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Preparing annual select NEW DELHI, Dec 24: In what could come as good news for all Government employees, the Central Administrative..more Petrol
dealers threaten JALANDHAR, Dec 24: Punjab Petroleum Dealers Association today threatened ....more Cinematic bonding on Indo-Pakistan borders MUMBAI, Dec 24: Opulent sets, big budgets and media hype did little this year to change . ...more NEW DELHI, Dec 24: The launch of ‘common man’s DTH’heralding a new paradigm and sounding a requiem for CAS, the removal of Anupam Kher as..more |
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Soren affair, Naxal RANCHI, Dec 24: Union Minister Shibu Soren going into hiding to evade handcuffs, ruling BJPs near rout in the Lok ......more Manipur
witnesses IMPHAL, Dec 24: The alleged rape and death of a woman in Assam Rifles custody and a ....more Little
relief for comman BHOPAL, Dec 24: It was return to ‘Sanyas’ for fiery Uma Bharti who lost her ‘Raj’ in ....more Music
has a soothing NEW DELHI, Dec 24: Music although being touted world over as a panacea for ills, ....more |
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Gaur’s entry were among highlights of 2004.... Rural sector sees increased budgetary allocation in 2004-05 ..... |
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Preparing annual select list for promotions mandatory for Govt depts NEW DELHI, Dec 24: In what could come as good news for all Government employees, the Central Administrative Tribunal has said it is mandatory for the authorities concerned to prepare an annual ‘select list’ for promoting officials to fill vacancies. A bench comprising Vice-Chairman V K Majotra and member Shanker Raju said preparing a select list every year was mandatory as any violation would deprive an equal opportunity to the promotee officers to reach higher status in service. Any infraction of this rule should be viewed seriously and promptly redressed by the courts, they added. "The non-promotion in a case where the person is retiring due to delay in holding Departmental Promotion Committee (which prepares the select list) causes heart burn to a Government servant who has a fundamental right to be considered for promotion and it deprives him an opportunity before he superannuates on retirement to avail of his legitimate rights." Adherence to the time limit on reporting vacancy and holding a DPC were salutary principles, and form the purpose and policy behind the rules the tribunal said and added it was a mandate upon the Government to follow them. The bench reiterated Supreme Court order in Syed Khalid Rizvi’s case that it was the mandatory duty of the Government to annually prepare the select list of the officers for promotion. "We hold that preparation of the select list every year is mandatory. It would subserve the object of the rules and afford an equal opportunity to the promotee officers to reach higher echelons of the service. The dereliction of the statutory duty must satisfactorily be accounted for by the Government and this court takes serious note of Wanton infraction," the Apex Court had said. "The reason underlying the limitation of the period of a list for one year is obviously to ensure that other qualified persons are not deprived of their chances of applying for the posts in the suceeding years and being selected for appointment," it had added. The tribunal was dealing with a petition filed by Income Tax officer J S Singhal, through counsel K C Mittal, who had been denied promotion to the post of assistant Commissioner of Income Tax in 2003-04 and 2004-05 as no DPC was held for the two years and hence no select list was prepared. Singhal was to retire on December 31 this year. Disposing of his plea, cat directed the authorities to immediately take up the issue of holding DPC with the Union Public Service Commission and to ensure that the (DPC’s) recommendations were issued by UPSC and received by them (Income Tax department) latest by December 26. Should the DPC find him fit for promotion, he would be entitled all consequential benefits before superannuation, it ordered. (UNI) |
