Excelsior... Nation

Are ATM signboards advts? SC asks BMC to decide afresh

NEW DELHI, Aug 7: Do the illuminated signboards atop ATMs, increasing in number day by day in Mumbai, amount to advertisements by banks, making them liable to pay licence fees to the municipal authorities?

The Supreme Court has asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BNC) to decide this question afresh in the case of ICICI Bank.

This order was given by a Bench comprising Justice P Venkatarama Reddi and Justice P P Naolekar while setting aside a Bombay High Court order holding that illuminated signboards fixed above the ATM centres of ICICI Bank amounted to an advertisement making the bank liable for required payment.

Upto the year 2000, ICICI Bank had installed ATM centres and Extension counters and Bank branches at 64 locations in Mumbai and fixed illuminated signboards there to indicate their location to customers.

The BMC did not approve of putting illuminated signboards of ATM centres and issued notices saying it was incumbent upon the bank to have taken permission before putting up such signboards and making the required payment.

The bank challenged unsuccessfully before the High Court before approaching the Supreme Court, saying the signboards fixed atop the ATMC centres were a location guide to customers and did not amount to advertisements.

Justice Naolekar, writing for the Bench, said in all facts and circumstances it could not be said that "the signboards indicating ATM centres cannot have commercial interest but would only tell about the location of the ATM centres to the existing account holders".

"Whether signboards of ATM centres tantamount to be an advertisement or not would depend upon the facts of each case, depending on the number of ATM centres established by a particular bank in a particular locality or place or even city, to have the flavour of commercial or business interest of the service provider." he said.

The apex Court found that the BMC had not undertaken any exercise to find out whether these signboards atop ATMs amounted to advertisement or not within the meaning of the Municipal Corporation Act.

The Court also noticed that the notices were issued under two sections of the Act leading to a conclusion by it that the BMC itself was in doubt under which section action was to be taken.

Setting aside the High Court judgement, the Bench said the BMC would decide the question of advertisement under Section 328A of the Act after indicating the bank a fresh date of hearing. (PTI)

'Ex-service officials can enrich workforce in civil sector'

NEW DELHI, Aug 7: Observing that a number of tangible benefits could be accrued from military aviation, a senior former IAF officer has said about 6,000 aviation officials who retired from service annually could enrich the work force in the civil sector.

"The IAF sustains a large pool of highly disciplined and trained manpower. Approximately five per cent of the work force, that is, 6,000 retire from service annually and are available to enrich the work force in the civil sector," Air Marshal (Retd) B K Pandey, former Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of IAF's Training Command, said in an article in the latest issue of 'Indian Defence Review'.

His comments came in the wake of reports that over 100 airforce pilots have joined the new and upcoming domestic airlines, which were facing a shortage of senior pilots.

The former IAF officer said the demand for trained military aviation officials had "quite suddenly acquired greater significance in the context of rising demand in the civil aviation sector, consequent to liberalisation, which has spurred the expansion of existing airlines and mushrooming of a large number of new ones based on the low cost model".

Observing that 14 of the 59 IAF airfields were meant for dual use and handling scheduled civilian air traffic on a regular basis, Pandey said "other IAF airfields in remote areas can also be made available for civil air traffic with prior clearance", adding that some of these airfields were developed when proper road access did not exist.

Regarding spin-offs from military aviation, the former Air Marshal said that from a stage of total import, the premier Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has passed through licensed production and now moving towards joint production and marketing to minimise the outflow of foreign exchange.

Besides producing the Light Combat Aircraft, Intermediate Jet Trainer, Advanced Light Helicopter and the Saras twin-engined light transport aicraft, the public sector firm was also developing components for Airbus aircraft and software packages for Boeing planes, besides aircraft doors.

On the R&D front, Pandey said the Indian aerospace industry, the R&D establishments and the IAF together constituted a huge aviation industrial network "albeit with adverse economy of scale".

He also referred to the IAF's internal security role including airlifting of paramilitary forces to disturbed areas or their redeployment or the speedy reaction in counter-hijack operations.

While the overall economy was sensitive to spending on military aviation and could be regarded as "a necessary burden on the resources of the nation, there is no doubt that a number of tangible benefits do accrue and the overall beneficial effects outweigh the perceived retardants to national growth", Air Marshal Pandey said. (PTI)

BJP wants to form Govt with JDS in Karnataka

BANGALORE, Aug 7: The on-going moves by Karnataka unit BJP to form an alternative Government with JDS enjoyed the support of the party high command, opposition BJP leader in the State Assembly B S Yediyurappa announced today.

