R&AW notified to legally intercept phone, e-mails!Tuning Superfine! Excellent Floor Adjustment for the Final Kill!Pass strong Lokpal bill or quit, Anna Hazare tells government!Lokpal Bill in this session:Prime Minister Manmohan Singh!After addressing concerns of UPA allies and some Congress members, the Cabinet is expected to meet tomorrow to approve the Food Security Bill that aims to provide legal entitlement to subsidised foodgrain to 63.5 per cent of the country's population. Subsidies may be farmed out via large corporates such as ITC, Pepsi, Adani, Nestle! Kudankulam row: 'Amazed' by 15-day claim, Jayalalithaa asks PM to allay public fears

The 'Samvidhan Bachao Andolan' ( Save Constitution Campaign), to be launched by the Dalit Panther being led by prominent Dalit leader and poet Namdeo Dhasal, would kick off from Chaityabhoomi in Central Mumbai to give a "befitting" reply to Team Anna for their "anti-constitutional" demand.

Pratibha Patil to discuss farm sector reforms with governors

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Asia's largest slum owned by less than 100 families

Troubled Galaxy Destroyed Dreams ,Chapter 722

Palash Biswas

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A moderate coldwave condition is prevailing in entire north and some western districts of West Bengal while Kolkata felt the pinch of cold today with mercury sliding to 12.2 degrees celsius, the lowest this season. Birbhum, Bankura, some parts of Burdwan and Purulia are in the grip of a moderate coldwave, Regional meteorologocal Centre Director G C Debnath told PTI. Entire north Bengal has been reeling under moderate coldwave conditions for the last few days with the mercury steadily sliding and varying between 10.7 degrees celsius and one degrees celsius in Malda, Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling districts. Debnath said fog warning had ben issued in Terai, Dooars region of north Bengal for the next 24 hours when visibility would be vastly reduced. The condition would prevail for at least five more days, he said. In the city, the minimum temperature of 12.2 degrees celsius is two degrees below normal.

Subsidies may be farmed out via large corporates such as ITC, Pepsi, Adani, Nestle,Economic Times does report!

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For the first time, the Centre plans to partly route its farm subsidies through large companies with expertise in rural linkages, such as Nestle, ITC,Adani, Marico, Tata Chemicals and PepsiCo. A blueprint is being created under which the government will partly fund agri-projects of companies.

These companies will, in turn, have to deliver measurable increase in yield, infrastructure and incomes of at least 10,000 farmers each, said a senior official in the ministry of agriculture, who did not wish to be named. The expenditure on each farmer is expected to be Rs 1 lakh over three years, of which the Centre will pay half.

The rest has to be arranged by the company by creating a consortium of lenders to the project and through its own resources. The government's target is to reach 1 million farmers over the next five years with a kitty of Rs 5,000 crore. If the company meets its targets, it will receive 8% of the project cost as reimbursement of overheads. The scheme is expected to be announced in next year's Budget speech after thePlanning Commission approves it.

"This is the first time the Centre will directly implement its farm-related schemes. So far it has only worked through states. But there is a huge disparity between states in the capacity to deliver desired outcomes. An analysis of current programmes shows that public-private partnership would be the best route for future success," the official said.

The co-operation of a state government will be sought when a project comes up for appraisal and sanction. In their new role as implementers of the Centre's schemes, companies will be able to build a firm supply chain and also become the farmer's one-stop solution provider for everything - from seeds, technology and irrigation to post-harvest crop management and marketing, said Bhaskar Reddy, director, Ficci.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/subsidies-may-be-farmed-out-via-large-corporates-such-as-itc-pepsi-adani-nestle/articleshow/11138116.cms

NEW DELHI, December 17, 2011

R&AW notified to legally intercept phone, e-mails

VINAY KUMAR
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The Hindu Photo LibraryIt's legal now. Eight agencies, including the Research and Analysis Wing, can intercept any data communication, e-mails or phone calls.

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New intelligence technology feeding surge in political espionage How technology helped build a dystopia Big Brother is everywhere now

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Amid raging controversy over the UPA government's plan to screen social media, the Government has added and notified the external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) in the list of eight agencies to intercept phone calls, e-mails and data communications.

Highly placed government sources said that R&AW's addition to the list of eight agencies is aimed at giving it a legal cover for intercepting phone calls, e-mails and voice and data communication domestically. It is for the first time that R&AW, since it was formed in 1967, has been authorised to tap phone calls. The sources said the notification was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs recently.

The move came nearly two weeks after The Hindu carried a series of write-ups, working in collaboration with WikiLeaks, on communications intelligence capabilities. The sources said that R&AW would not be able to deploy its communication interception equipment at international gateways to snoop on all forms of data, be it international telephony emanating from India, or any form of electronic data including e-mails.

The sources pointed out that investigators had tapped conversations of terrorists who attacked Mumbai on 26/11 in 2008, getting instructions from their handlers in Pakistan. "For such an evidence to be admissible legally, it was felt to give it a legal sanctity,'' the sources said explaining the rationale behind R&AW being authorized to intercept phone and electronic communication.

Significantly, it was only last year that the government faced flak from courts on the issue of telephone-tapping, prompting the Centre to tell the State governments to adhere to the guidelines strictly.

On the questions of a citizen's rights and privacy, the Home Ministry had reiterated that law enforcement agencies can tap phone of any individual for security or operational reasons for 72 hours even without permission from Union Home Secretary or the State Home Secretary.

