lending, the draft notification said.
However, if the SEZ developer leases or rents out units, then the loans given for such projects would be classified as real estate.
The RBI is open to making changes in the draft guidelines based on the response it receives.
| SBI, Tata Motors, Sahara figure in top 100 tax defaulters list 4 Aug 2009, 1903 hrs IST, PTI |
Disclosing the list of defaulters in the Rajya Sabha today, the Minister of State for Finance S S Palanimanickam said in a written reply that top 100 tax defaulters owe to the exchequer whopping Rs 1.41 lakh crore -- more than three times the amount the government spends on NREGA scheme annually to provide employment to BPL families.
The Centre is taking various steps to recover the outstanding dues, the minister said, adding that the government has requested the adjudicating authorities like ITAT and Settlement Commission "to dispose of high demand cases expeditiously."
As per the list, disgraced stud farm owner Hassan Ali Khan tops the list of tax defaulters with an outstanding arrear of more than Rs 50,000 crore.
The list of tax defaulters also includes stock broker late Harshad Mehta and his associates and other brokers like A D Narrotam and Hiten Dalal.
While the SBI owes Rs 333.6 crore in taxes, Tata Motors and Indian Oil Corporation have to pay Rs 206.5 crore and Rs 210.3 crore to the treasury.
As regards Sahara, many of its group companies figure in the list of defaulters, while its promoter Roy owes Rs 230 crore to the exchequer.
Among leading public sector undertakings, BSNL has a tax demand of about Rs 2,417 crore, while NTPC faces a demand for Rs 622 crore. VSNL Ltd (now Tata Communications Ltd) has a tax demand of about Rs 505.5 crore.
Among Sahara group companies, Sahara India and Sahara Airlines (now Jetlite) figure among tax defaulters apart from Sahara India Financial Corporation Ltd.
Besides, corporates which owe taxes to the government are Coca Cola India (Rs 600 crore), Baron International (Rs 589 crore), Oracle Corporation (Rs 558 crore), Rolex Holding Ltd (Rs 558 crore), Aaditya Luxury Hotels (564 crore) and Reliance Energy (Rs 176 crore).
Nokia, Daewoo Motors, Bunge India Ltd, Tata Industries, Satyam Computers and IBM Pvt Ltd are other companies which have been named on the list.
The Minister said that these tax demands also include those which are difficult to recover for various reasons like demands notified under Special Court, inadequate assets and companies under litigation.
However, among special measures being taken by the government to expedite recovery of default taxes includes monitoring of the recovery of amount in large cases by a Task Force. "Invariably arrear demand above Rs 25 crore is monitored by CBDT and between 10 crore and 25 crore by CCIT/DIT (Recovery)," the Minister said.
US team to push for easy investment laws
NEW DELHI: A team from Washington will visit New Delhi next week to discuss liberalisation of investment laws that had taken a back seat due to
Since this interaction will be a first on investment laws between the Obama regime and the new UPA government, both sides will test the waters to see how aggressively they can push their interests, a government official involved in the negotiations said.
"The interaction is scheduled for August 11. While the US stand on most areas being discussed under the pact is expected to be same as before, its priorities may have changed. If the new team is less aggressive on certain issues, the talks could get a boost," the official said on the condition of anonymity.
The main contention in the bilateral investment talks last year was the US' insistence on pre-investment national treatment for its investors. In such an arrangement, India will have to take responsibility for losses incurred by a US company before it actually invests here if the loss is due to a policy change.
So, if a US company spends money on market research before it invests here, India will be responsible for making good the losses if that company is unable to invest here due to a policy change or a government decision.
So far, India has extended only post-investment national treatment to countries with which it has investment promotion agreements. Under post-investment national treatment, once a foreign company invests in India, it will be subject to the same laws for investment protection that are applicable to domestic investors. However, it has no obligations for losses incurred by companies in the pre-investment stage.
"India is comfortable with extending post-investment national treatment. It does not want to be pushed into something it does not want to offer," the official said. The US also wants that the bilateral treaty should allow a foreign investor to take a dispute with the host government to an international arbiter for settlement. The official said India has been opposing the proposal on the ground that it would lead to the country losing its sovereignty on the issue.
India has signed a number of bilateral investment promotion agreements with trading partners such as Australia, UK, France, Germany and Russia, but it has extended post-investment national treatment only to Singapore.
India finmin report: fiscal consolidation needed
NEW DELHI: India will continue to focus on fiscal consolidation by cutting down unproductive spending, as part of its efforts to sustain a high
India's fiscal deficit is projected to swell to a record 6.8 per cent of gross domestic product in the fiscal year 2009/10 (April-March) that has to be funded by a record high borrowing of 4.51 trillion rupees ($95 billion).
"...The process of fiscal consolidation which is a pre-requisite for sustained growth, continues to be in focus," said the report presented by the finance minister to parliament.
The report also said efforts were being made to improve cash management and cut expenditure in non-priority areas.
Last month, the government decided to step up public spending to support a fragile economic recovery.
In the July budget, the government outlined plans to cut the fiscal deficit to 5.5 per cent by 2010/11 and further to 4 per cent in 2011/12 following a recovery in the economy.
Asia's third largest economy expanded by 6.7 per cent in 2008/09, slowing from the scorching 9 per cent or more recorded in the previous three fiscal years.
Last week, the central bank said the economy could grow 6 per cent with an upward bias and warned of price pressures by end of the fiscal year to March 2010.
"...Government will continue to take necessary measures to moderate inflation, prune unproductive expenditure and closely monitor FRBM (Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management) targets," the finance ministry report said.
India's wholesale price index fell 1.54 per cent in the 12-months to July 18 despite a rise in food prices, but analysts said inflation could soon return.
However, the consumer price index - which attaches greater weighting to food products - stood firm at 9.29 per cent in June.
Govt spent Rs 257/month per person on social services in FY'09
NEW DELHI: The government spent Rs 257 a month per person on social services like sports, education and medical and public health in the last
"As per the data on expenditures of the Centre and the States combined on social services available from the Reserve Bank of India, total combined expenditure on social services in 2008-09 was Rs 257 per month per person roughly," Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Rajya Sabha today.
He also said that the total combined expenditure of the Centre and the state governments on social services in 2008-09 was 6.72 per cent of the country's GDP.
"The Government is fully committed to inclusive growth and is making all efforts to provide sufficient funds for social security, especially for the disadvantaged sections of the society," he said.
Social services include education, sports, art and culture, medical and public health, family welfare of SCs, STCs and OBCs, labour welfare, social security and welfare and nutrition, relief on account of natural calamities.
RIL to buy 67% stake in AP city gas distributor
HYDERABAD: Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries (RIL) will pick up a 67% stake in Krishna Godavari Gas Network (KGGNL), a company set up to
The investment on CGD for the power-starved state is estimated at Rs 1,00,000 crore. The price of natural gas will be $4.2 per million BTU.
An MoU will be inked between Reliance Gas Corporation, an arm of RIL and three other stakeholders — Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation, IDFC Equity Fund and the Infrastructure Corporation of AP (IncAP) — by mid-August, this year. The three partners will have a 11% stake each in the special purpose vehicle KGGNL, said DA Somayajulu, Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy's advisor and the government's negotiator with RIL.
At a review meeting on gas supplies from the KG basin held on Tuesday, the chief minister made it clear that he wanted to expedite the CGD project for domestic and industrial consumers, as RIL has already started selling gas.
The company, which is expected to produce 40 mmscmd of gas from the KG basin in the first phase, has to earmark five mmscmd of gas for CGD projects across the country.
Currently, RIL is producing around 31 mmscmd. Of this, it is supplying only 10 mmscmd to Andhra, though the state's actual allocation is only 7.79 mmscmd. GAIL is also supplying another six mmscmd, taking total supplies to 16 mmscmd.
"We want the actual allocation from RIL to be raised rather than getting the extra amount as a gratis. Right now, supplies are adequate to meet the requirements of existing power and fertiliser companies in the state. All gas-based power projects are working at full capacity," he said. However, RIL is embroiled in a legal tussle with Anil Ambani-led Reliance Natural Resources (RNRL) over gas supplies. The state, on its part, has pitched for a 10% allocation of natural gas produced from the KG basin, which is in its own backyard.