" The apprehensions of BJP that Congress is gearing up to call ofF its coalition ties with JDS and preparing to go to assembly elections prompted the party to explore the possibility of joining hands with JDS to prevent elections", Yediyurappa told reporters here.

"BJP high command is supporting the idea", he said and asked former Prime Minister and JDS chief H D Devegowda to come out openly and support his party to form the next Government.

Yediyurappa categorically ruled out Government making with Congress, declaring "no way. It would be only with JDS and not Congress".

Justifying BJP's attempt to install an alternative government with a view not to force a snap poll on the people, who are not ready for another election, Yediyurappa said after JDS ousted Siddaramaiah, Congress was toying with the idea to go in for fresh polls, on the premise that its coalition partner party would become weak without the dismissed leader and his supporters.

Rejecting reports in a section of the media that the BJP was headed for a split, he said "party is unanimous in joining hands with JDS to form the government. All the 79 MLAs are for it. There is no question of split in the party. We are united on this issue".

He said BJP Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and senior leader Ved Prakash Goyal were already in city and they would soon be joined by senior leaders Pramod Mahajan and Sanjay Joshi to hold talks with partymen on the next moves.

Yediyurappa said he would be attending the Legisalture Party meeting convened later in the day by the state unit party president Jagdish Shettar to discuss the prevailing political situation.

He, however, took exception to Shettar's remarks, who sought to project him as the next Chief Minsiterial candidate, remarking "It is an insult to me. There are no elections now. Had the announcement come when elections were held, it would have a meaning. I am not after the Chief Minister's post. I am not bothered who would become the Chief Minister in the event of an alternative Government is formed with JDS".
Giving an overview of the efforts that were on to topple the Congress-JDS coalition Government Yediyurappa said, JDU national President George Fernandes had called on Gowda and held talks in this regard.

Earlier, Yediyurappa was closetted with party legislators at his official residence for a discussion.

BJP camp has been witnessing a flurry of activities in the aftermath of turmoil in JDS which culminated in sacking of Siddaramaiah and two ministers loyal to him.

He declined to comment if his differences with the party National General Secretary Ananthkumar had been sorted out. (PTI)

When Jinnah defended Bhagat Singh...

NEW DELHI, Aug 7: Secular or no secular, Mohammad Ali Jinnah made no secret of his sympathies for Indian freedom fighters - Bhagat Singh and others in the Lahore prison - even though their politics and his were poles apart, says a new book.

Jinnah went to the extent of defending Bhagat Singh in his speech in the Central Assembly on September 12, 1929. He held Bhagat Singh and his comrades in high esteem, says the book "The Trial of Bhagat Singh - Politics of Justice" by A G Noorani, a Supreme Court advocate.

Though the fact has been completely ignored in all Indian writings and little noticed in Pakistan, the book says veteran human rights activist I A Rehman, in his collection writes "in his coolly logical and convincing manner he played a major role in foiling the attempt to make trial in absentia unlawful."

"Jinnah created a profound impression by the excellent form in which he argued the case... Jinnah was proceeding in this strain winning applause after applause from the spell bound house," wrote a newspaper from Shimla.

Noorani says Jinnah made no secret of his sympathies for the Lahore prisoners. He discussed the bill and asked the law member whether their would be a trial or it would be a farce.

On the hunger strike by prisoners in Lahore jail, Jinnah said "the man who goes on hunger strike has a soul. He is moved by that soul and he believes in the justice of his cause. He is no ordinary criminal, who is guilty of cold blooded, sordid wicked crime."

"... I do not approve of the action of Bhagat Singh... I regret that rightly or wrongly the youth of today is stirred up... However much you deplore them and however much you say they are misguided, it is the system, this damnable system of governance, which is resented by the people," Jinnah remarked.

The house was adjourned but Jinnah continued his speech in the next sitting and pointed out the anamolies which would arise if the trial of Bhagat Singh and others would proceed in their absence.

"... Is there a judge or jury who would feel that they were administering law or justice in that case?" Later events belied Jinnah's confidence in judiciary "I say that no judge who has got an iota of a judicial mind or a sense of justice can ever be a party to a trial of that character and pass sentence of death without a shudder and pang of conscience..."

Jinnah even traced the development of the law in England over the centuries in order to refute the Government's case. He even pleaded "... I cannot understand the anxiety of the Government to proceed with this trial when these men are inflicting the great possible punishment upon themselves by prolonged fasting... I appeal to you... Show that you are fair, generous, that you are willing to treat these men decently... Give them proper treatment."