In such a case, if the agency concerned does not get permission, it will have to destroy the tapped telephone conversations within 48 hours, official sources said.

All requests by the Central government agencies, including those under the Finance Ministry and the Central Bureau of Investigation, need the approval of the Union Home Secretary. But senior officials admit that the goof-ups have put a question mark over the integrity of the system which is not foolproof. They do not rule out the possibility of the numbers of innocent citizens being put on the list of those of suspects.

Initially, the approval to tap phones is given for 60 days; if the request is repeated for another 60 days, the agency concerned has to give detailed reasons. Yet another extension of 60 days is permissible, but no permission is given beyond 180 days, the sources said.

The Supreme Court, in the PUCL vs. Union of India in 1997, had ruled that telephone conversation in private, without interference, would come under the purview of right to privacy as mandated in the Constitution; and unlawful means of phone-tapping amounted to invasion of privacy and were uncivilised and undemocratic in nature.

There are 5,000-6,000 telephones being tapped on an average across the country by the Central investigation and intelligence agencies on a daily basis, sources said. There are nearly 690 million mobile and landline telephone subscribers in India.

The sources feel that with the Adarsh scam, the Commonwealth Games scandal, and the 2G spectrum scam breaking out, the interception or tapping of phones and e-mail could reach higher levels, and many more details indicating the involvement of more persons in the scams could tumble out as different investigation agencies go ahead with probes.

"Of these, a majority relate to terror networks, and 10-12 per cent pertains to economic offences, including those involved in hawala dealings," the sources said.

Intelligence and security agencies often keep tabs on the activities of terrorist groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir as well the northeast, and the Naxal groups.

Keywords: The Hindu, WikiLeaks, SpyFiles, espionage technologies, spying on citizens, communications intelligence, RAW, home ministry

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2723855.ece?homepage=true
17 DEC, 2011, 10.15AM IST, CLARA LEWIS,TNN

Asia's largest slum owned by less than 100 families

MUMBAI: Once Asia's largest slum, Dharavi may have 59,000 tenements, but less than 20% of families have any degree of permanence or 'ownership', posing a major stumbling block to redevelopment efforts.

A recent survey carried out by the Committee for Right to Housing (CRH), an NGO, among 1,094 women residents of four bastis in Dharavi found that 80% live in rental accommodation.

A 2009 survey by Pune-based NGO Maharashtra Social Housing and Action League (MASHAL), which comprehensively mapped Dharavi, found that the tenements, spread across 598 acres, were owned by less than a hundred families. While that survey, covering all 59,000 tenements, found that at least 60% of the residents would be ineligible under an SRA scheme, the recent CRH survey concludes on the basis of its sample group that the figure would stand at 80%.

This was because though the government's eligibility criteria remained residency prior to 1995, theslumdwellers, an overwhelming majority of whom were tenants, did not have any documents as control rests with a few.

The state government had selected Sector 5, which was covered by the CRH survey, as the pilot for its ambitious remaking of Dharavi through the Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (Mhada). "What the finding means is that a vast majority will be dishoused if the redevelopment is carried out under the existing Slum Rehabilitation law,'' said Shweta Damle, member, CRH.

The CRH survey drew its respondents from Learn, an organization for women in Dharavi run by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Only 17% of those surveyed were born and brought up in Dharavi. The rest are migrants-30% from other slums in Mumbai, 5% from other parts of Maharashtra and the rest from other states (see box).

The Slum Rehabilitation Act (SRA) effectively protects only families residing in slum structures prior to 1995. Both the structure and the residency must pre-date 1995. "Unlike Development Control Regulations that protect tenants in chawls and cessed buildings and gives them ownership rights, the SRA is silent about rights of tenants,'' Damle said.

Damle said the pagdi system prevalent in chawls was also common in Dharavi. The pagdi system is where a tenant deposits a lumpsum which is equivalent to the prevailing market rate and then pays a very low monthly rent. "It is necessary that the government create rental housing in the same area so that people are not left homeless. Many tenants do not even have documents to prove they have been residing here for decades,'' she said.

Sharad Mahajan of MASHAL, which conducted the 2009 survey on behalf of SRA, said considering the large number of tenants in the slum it was not possible to redevelop it under the existing rules.

"Less than a hundred people own a majority of these structures. The population is also in a constant state of flux. Last year when we went back to the same areas we found that over 15% of the houses had new occupants,'' said Mahajan. He said unless a completely new policy is framed on housing, the redevelopment of Dharavi was not possible. ``The state government realizes the enormity of the problem and is hence working on framing new housing rules,'' he added.

The skewed ownership structure means that 'ownership' rests with a few powerful families operating through extended family and benami fronts. The house-owners ensure a steady churn of tenants not allowing them to set roots, and do not let them create documents proving residence. Shamim Bano, a resident of Muslim Nagar, said tenants change homes every year or two.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Asias-largest-slum-owned-by-less-than-100-families/articleshow/11141831.cms

Tuning Superfine! Excellent Floor Adjustment for the Final Kill!Pass strong Lokpal bill or quit, Anna Hazare tells government!Lokpal Bill in this session:Prime Minister Manmohan Singh!After addressing concerns of UPA allies and some Congress members, the Cabinet is expected to meet tomorrow to approve the Food Security Bill that aims to provide legal entitlement to subsidised foodgrain to 63.5 per cent of the country's population.