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Petrol dealers threaten to curtail operational hours of pumps JALANDHAR, Dec 24: Punjab Petroleum Dealers Association today threatened to curtail operation hours of the petrol pumps in the state to eight hours only instead of 24 hours, if their demand of increase in the dealer margin was not fulfilled by January 15. Although the dealer margin was 4.6 per cent in seventies which was reduced to 1.94 per cent in 2001 as the same was fixed on per litre bases, not with price which shows the thin profitability for the dealer J P Khanna, president of the assoiciation stated here today revealing that to curtail the operational expenses the association has decided to curtail the working hours of the petrol pumps from 24 hours to just eight hours after January 15. Khanna claimed that heavy stock losses in petrol/diesel were recorded in recent years, which has squeezed the margin considerably and on the other hand oil companies were boosting to have international quality of product, which was totally unrealistic. He alleged that neither the quality nor the transportation service was provided in the country of internatinal standard by oil manufacturing companies, with this rate of commission, it is not affordable to operate the petrol pump 24 hours and without any respite in 365 days and that is why we have not option other than curtailing the operational hours to curtail our expenses he added. Since, the last meeting with the Union Petroleum Minister Mani Shanker Aiyer and oil companies directors (marketing), the ministry was agreed to decide all issues by January 15, the action of curtailing the operational hours has been deferred till that date, he revealed. He urged the Petroleum Minister and oil manufacturing companies to revise the price structure on quarterly basis instead of forthnightly as it rents to amount as gambling in the trade. Since the international crude prices has declined sharply, the prices of petrol and diesel should also be reflected accordingly without any hidden cost covered in retail selling price. (PTI) |
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Cinematic bonding on Indo-Pakistan borders MUMBAI, Dec 24: Opulent sets, big budgets and media hype did little this year to change the chequered fortune chart of Bollywood, which witnessed some old wines packaged in new NRI bottles, the blurring of hate lines between India and Pakistan through cinematic bonding, and sex stepping out of night into the limelight. The usual "Pakistan-bashing" films, replete with patriotic songs, venom spewing dialogues and wrenching screams of Indian soldiers fighting against the neighbour, were this year replaced by films that saw the traditional "enemy" in a new light. While the Yash Chopra romance, ‘Veer Zaara’, sought to reflect the thawing of hate lines between both countries through the format of cross-border romance, films like ‘Khamosh Pani’ starring Kiron Kher gave a stark account of the partition and its impact on women. Ashutosh Gowarikar’s ‘Swades’ in a sophisticated package tried to tug at the emotional chords of Indian diaspora scattered across the world. Cross-over films like ‘Bride And Prejudice’, ‘Raghu Romeo’ also tried to blur the dividing lines but failed to garner a white-man audience. The year saw the topic of extra marital affairs coming with a bang, but this time with a feminist touch. The old format of promiscous males straying into new pastures appeared passe with female protagonist being potrayed as the new power broker in the sexual domain. The hitherto treatment to the subject of extra marital affairs of being a fall out of mental or physical incompatibility was replaced by the camera taking a vyourestic journey into bedroom dramas motivated by primitive instincts. Films like ‘Aitraz’ and ‘Tum’ chose to tackle the subject of bedroom politics. There was a lot of ‘Skin Show’ this year and grabbing viewer’s attention by their unabashed display in films like Julie, Hawas, Murder, Tauba Tauba and Abbas, which saw the the blurring of lines in the question of ‘to be’ or ‘not to be’ dressed. Heroines like Mallika Sherawat with their un-apologetic statements on the right to display skin, made headlines, drawing out new contours on the map of cinema. The year also proved that clean comedy was still a crowd puller. Stories of men-on-the-street dreaming tall, weaving tales of hitting the jackpot and meandering through life’s journey sometime through a pack of white lies and sometime on a belief in the almighty, drew crowds. Films like Munnabhai MBBS and ‘Mujshe Shaadi Karonge’ fetched good revenue both in the domestic market and in the international market. Movies like ‘Hulchul’ and ‘Main Hoon Na’ made their mark as they tickled the funny bones of cinegoers. Lady luck tiptoed in for some of Bollywood’s star sons like Saif Ali and Abhishek Bachchan. Saif, this year managed to shrug off the allegation of giving hits only when teamed with other stars, by ensuring a solo hit through the film ‘Hum