In the last words of his speech, he addressed the government, urging it to concentrate on the root cause. "... the more you concentrate on the root cause the less difficulties and inconveniences there will be for you to face... And the money of the taxpayer will not be lost in prosecuting men, nay citizens, who are fighting and struggling for the freedom of their country."

There was no mistaking Jinnah's high esteem for Bhagat Singh and his comrades.

However, on March 23, 1931 Bhagat Singh and two of his associates were hanged at the Lahore Central Jail. This was the culmination of the Lahore conspiracy case, one of the most controversial trials to take place in India under the Raj.

The book further reveals how the executive and the legislative branches of the British government in India conspired to ensure miscarriage of justice.

With a new introduction that also incorporates new archival material, the book reproduces for the first time excerpts from Bhagat Singh's notebook which he maintained while under sentence of death.(PTI)

Calcutta HC struggling to bring down number of cases

KOLKATA, Aug 7: With a backlog of over two lakh pending cases, the Calcutta High Court has taken special initiatives to bring down the staggering number.

Despite the strength of judges at the High Court being only 33 including the Chief Justice, against a sanctioned strength of 50, special initiatives have been taken to bring down the number to a manageable limit.

Tuesday and Thursday of every week have been earmarked for hearing old matters while preference is given for taking up pension matters and cases involving senior citizens, sources at the High Court said here.

A new 10-storeyed building is under construction for accommodating some court rooms as the present buildings are proving inadequate, the sources said, adding it is likely to be completed by 2007.

Of the 33 judges, two judges sit at the circuit bench at Andaman and Nicobar Islands by rotation around the year.

However, the opening of a circuit bench for North Bengal in Jalpaiguri, which is likely to be inaugurated within a year or so, would take much load off the high court in Kolkata, the sources said.

At least one-fourth of the cases are likely to move to the circuit bench in Jalpaiguri, which would have jurisdiction over six districts of Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Malda.

"The situation will not improve until and unless the vacancies are filled up at the high court and also in the lower courts," West Bengal Bar Council president Sanatan Mukherjee told PTI.

Mukherjee said not only in the High Court, but a huge number of vacancies for the posts of Judges existed in the lower courts.

Out of nearly 600 lower courts, 130 posts of judges are lying vacant, Mukherjee said.

To clear the huge backlog of over 18 lakh cases in lower courts, West Bengal government has approached the Centre for setting up of fast track courts.

While the backlog in the Calcutta High Court stood at 2,11,798, altogether 18,59,797 cases, including 50,119 criminal cases, were pending in lower courts till December 31, 2004.

West Bengal Law minister Nisith Adhikari, presenting these figures in the assembly recently, said the State Government, he said, was trying to clear as many pending cases as possible through Lok Adalats.

The Law minister said some courts are also being set up at the sub-division level to clear pending cases.

General secretary of West Bengal Lawyers Association and senior advocate Uttam Majumdar claimed that shortage of Judges at the High Court and at the lower courts was one of the main reasons. Lack of proper infrastructure and shortage of administrative staff also contributed to the pile up of cases, he added.

"To ensure speedy disposal of cases and availability of information, all courts in the state starting from sub-divisional courts to the High Court should be computerised and connected through e-connectivity," Majumdar said. (PTI)

CBI to likely file regular case in Centaur deal this week

NEW DELHI, Aug 7: The CBI is likely to register a regular case this week to probe the alleged infirmities in the privatisation of the state-run Centaur hotels by the previous NDA Government, a consistent demand of the Left parties.

Highly-placed CBI sources said today that the agency had received the first set of files and documents from the union Finance Ministry in the second week of July and on scrutinisation it decided to register a Prelimnary Enquiry.

The Government then submitted another set of documents and files to the agency in last week of July, giving more details about the case, and a note asking the agency to probe the multi-crore deal which under came under attack from the then opposition Congress and Left parties.

Shourie, who was disinvestment minister when the deal was signed and has steadfastly defended it, has already made it clear that he is prepared to face the CBI probe "anywhere and anytime."

Sources said that CBI officials were in favour of registering a Preliminary Enquiry, but the higher ups in the agecny sought a complete review to weigh the options of registering a regular case, which entails registering of an FIR in a designated court and empowers the agency to search, seize and question the accused.

The entire set of the documents along with the notings had been sent to the Directorate of Prosecution of the agency for its opinion, they said.