The 'Samvidhan Bachao Andolan' ( Save Constitution Campaign), to be launched by the Dalit Panther being led by prominent Dalit leader and poet Namdeo Dhasal, would kick off from Chaityabhoomi in Central Mumbai to give a "befitting" reply to Team Anna for their "anti-constitutional" demand.

ON BOARD AIR INDIA :With Anna Hazarethreatening an indefinite protest for a strong anti-graft law and the parliamentary panel submitting its report on the Lokpal Bill, Prime Minister Manmohan SinghSaturday said his government was working hard to get the legislation passed by parliament in the winter session itself and it will be placed before the cabinet Sunday.

"We will make all effort to pass the bill in this session. We are working day and night to give shape to the bill and it's my hope that by tomorrow (Sunday), we should be able to bring the bill to the cabinet," Manmohan Singh told reporters while returning home from Moscow.

"Thereafter, we will be ready to take it to parliament. But once it is in parliament, it is in the hands of parliament. We don't know what could happen. But there should not be any doubt about our sincerity to get the bill passed in this session," he added.

Accusing the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government of "cheating the people" of the country, Anna Hazare Saturday told it to pass strong Lokpal bill or quit and called on people to hold demonstrations and fill jails if this is not done.

"I have been informed that the Cabinet is meeting tomorrow evening," Food Minister K V Thomas told PTI over phone from Kochi.

Yesterday he had said the Cabinet would meet on Monday. A decision on the draft Food Bill was deferred in the last Cabinet meet earlier this week, reportedly for want of time and also due to concerns raised by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.

In the last two days, Thomas had met various Cabinet minister seeking to evolve a consensus by explaining the key provisions of the bill in detail to them.

"I have explained the provisions of the Bill to all the members, including those from allies," Thomas said. He expressed the hope that the draft Bill would get the Cabinet approval.

He said once the Cabinet approves the bill, the Ministry would finalise the draft Bill and try to introduce it in the winter session of Parliament as promised.

After introduction, the Bill is expected to go to Parliamentary Standing Committee and the UPA governmentwould try to get it passed in the Budget session, sources said.

The National Food Security Bill, considered the greatest experiment in the world to provide food security to the poor, is a pet project of Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council. It was a promise made by the Congress Party in its manifesto of the 2009 general elections.
"I will start my fast in New Delhi Dec 27 and all of you will hold demonstrations carrying the national flag and raising slogans of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', 'Vande Mataram' and 'Inquilab Zindabad'," he told a large public meeting in Bangaluru.

"Three days later, you will fill the jails if the bill is not passed by then," the social activist told the boisterous crowd that enthusiastically responded to almost every statement of his with loud cheers and whistles.

He urged the people to "gherao" (surround) the houses of MPs opposing a strong Lokpal but ensure that there was no violence.

Calling the central government a 'jhooti sarkar" (government that lies), hazare said, "They are not cheating me but the people of this country".

Hazare said the agitation will continue till a strong Lokpal is in place.

He said the aim is not bring down this government. "Purpose will not be served by bringing down the government because another government that will come will do the same thing."

Hazare said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is an "honest man, a good man but is remote-controlled".

He lashed out at Home Minister P. Chidambaram, saying "if Lokpal law was there, he would have been in jail by now".

Hazare said Chidambaram had planned to do a Ramdev on him, a reference to the post-midnight police action to end the yoga teacher's agitation at New Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on the issue of black money abroad.

Hazare was here to address the rally organised by the India Against Corruption movement to "save Lokayukta" in Karnataka.

The Lokayukta in the state has been headless since Shivaraj V. Patil quit Sep 19.

The Bharatiya Janata Party government led by D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Governor H.R. Bhardwaj are at loggerheads over naming a new Lokayukta.

Bhardwaj has not accepted the Gowda cabinet's choice of former Kerala High Court chief justice S.R. Bannurmath as he is caught in a controversy over building a house in Bangalore on a site meant for civic amenities.

The Bangalore rally was also addressed by former Karnataka Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde and former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Kiran Bedi, both prominent members of team Anna, and freedom fighter H.S. Doreswamy.

17 DEC, 2011, 05.08AM IST, ET BUREAU

RBI changes policy stance, not growth

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MUMBAI: A policy pause by the Reserve Bank of India at a time when the official data shows a sharp slowdown in the output reflects that the central bank has not taken the government's index of industrial production or IIP numbers seriously.

However, the market is divided over the timing of reversal policy stance by the central bank. The output dipped for the first time since June '09. Its distrust of IIP, which the governor had termed 'analytically bewildering' continues. According to the latest IIP numbers, industrial output has contracted by 5.1% in October.

However, the central bank does acknowledge a slowdown in the economy. "Other indicators also suggest a similar tendency, though by no means as dramatic as the IIP," the governor said on Friday in the midquarter review of its monetary policy.

"IIP numbers tend to be volatile. One number which is in the negative cannot suggest slowdown in growth and the Reserve Bank of India cannot take decisions based on any one indicator,'' said Upasna Bhardwaj, economist ING Vysya Bank.

"The central bank has anyway acknowledged a slowdown. It feels the slowdown in industrial growth would be made good by growth in services and agriculture,'' said Rupa Rege chief economist, Bank of Baroda. "There is policy paralysis which is a bigger worry than rising interest rates,'' she added.