Tum’ while Abhishek Bachchan, managed his maiden bonafide hit in the film ‘Dhoom’ and wowed critics with his performance in ‘Yuva’. The year saw both Bachchans trying to test their selling power on the Indian film marquee. The senior Bachchan was seen in at around eight films this year, including Khakhee, Dev, Deewar, Lakshya, Veer Zaara while the junior Bachchan saw him starring in films like Naach, Phir Milenge, Yuva and Dhoom. While Khakee and Veer Zara fared well, films like Lakshya, Deewar did not make the mark. Actress Kareena Kapoor proved to be the blue-eyed girl this year with her films like Aitraz, Musafir, Fida, Chameli getting the audience to notice her. However, the film industry’s earlier blue-eyed-girl, Aishwarya Rai, did not fare well on the domestic front. Her films like ‘Kyon.. Ho Gaya Na’ were bidden adieu without much ado. The ‘B factor’ failed to work this year with ‘big budgets’, big film directors’ failing to ensure ‘box-office’ collection. The presence of the Big B also failed to garner collections in films like Lakshya. Mani Ratnam’s Yuva, Farhan’s Lakshya and J P Dutta’s LoC failed to sell the directors’ dreams on the celluloid to cinegoers. Multistarrers like Mahesh Manjrekar’s Rakht, Rajiv Rai’s Asambhav also proved that ciengoers wanted something more than just an impressive star cast. Small budget films and ‘popcorn entertainment’ found more takers. 2004 did not reap luck for debutant directors like Kabir Sadanand (popcorn Khao—Mast Ho Jao), Ashwin Chaudhary (Dhoop), Samir Karnik (Kyo Ho Gaya Na), Sanjay Upadhyay (Satya Bol). The limelight also did not shine on new faces like Vatsal Seth (Tarzan, The Wonder Car), Shawar Ali (Hawas) and Samin Dattarani (Uf Kya Jado ..) The on-screen drama spilt to the streets this year as Shiv Sainiks staged demonstration over the screening of the film ‘Girlfriend’. The theme of a Lesbian relatioship did not go down well with the party workers who termed the film of damaging the indian mindset and cultural fabric. Another film to ignite the wrath was M F Hussain’s ‘Meenaxi’. Hussain’s latest muse actress tabu had to bid a hasty goodbye as members of a community threatened agitation over the use of certain verses from the holy book. (PTI) NEW DELHI, Dec 24: The launch of ‘common man’s DTH’heralding a new paradigm and sounding a requiem for CAS, the removal of Anupam Kher as censor board chairman that triggered widespread outcry and the controversy over publication of international Herald tribune were the hallmarks in the eventful 2004 for the country’s information and broadcasting sector. In what Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described as a ‘landmark event’, Doordarshan’s long-awaited dth service was launched on December 16 with 33 television and 12 radio channels recording a positive note for Prasar Bharati as the year was set to bid adieu. The launch of DD direct plus, the Prime Minister said while inaugurating the service, would provide a global gateway and the opportunity to empowering vast number of socially and backward people through the newly established communication. The public broadcaster’s DTH service, covering the entire country barring the Andaman and Nicober Islands, is the first of its kind in the world which is free at delivery to the viewers with a minimal one-time investment for installation of dish antanna and a Set-Top Box (STB) unlike other DTH services which charge a monthly subscription. However, it was the second DTH service to be launched in the country after Zee’s dish TV with space TV, the proposed DTH service of a Star and Tata joint venture awaiting Government clearance reserving a fierce competition for future in the hitherto virgin area. While dish TV had sold around 150,000 STBs in one year, DD direct had already sold more than 50,000 in the official market while as many were understood to have been sold in the grey market, Prasar Bharati CEO K S Sarma had claimed. The public broadcaster plans to increase the number of television channels on its DTH platform to 50 by the end of next year. However, hand-in-hand with the euphoria surfaced the problem of pornographic visuals likely to be beamed to the Indian audience taking advantage of DTH. It remains to be seen what measures the Government takes to prevent the otherwise unstoppable phenomenon in its new downlinking policy, expected to be finalised soon. The new policy is also expected to make it mandatory for foreign channels to get themselves registered in the country to hold a control over beaming of contents and give passage to FII investment in news