The CBI received a communication from the Union Government last month to probe the sale of two hotels at the Airport and Juhu in Mumbai executed by NDA Government in 2002.

The files submitted to CBI also contain the notings of Comptroller and Auditor General which had said that sale of two Centaur hotels took place without the benefit of competition and valuation and reserve prices in these transactions were not consistent with the practice followed by Disinvestment Ministry in other cases.

The general allegation, which can form the basis of the CBI case, is that the sale transactions of two hotels, Juhu Centaur and Airport Centaur, were finalised on the basis of single bids without the benefit of competition.

Assumptions made during valuation of the properties and fixation of reserve price of Airport Centaur were not consistent with the practice followed by the ministry in other cases. Repeated extensions and relaxation were allowed to the bidder of Juhu Centaur to facilitate the sale, the sources said and pointing out that CAG had made similar observations.

According to the CBI sources, the files said that the expressions of interest were received in October 2000 from 20 parties for Juhu Centaur and 21 parties for Airport Centaur.

In case of Juhu Centaur, three parties were disqualified. 16 withdrew leaving a solitary bidder, M/s Tulip Hospitality Services Private Ltd in the fray.

In case of Airport Centaur, four were disqualified, 13 withdrew and the remaining four carried out due diligence exercise. However only one bidder, M/s Batra Hospitality Private Ltd, submitted the financial bid.

The sale of Juhu Centaur was concluded in March 2002 realising RS 153 crore. Airport Centaur was sold in April 2002 for Rs 83 crore.

While in Airport Centaur, the audit noted inconsistency in fixing the reserve price, in Juhu Centaur, the audit noted certain inconsistencies in relaxations/ deviations that were offered to the sole bider, the sources said.

It also said that the scrunity of the financial strength of the bidder for Juhu Centaur was "inadequate."

Accepting the financial bid without a clear indication of source of funds necessary to finance the deal was against the prescribed requirements of the financial bid package, they said citing the files submitted to the agenvy.

Referring to CAG's observations, the sources said that the report also mentioned that the bidder was granted repeated extensions to deposit the entire purchase consideration and execute the Agreement Sell and Escrow Agreement by December 22, 2001 and the Ministry also did not encash the bank guarantee submitted by the bidder despite breach of terms and conditions time and again. (PTI)

Flying institute looking for takers

KOLATA, Aug 7: The Flying Training Institute at Behala, which has hardly produced a commercial pilot in the last 23 years, is looking for takers after the West Bengal government decided to sell it.

Though the state government floated a tender inviting bidders for FTI late last year, it failed to attract anyone with the required funds or expertise to run and maintain the institute, Transport Secretary Sumantra Chowdhury told PTI.

Though private airlines Jet Airways and Sahara showed interest in taking over the institute, they later backed out, he said.

The FTI had in all produced 40 commercial pilot's licence (CPL) holders between between 1978-82, after which it went into a tailspin and hardly produced any CPL holder in the last 23 years.

Formerly known as M/S Bengal Flying Club, the FTI was taken over by the West Bengal government in August 1963 under the Defence of India Rules and has been operating under the state government's Transport Department with budgetary support.

Besides imparting training to acquire CPL and Private Pilot's License (PPL), the institute trained NCC cadets upto PPL level and encouraged flying even in the early 1990s as a hobby on a pay-as-you-fly basis.

Till mid 90s, the FTI operated with three aircraft -- two Pushpaks owned by the state government and a Cessna leased by the Aero Club of India, New Delhi, against a nominal payment of Rs 5,000 annually.

Giving details about the tender floated by the West Bengal Government, Chowdhury said it received only three bidders -- Turbo Infotech and Industries Private Ltd, G S Atwal and Company (Engineers) Private Ltd and an air training institute.

However, they lacked adequate funds and infrastructure to run an institute like FTI, he said, adding that the file was now pending with the finance department.

Failing to receive adequate response against the tender floated by it, the state government was now thinking about floating another tender to finalise the fate of the institute, he said.

"However, nothing concrete has been finalised as yet. We are looking for the best alternative," Chowdhury added.

Since the institute remained inoperative for a long time, it was in a pitiable condition and thus required a sizeable investment.

Besides, the state government has to bear an expense towards the salary of about 29 employees including a WBCS administrative officer and costs for maintenance of the aerodrome, Chowdhury said.

The institute is now surrounded by highrises and densely populated, which might be a hindrance for conducting training programmes, aviation experts said.