Chief minister YSR Reddy said the state would fight for its reasonable share of gas to be produced in future and also for its share of royalties, even as the Opposition blamed him for getting a raw deal on gas supplies from the KG Basin.
Parallely, Bhagyanagar Gas (BGL) — a joint venture of HPCL, GAIL, Kakinada Seaports Private and the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Development Corporation — will supply gas for the proposed CGD network in Hyderabad, Vijaywada and Kakinada.
The estimated investment for Hyderabad is Rs 3,500 crore. The cost of fuel for vehicles (CNG) and the domestic sector is expected to drop by 40%, with the alternate fuel.
Assocham wants to play role of a catalyst in Jharkhand
he Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) wants to play the role of a catalyst for industrialisation in Jharkhand,
Assocham feels that Jharkhand has huge potential which has not been tapped so far and that it can work towards bringing both the industry and the government on a common platform so that both work in tandem to achieve the goal of industrialisation.
Assocham's secretary general DS Rawat, who was here in connection with a summit, told the ET that his organisation would soon make linkages with the local chambers and the government to address issues related with industrialisation. "We are also planning to set up a liasoning office in Ranchi to coordinate the local units with the national body so that issues are addressed in a much more effective manner," he said on the sidelines of the meet.
The industry body, he said, also plans to organise a trade fair kind of event called "Jharkhand Investmart" every alternate year to showcase the huge potential that the state offers in the field of mining and industry and to bring all the stakeholders together. He said besides the mining and steel sector, the state also has great potential in the food processing, herbal medicines and tourism sectors which have remained neglected so far.
"We intend to submit a draft proposal to the state government after Assembly elections, which will provide a blueprint to promote industrialisation, to gainfully utilise mines. We are of the view that the extremism can be contained by development for which we would impress upon the government to set up special economic zones (SEZ) in Naxalite-affected areas," said Mr Rawat.
The Assocham official said industrial projects worth Rs 125,940 crore, including those of ArcelorMittal, Jindal South West, Jindal Steel and Power Limited, Tata Steel, Essar Steel are awaiting approvals from the state government. He urged the state government to streamline its clearance procedures to pace up industrialization and attract domestic and foreign companies for lift the economy of the state.
According to him, execution of these projects will create over 1 lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities and will also upgrade the general infrastructure and civic amenities of locations where they are proposed to be put up.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Assocham-wants-to-play-role-of-a-catalyst-in-Jharkhand/articleshow/4860927.cms
Indians defy high gold prices as festive season starts
MUMBAI/SINGAPORE: Indians have started buying gold jewellery and wholesalers are stocking up against anticipated price rises as the busy season
India, which accounted for more than 20 percent of global demand for gold jewellery in 2008, celebrates the Hindu festivals of Raksha Bandhan, Janmasthami and Ganesh Chaturthi in August, when demand for bullion usually picks up.
Elsewhere in Asia, gold's rise to a two-month high above $970 an ounce spurred selling, but premiums for gold bars were steady at 70 cents to the spot London price in Singapore, suggesting that consumers would still buy on dips.
"As against nothing earlier, there is at least something now. This month for the festivals, the real consumers will be buying, so demand has revived a bit," said Haresh Acharya, bullion desk head at Parker Agrochem Exports Ltd, a wholesaler in Ahmedabad.
"However there is hardly any demand from northern India because of the below normal monsoon. If the monsoon fails, the full year will be very bad," said Acharya, referring to sales.
Jewellery is the most common gift during religious events in India and forms an essential part of the dowry basket. Weddings usually take place during the festive season, when parents give gold jewellery to their daughters for financial security.
Weak monsoon rains could hurt demand because farmers, who account for 65 percent of India's gold demand, depend on good harvests, but some dealers said wholesalers were active in the local market, looking for an opportunity to buy.
"When prices fall a bit, there is buying. The sentiment we saw in the first half of the year has turned around," said Ajit Shinde, a director at wholesaler Magna Projects Pvt. Ltd., which is based in the eastern city of Kolkata.
The most active October contract on the Indian gold futures added 25 rupees, to 14,920 rupees ($312.8) per 10 grams on Wednesday. Cash gold fell $3.20 to $963.55 but was within sight of a two-month high of $970.05 on Tuesday.
India's jewellery demand has suffered because of high global prices earlier this year and an economic slowdown, with consumption falling 52 percent to 34.7 tonnes in the first quarter.
Gold was around 4 percent below an 11-month high above $1,000 hit in February.
"In the near-term, it certainly has a bit of upside pressure and with expectations for the dollar to weaken further, I would expect gold to remain buoyant for now," said Adrian Koh, an analyst at Phillip Futures in Singapore.
Premiums were also steady in Hong Kong at 30 cents to the spot London prices, but physical trading slowed to a trickle in Tokyo during the summer holidays. Japanese dealers offered gold bars at a discount of 50 cents to London, compared with a premium of 25 cents two weeks ago.
Hindus outnumber Muslims in West Bengal madrassas
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Kolkata: Squashing popular belief that madrassas are schools for fundamentalist Islamic teachings, Hindus students in West Bengal are making a beeline for these schools.
With madrassas shifting focus from Islamist education to science and technology, Hindu students now outnumber Muslims in four madrassas in the state. "The number of Hindu students varies from 57% to 64%, which is proof that madrassas and secularism are not anachronistic," West Bengal Board of Madrassa Education president Sohrab Hussain said. He said out of 1,077 students in the Kasba madrassa, 618 are Hindus. The figures are equally encouraging at Orgram where 554 out of 868 students are Hindus. At Chandrakona, 201 out of 312 students are Hindus and at Ekmukha, 290 out of 480 children are from the majority community.
"It's a misconception that our students only learn Islam-related subjects at madrassas. Times are changing and so are we. Now, we stress on science and technology. As many as 42 madrassas have computer laboratories," Hussain said.
He said an increasing number of Hindu students were choosing madrassas over other schools because they had more credibility. "Mostly first-generation learners from backward classes come to study here as they know they won't be looked down upon. Besides, madrassa certificates are on a par with national-level examinations," he said.
There are 506 madrassas in West Bengal and 52 more will come up by the end of 2009. Overall, 17% of students and 11% of teachers in these institutions are non-Muslims.
"The only difference between madrassa and state board syllabus is that our students have to take a 100-mark paper on Arabic and Islamic studies, which is good for Hindu students as they learn a new language," Hussain said.
Bibhas Chandra Ghorui, a Hindu assistant teacher at Chandrakona, said: "There are seven schools within one km of this madrassa. But people send their wards here mostly because of affordability. One has to pay Rs375 at general schools, while a madrassa takes only Rs110 per student."
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_hindus-outnumber-muslims-in-west-bengal-madrassas_1223430
AMU campus may open next year
Aligarh Muslim University vice-chancellor, Prof. P K Abdul Azis, met chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Friday to discuss the proposedQ: What will the Murshidabad centre of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) be like?
A: It will be a fully residential university campus in Murshidabad that will cater to students from the entire East and not only students from West Bengal. Like AMU, it will have the school system. AMU has eight schools from nursery to class XII, including two only for girls. For the Murshidabad campus, we may start off with class XI and/or college of engineering, and then expand gradually.
Q: What did the discussion with the state chief minister centre around?
A: The West Bengal government has already identified 350 acres in Suti that belongs to the central government. The Centre is positive over handing over the land to us. The land will be given to us free of cost. The university will be fully funded by the Centre. It has already allocated Rs 25 crore. The CM has also assured us of some funds from the state.
Q: So how soon can the AMU Murshidabad centre open?
A: If the land is handed over to us soon, we can begin in the 2010-11 session with the nucleus of the larger programme in the next six to nine months.
Q: What about streams and faculty members? How many students and teachers are you targeting for AMU Murshidabad?
A: AMU has 32,000 students from 22 states in the country and 30 countries, including those from South-East Asia, Gulf, Africa, Bangladesh and Mauritius. We have no specific targets for the Murshidabad centre. It is meant for the entire region. It will be open to all interested. As for teachers, we hope to rope in the best in the country.