Asection of the market still feels that it may be too early for the central stance to reverse its policy. "RBI is likely to stay on hold until the outlook for core inflation improves notably, which is not expected to happen in the very near term," said Leif Lybecker Eskesen, chief economist for India & ASEAN, HSBC.

"In the current financial year there is no possibility of a rate action or reduction in cash reserve ratio,'' added Rege. "The central bank has clearly indicated that the downside risk to growth has increased simultaneously inflation, particularly with food inflation is easing. However, the rising rupee continues to pose a risk to inflation,'' said Bharadwaj.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/rbi-changes-policy-stance-not-growth/articleshow/11139863.cms

Kudankulam row: 'Amazed' by 15-day claim, Jayalalithaa asks PM to allay public fears

NDTV Correspondent, Updated: December 17, 2011 23:00 IST

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Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa wrote a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday, saying she was shocked at his announcement that the Kudankulam Nulcear Power Plant, whose commissioning has been stalled due to protests, will start functioning within 15 days.

Dr Singh had on Friday said in Russia that the first unit of the Kudankulam nuclear power project will be operationalised in a "couple of weeks" and that the second unit will be commissioned six months later.

"I was amazed to see in the media that at a Joint Press Conference with the Russian President you had announced that the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project will be perationalised
in a couple of weeks," she said in a letter to Dr Singh tonight.

Ms Jayalalithaa in her letter asked the Prime Minister to allay public fears before any precipitate action is embarked upon. She added that according to a Cabinet resolution, work (at the plant) would remain halted till public fear is allayed.

She said the satisfaction of locals, who have been continuing their protest against the Indo-Russian project raising safety concerns for over three months, was of 'paramount importance' to her government.

On his way back from Russia, Dr Singh told the media that the Kudankulam plant cannot be allowed to remain "idle" when the nation has sunk an amount of Rs. 14,000 crore on the project.(Read: What the PM said)

Dr Singh said there is a growing view which he also shared that the agitation against the Russian-aided project has been "overdone".

(With inputs from PTI)
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/kudankulam-row-jayalalithaa-expresses-shock-at-pms-15-day-claim-158763

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Stronger economic ties with Russia in future: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE: With India and Russia enjoying robust strategic ties in critical sectors of defence, space and nuclear energy, Prime MinisterManmohan Singh Saturday said the future relations with its special and privileged partner will be in the economic sphere.

Manmohan Singh, who was returning home after a "very successful" Moscow visit for a summit meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, told reporters on board his special aircraft that he was very satisfied with the results of the annual bilateral meeting held Friday and that the "depth and range" of the relations was growing.

"The depth and range of our relationship with Russia is growing. Our strong strategic partnership in nuclear energy, defence and space will, in future, be buttressed by a stronger economic relationship," he said, reflecting on his 36-hour whirlwind trip during which he also met Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Putin mentioned to Manmohan Singh during their meeting Friday evening that the India-Russia cooperation was in over 400 projects.

The prime minister also noted that he and Medvedev met the CEOs of corporates from both countries and that "there are good prospects in pharmaceuticals, steel, diamonds and hydrocarbons" to boost their bilateral economic partnership.

With Russia formally joining the World Trade Organisation while Manmohan Singh was in Moscow, the two sides have decided that an Indian study group will explore the possibility of a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement (CECA) with a three nation grouping comprising Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia.

Similar views on increasing the economic cooperation and ramping it up to the level of traditional ties in defence, nuclear energy and space were stressed by Manmohan Singh at the CEOs' meeting, where he also mentioned that the two sides had set a target to raise the trade volume to $20 billion by 2015.

During the daylong bilateral meetings with the two Russian leaders, the prime minister "felicitated and congratulated" them on the successful outcome of the Russian Duma elections Dec 4.

"I have just completed a very successful visit of Russia. I am very satisfied with the results of the annual summit with Russia, which we have just concluded. Our strategic partnership with Russia, which is special and privileged, is steadily forging forward," he added.

Manmohan Singh noted that the leaders of the two nations had met at "a time of turbulence" in the world economy and "uncertainty" in the international order.

"We, therefore, discussed the political and economic situation in Asia and the world. We were both convinced that this complicated situation requires improvement and democratisation of processes of global governance," he said.

President Medvedev during the bilateral meeting, described India as "a strong contender" for a permanent seat on the reformed United Nations Security Council.

"Our views on current international issues, many of which are congruent, are expressed in the joint statement" issued in Moscow, he added.

Manmohan Singh said 2011 had been "a year of active diplomacy" for India with its immediate neighbours in the subcontinent, with major powers, and with the extended neighbourhood in South East Asia and West Asia