Meanwhile, President of the Society of Indian Aerospace Technologies and Industries C G Krishnadas Nair said that with the surplus of trained pilots in the country at present, there was hardly any viability for such institutes. (PTI)

Govt for stricter norms for foreign varsities

NEW DELHI, Aug 7: Foreign Education Providers (FEPs) out to make a quick buck by offering sub-standard professional courses need to watch out as the government is contemplating a strict regulatory mechanism to keep a check on them.

The Human Resource Development Ministry, headed by Arjun Singh, has unveiled a plan to amend a proposed bill aimed at regulating fee and admission structure in private educational institutions.

The Ministry has revised the draft Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Fixation of Fee) Bill by bringing under its purview the FEPs also for a strict regulatory framework, ministry sources said.

A revised bill incorporating FEPs has been sent to states for their opinion, the sources said.

The move to regulate the FEPs has been taken as Singh has taken a strong view that Indian students were not affected by the fly-by-night operators.

The University Grants Commission will be designated as the nodal agency and given far-reaching powers to regulate the functioning of the FEPs.

The broad provisions of the Central legislation suggests that only those institutions established under a foreign law outside India and notified as an institution deemed to be a university by UGC would be considered as FEP.

The bill stipulates that UGC could give permission to an FEP to start a professional course only after seeking the consent of the appropriate authority in the country, the sources said.

The bill also provides for setting up an Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (AFRC) to determine the manner in which the fee would be charged.

The bill also suggests creation of a corpus fund by the FEPs towards security and this would be forfeited in case the FEPs contravene provisions of the Bill.

Singh had earlier said that the Government would be able to bring in the required legislation to tighten control over private professional educational institutions from the next academic session. (PTI)

Assam Govt advised to withdraw from
some areas of governance

GUWAHATI, Aug 7: Cash-strapped Assam Government has been advised to withdraw from direct involvement in some areas and focus on core sectors of governance.

Assam Administrative Reforms Commission's report published recently has pointed out that the financial crunch faced by the State Government has made it imperative that the Government reduces its presence in some areas and go for a kind of privatisation.

The Commission, headed by former bureaucrat Jatin Hazarika, pointed out that it must be admitted that the Government is circumscribed by practical limitations.

"In such a situation, it is advisable for the state to reach out to the people, enable the community to participate in development process, provide for more and more social control in use of resources as well as ensure legitimacy of government even while it does not expand in size or perform all the duties," the report said.

The Commission has suggested that Cooperatives, Panchayat Raj Institutions, Urban Local bodies, Non-Governmental Organisations, autonomous bodies, self-help groups and private agencies can play a significant role in some sectors from where the Government could withdraw.

Properly organised Cooperative Societies should be promoted to handle activities like agriculture farming and marketing of agricultural produce, suggests the report.

Animal, poultry farming, marketing of veterinary and poultry produce, dairy farming, town milk supply scheme and marketing of milk produce should also be handed over to cooperatives.

Fish farming and marketing of fish produces, sericulture farming and marketing of products in the sericulture sector, marketing handloom, handicraft and textile products are some of the other areas where cooperatives can step in, the report said.

In order to ensure better construction and maintenance of assets, the Commission suggests minor irrigation schemes under Irrigation department could be handed over to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) who should manage the schemes realising users' charges on sustainable basis.

All water supply schemes under government sector and construction and maintenance of arterial roads could be handed over to PRIs and civic bodies.

In order to promote professional sectors, the Commission recommends all cultural activities under Cultural Department and schemes under Sport and Youth Welfare Department could be implemented through Autonomous bodies managed by professionals.

The Commission has also suggested that some sectors could be outsourced to private sectors to take advantage of their resources and expertise in their respective field of specialisation.

Survey work under Economics and Statistics Department could be outsourced, public transport system could be privatised ensuring functioning of public transport in interior areas and uneconomic routes while schemes under Tourism Department should be implemented through private entrepreneurs.

Media publicity of the Government and social marketing of Government programmes could be entrusted to private media agencies while manufacturing or production units and marketing organisations should be handed over to the private sector.

The Commission suggests NGOs could be utilised to provide training or capacity building with all social sector training being entrusted to them.

Implementation of Social forestry schemes and creation of environment awareness and Social welfare schemes, other than the statutory and mandatory ones, under Social Welfare Department could be entrusted to NGOs.