Q: People tend to think AMU is meant only for Muslim students. Would you clarify this point? Also, West Bengal has been presented in very poor light in the Sachar Committee report. Is that the reason why AMU wants to open a centre here?
A: AMU has nearly 65% Muslim students, but it does not have reservations for the community and has a tradition of being secular. It is meant for all communities and regions. It is going to be the same in Murshidabad. However, one must note that Muslim-concentrated areas experience social exclusion. Education and health are poor in these regions. In West Bengal, too, a lot more institutions are needed for Muslims. The legacy of AMU is that more applications are received from Muslim students and the aura of the campus is such that Muslims feel good to study there.
Q: What about the courses that will be on offer?
A: A committee of academic council has been formed to examine the kind of courses that would be offered. It will cater to modern needs and also keep in mind the regional requirements. The state higher education council will also send us proposals on the relevant courses that may be introduced.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS-City-Kolkata-AMU-campus-may-open-next-year/articleshow/4791237.cms
Ladies special: Rlys finds a way to bypass EC code
KOLKATA: Railway officials on Tuesday succeeded in bringing off what can be best described as a "marvellous balancing act". Railway ministerThe model code of conduct does not allow any new projects within the jurisdiction of the constituencies going to the polls. But the Sealdah station comes within one of the constituencies. Mamata had made it clear that she would not be present for the flagging-off ceremony. The function at Kalyani would be attended by MP Gobinda Naskar and Union ministers of state Dinesh Trivedi, Saugata Roy and Mukul Roy. The question now was whether they could flag off a new train that would terminate at Sealdah.
After much deliberation and consultations with the Election Commission, it was agreed that they could not. However, the train had to start running as Mamata had already made the announcement. One option was to start running the train without any fanfare. Mere advertisements in newspapers to inform people about the new service would suffice. But would the railway minister let go of this opportunity to spread her message' to people?
Finally, it was decided to run a truncated service from Kalyani up to Dum Dum Junction. In this case, any ceremony held at Kalyani would not flout the model code of conduct and Mamata and her men would not fret. Sources in Delhi said the final decision was taken only on Tuesday evening after a series of meetings. At a later stage, when the elections are over, the services will be extended' up to Sealdah.
"There is no harm in this. We don't want to get involved in any trouble with the EC. There may have been objections even if the train had started without any ceremony. After weighing all options we decided to run the train up to Dum Dum. We can always extend the services to Sealdah later," an officer in Delhi said.
The question that remains is whether another ceremony will be held during the extension. Officers had no answer.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Ladies-special-Rlys-finds-a-way-to-bypass-EC-code/articleshow/4858239.cms
SC refuses to stay Kolkata clean air drive
KOLKATA: Breathe easy. The refreshingly clean air that you've experienced over the past couple of days is no flash in the pan. It is here toThough the apex court will hear the matter again on August 10, the writing is on the wall: there will be no compromise on citizens' right to clean air as per Articles 21, 47, 48A and 51A(g) of the Constitution.
People in Kolkata cheered the development. With much of city transport off the roads, lakhs have been braving long queues in the heat and rain, determined not to let transporters take them for a ride.
"I am glad the Supreme Court has not reversed the decision. It's been great to have the foul air cleaned up," said Sudipto Bhattacharya of Saviours and Friends for Environment (SAFE), an NGO.
Subhas Datta, environment activist and a key party in the auto emission case at Calcutta HC, believes the apex court is unlikely to reverse the high court judgment. "In 1998, it was the Supreme Court that ordered the ban on 15-year-old commercial vehicles in Delhi. Moreover, the SC has time and again emphasized that environment will take precedence over all else," he pointed out.
Till now, operators have been pinning their hopes on the Supreme Court for a reprieve. But with the court refusing a stay, autorickshaw and taxi owners are beginning to acknowledge the inevitable.
Feroze Khan, an auto driver on the Park Street-Topsia route, finally admitted that a switch to LPG was the only option. "I went to the public vehicles department to make enquiries. There's no point sticking to a stand that looks increasingly futile," he said.
Bus operators, however, continue to resist the change and insist they will wait till the matter is disposed of by the Supreme Court. Deepak Sarkar, who owns a bus that is facing the scrap hammer, is in no hurry. "Until the matter is settled in court, we will not go in for new buses," he said.
The forum of transporters has moved the Supreme Court, pleading that they be made a party to the pollution case and given a chance to put forth their argument.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/SC-refuses-to-stay-Kolkata-clean-air-drive/articleshow/4858456.cms
WAKARUSA, Indiana — White House spokesman Robert Gibbs on Wednesday withdrew his remark that Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had been "elected," saying Iranians still had questions about his disputed victory.
On Tuesday, Gibbs had declined to term Ahmadinejad Iran's legitimate president but said he had been "elected," stirring controversy among critics of the White House stance on Iran following June's controversial election.
"Let me correct a little bit of what I said yesterday. I denoted that Mr Ahmadinejad was the elected leader of Iran. I would say that is not for me to pass judgement on," Gibbs told reporters on Air Force One.
"He has been inaugurated -- that's a fact. Whether any election was fair, obviously the Iranian people still have questions about that and we'll let them decide that."
Earlier on the day of Ahmadinejad's inauguration, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed admiration for reformist opponents of Ahmadinejad but said Washington would maintain its offer of engaging the Islamic Republic.
"We appreciate and we admire the continuing resistance and ongoing efforts by the reformers to make the changes that the Iranian people deserve," Clinton said in Kenya at the start of a seven-nation Africa tour.
In his inauguration speech, Ahmadinejad said he would continue to resist "oppressive powers," dismissing the US stance towards Iran and hailing his election as a sign of major change.
But prominent opposition leaders were absent from the ceremony, and outside a force of about 1,000 riot police and volunteer Islamic militiamen used pepper spray on demonstrators who claim his election was rigged, witnesses said.
Gas row: R Power says govt's potential loss at Rs 30,000 cr
MUMBAI: Anil Ambani Group on Wednesday questioned oil field regulator DGH's statement that Reliance Industries' gas field expenditure has been
Reliance Power CEO J P Chalsani, at a press conference called here, said that Mustang Engineering, which had been appointed by DGH to validate the cost, has been advising RIL on various projects.
RIL's capital expenditure for development of Dhirubhai 1 and 3 gas fields in the KG-D6 block had increased from USD 2.47 billion proposed in 2004 to USD 8.8 billion in 2006 while production only doubled to 80 million standard cubic meters per day, he said, adding that when production doubles the cost does not double factoring the economics of scale.
DGH had yesterday said that the increase in D6 capital expenditure was warranted as production facilities were increased from 40 mmscmd to 120 mmscmd and field life was increased from 9 years to 13 years.
The government, Chalsani said, because of inflated capex stands to lose Rs 30,000 crore revenue as RIL is entitled to recover the entire cost before sharing revenues with the government.
Chalsani also also questioned the role of Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), saying DGH according to Petroleum Ministry was only an advisory body.
DGH had said the increase in capex was also partially due to inflationary trend in the E&P equipment and service industry.
DGH Director General V K Sibal had pointed to a Goldman Sachs Report on Global Finding and Development Costs of 2008 which states that "out of 32 deep water projects developed in the world, D6 ranks amongst the lowest in terms of costs and amongst the fastest in terms of time from discovery to production."
Sibal said Mustang Engineering was hired through an international bid. Besides Mustang, P Gopalakrishnan, an upstream expert, had independently validated the cost.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Oil-Gas/Gas-row-R-Power-says-govts-potential-loss-at-Rs-30000-cr/articleshow/4860299.cms
Muslims of West Bengal:
Glorious past, tattered present
By Muzammil Ahmad
Muslims of Bengal, who had a brilliant history of independence, governance and political freedom along with economic prosperity before Independence, are now facing economic deprivation. Bengal had been under the rule of Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, Ali Wardi Khan and Nawab Sirajuddaulah.
Bengal was famous by the name of 'Fertile Bengal' on account of its agricultural products like jute and paddy. District Barisal of East Bengal was called as the granary of Bengal. This economic success and prosperity gave birth to the well-known humanitarian and philanthropist of Distt. Hooghly of West Bengal, Haji Muhammad Muhsin whose invaluable contribution and devotion to the educational progress of Indian Muslims will be written in letters of gold in the history of Indian Muslims. Before the partition of India there were two provinces which were under Muslim rule, one of which was Bengal.