channels. The advent of DD’s DTH, however, was preceded by a TRAI order putting the much-talked about Conditional Access System(CAS), once the previous Government made a determined bid to roll out throughout the country and even issued notifications before making a sudden backout. Last year CAS was rolled out in south Delhi with enthusiastic cable operators and multi service operators throwing their weight behind introduction of the new system. In recent orders, TRAI also allowed seven per cent increase in the cable charges from December 26 and recommended mandatory sharing of contents on a ‘non-discriminatory’ basis among service providers virtually putting a bar on exclusivity in its inter-connection regulation. The clause has been resented by a number of service providers. In one of the remarkable events involving public figures,Film Censor Board Chairman and actor Anupam Kher was recently sacked summarily by the Government to be replaced by veteran cine star Sharmila Tagore. Adding more colour to headlines in newspapers,an insulted Mr Kher held a press conference accusing the UPA supporter CPI(M), particularly its general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet of being responsible for influencing the Government decision. Blaming the Congress squarely for groveling to the wishes of the communists, Mr Kher alleged that the untold reason for his ouster was a write-up of Mr Surjeet in a CPI(M) mouthpiece in which the actor was described as an ‘RSS man’. Though the Government shied away from offering any official version, Ministry officials later said the action was the fallout of the censor board sitting over a documentary film on the Gujarat riot. Denying the charge, Mr Kher said the film was cleared by the board without any cut. In a running sequel to the controversy, Mr Kher filed a defamation case against the CPI(M) leader for dubbing him as an RSS man. The I and B ministry got into another controversy when a film on Jaiprakash Narayan, which was to be shown on Doordarshan channel on the leader’s birthday, was blacked out. It was alleged that the film, made by Prakash Jha, was not shown because it contained some adverse remarks on emergency, declared by late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. However, the film was later shown on Doordarshan. The outgoing year, however, was marked first by the International Herald tribune imbroglio immediately after the UPA Government came to power when it was noticed that an edition of a foreign newspaper was being published from the country without the knowledge of the Government and ‘flouting’ the existing rules. What followed in an immediate action by the embarrassed Government was the removal of the then registrar of newspapers. However, IHT editor M J Akbar claimed that the paper, being published from Hyderabad, had abided by all existing rules. The IHT episode prompted the Government to constitute a group of ministers to look into the issue of foreign investment in print media and other things. While the previous Government had put a 26 per cent ceiling on foreign direct investment in news and current affairs, the present Government defended it by saying that the system had proper ‘safeguards’ and was not planning to withdraw the decision taken by the NDA Government. (UNI) |
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Music has a soothing role, no curative power: Pt Ravi Shankar NEW DELHI, Dec 24: Music although being touted world over as a panacea for ills, has its role... A soothing role, but it cannot be used as a curtaive power and it would be fool-hardy to assume so, says Pandit Ravi Shankar. Refuting claims of the so-called experts that music therapy has a curative power, the sitar exponent firmly limits the role of music as a complimentary therapy. "A person suffering from cancer will not recover after listening to ragas," says Shankar. Shankar was visiting Mumbai when he encountered a musician who used to render ragas to cure all ills - your heart is palpitating listen to Raga Darbarai- which was ridiculous, he says recounting the incident. Elaborating more on the role of music in research, Shankar says his compositions were being used in Germany, as a part of botanical research. "My compositions are played to see what effect they have on the growth of plants, though I am not sure what will be the outcome," says a sceptical Pandit Ravi Shankar. Music, dance and other art forms are aesthetic and creative pursuits meant for enthralling the listeners. Let their role be confined to that, says the maestro. Moving on to classical music and