The Commission says the Government should focus on core sectors of governance including law and order, maintenance of Justice, public finance management, infrastructure development, health and education sector. (PTI)

PM to focus on Gulf over next few months

NEW DELHI, Aug 7: Having put the process of normalisation with Pakistan and China on track and strengthened India's ties

with the United States and Russia in the first year of his tenure, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will turn his foreign policy focus to another important area -- the Gulf states-- over the next few months.

''The Gulf states will be the next major area of focus,'' sources in the Prime Minister's Office told UNI.

The six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member-states -- United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, with which India has ancient ties -- have always been of tremendous significance for the country, located as they are in its immediate neighbourhood, just across the Arabian Sea.

The region is one of India's most important sources of supply of crude oil and home to about 3.5 million Indians who send nearly six billion dollars back home every year in remittances.

As a group, the GCC is India's second largest trading partner. It is the largest single origin of imports into India and the second largest destination for exports from India.

Given all these factors, India has always had a vital stake in the stability, security and economic prosperity of the Gulf.

''The Prime Minister was pre-occupied with Pakistan and China as well as India's relations with the US and Russia in the past 14 months after he assumed office in May last year. In this period, we have also put our relations with the European Union and ASEAN on an even keel,'' the sources explained.

As part of the latest initiative, the Prime Minister last month authorised the Ministries of Commerce and External Affairs to begin negotiations with the GCC to conclude an India-GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

He has also approved negotiations with individual member- countries of the GCC for a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), covering the services sector and investment, on the lines of the pact signed with Singapore recently.

''The Gulf region, like South-East and South Asia, is part of our natural economic hinterland. We must pursue closer economic relations with all our neighbours in our wider Asian neighbourhood.

''India has successfully pursued a 'Look East' policy to come closer to the countries of South-East Asia. We must, similarly, come closer to our western neighbours in the Gulf,'' Dr Singh said while chairing a meeting of the Trade and Economic Relations Committee (TERC) on July 27.

The TERC was set up a few months ago by him to function as a new institutional mechanism for evolving policies on economic relations with other countries. It will also coordinate preparatory work on the strategy on economic relations with India’s major economic partners, neighbours and regional economic groupings.

India’s 'Look East' policy has facilitated negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with members of ASEAN.

The country recently concluded a CECA with Singapore and is negotiating an FTA with Thailand. India has an FTA with Sri Lanka and is committed to a South Asian FTA (SAFTA).

''The new initiative towards the GCC member countries will bring the economies of the Gulf closer to India,'' a statement issued after the TERC meeting said.

''We are looking at something more than FTAs. We would like to sign CECAs with the Gulf States. They are an important area of foreign policy,'' the PMO sources said.

''We can look at raising our exports to these countries and also attract more foreign direct investment (FDI) from them,'' they said. According to them, some of the Gulf states have evinced interest in investment in infrastructure, power and other sectors in India.

The sources said the Prime Minister was also likely to pay a visit to the region. ''It may not be possible this year but maybe next year,'' they said.

Dr Singh has a full calendar for the rest of this year. He has planned a visit this month to Kabul, where India is constructing the new Parliament building. He is scheduled to visit New York in September to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), on the sidelines of which he will meet Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.

He is likely to visit Moscow for the annual summit between the two countries and attend the SAARC Summit in Dhaka in November. India has also been invited to the East Asia Summit towards the end of this year.

Apart from all this, Dr Singh and his team will have to prepare for US President George W Bush's visit to India, likely in January, 2006.

India's exports to the GCC were around five billion dollars in 2002-03, while two-way trade exceeded 12.5 billion dollars, not counting crude oil and petroleum products.

From the strategic point of view, India and the GCC share a strong mutuality of interests and a common desire for stability and security in the region. This, in turn, means a widening of the areas for cooperation between them. These could include working together to meet new challenges such as terrorism and extremism.

In a major step, the GCC Secretariat General and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in collaboration with the Ministries of External Affairs and Commerce, organised a two-day India-GCC Industrial Conference in Mumbai early last year.

It followed the India-GCC Political Dialogue launched at the level of the External Affairs Minister and the GCC Secretary-General in New York on the margins of the UNGA in September, 2003. The dialogue marked a new beginning in India-GCC relations and is now slated to be an annual feature as an institutional mechanism for a structured political dialogue.

The conference focussed on four themes: Trade, Investment, Technology Transfer (including Information Technology), and Industrial Cooperation.

Attended by trade and industry ministers from the GCC countries, and senior officials, industrialists and business leaders from both sides, the conference was aimed at providing a new momentum to the relations between India and the GCC states.