In spite of this glorious heritage, Muslims of Bengal are now considered extremely poor and fit for ordinary labour. In spite of being skillful in various artistic activities or professions, Muslims of West Bengal are leading a life of poverty and deprivation. Business groups are exploiting them by giving meagre wages.
Giving a sketch of Muslim deprivation in Bengal, MKA Siddiqui writes: In Calcutta, which is one of the biggest cities of India and where Muslims are 15 percent of the population, 60 percent of rickshaw and hand-cart pullers, 90 percent of bidi makers and 100 percent of those engaged in embroidery work are Muslims. Their disproportionate employment in ordinary professions and extremely low representation in profitable arts, crafts and services is indicative of their social and economic condition. The number of Muslim capitalists in West Bengal who can manage their own trade is extremely low.
Bengal's association with Islam had started much earlier than its conquest in the thirteenth century. Many Muslim thinkers and scholars are believed to have lived in Bengal much before its conquest. Islam had spread widely in rural areas. Many social, religious and political factors are believed to have given rise to the spread of Islam in Bengal. The preachers of Islam got very good opportunities in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries for preaching and spreading Islam.
The noteworthy feature of the 1872 statistics of Bengal was that almost half of Bengal's population, i.e., 48 percent, was Muslim, the majority of whom lived in rural areas. During the decade of 1941-51 political and historical factors changed the boundaries of the country. This also affected the population of present-day Bengal in India. A large number of Muslims left those regions which formed 'West Bengal' after partition and migrated to the Eastern part of Pakistan which subsequently came into existence as 'Bangladesh' in 1971.
According to the 1981 census, the total Muslim population in West Bengal was 11,743,259 of which 6,100,517 were males and 5,642,742 females. The districts with high percentage of Muslim population are Murshidabad, Malda, Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, 24-Parganas and Hooghly where Muslims are between 40 and 60 percent but in Murshidabad, Malda and Dinajpur they are more than 60 percent.
The economic condition of Muslims in West Bengal is not good. According to a survey, 70 percent of Muslims are living below the poverty line. Their ratio in various profitable trades and services vis-a-vis the total population is extremely low.
Under these circumstances there is a silver lining. Both the public as well as the Government are taking initiatives to improve the worsening educational condition of Muslims. As far as the Government is concerned, the Central Government has set up a Minorities Commission to focus attention on the difficulties of Muslims. Conditions have started improving , though not to the desired extent. As regards the steps taken by the public, the All-India Educational Move-ment has recently been established through the efforts of former AMU VC Saiyid Hamid. This movement has organized various conferences and seminars.
A body of Muslims has founded in 1984 an educational trust-'Islamic Educational and Welfare Trust.' In addition to this, some other organizations have taken notable steps for the improvement and welfare of Muslims.q
http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/15-1-2000/Art11.htm
No equality of employment for West Bengal Muslims
By Mohammad Ashfaque, Calcutta
Though our Constitution has laid down a general rule that there shall be an equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to employment or appointments to any office under the State, these fundamental principles have literally remained mere pious declarations and are being flagrantly violated. Muslim job seekers, who have registered their names in the employment exchanges in West Bengal, have for more than two decades, suffered from continuous discrimination and unfavorable bias in the matter of submission of names to the employers by the employment exchanges. They are denied even the opportunity of being properly considered by the employers for placement against existing vacancies.
During the tenure of the last Congress Government in West Bengal (1972-77), led by the then Chief Minister, Shri Siddhartha Shankar Ray, some positive steps were initiated to solve the unemployment problem of the state and to ensure equality of opportunity to all citizens including members of the Muslim community in matters of recruitment in government jobs.
Apart from taking steps for adequate representation of all communities in state services Shri Siddhartha Shankar Ray had ensured that at least one Muslim police officer was posted in each and every Police Station in West Bengal. Prior to this the members of Muslim Community were very poorly represented in services under Calcutta and West Bengal Police Forces. The steps taken by Ray, had created confidence among the minorities and inspired them to take a bright and hopeful view of things to come and to expect that things would improve and they would no longer be kept isolated from the national mainstream.
Immediately after coming to power, by an executive order, the CPI(M) dominated Left Front government decided to process all recruitment through the employment exchanges. The annual reports of the Government of West Bengal - 'Labour in West Bengal' - published annually by the Labour Department of the state government present a dismal picture of the poor performances of the employment exchanges and the State Directorate of Employment, West Bengal.
During the last ten years (1990 to 1999) the number of registered unemployed on the live registers in West Bengal increased from 48,20,331 at the end of 1990 to 55,55,952 by the end of 1999. During these ten years 47,66,176 new job seekers had registered their names with the Employment Exchanges in the State. Names of 21,09,560 (40 % of the average number of job seekers on the live register) were submitted during this period to the employers for consideration against vacancies.
During the same period (1990 to 1999) 291,768 Muslims had come forward to register themselves but the names of only 70,945 Muslims (10.58 % of the average number of Muslims on the live register) were submitted to the employers for consideration in connection with appointments.
The average number of job seekers on the live register of employment exchanges in West Bengal, during the last ten years, was 52,72,997. The average number of Muslims on the live registers during this period was 6,70,443 (12.71 % of the total on the live register). Out of this total average of 52,72,997, the average number of submission during this period was 2,10,956 (4 % of the total job seekers of all categories on the live registers) per annum. In the case of Muslims out of the average number of 6,70,443 (12.71 %) Muslim Job Seekers on the live registers the average submission was only 7,095 (1 % of the total names of Muslim Job Seekers on the live registers) per annum.
Despite the fact that about 12.71 % of the registered job seekers, available on the live register of employment exchanges were Muslims the total 21,09,560 names submitted during these ten years (1990-99) to the employers for consideration against vacancies included the names of only 70,945 Muslims (3.36 % of the total submissions).
During these ten years (1990-99) out of the 93,156 registered unemployed persons placed in employment through the employment exchanges only 4,232 (4.54 %) were Muslims. Out of the total 21,09,560 submissions made by the employment exchanges during the ten year period 93,156 persons (4%) had succeeded in getting placements in Jobs. In the case of Muslims out of the 70,945 names of registered Muslim job seekers, whose names were submitted to the employers during these ten years, 4,232 (6 %) were successful in getting jobs through the employment exchanges.
Success rate in the case of Muslims (4,232 out of 70,945) i.e. 6 % of the total Muslim names submitted for consideration by the employers) was, therefore, higher than the average success rates in all categories (93156 out of 21,09,560 i.e. 4 % of the total submissions ).
This shows that the Muslim job seekers are not in any way inferior to others. Muslims of West Bengal do not lag behind others in meeting the criteria for being selected for jobs but still they are denied equality in employment opportunity. They are placed in a disadvantageous position simply because of bias and prejudice in matters of submission of names. The concerned authorities of the state government are not doing proper justice with the registered Muslim job seekers in the matter of submission and are submitting very few names of Muslim job seekers for consideration by the employers. This discrimination has been going on for a long time. For the Muslims in West Bengal the Constitutional guarantees of equality in employment opportunity have, therefore, proved to be false promises. This has given rise to serious resentment and frustration among the unemployed Muslims of West Bengal. Their confidence in the Employment Exchanges and the Employment Policy of the State Government has been badly shaken. This is evident from the fact that over the years the number of unemployed Muslims coming forward to register their names in the Employment Exchanges has fallen from 47,908 in 1990 to an average of 27,096 per year during 1991-99. During this period more than 1,60,000 frustrated Muslim job seekers did not renew their registrations or had got their names cancelled from the live register of employment exchanges.
According to the Census reports, population of Muslims in West Bengal, at the time of 1991 census, was 1,60,75,836 (17 % of the total 9,52,22,853 Muslim population of India).