compositions, the octogenarian says that classical music soirees have more or less shed the ‘elitist’ image, though a ‘discerning’ audience would be more gratifying to the performing artist. "It’s gratifying for the artist when the audience enjoys and most importantly understands his performance," Pandit Ravi Shankar puts it succinctly when queried about the audience’s changing perception towards classical music. In recent times classical music programmes have witnessed a larger turn-out... However the audience should learn to discern between the ‘trash’ and ‘good’ music, Shankar opines. Tastes cannot be developed or changed overnight, admits the maestro wondering if exposure to good music might do the trick. "A person exposed to only film music cannot be blamed if he is unable to appreciate classical music," he says, adding its all about upbringing and the cultural milieu one lives in. Carnatic music connoisseurs would find hindustani music ‘boring’ and vice versa... Audience need to ‘connect’ with what they are hearing to appreciate the creation, Shankar observes. Delving more on the elitist image of classical music, he says ‘classical’ itself means ‘within a group,’ however in the west this group is larger and accomodative. A larger audience group for this genre of music ensures enough sponsorships which is unlike here in India, he adds. Berating people who have funds, but are unwilling to come forward and sponsor such programmes, Pandit Ravi Shankar says, "I have read in newspapers that there are more rich people in India than before... But they are of little help." Lack of sponsorships and scholarships have compelled the talented young artistes to move towards pop, rock genre, Pandit Ravi Shankar says. Therefore, to give these young talented musicians a platform, Pandit Ravi Shankar has conceived the idea of world music centre (Ravi Shankar Institute of Music and Performing Arts) in the capital. "It’s not going to be a Gurukul, but scholars from all over the world will have a chance to pursue their artistic and creative pursuits", he says. Does he think the idea of Gurukul won’t hold in the present times? ‘unfortunately, yes’, he says. "The Guru-Shishya relationship has undergone rapid changes... There can be no total surrender to the Guru by the Shishya," says the maestro who learnt the nuances of sitar under the tutelage of Ustad Allaudin Khan. The essence and spirit of this relationship would, however, be retained and practised at the Centre, he says. There has to be mutual respect, affection and gratitude for the relationship to sustain, Pandit Shankar says believing an ‘edited’ version is still possible. Pandit Ravi Shankar hopes that the upcoming centre would go a long way in promoting music and performing arts. In the 1960s Pandit Ravi Shankar had started the Kinnara school in California and Mumbai, but these were closed after some time as he realised that the urge to learn and focuss on Indian music was very ‘superficial.’ More than talent and proficiency, its the passion for music or dance which counts, believes Pandit Ravi Shankar. (PTI) |
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Uma exit, Gaur’s entry were among highlights of 2004 BHOPAL, Dec 24: Firebrand Sadhvi Uma Bharti’s unexpected exit as Chief Minister, later becoming BJP general secretary and then being suspended following a televised outburst septuagenarian Babulal Gaur’s taking over Madhya Pradesh’s reins were dominant factors in the state’s political landscape during 2004. The saffron party scored a hat trick by bagging 25 of 29 Lok Sabha seats and winning civic bodies’ hustings after bagging three-fourths majority in the Assembly polls. Though the Congress lost ground miserably, four of its leaders -Arjun Singh, Kamal Nath, Suresh Pachauri and Hans Raj Bhardwaj -obtained cabinet berths at New Delhi but the party got limited solace when its candidate Sunil Sood became the state capital’s Mayor. Mr Digvijay Singh, the ‘Raja of Raghogarh’ who held sway over Madhya Pradesh for ten long years, was elevated to AICC general secretary and party observer in Maharashtra at the time of the Vidhan Sabha elections. On December 8, 2003, Ms Bharti donned the mantle of Chief Minister but resigned during august in the wake of a NBW issued against her by a Karnataka Court in connection with the decade-old Hubli rioting case. On November 10, 2004 electronic media showed the Sanyasin storming out of the BJP’s national executive, challenging her "beloved dada" (party president L K Advani) to initiate action against her and she now awaits revocation of