The conference was the first ever structured gathering and composite dialogue between India and the GCC and indicated the political will on both sides to reinforce their ties.
It called for increased cooperation in harmonisation and recognition of business standards, trade documentation and certification to provide further streamlined movement of goods and services. In this context, it welcomed the intention of the two sides to explore the possibility of an FTA.

The meeting also recognised the great potential for industrial cooperation between the GCC and India, both at the small and medium enterprises (SME) level as well as investment in large joint ventures in India, GCC countries and third countries in areas of their core economic competencies and mutual interest like petroleum and gas, petrochemicals, fertilisers, power, metals, and pharmaceuticals.

In August last year, India and the GCC signed a Framework Agreement on Economic Cooperation in an effort to step up trade and economic relations between them.

There has also been an increase in high-level exchanges between India and the GCC countries in recent times.

President A P J Abdul Kalam visited the UAE in October, 2003. A few months earlier, then Deputy Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chief of Staff of UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nayhan, had visited India, during which the two countries started a ''Strategic Dialogue'' and signed an agreement on Defence Cooperation.

In January, 2004, Bahrain Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al Khalifa visted India during which the two countries signed an extradition treaty and four other agreements.

Then Minister of State for External Affairs Vinod Khanna had visited Kuwait in June, 2003 and Saudi Arabia in September that year.

Then Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani visited Qatar in January, 2003. In April this year, the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani visited India.

Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed had visited Saudi Arabia, the world's largest producer of crude oil, in June, 2004. Saudi Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Ali al Naimi visited India in June this year. Earlier, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Manishankar Aiyar had visited the Kingdom in March this year. Finance Minister P Chidambaram led the Indian delegation to the sixth session of the Indo-Saudi Joint Commission held in Riyadh in April this year.

With Qatar, which has the third largest gas reserves in the world, there has been growing cooperation in the hydrocarbons and other sectors and India is poised to emerge as one of its most important customers for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

Recently, the Qatar Armed Forces have evinced interest in making use of training facilities in India for their personnel.

Oman is India's closest neighbour in the Gulf and there is evidence of contacts between the people of the two countries dating back to the Indus Valley Civilisation. In recent years, there have been regular high-level contacts which have helped to foster a shared vision to develop a partnership in various areas. India and Oman are founding members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC).

The second meeting of the India-Oman Strategic Consultative Group was held here in October, 2003, and the fourth meeting of the India-Oman Joint Commission in Muscat the same month. That year also saw the laying of the foundation stone of an Indo-Omani Joint Fertiliser Project in the Sultanate.

GCC Secretary-General Abdulrahman bin Hamad al Attiyah visited Delhi in February last year as part of the India-GCC Political Dialogue. (UNI)

Generation Next seek nightlife in Mizoram

Aizawl, Aug 7: Having put the horrors of militancy behind, the youth of Mizoram are now dying to resurrect the nightlife that was denied to generations before them.

With most commercial establishments downing their shutters by six in the evening, a relic of the decades-long insurgency, the Generation Next in Aizawl have no place to hang out except for a small coffee and snack shop at Baugkawn.

On most Friday nights by eleven o'clock there are more than 50 motorcycles and hordes of cars were parked outside the joint.

''We need something. I am not here just for a cup of coffee. It is the nightlife I'm here for. We long for a pub, a disco or whatever will suit us,'' says 20-year-old Zodin Sanga.

Pa Kima, owner of the coffee shop, had his own reasons. ''Business, yes it is okay, but what is more important to me is that I have been giving the youngsters a place to hang around at night,'' he told UNI.

Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Z H Ropuia, who had recently inaugurated a 'Freedom Nite' organised by local youth near the cafe, had promised that his Ministry would take steps to bring some cheer into the lives of these people.

The 'Freedome Nite' saw state's popular singers Michael M Sailo, Oliver, Gnat Lalrinchhanna, Johan H Lalmalsawma and Henry regaling the audience with their music the whole night.

Michael M Sailo, a star of Mizoram rap music, said: ''Peace and freedom always go together, but Mizo youngsters are being suppressed by our strict social norms. We have peace, but we don't have freedom to do what we like.''

The Minister's assurance of more liberal laws followed complaints from the youth about the strict prohibition that has been stifling them, not the government ban but the one imposed by social organisations.

The insurgency period had changed the Mizo mindset. Before the troubled years, the evenings were full of fun and entertainment.

Though the bullet-and-bomb hangover is slowly melting away in the peaceful state, middle aged citizens are still haunted by memories of night curfews, said David M Thangliana, vice-president of Forum for the Implementation of Constitutional Rights in Mizoram (FICORM).