So far as concentration of Muslim population is concerned West Bengal is second only to Uttar Pradesh, which has a Muslim population of 2,41,09,684 (25% of the total Muslim population of India). 1,60,75,836 Muslims in West Bengal constituted 24 % of the total population of the State. Scheduled Castes account for 24 % and Scheduled Tribes for 6 % of the population of the State in 1991. The population of Other Backward Classes in West Bengal is estimated to be about 10 % of the total population of the State. Under the Government orders, 37 % of the jobs in the West Bengal State services are reserved for Scheduled Castes (22 % ), Scheduled Tribes (6%) and Other Backward Classes (9 %).
Though Muslims are inadequately represented in the State services there is no provision for any reservation for them in West Bengal. Some other States like Kerala have provided statutory reservations for Muslims in jobs and admissions in educational institutions. Muslims account for 23% of the population of Kerala. Provisions for reservation have been made for them by the Government of Kerala under Articles 15 (4) and 16 (4) of the Constitution of India and there has been no legal hurdle to such reservations.
Muslims, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes account for approx. 64 % of the total population of West Bengal. Others (excluding Muslims, SC, ST, & OBC) account for only 36 % of the total population of the State. This 36 % population has received the benefit of 62.81 % of the submission of names by the employment exchanges for consideration by the employers and 62.43 % of the placements in jobs made through the employment exchanges in West Bengal during 1999. Muslims constituting 24 % of the population of the State and accounting for 13 % of the live register of employment exchanges received the benefit of only 4.18 % of the submissions and 4.95 % of the placements made during 1999 through the Employment Exchanges in West Bengal. 2,49,769 names were submitted to the above employers by the employment exchanges during 1999 which included the names of only 10,458 (4 % Muslims). No wonder the Muslims got only 717 (4.95 %) placements during 1999.
A pertinent question agitating the minds of the Muslims of West Bengal is whether the fundamental rights and constitutional guarantees embodied in our Constitution are mere illusion.
Apart from denial of equality of opportunities in matters of employment, Muslims of West Bengal are further aggrieved because they find that even the constitutional rights 'to establish and administer educational institutions of their own choice', guaranteed under Article 30 of the Constitution , is denied to them by the state government. The case of Milli Al Amin College is an example of the arbitrariness of the state government. This College has been built in Calcutta as a 'Minority Institution' with donations received from munificent Muslims and assistance from the Al Amin Educational Trust, Bangalore. The state government has not contributed anything.
The College was built in 1992 but the state government has refused to recognize Milli Al Amin College as a Minority Institution. On the other hand the state government has been trying to impose such conditions which tend to deprive the Muslim community of the substance of their rights guaranteed under Article 30 (1) of the Constitution.
The above factual analysis dispel the myth that the Left Front Government is friendly with the minorities. It does not auger well that while we have 'solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign, Socialist Secular Democratic Republic and pledged 'to secure to all citizens justice and equality of status and of opportunity' the religious minority in West Bengal is left to feel that it is not only inadequately represented in the services under the State but is also being denied equality of opportunity in employment and education. The members of the Muslim community in West Bengal have well grounded reasons to be aggrieved and to feel that proper justice is not being done with them by the State. The matter should receive serious attention and consideration by all concerned. q
http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/01-10-2000/Art16.htm
West Bengal: A Survey
(A Study by South Asia Research Society, Calcutta)
On account of the Partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, refugees moved from Pakistan, without much interruption, to various parts of India, especially to West Bengal, till 1971, when political boundaries in South Asia were redrawn. Even after the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent country in 1971, however, the march of refugees to West Bengal appeared to be ceaseless. Nevertheless, there is one great difference in the patterns of migration before and after 1971. In the days of Pakistan, nearly all refugees coming to West Bengal were members of the minority communities in East Bengal (East Pakistan), viz. Buddhists, Christians and Hindus. In the Bangladesh era, however, in addition to the forced migration of members of minority community (the overwhelming majority being Hindus) to West Bengal, there has been largescale voluntary infiltration of Bangladeshi Muslims (forming the majority community in that country) to West Bengal and other parts of India. Certainly, the Government of India and the Government of West Bengal are not unaware of this grim phenomenon. Occasionally, the Home Minister of the Government of India and the Chief Minister of West Bengal have expressed serious concern over this problem. This brief survey - its brevity attributable to the barrier of needless secrecy against the free flow of census data (unexpected in a democratic country like India) - aims at unraveling the mystery of population explosion in a progressive state like West Bengal, as also at arousing the consciousness of the public about the factor of migration /infiltration underlying this explosion, which cannot but pose a mounting challenge to vital national interests.
Table 1.1: Population in West Bengal 1941-91
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Source: Statistical Abstract, West Bengal, 1978-89 (Combined Issue), Bureau of Applied Economics and Statistics.
In accordance with estimates prepared by the Government of West Bengal, 44.5 lakhs of refugees came from East Bengal (East Pakistan) to West Bengal during 1946-1970.1 The 1981 Census contained an important clue to the persistence of migration / infiltration to West Bengal. The population growth rate declined from 26.9% in 1961-71 to 23.2% in 1971-81. Yet, the 1981 Census recorded a population of 4,67,000 in excess of the population derived from differences in birth /death rates. If one excluded these 4,67,000 persons - who obviously moved to West Bengal from other regions inside/outside India - the population growth rate in 1971-81 would have declined from 23.2% to 22.1%. Actually, in West Bengal, on account of an expansion of education and family planning programmes, as also of a pronounced rise in social consciousness, the population growth rate during 1981-91 should have fallen below 22%, and demographic experts of the Government of India perceptively forecast the rate of 20.79% for this period. Evidently, this forecast was upset by migration /infiltration from Bangladesh. For, the 1991 Census puts the decadal growth rate at 24.55%, i.e. higher than that in 1971-81. Where and how could this unexpected rate of population growth take place?2
Natural Population Increase in 1981-91:
Every year the Registrar General of India conducts sample surveys, and estimates the annual rates of birth and death. Table 1.2 communicates these rates for West Bengal during 1981-90.
Table 1.2: Birth and Death Rates in West Bengal 1981-90
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Source: Sample Registration Survey Reports by the Registrar General of India.
Column 4 of Table 1.2 demonstrates that the estimated natural population increase in West Bengal during 1981-91 stands at 21.9%. [This estimate is prepared on the basis of natural population increase in course of a decade, i.e. r1 r2 �. r10, and in accordance with the formula, viz R = (1+ r1) (1+r2) (1+r3) �. (1+r10) - 1.] The estimate of the expert committee on population growth rate was 1.1% below 21.9%, i.e. the rate of natural increase during 1981-91. Nevertheless, the actual population growth rate exceeded the rate of natural population increase by 2.7%, and stood at 24.6% during 1981-91. This increase can largely be accounted for by the influx of people from Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and other regions of India. Thus, the number of migrants / infiltrators to West Bengal during 1981-91 can be calculated at 14,74,000, i.e. 11% of the total population increase of 1,34,00,000.3 The actual number of outsiders in West Bengal is likely to be much higher, because a very large number of them have presumably escaped detection by Census personnel.
It has been suggested that, during 1971-81 and 1981-91, West Bengal has accommodated 2 million outsiders. Actually, this number should be much larger, because, from Bangladesh alone, 2.95 million Bengali-speaking Hindus have entered into India (mainly West Bengal) during 1974-1991.4 As Mohiuddin Ahmed, a renowned journalist of Bangladesh, writes: �Thus, we encounter a scenario of �missing Hindu population� in the successive census periods. The extent of this missing population was about 1.22 million during the period of 1974-1981, and about 1.73 million during the last intercensual period 1981-91. As many as 475 Hindus are �disappearing� every day from the soil of Bangladesh on an average since 1974. How this phenomenon would be interpreted in terms of demography? The relevant parameter is obviously �migration� which provides a clue to the missing link.�5 The following Table illustrates the rise and fall of Hindu and Muslim population in the last fifty year in Bangladesh.
Table 1.3
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Source: Bangladesh Population Census in 1981 and 91.