suspension. After her resignation, Mr Gaur remained firmly in the saddle despite demands by staunch Uma loyalists such as Animal Husbandry Minister Sunil Nayak to bring her back at the top. Mr Gaur continues to hold office with blessings of the party organisation. The Sadhvi’s nearly nine-month tenure - at the helm of state affairs - was replete with announcements and controversies. Her much-hyped ‘Panch-Ja’ development campaign continued to hog the limelight - until she remained in power - and was then left on the backburner. Her elder sibling Swami Prasad Lodhi took periodic potshots at her after he was sacked as chairman of the State Civil Supplies Corporation. However, Ms Bharti’s candid approach was made crystal clear when she went on record at a public function this June by saying that former BJP ideologue K N Govindacharya was interested in marrying her but later it was decided that she would take Sanyas. The civic bodies’ polls were contested under the stewardship of Mr Gaur and reaped a rich harvest of 10 among 13 mayorial posts. Assembly byelections were conducted at Balaghat and Nohta. While the latter went into the BJP’s kitty, the former was taken by the main opposition Congress. Besides professional challenges, Mr Gaur kept a stoic cool after losing his son Purushottam who died of cardiac arrest in November. At the fag end of the year, Ms Bharti lost control and heaped blame on the Chief Minister who did not react unfavourably. (UNI) Rural sector sees increased
budgetary NEW DELHI, Dec 24: With the UPA Government committed to fulfilling the basic requirements of the rural poor and the unemployed, the budgetary allocation for rural development for 2004-05 was placed at a massive Rs 15,998 crore with emphasis on providing employment to those below the poverty line and also encouraging artisans through Gram Sabhas and self help groups. As part of the commitment, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on November 14, launched the food for work programme which is to cover 150 backward districts of the country initially. All states, except Goa, will have at least one district each covered under the programme which focuses on water conservation, drought proofing, flood control, land development and rural connectivity. A 100 per cent Centrally sponsored scheme, the programme, aims to provide 100 days of supplementary wage employment to one member of each BPL family in identified districts. Wages are paid in cash and foodgrains. Five kgs of foodgrains would be provided at BPL rates for each manday to the beneficiaries. Works can be executed by the departments, Panchayati Raj institutions or reputed NGOs and self help groups. Government has developed a strict monitoring mechanism to ensure that the programme is implemented effectively. For 2004-05, Rs 2,020 crore in cash and 20 lakh tonnes of foodgrains will be provided for the programme in addition to Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) allocations. For the full year, the requirement will be around Rs 5,400 crore and 37 lakh tonnes of foodgrains. "The Ministry of Rural Development is implementing all schemes with utmost sensitivity with pro-poor attitude at all levels," said Minister of Rural Development Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, who in a bid to involve members of Parliament in the various schemes of the ministry even had an interaction with them. Besides, efforts were on by the ministry to bring the bill guaranteeing employment for 100 days annually for one member of every rural household below the poverty line. The winter session which ended yesterday saw the bill being introduced and has now been referred to a Parliamentary Committee. As part of the exercise, Singh held several rounds of meetings with the concerned ministers of State Governments. The plan allocation for the ministry has been increasing manifold over the years. As against the ninth plan outlay of Rs 42,874 crore, the tenth plan allocation of funds for the ministry is pegged at Rs 76,774 crore. In the field of rural employment under the Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), the fund is shared between the Centre and the State on 75:25 basis. The SGSY budget allocation for 2004-2005 is Rs 1,000 crore. Of this, funds upto 15 per cent can be utilized for special projects. Since the launching of this scheme in 1999 till date, 18.38 lakh self help groups have been formed and a total of 48.18 lakh swarozgaris have been assisted with a total investment of Rs 10,006.63 crore. (PTI) |
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