Anna warns govt, PM says Lokpal in winter sessionPallavi Ghosh, CNN-IBN

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New Delhi: As anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare's deadline for passing the Lokpal Bill of December 30 nears, the government is under pressure to table the revised bill soon.
Home Minister P Chidambaram has even committed that the bill will come up in the current session itself.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has also said that the government is committed to bringing the Lokpal Bill in the winter session of Parliament.
"We will make every effort to pass the bill in this session. We are working day and night to give shape to the bill and its my hope that by tomorrow, we should be able to bring the bill to the Cabinet and, thereafter, we will be ready to take it to Parliament," said the Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, in yet another letter to the Prime Minister, Anna accused the government of betrayal and threatened to go on a fast from December 30 if the bill was not passed in the winter session ending on December 22.
"The bill will be passed in Parliament but the government is not bringing it. If the government does not bring the bill, I will go on fast," said Anna.
The anti-corruption crusader also addressed a public gathering in Bangalore. He said that the government must either bring the Lokpal Bill or quit.
He also reiterated that he would start his fast on December 27 and would go for Jail Bharo Andolan three days later if the bill was not passed.
Senior ministers are meeting to finalise a bill which keeps everyone happy and this seems to be getting difficult as Opposition and Team Anna are setting tough terms.
One way the government hopes to win Opposition over is by fondling the quota card, important for poll going states like UP. Conceding to demands of Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Lalu Prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan, the government is likely to accept reservation in Lokpal for SC, ST and backwards. The percentage is, however, being worked out.
The government hopes that by enticing the Opposition, it can counter the Anna fury, especially in case its revised draft does not meet Anna's demands.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter andGoogle+)
#Lokpal Bill #Lokpal #Manmohan Singh #Anna Hazare #P Chidambaram #UPA #Team Anna #Winter Session
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/anna-warns-govt-pm-says-lokpal-in-winter-session/212855-37-64.html

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ON BOARD PM'S SPECIAL AIRCRAFT, December 17, 2011

Cabinet to consider Lokpal Bill on Sunday

SANDEEP DIKSHIT
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The Union Cabinet will consider the Lokpal Bill on Sunday and make all efforts to get it passed during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said.
"We will male all efforts to pass the Bill in this Session. We are working day and night to give shape to the Bill and it is my hope that by tomorrow we should be able to bring the Bill to the Cabinet. And thereafter we will be ready to take it to Parliament. Once it is in Parliament, it will be in the hands of Parliament and we don't know what could happen. But there should not be any doubt about our sincerity to get the Bill passed in this Session," the Prime Minister said when asked whether the Government will be able to pass the Bill during this Session.
The question was asked in the context of social activist Anna Hazare threatening to launch a fast on December 27, five days after the scheduled end of Winter Session of Parliament.
Keywords: winter session, Lokpal Bill, Team Anna, India Against Corruption, India Russia visit

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2723684.ece

Government unwilling to abide by tenets of parliamentary democracy: Karat

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
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The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday countered the accusation that the Opposition was responsible for disruption of Parliament, saying the situation arose from the actions of the government, which knew the ruling coalition did not have a secure majority in both Houses and was refusing to heed people's voice.
"The truth is that the ruling Congress and the UPA government are unwilling to abide by the tenets of parliamentary democracy. The normal democratic functioning of Parliament is seen as a hindrance because the UPA does not have a secure majority in both Houses of Parliament," CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said in the latest issue of party organ Peoples' Democracy.
The corporate media had mounted a campaign that MPs were wantonly destroying the institution of Parliament while some young MPs, many of whom have corporate links, have demanded the application of the 'No Work—No Pay' principle. "But behind the smokescreen of propaganda lurks an inconvenient truth."
Referring to the Cabinet decision of allowing 51 per cent foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail, Mr. Karat said Parliament got stalled on the issue as the government refused to accept the adjournment motion of the Opposition as it was not willing to face any censure, with partners Trinamool Congress and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam opposing the policy and uncertainty about neutralising the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.
Certain Congress ministers advanced absurd arguments that policy decision was the right of the executive and a parliamentary vote was an encroachment on its legitimate right. While conceding that executive had the right to take decisions in certain policy matters, he said how can the Parliament's right to scrutinise such policy decisions and for the Opposition to seek to reverse such a decision through a parliamentary vote be denied.
"It goes against the elementary principle of the accountability of the executive to Parliament in our political set-up. If the government wishes to push through an unpopular and harmful policy, it must be willing to face the consequences of that in Parliament."
The Manmohan Singh-led government, he said, should realise that it cannot adopt many of its neo-liberal and pro-U.S. policies as it did not command a majority in Parliament. "Instead of accepting this, the government prefers to push through such measures and manoeuvre to escape parliamentary scrutiny and approval by allowing Parliament to be paralysed."
Citing instances of parliamentary standing committees that scrutinised the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill or the Lokpal Bill, he said the government had a record of ignoring the recommendations when it did not suit them.
He said:
"What does this contempt for parliament or the willingness to bypass parliament show? In country after country, where the governments acting in the interests of the ruling classes are prone to the pressures of international finance capital, there is a distinct tendency to narrow the scope of parliament and to attenuate its power.
"As long as parliament faithfully rubberstamps the neo-liberal policies and does not voice the popular opposition to the restrictions on democratic rights and attacks on the livelihoods of the people, the functioning of parliament is tolerated.
"Where the parliaments are unable to adhere to the draconian demands of finance capital and the imperatives of the neo-liberal policies, efforts are made to restrict and tame the elected bodies into submission."
Keywords: parliament disruptions, CPI (M), Prakash Karat
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2720726.ece

26 sugar factories owe Rs 114 crore to farmers: Maharashtra government

NAGPUR: Twenty-six co-operative sugar factories in Maharashtra owe Rs 114 crore to the sugar-cane growers as of September 30 this year, the Legislative Assembly was told today.