The youngsters have never known those days and the the barriers restricting their nightlife are on the verge of collapsing, he added.

''It is very unfortunate for us that the missionaries who came to our state long back to preach Christianity, are from very restricted and orthodox group,'' Mina Zoliani, Information and Public Relation officer and a mother of two said.

''It is also sad that there is not a single cinema hall for more than nine lakh people in the state,'' she said, adding, '' How can we expect these young generations to stick to one place.''

Dave Chhakchhuak, an active social worker and a senior journalist, lamented the lack of recreational facilities for children. ''Unlike other states our kids do not have any sort of entertainment, not only in the night but even in day time too. ''

''It is high time the government wakes up from its sleep and provides something to these youth. Colleges and lessons all the time will make these young and promising generation dull,'' he added.

The Mizo capital has of late seen various late-night dos, a distant dream during the decades-long insurgency in the state, because the new generation does not carry the baggage of the protracted separatist struggle, he pointed out. (UNI)

Kalam's 10-point devopment mission
for Kerala sparks keen debate

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Aug 7: The 10-point development mission for Kerala mooted by President A P J Abdul Kalam has sparked a keen debate in the state with ruling UDF whole-heartedly welcoming it while opposition Left parties saw omission of traditional industries as a lapse in the vision document.

Coming from a politically-neutral person who knows Kerala quite well, Kalam's "Missions for Kerala's Propserity" presented to the state assembly on July 28 has been taken by the political spectrum, academia and trade unions as a document deserving serious consideration at a time when the state is facing a deep developmental crisis.

In his multi-media presentation to the law-makers, Kalam wanted Kerala to strive hard to make big leaps by tapping on its inherent strength like bountiful natural wealth, unity of minds of people and secular ethos.

Also, the President noted, Kerala stood unique considering its achievements like cent per cent literacy, universal education and health care which together contributed to excellent performance of human development index.

He said the immediate target of the 10-point mission should be to seek to steeply increase the state's per capita income from Rs 23,000 to Rs 50,000 in three years by creating an investment friendly climate leading to employment for 3.7 million jobless youth.
Kalam identified tourism, development of water ways, development of knowledge products, pharmaceutical products through herbs, quality training to nurses and paramedics and deep-sea fishing as promising areas.

He also suggested creation of infrastructure in rural and coastal areas, value-addition of agro products and spices utilisation of space technology to putting the state on a high growth trajectory.

After unveiling the 10 points, Kalam went into the details of each one suggesting how they could be integrated into the overall development planning.

He said creation of an uninterrupted work cutlure was also essential to ensure a positive investment climate.

Enlivening his address with reminisceneces from his 20 years'stay in the state as a space scientist with Vikaram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Kalam hoped "Kerala will definitely become a prosperous, happy and safe state and one of India's developed states with the execution of the integrated ten missions."

Thanking the President for coming out with a perspective plan for Kerala's development, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy immediately set up a high level committee of senior bureaucrats to work out the details of their implementation.

He had since then made it clear that the President's proposals would be debated in detail and an action plan formulated as creation of a development culture was most needed in the state.

While appreciating Kalam's understanding of Kerala's social and economic background and his genuine concern for the state's problems, CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijyan said omission of traditional industries in the 10-point plan was a serious lapse.

Some of the Left-leaning economists, social scientists and commentators also saw lack of references to Kerala's initiatives in decentralised development as another defect of the 10-point mission.

"What is important is how to create a basic platform to integrate these proposals. We had that platform once, which was known as the Kerala Model. This had, however, deteriorated over the years," noted economist Dr K Ramachandran Nair said.

"What always happens in Kerala is seminars and debates with no proper follow up action for actual execution of ideas," Nair said.

Kalam's suggestion to strive for a big leap in the area of knowledge products has been generally welcomed by the industry as IT and IT-enabled services held great potential for the state.

Though there have been conscious efforts to lure investment in IT and ITEs, the state has to go a long way as its share of the country's IT export is negligible.

Some of the ecomomists think that taking the per capital income to Rs 50,000 from the present 23,000 would require at least 30 per cent increase in the annual revenue.

While calling for a detailed debate on the President's proposals, CPI-M's trade union arm, CITU, regretted that they totally neglected farm sector and traditional industries like handloom, coir and cashew which together engaged millions.

The state assembly is slated to hold a special discussion on the Kalam's mission next week. (PTI)