It is noteworthy that, of the nearly ten million Hindu refugees leaving East Pakistan for India in course of the 1971 liberation struggle, a large number did not return to Bangladesh. Moreover, of those who returned, a big number, failing to recover movable / immovable properties looted / misappropriated during 1971, came back to India in one or two years. These refugees have not been taken into account by the Bangladesh Census reports. Their number soars above 3 million.6
After the successful conclusion of the Bangladesh liberation struggle in 1971, only 2,00,000 out of 1 million stranded non-Bengalis (usually called Biharis) in Bangladesh, could obtain help from International Red Cross Society in order to move over to Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan trumped up a variety of excuses to avoid the repatriation of the other 8,00,000 Biharis, who were compelled to stay on in Bangladesh. As of late 1994 - i.e. after the lapse of 23 years since 1971 - only 2,50,000 Biharis were found to be living amidst subhuman conditions at 66 camps in Bangladesh.7 Actually, in terms of a natural population increase, the 8,00,000 Biharis should have swelled to more than 1.3 million by 1994. To the question of where have the more than 1 million Biharis vanished from Bangladesh since 1971, the obvious answer is, they have surreptitiously moved into their ancestral places in India (notably in Bihar), and settled down. In one of his recent election utterances, Laloo Prasad Yadav, the Chief Minister of Bihar, has confessed to granting ration cards and voting rights to 100,000 Biharis from Bangladesh.8 It may be added that some Governments have loudly complained about infiltration of Pakistanis and Bangladeshis into such important cities as Bombay and New Delhi.
In addition, for the 1981-91 period, Bangladesh Census authorities detect the somewhat unique phenomenon of �missing population�, and estimates the number at 8 million.9 As already indicated, 1.73 million Hindus are to be included in the figure of 8 million. It is, therefore, entirely plausible that the remainder of 8 million, i.e. 6.27 million Muslims, have infiltrated into various parts of India, notably West Bengal. The Government of Bangladesh naturally observes silence on this vital issue, this silence being occasionally broken by a hackneyed repetition of the announcement that there are no Bangladeshis in India.
It is, therefore, pertinent to affirm that 6 million Hindus have left Bangladesh for India during 1971-1991, and not less than 6 million Bangladeshi Muslims have infiltrated into India during 1981-1991. To this should be added 1 million stranded Biharis in Bangladesh moving to India. Since the extent of Muslim infiltration during 1971-1981 awaits appraisal, it is fair to conclude that at least - at least - 13-14 million migrants/infiltrators have crossed over from Bangladesh to India from 1971 to 1991. A large number of these outsiders have taken shelter in various parts of West Bengal, including the sensitive border areas. In order to facilitate a clear comprehension of this phenomenon, we provide below a Table recording the district wise population growth rate in West Bengal as also the categorisation of this population by religion. It is not logical to explain this growth by reference to migration from other states in India to West Bengal. For, in course of the 1981-1991 decade, West Bengal has witnessed a decrease, rather than increase, of employment in the organised sector.10 As to migrants from Bhutan and Nepal, they mostly reside in the districts of Coochbehar, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri, whereas their number is too insignificant in comparison to the number of migrants from Bangladesh.
Table 1.4
List of comparative percentage of religion-wise population figures
based on 1981 and 1991 Census in West Bengal and its districts.
| | | Increase (%) | ||
| West Bengal | Total population | 5,45,80,647 | 6,80,77,965 | |
| Hindu | 4,20,07,159 | 5,08,50,000 | 88,42,841 | |
| (76.96) | (74.69) | (21.05) | ||
| Muslim | 1,17,43,209 | 1,60,50,000 | 43,06,791 | |
| (21.51) | (23.57) | (36.67) | ||
| Cooch Behar | Total population | 17,71,643 | 21,71,14 | |
| Hindu | 13,99,844 | 16,59,000 | 2,59,156 | |
| (79.01) | (76.41) | (18.51) | ||
| Muslim | 3,68,176 | 5,06,000 | 1,37,824 | |
| (20,78) | (23.30) | (37.43) | ||
| Jalpaiguri | Total population | 22,14,871 | 28,02,543 | |
| Hindu | 19,38,062 | 23,75,000 | 4,36,938 | |
| (87.50) | (84.42) | (22.54) | ||
| Muslim | 1,93,658 | 2,80,000 | 86,342 | |
| (8.75) | (10.0) | (44.58) | ||
| Darjeeling | Total population | 10,24,269 | 12,99,919 | |
| Hindu | 8,13,625 | 10,13,000 | 1,99,375 | |
| (79.44) | (77.98) | (24.50) | ||
| Muslim | 0,37,299 | 0.59,000 | 21,701 | |
| (3.64) | (4.53) | (58.18) | ||
| West Dinajpur | Total population | 24,04,947 | 31,27,653 | |
| Hindu | 15,21,416 | 19,55,000 | 4,33,584 | |
| (63.26) | (62.51) | (28.49) | ||
| Muslim | 8,60,797 | 11,49,000 | 2,88,203 | |
| (35.79) | (36.74) | (33.48) | ||
| Maldah | Total population | 20,31,871 | 26,37,032 | |
| Hindu | 11,07,192 | 13,77,000 | 2,69,808 | |
| (54.49) | (52.21) | (24.36) | ||
| Murshidabad | Total population | 36,97,552 | 47,40,149 | |
| Hindu | 15,21,448 | 18,19,000 | 2,97,552 | |
| (41.15) | (38.37) | (19.55) | ||
| Muslim | 21,69,121 | 29,10,000 | 7,40,879 | |
| (58.67) | (61.39) | (34.15) | ||
| Nadia | Total population | 29,64,253 | 38,52,097 | |
| Hindu | 22,29,177 | 28.63,000 | 6,33,823 | |
| (75.20) | (74.32) | (28.43) | ||
| Muslim | 7,13,776 | 9,60,000 | 2,46,224 | |
| (24.08) | (24.92) | (34.49) | ||
| 24-Parganas | Total Population | 1,07,39,439 | 1,29,96,911 | |
| Hindu | 81,08,070 | 94,45,000 | 13,37,000 | |
| (75.50) | (72.67) | (16.49) | ||
| Muslim | 25,63,751 | 34,65,000 | 9,01,249 | |
| (23.87) | (26.66) | (35.15) | ||
| (A) North 24-Parganas | Total population | 72,81,881 | ||
| Hindu | 54,95,000 | |||
| (75.47) | ||||
| Muslim | 17,55,000 | |||
| (24.10) | ||||
| (B) South 24-Parganas | Total population | 57,15,030 | ||
| Hindu | 39,50,000 | |||
| (69.11) | ||||
| Muslim | 17,10,000 | |||
| (29.92) | ||||
| Calcutta | Total population | 33,05,006 | 43,99,819 | |
| Hindu | 27,06,511 | 35,40,000 | 8,33,469 | |
| (81.89) | (80.47) | (30.79) | ||
| Muslim | 5,06,942 | 7,79,000 | 2,72,508 | |
| (15.34) | (17.70) | (53.67) | ||
| Howrah | Total population | 29,66,861 | 37,29,644 | |
| Hindu | 23,58,785 | 28,85,000 | 5,26,215 | |
| (79.50) | (77.36) | (22.30) | ||
| Muslim | 5,98,448 | 8,28,000 | 2,29,552 | |
| (20.17) | (22.20) | (38.35) | ||
| Hooghly | Total population | 35,57,306 | 43,55,230 | |
| Hindu | 30,56,143 | 36.95,000 | 6,38,856 | |
| (85.91) | (84.84) | (20.90) | ||
| Muslim | 4,89,494 | 6,32,000 | 1,42,506 | |
| (13.76) | (14.51) | (29.11) | ||
| Midnapore | Total population | 67,42,796 | 83,31,912 | |
| Hindu | 60,37,882 | 72,30,000 | 11,92,118 | |
| (89.55) | (86.78) | (19.74) | ||
| Muslim | 5,86,587 | 8,98,000 | 3,11,413 | |
| (8.70) | (10.77) | (53.08) | ||
| Bankura | Total population | 23,74,815 | 28,05,065 | |
| Hindu | 21,34,153 | 24,40,000 | 3,05,847 | |
| (89.87) | (86.98) | (14.33) | ||
| Muslim | 1,34,085 | 1,86,000 | 51,915 | |
| (5.65) | (6.63) | (38.71) | ||
| Purulia | Total population | 18,53,801 | 22,24,577 | |
| Hindu | 16,98,530 | 20,20,000 | 3,21,470 | |
| (91.63) | (90.82) | (18.93) | ||
| Muslim | 1,01,044 | 1,33,000 | 31,956 | |
| (5.45) | (5.97) | (31.62) | ||
| Burdwan | Total population | 48,35,388 | 60,50,605 | |
| Hindu | 39,38,376 | 48,20,000 | 8,81,624 | |
| (81.45) | (79.76) | (22.38) | ||
| Muslim | 8,50,951 | 11,80,000 | 3,29,049 | |
| (17.60) | (19.50) | (38.67) | ||
| Birbhum | Total population | 20,95,829 | 25,55,664 | |
| Hindu | 14,37,945 | 17,02,000 | 2,64,055 | |
| (68.61) | (66.61) | (18.36) | ||
| Muslim | 6,49,212 | 8,44,000 | 1,94,788 | |