Replying to a question by Pravin Darekar and others during the question hour in the lower house, Co-operation Minister Harshwardhan Patil said that arrears were being recovered through the district collector's office, and necessary orders had been issued.

He said that factories had been asked to deposit Rs two per a tonne of sugar as an additional amount towards relief fund for Fayan cyclone, with the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

Patil told the Legislative Council that co-operation department, through the Osmanabad collector, was in the process of recovering a total of Rs 2,103 lakh from Terana Co-operative Sugar Factory which included arrears of Rs 153 lakh for 2002-03, Rs 1,470 lakh for 2010-11 and revised arrears of Rs 580 lakh for the same period.

13 DEC, 2011, 03.40AM IST, JAYASHREE BHOSALE,ET BUREAU

Cotton, Soyabean price issue rocks Maharashtra State Assembly

PUNE: The Opposition disrupted the Maharashtra State Assembly on Monday and the House had to be adjourned on the issue of cotton, soyabean and paddy prices.

As the cotton farmers in the state have lost about 50% yield, the Opposition is demanding that the government announce a compensation package for the cotton as well as soyabean and paddy farmers. "We demanded that the government should discuss the issue of compensation to cotton, soyabean and paddy farmers in the Assembly and make an announcement about it.

However, the government refused to do so, citing the reason of election code of conduct for the Nagarpalika elections. Now they have promised to discuss the issue tomorrow (Tuesday)," said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s leader of Opposition in the legislative assembly, Eknath Khadse.

The state cabinet has accepted in principle to give per acre compensation to the cotton farmers. According to a news agency, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said in Nagpur on the eve commencement of the Assembly session: "We have already made up our mind... but due to the code of conduct imposed for the local body elections, the announcement regarding the quantum of relief has been held back."

Chavan further said the state has approached the central government for providing bonus in addition to theminimum support price (MSP) announced by the latter. "The bonus issue will be decided by the Agriculture Price Commission, an autonomous body under the Agriculture Ministry," he added.

The Opposition parties are demanding that cotton, soyabean and paddy should get Rs 6,000/quintal, Rs 3,000/quintal and Rs 2,500/quintal respectively. The minimum support price of cotton is Rs 3,300/quintal. Cotton yield has declined by about 50% in Maharashtra due to climatic reasons.

"As against the daily arrival of about 1,000 quintals, today I am getting only about 150 quintals/day at my ginning and pressing mill," said Rahul Parekh, owner of Krishna ginning in Dharagaon near Jalgaon.

Parekh, also a cotton farmer, could get only 87 quintal cotton till Monday from his 35-acre field compared to 150 quintals he had collected during the comparable period previous year. The Dharangaon APMC too has reported considerably less cotton arrivals this year right from the beginning of the season.

"The current average daily cotton arrival at our market is about 300 quintals. The quantity was about three to four times bigger last year during the same period," said Rajendrashingh Patil, superintendent of Dharangaon APMC.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/commodities/Cotton-Soyabean-price-issue-rocks-Maharashtra-State-Assembly/articleshow/11088327.cms

Obama bans daughters from logging into Facebook: Report

US President Barack Obama who relied heavily on the social media to boost his presidential campaign in 2008, has banned his daughters from using Facebook, a media report said today.

The 'First Social Media President' said it "does not make much sense" to put the most private details of his family life on public view. He doesn't want "strangers knowing" their family business, UK's tabloid Mail Online reported.

His elder daughter, Malia, is 13, and just old enough to use Facebook. Her younger sister Sasha is ten.

But Obama said he won't consider allowing them to join the site until they are both four years older.

His admission seems somewhat ironic, given that he made full use of Facebook and other websites to encourage the young to vote for him in the presidential election - and to raise millions of dollars for his campaign

As a result, he became known as the 'First Social Media President'. His Facebook page - which has 24 million 'likes' - remains a key part of his ongoing efforts to seek re-election.

One of the many photos on the page shows Mr Obama swimming in the sea with one of his daughters.

In an interview, the President described the thinking behind the Facebook ban as: "Why would we want to have a whole bunch of people who we don't know knowing our business? That doesn't make much sense."

He added: "We'll see how they [his daughters] feel in four years."

But he seemed to have few qualms earlier this week when using Facebook to release the latest official family portrait.

The photograph shows the President sitting with First Lady Michelle and their two daughters, all grinning broadly.

It was given the caption: 'The new Obama family portrait!' and has so far drawn 71,000 'likes' and 11,000 comments.

It was released to coincide with Christmas, but is not the official Christmas card, which shows an empty room in the White House with the family dog, Bo, lying by the fire.

Meanwhile,a Dalit outfit has vowed to launch an awareness campaign, beginning from December 27, about the "unconstitutional" demand being made byTeam Anna to pass the Jan Lokpal Bill in the ongoing winter session of the Parliament.

The 'Samvidhan Bachao Andolan' ( Save Constitution Campaign), to be launched by the Dalit Panther being led by prominent Dalit leader and poet Namdeo Dhasal, would kick off from Chaityabhoomi in Central Mumbai to give a "befitting" reply to Team Anna for their "anti-constitutional" demand.

The drive is aimed at creating awareness by organising a public meeting.

"Their (Team Anna's) demands are unconstitutional. Government should oppose the recommendations made by them in the Lokpal Bill," Dhasal told PTI.

He also said that a 'mashal morcha' (torch march) would be taken from Chaityabhoomi to Raj Bhawan in the evening on December 27.

"Our delegation will meet Governor K Sankaranarayanan and hand over a representation to him stating how the demands made by team Anna are unconstitutional," he added.

The Dalit activist said a similar representation asking Team Anna members to withdraw their demand would be handed over to them during their planned protest in the city.

However, if they (Team Anna) do not pay any heed to it, the Dalit Panther would stage demonstrations, Dhasal added.

16 DEC, 2011, 02.12AM IST, ET BUREAU

Government denies plans to draft guidelines on online social media content

NEW DELHI: The government has backtracked on its plans to draft guidelines for Internet companies to monitor and screen online social media content.

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with Internet companies here on Thursday, Minister of State for Communications and IT Sachin Pilot said there is no plan to regulate online content.

"We have made this abundantly clear that there is no question of censorship of the Internet. Whatever laws and guidelines had to be drafted, have been done. Law of the land is in place in the form of the IT Act," Pilot said.

"The government is committed to abide by what is enshrined in our Constitution, which is freedom of speech and expression. We protect it with a lot of energy," Pilot told reporters. The minister had told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday there is no proposal to regulate Internet content.

The government's new stance is a complete reversal from the one it took on December 6 when IT MinisterKapil Sibal told reporters about a plan to draft guidelines to regulate 'objectionable' content on social media sites.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/Government-denies-plans-to-draft-guidelines-on-online-social-media-content/articleshow/11125866.cms

15 DEC, 2011, 02.13AM IST, NIDHI NATH SRINIVAS,ET BUREAU

Pratibha Patil to discuss farm sector reforms with governors

NEW DELHI: President Pratibha Devisingh Patil will meet on Thursday the governors of states to study and recommend measures to revitalise Indian agriculture, reflecting the government's reluctance to depend wholly on the state governments for reversing deceleration in agriculture and meeting food security targets.

The governors attending Thursday's meeting at Rashtrapati Bhavan are part of a special committee on agriculture appointed by the President earlier this month.

Headed by Shivraj Patil, governor of Punjab and Rajasthan, the committee will be updated on current policy measures by secretaries of various ministries, including agriculture, food processing, food and consumer affairs, panchayati raj, and rural development.

Industry bodies Ficci and CII have also been invited to propose ways for better corporate linkages in agriculture.

Agriculture has grown by 3.6% in first six months of 2011-12, marginally slower than the same period last year. The growth target for the current XII Plan is 4%.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/Pratibha-Patil-to-discuss-farm-sector-reforms-with-governors/articleshow/11113221.cms

Ratan Tata asks India Inc to help dalit entrepreneurs grow

MUMBAI:The Tata group chairman Ratan Tata today said India Inc should assist the small entrepreneurs, especially those from the dalit community, to become global entrepreneurs.

"We should all assist in letting small enterprises, especially those from the dalit community, to become big and global enterprises. Everyone in the country should help the young entrepreneurs and help them share the prosperity of the country," Tata said at the first national trade fair organised by the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DICCI) here.

The two-day national trade fair focusing on dalit entrepreneurs -- first ever -- began yesterday. It is supported by Tata Group, Godrej Group and industry body CII.

The Tata group chairman also said the corporate India should use products manufactured by the small enterprises, and also help them increase their exports.

"I am happy to endorse and support the cause of the dalit entrepreneurs," Tata added.

Godrej Group chairman Adi Godrej had yesterday appealed to the corporate India to help dalit entrepreneurs as a part of the corporate social responsibility.

Nearly 200 dalit entrepreneurs from Maharashtra, Haryana, UP, Delhi, MP, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have participated in the trade fair.

DICCI chairman Milind Kamble today said objective behind the fair was to prove that the dalit community was not just a seeker, but also a giver.

"We have been fighting the caste system for long. But now we want a Tata, a Birla and an Ambani among us. We want to embark on a movement to create dalit capital," he said.

Kamble said the association of companies like Tata and Godrej with the DICCI had not only given inspiration to the young entrepreneurs but had raised the status of its members.

"It is easy to get Prime Minister here for an event. But when industrialists like Tata and Godrej come here, it gives a
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-company/corporate-trends/ratan-tata-asks-india-inc-to-help-dalit-entrepreneurs-grow/articleshow/11147136.cms

Cabinet passes Bills relating to judicial accountability, protection of whistleblowers and Citizens Charter

13 DEC, 2011, 09.34PM IST, PTI

Cabinet passes Bills relating to judicial accountability, protection of whistleblowers and Citizens Charter

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Three key Bills relating to judicial accountability, protection of whistleblowers and Citizens Charter, which Anna Hazare wanted to be brought under the Lokpal, were passed by the union cabinet today.

The Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill, 2010, Public Interest Disclosure and Protection to Persons Making the Disclosures Bill, 2010, widely known as the Whistleblowers' Protection Bill and Citizens' Charter and Grievance Redressal Bill, 2011, were passed by the cabinet.

However, discussion on the Food Security Bill remained inconclusive and is likely to be brought up in the next cabinet meeting likely to be held on December 18.

Team Anna has been demanding that the judiciary, a Citizens' Charter and a Grievance Redressal mechanism be brought under the Lokpal. However, the government and some of opposition parties felt there should be separate laws to deal with these issues.

The Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill, 2010, seeks to lay down judicial standards and provide for accountability of judges and establish a credible and expedient mechanism for investigating into individual complaints for misbehaviour or incapacity of a judge of the Supreme Court or of a High Court and to regulate the procedure for such investigation.

It also proposes to form a panel to incorporate a provision to have in-camera proceedings of the committee which will scrutinise complaints against judges.

The Bill seeks to make it mandatory for judges to stay away from maintaining "close relations or close social interaction" with lawyers who practice in the same court.

However, sources said some cabinet ministers felt this provision should be dropped.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel and Law and Justice had also recommended inclusion of a provision stating that judges should "restrain" themselves from making "unwarranted comments" against other constitutional bodies, institutions or persons while hearing cases in courts.

Though initially this was accepted by the government and even mentioned in the cabinet note, it was not clear whether this clause was passed in today's meeting.

The union cabinet also passed the Citizens Charter and Grievance Redressal Bill, 2011. This was another prominent issue which Team Anna wanted under the Lokpal.

Sources said there were differences in the cabinet on the timeframe to be given to government officials for service delivery and grievance redressal with some members stating that 15 days was too less. It was finally settled at 30 days.

The cabinet also passed the whistle-blowers protection bill which seeks to bring members of the Council of Ministers, the judiciary, including the higher judiciary, regulatory authorities and even the corporates within its ambit.

Government sources maintained the Food Security Bill was deferred only as there was no time left as a meeting of UPA allies on the Lokpal issue was scheduled immediately after the cabinet meeting.

"Discussions on the Food Security Bill remained inconclusive. We are trying our best to introduce this Bill in this session of Parliament," Food Minister K V Thomas told reporters later.

The Food Security Bill- championed by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and drafted by the National Advisory Council headed by her- will be discussed in the next cabinet meeting.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Cabinet-passes-Bills-relating-to-judicial-accountability-protection-of-whistleblowers-and-Citizens-Charter/articleshow/11097010.cms
15 DEC, 2011, 03.51AM IST, ET BUREAU

Every bill to go through the coalition drill: Pranab Mukherjee

NEW DELHI: The Manmohan Singh government is finally getting real. With allies wielding veto to block important policy measures, the government appears to have begun recognising that it has little elbow room for adventurism or 'stealth tactics' to push its agenda.

This was evident when Pranab Mukherjee told his ministerial colleagues on Tuesday evening that every bill should go through the coalition drill before they are put on the Cabinet table. "We cannot afford to repeat the retail FDI fiasco.

The policy items should be discussed thoroughly with allies," the finance minister told the Cabinet before it took up a host of bills for approval. The meeting saw Sharad Pawar and Farooq Abdullah seeking more clarity on the food guarantee bill.

This prompted the prime minister to defer its clearance to allow wider consultations. Mukherjee's call for observing coalition dharma comes in the backdrop of a confrontation between the treasury benches and the Opposition holding up several bills in Parliament.

In the face of resistance from the Opposition, law minister Salman Khurshid was forced to defer the commercial division of high courts bill on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, HRD minister Kapil Sibal sought the deferment of an amendment to bill on the Copyright Act. Another bill piloted by Sibal - Architects amendment bill - could meet the same fate on Thursday. Wiser from the experience of his colleagues, ministers like Kamal Nath have been going the extra mile to seek wider support to their bills.

Urban development minister Nath's outreach on the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (special provisions) bill saw it being passed on the day it was introduced in the Lok Sabha.

The introduction was preceded by consultations with leaders of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Government leaders admitted that the functioning of Parliament could become smooth if there are back-channel communications with both allies and Opposition.

Both sides have so far been blaming each other for the partisan stalemate in Parliament. Javed Akhtar, a nominated member in the Rajya Sabha, who has been campaigning for the copyright bill, is learnt to be seeking the intervention of Congress president Sonia Gandhi for the passage of the copyrights bill.

There are indications that the Opposition would back the bill if the controversial clause that seeks to divide broadcasters into two groups, radio and television, is removed from the bill.

Subsidies & Growth stance

Can we afford Rs 6 lakh cr Food Subsidy Bill in 3 years?
The biggest experiment in world to provide food security to poor would be successful here only if govt finds ways to deliver it at much lower cost.

Retail FDI: Back in Focus

FDI in retail: Rahul Gandhi says it's pro-farmer
Rahul Gandhi's backing could provide a shot in the arm for the PM by forcing opponents within the Congress to fall in line.

Nuclear plants: Are they safe?

Kudankulam nuclear plant to be operational soon: PM
PM has said that the first phase of the Kudankulam nuclear energy reactor will be made operational in a couple of weeks.

Business of Bollywood

Bollywood celebrities foray into new ventures
Star value of Bollywood celebrities adds to the appeal of marketing campaigns. But when the celebrity himself is the promoter, it is more than just marketing.

Chidambaram: Man of Controversy

P Chidambaram denies having interest with any case
Expressing deep hurt, Home Minister P Chidambaram today strongly rejected BJP's allegation that he had favoured a Delhi-based hotelier.

NRI Corner

RBI frees rates on NRI deposit schemes; move to stem rupee fall
RBI freed interest rates on various NRI deposit schemes, a move that will help attract more funds and arrest the slide in rupee in the forex market.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Every-bill-to-go-through-the-coalition-drill-Pranab-Mukherjee/articleshow/11113906.cms

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Palash Biswas
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Saturday, December 17, 2011