| (30.98) | (33.02) | (30.0) |
The Census reports of 1981 and 1991 indicate that, in course of the 1981-91 decade, the number of Hindus in West Bengal has decreased by 2.27%, whereas the number of Muslims in West Bengal has increased by 2.06%. Whereas the number of Hindus in West Bengal has risen by 21.05%, the number of Muslims in West Bengal has shot up by 36.67%. In every district of West Bengal, the contrast between a decline in Hindu population and an extraordinary upswing in Muslim population is indeed remarkable. Even in Calcutta itself, the Muslim population has gone up by 53.67%, but the Hindu population has moved up by 30.79%. In a number of districts, the rate of growth of Muslim population is double or more than double that of Hindu population. Six such districts are listed below:
| | | |
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| Cooch Behar | | |
| Jalpaiguri | | |
| Darjeeling | | |
| Midnapore | | |
| Bankura | | |
| 24-Parganas (North & South) | | |
Moreover, in the following districts, the rate of growth of Muslim population has been significantly higher than that of Hindu population:
| | | |
| | | |
| West Dinajpur | | |
| Maldah | | |
| Murshidabad | | |
| Nadia | | |
| Howrah | | |
| Hooghly | | |
| Purulia | | |
| Burdwan | | |
| Birbhum | | |
It is noteworthy that in Calcutta, Nadia and West Dinajpur, the rate of growth of Hindu population has surpassed the decadal growth rate of 24.55%. In other districts, the rate of growth of Hindu population is much below 24.55%. In contrast, in every district of West Bengal, the rate of growth of Muslim population is much higher than 24.55%.
Table 1.4 demonstrates how this acute disparity in the rates of population growth translates itself into actual population figures. For example, in the district of Maldah, the number of Hindus has gone up from 11,07,192 in 1981 to 13,77,000 in 1991, registering a net increase of 2,69,808. In sharp contrast, the number of Muslims has shot up from 9,19,918 in 1981 to 12,52,000 in 1991, the net increase being 3,32,082. In other words, in ten years, the Muslim population has leapt from being 45.27% of the total population to being 47.47%, whereas the Hindu population has come down from forming 54.49% of the total population to forming 52.21%. Keeping in view such a fast-changing demographic scenario, one can certainly start worrying about the future of West Bengal.
A pertinent query is whether the excessively high rate of growth of Muslim population in all the districts of West Bengal is solely due to infiltration by Bangladeshis. Alternatively, one can ask whether it is permissible to affirm that Muslims in West Bengal are far less concerned about birth control, and far more backward in family planning, than Hindus in West Bengal.
In the Muslim society, the impact of religious propaganda upon daily life is enormous. Fundamentalist notions are growing stronger among Muslims. The belief that Islam opposes birth control is still prevalent. Not to speak of Fatwas (directives) from Mullahs or Maulanas, even preachings by a section of Muslim intellectuals have reinforced this belief. Far from the introduction of compulsory measures in public interest, neither the Government of India nor any state Government has even encouraged voluntary birth control among Muslims. Consequently, even though population control is universally recognised today as a key contributor to economic upliftment, the GRP among Muslims is very high. Actually, in nearly all Muslim countries of the world - whether in the richest or the poorest category - the total fertility rate (TFR) is significantly high, as is the GRP.11 It may be relevant in this context to refer to Bangladesh Contraceptive Survey, 1991, which observes: �It has been found that the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) among the non-Muslims is relatively lower than among the Muslims, the difference ranged from 7% to 12% in the eighties. It has never been claimed that the Hindus have higher mortality rate. It is likely that they have lower mortality rate due to higher extent of immunisation among their children.�12 There is no reason why this observation about Bangladesh should not be applicable to Hindus and Muslims in West Bengal too.
The above noted facts - and the attendant analyses - make it quite clear that, on account of ceaseless infiltration from Bangladesh, and the tremendously high rate of growth of Muslim population, West Bengal, with 766 persons per square kilometer, has emerged as the state having the highest density of population in the whole of India. West Bengal occupies 2.77% of India�s land area, and accommodates 8.06% of its population. The actual pressure of population upon West Bengal may indeed be higher than what is estimated from Census data, which are seldom complete.
Anyway, where is West Bengal destined to go?
Footnotes:
1 Economic Review. West Bengal, 1972-72.2 Satchidananda Dutta Roy, Paschimbangabasi, K.P. Bagchi, Calcutta, 1994, p. 21 (in Bengali).
3 Ibid., p. 22.
4 Mohiuddin Ahmed, �The Missing Population�, Holiday, Weekly, Dhaka, 7 January 1994.
5 Ibid.
6 Bimal Pramanik, �Interface of Migration and Inter-Religious Community Relations in Bangladesh and Eastern India�, a paper presented at a Workshop organised by Bharat Bangladesh Maitri Samiti in Calcutta on 12 May 1990. This paper makes an extensive use of Census reports of Pakistan and Bangladesh.
7 For details, see The Telegraph, English daily, Calcutta, 26 September 1994.
8 Anandabazar Patrika, Bengali daily, Calcutta, 8 March 1995.
9 For details, see Bangladesh Population Census 1991, Vol. 2, December, 1993; and Report of the Task Force on Bangladesh: Development Strategies for the 1990�s, Vol. 1, University Press Ltd., Dhaka, 1991, p. 20.
10 Satchidananda Dutta Roy, op. cit., p. 23.
11 World Population Projections, 1994-95 Edition, published for the World Bank, The University Press, Baltimore and London.
12 Mohiuddin Ahmed, �The Missing Population�, op. cit.
http://www.voi.org/books/tfst/appii1.htm
The power of romance makes 'Love Aaj Kal' rock box office 5 Aug 2009, 1252 hrs IST, ET Bureau & Agencies | |||
The film, directed by Imtiaz Ali, grossed Rs 62 crore worldwide, according to Eros. Of this, Rs 47 crore came from the Indian box office, while Rs 15 crore came from overseas markets.
Love Aaj Kal was released across 1,800 plus screens world-wide on Friday. The film has performed better at the multiplexes than at single screen theatres.
In the UK, the film grossed almost £4.1 lakh, while in Australia its collections were Australian $2 lakh. In Pakistan, the film grossed Pakistani Rs 1.05 crore for 211 shows over the weekend, and in the US it collected $2,51,799.
"The response to the film has been amazing and we have had jam-packed houses over the weekend. While we had an occupancy of 98 percent on the first day (Friday), the weekend has been house full with 100 percent occupancy. It's an entertaining movie and worth watching once," Amit Awasthi, manager programming and operations of Spice Cinemas, Noida told IANS.
"We are running 25 shows for the movie in a day and have already collected Rs.16,56,000 over the first weekend. In fact, we've already sold 2500 tickets even today. The movie is going strong and is expected to get more business with Rakshabandhan (Aug 5) coming and is going to stay on until 'Kaminey' releases Aug 14," he added.
A source from PVR Cinemas echoed the same sentiment and said: "The reaction to the movie is very good and people have really liked the movie. We are expecting more footfall coming in the way it has been over the weekend."
Directed by Imtiaz Ali, the movie has been co-produced by Saif and his friend Dinesh Vijan along with Sunil A. Lulla under their banners Illuminati Films and Eros International respectively.
Spanning across two different eras - the film is about the essence of love that never changes despite time and space differences.
Made at a budget of around Rs.48 crore (Rs.480 million), it released across 1800 screens worldwide. It is the third A-lister hit of 2009 after "New York" and "Kambakkht Ishq" though the latter was panned by critics in terms of content.
Also starring Rishi Kapoor, Shweta Gulati and Rahul Khanna, the film is the launch vehicle of Brazilian model Giselle Monteiro.
"'Love Aaj Kal' is a super hit movie. The occupancy has been somewhere between 90-100 percent bringing in good collections, which is very impressive. It's a simple and romantic movie and a must watch for a family," said Yogesh Raizad, corporate head (cinemas), Wave cinemas.
"We are running 11-15 shows across different properties and the movie is going to stay anywhere close to two-three weeks. Moreover with the Rakhi holiday coming in, families are surely going to bring in footfalls considering the storyline appeal of the film," he added.
In terms of A-listers, "Love Aaj Kal" has no contender until Shahid Kapur-Priyanka Chopra starrer "Kaminey" hits the screen.
Ganges eroding Malda, Murshidabad, rendering lakhs of people homeless
Submitted by admin on 27 April 2009 - 8:12am.By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net
TCN series: Visit to Malda and Murshidabad: Part 6
If migration of local elite Muslim class to Pakistan in 1947 – and constant apathy since then of Indian governments towards the two Muslim-dominated districts of Malda and Murshidabad in West Bengal presumably in revenge – is a major reason of underdevelopment, illiteracy and acute impoverishment here today, no less big reason of poverty of lakhs of people is the erosion of their thousands of acres of lands by the Ganges over about two decades.
The River Ganga is fast eroding agricultural lands and habitations on the south-western part of Malda. The river – officially called Padma when it touches down Murshidabad at its northern-most point and flows along the eastern boundary of the district – is doing the same job of destruction on the eastern side of Murshidabad. While Ganga separates Malda from undivided Bihar the Padma is the divider between Murshidabad and Bangladesh.
The erosion-affected areas in the two districts are heavily Muslim dominated, and so those who lost their agricultural lands and homes are generally Muslims. This is believed to be one big reason why the authorities remained almost indifferent to the devastations, and did not come up with proper relief and rehabilitation programs.
Malda being eroded
To witness how the Ganga is eroding Malda and Murshidabad TwoCircles.net visited some affected areas there earlier this month.
Huts of those who lost their land in Ganga
On 5th April we were on way to Paglaghat, a bank of Ganga, 15 km from Malda town. When we entered the straight road leading to the bank of the river we found about 10 km stretch dotted with shacks on either side of the road. Once the residents of these huts had acres of land, now they are forced to live in clusters of shacks made of bamboo on either government land or on private rented land. "Most of them are Muslims. Most of the families are forced to live in single-room huts. Parents are living with their son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren in the same room, says Noorul Islam Majidi, our one-time guide." Many are forced to live on the road side. "Several maulanas and imams who would once deliver speeches in religious programs are now forced to live in the huts," Majidi adds. When they have no proper means to meet their both ends who talks about education of their children? Village after village have been gulped down by the river.
When we reach Paglaghat we find children and women bathing in the river. Some of them have bathed and are coming out. The Ganga has intruded 12 km deep into Malda at this point. This has rendered thousands of people homeless. We talk to some children whose parents and other family members are living in the huts on the bank.
These children have just come out of the river and are half naked. One of them is Mohsin Shaikh. His father now catches fish to keep body and soul together. Rajab Ali's father is jobless while Inamul Sheikh's father is agricultural labour. This is general situation here. "About 90% of the affected people are Muslims. Their agricultural lands have been washed away by the river but the government has not done relief and rehabilitation work properly," says Majidi.
When the Ganga hits stone-walled area of Rajmahal district in Jharkhand (in the west of Malda with Ganga in between), it turns back to the east and consequently usurps lands of Malda as the embankment areas here have not been fortified.
Of late, the government has started work on embankment. At present they are fortifying the banks at Manikchak area, about 50 km from main town of Malda. And this is just to save Malda town which has just 2% Muslim population. "The government is making all efforts to save the town as it has businesses of other community. Bu they are not working to protect Kaliachak, hub of Muslim businesses in Malda," says Majidi and warns pointing to the river: If it flows over the Paglaghat area it will sweep Kaliachak away into Bangladesh.
Work on to save Malda from soil erosion
Erosion in Murshidabad
The Padma River that flows around the northern and eastern wall of the district has so far destroyed thousands of acres of agricultural land and habitation of local people. Like erosion-affected people in Malda, Muslims are overwhelming majority of the erosion affected people in Murshidabad also.
TCN visited Jalangi area about 70 km in the east from Behrampur, district headquarters of Murshidabad. Here too we find cluster after cluster of shacks and huts wherein are residing people who were once owner of acres of land.
We are walking on an embankment in Jalangi. On our right is dry extension of Padma River and on left are clusters of huts erected by people whose farmlands and habitation were gulped by the river. On the long embankment there are several villages.
This is Tolltoli village. An elderly Muslim tells us how his land was washed away by the river. Now he has a hut on the embankment. "In the beginning the government had given us 24 kg rice a month and a little help to make hut. Since long they have not come back to find out about us," he says. He lives in the hut with his son and daughter-in-law. His son is agricultural labor.
This is Shaheedul Mondal from the same village. Once owner of 60 bigha of land Mondal is now agricultural laborer and lives in hut on rented land. His four sons work in fields in Kerala.
Khilafat Mondal
Next village is Paraspur on the same embankment. Khilafat Mondal has just come out of a ditch in the middle of the dry extension of Padma. He had gone there to bath. Ask him about his old home, he will point finger to far east in the direction of Bangladesh. He was living in India on the bank of Padma River that separates the area from Bangladesh. The river has eaten into his 120 bighas of land with banana trees in four bighas and now he is living in a hut.
Starvation deaths in Murshidabad
In early months of 2005 the situation was very grim here. People were dying of hunger as they had nothing to eat. Their farmlands and homes were washed away by the river and the government was not paying attention. The government was not accepting that there were starvation deaths for impending local elections.
Even after elections the government remained apathetic. Almost all affected people deserved BPL card but it was issued to very few of them. The affected persons were not properly rehabilitated. The poverty eradication program was not implemented either. NREGA, central government rural employment guarantee scheme, was also not implemented properly.
Zafrul Islam Khan's initiative
The news about starvation deaths in the Muslim dominated Murshidabad was broken on Zafrul Islam Khan, Editor, The Milli Gazette, by Hong-Kong based Asian Human Rights Commission on March 7, 2005. Khan immediately forwarded the mail to President of India, Chief Minister of West Bengal, National Human Rights Commission, state Human Rights Commission, United Nations' Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, National Commission for Minorities but he got no response. He published an article in his fortnightly English language tabloid, yet he failed to stir the rulers and the ruled.
What was a shameful act on the part of the CPM-led Left Front state government was that it knew about the starvation deaths but was not acting. Zafrul Islam Khan came to know through local media reports that state government was aware but not acting for political reasons. Municipal elections were due in May 2005. By acting on the issue they did not want to accept the reality. Khan immediately sent his representative to the area to get first hand repot and arrange relief. Khan himself visited the area in mid-April that year.
After visiting hunger death affected areas in Murshidabad he filed a PIL with Supreme Court praying it to intervene and direct centre and state for immediate relief. Sadly, little came out of the PIL. But he did not sit down. He opened a charity in Ghoshpara of Jalangi area in May that year and started weekly free grains distribution program for 360 most deserved people. The program run by Charity Alliance has continued till date without a break.
People in queue to get weekly food relief from Charity Alliance in Ghoshpara, Murshidabad
Overall situation in Jalangi today is not good. There is no work and no industry in the area. There is some occasional agricultural work. "NREGA is not being implemented properly. Out of 100 days guaranteed work under the scheme people get work only for 5-7 days," says Ghulam Kibriya Sarkar, Ghoshpara resident. The situation has forced working men to move to other states like Kerala for work.
People geting weekly food relief from Charity Alliance in Ghoshpara, Murshidabad
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