PM initiates debate on reining in money lenders

NEW DELHI, Oct 18: Alluding to the link between high debt and farmers suicides, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today favoured a debate on regulating private money lenders, as he admitted that many parts of the country were facing an agricultural crisis.

"What do farmers need-A lower rate of interest or reliable access to credit at reasonable rate?... Do we need to bring in money lenders under some form of regulation", he asked as he inaugurated the second Agriculture Summit here.

"It is necessary that we find answers to these questions in near future", the Prime Minister said, adding that "there is a crisis in agriculture in many regions of the country".

On checking inflation, which is hovering above 5 per cent now, he said: "While the Government will do whatever is necessary to keep prices under check and ensure moderate rates of inflation, we cannot sacrifice the interests of the farming community".

He also wanted suggestions on enhancing the institutional framework such as for the Self-help Groups and Micro-Finance Institutions for improving the lot of farmers.

Concerned over the rural-urban divide and the immigration of rural population to towns and cities, the Prime Minister highlighted four areas of deficit that needed to be bridged for enhancing productivity and output.

"These four deficits are public investment and credit deficit, the infrastructure deficit, the market economy deficit and the knowledge deficit", he said, adding that the UPA government was committed to providing farmers, access to adequate and affordable credit.

He said an expert group has been set up to look into the problems of agricultural indebtedness in its totality and suggest measures for providing relief to farmers across the country.

Singh said the proposed National Rainfed Area Authority would promote knowledge-based interventions covering all aspects of agriculture in rainfed areas.

"We need greater application of technology to improve farming of many crops, particularly in dry land areas. A renewed thrust has to be given to research in dry land farming, with a focus on farming systems as a whole".

"We need a balanced approach where we provide for food security of the poorest sections without compromising the returns to farmers. While the government will do whatever is necessary to keep prices under check and ensure moderate rates of inflation, we cannot sacrifice the interest of farming community", he said.

The Prime Minister said the strategy for agricultural development would be based on improving the real incomes and the quality of life of the farming community.

On the initiatives taken by the Government in the last two-and-half years, Singh said the coalition had been able to achieve the target of doubling institutional agricultural credit in just two years as against the planned three years.

Besides, he said the cooperative system is being revived through a Rs 13,000 crore package.

To address the situation of agricultural distress, a package has been put in place for some districts in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala.

He said a New Deal for Rural India and the Second Green Revolution can be achieved by strengthening rural infrastructure, improved marketing facility and better irrigation.

Dwelling at length on the plight of farmers, Singh said: "The more I travel to interior areas and the more I meet farmers there, I get the feeling that in many parts of the country, agriculture is being carried out in adverse conditions".

What is needed is sustained efforts spread over a few years so that subsistence farmers can be pulled out of their marginal existence, while advanced farmers are propelled on to the global platform, he said.

"This is the real challenge for agriculture in the next decade", he said.

Earlier, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said farm economy was showing signs of revival with the 3.4 per growth during the first quarter of the current financial year.

Agriculture growth during 2006-07 stood at 3.9 per cent. (PTI)

Prosecution proceedings against 32
customs officials soon: CBI

KOCHI, Oct 18: The CBI will institute proceedings against 32 customs officials, including an Assistant Commissioner, in connection with a racket involving systematic collection of bribes from passengers coming from the Gulf to India through Karipur airport in North Kerala.

Besides, the investigating agency has recommended departmental action against 23 other customs personnel in this matter.

Investigations in the case are over and the agency was awaiting sanction from the Customs department to launch procecution proceedings against the erring officials, top CBI sources here told PTI.

"We have written letters to the customs department for obtaining sanction to proceed against the officials," they said.

The agency will also be proceeding against three other persons who were involved in the racket.

Customs officials involved include Assistant Commissioner Keshavan Kutty, some women officers and several lower rank officials, sources said.

The investigating agency had conducted a series of surprise raids at Karipur airport from November 2 last year on receiving a complaint that customs officials were demanding bribes from passengers.

The sources said investigations had revealed that the collection per week ran into several lakhs of rupees.

The bribes were collected from the passengers in Dollars, Dirhams and Riyals by juinor customs officials and then exchanged in Indian currency with the help of the three local persons and distributed. (PTI)

Madhuri Dixit to stage comeback with Yashraj film

MUMBAI, Oct 18: Bollywood former numero uno Madhuri Dixit will stage a comeback with a Yashraj film after a gap of nearly five years.

A spokesperson for Yashraj Proudctions confirmed the report and said the actress, who had settled down in the United States after she got married to Dr Sriram Nene in 1999, will make her comeback in a film to be produced by Yashraj Production.

The film will be directed by cinematographer Anil Mehta, who has directed photography of movies like ‘Lagaan’, ‘Veer Zara’ and recently released ‘Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna’ (KANK).

"The film will go on the floors in January next year," he added.

Madhuri’s business manager Rikku Rakeshnath, while confirming that the Yashraj film will be Madhuri’s first film after ‘Devdas’, said she would star in his home production as well.

"I will announce the name of the director soon," he added.

Madhuri has also done films such as ‘Pukar’, ‘Lajja’, ‘Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam’

and ‘Saajan’.

Her last hit movie, released in 2002, was ‘Devdas’ in which she played a courtesan in a saga of doomed love. (UNI)

DSGMC wants BJP to clear stand on
Sikh death-row convict

NEW DELHI, Oct 18: Akali leaders opposed to former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today asked his ally BJP to clear its position on a Sikh death-row prisoner in the wake of the SGPC seeking all-party support for his clemency.

In a statement here, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief Harvinder Singh Sarna also took exception to the BJP’s "praise" for TADA, alleging the anti-terror law had been misused in Punjab during the unrest in the state.

Sarna, who cited SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar’s call for all-party support for clemency to death-row convict Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar, demanded the BJP make its position clear on the issue.

"We would like the BJP, which is an alliance partner of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Badal, whether it supports Makkar’s demand in connection with Bhullar’s case," Sarna, a fierce critic of the former Punjab Chief Minister, said.

Bullar faces execution in connection with a 1993 bomb attack in Delhi in which eleven people were killed.

The DSGMC president also flayed Badal over the circulation of Makkar’s statement last month from the BJP’s central office here in which the SGPC chief denied news reports about banning Vande Mataram in SGPC-run schools.

"We therefore have serious doubts whether Badal and the SGPC under his control would be able to secure the BJP’s support for Bhullar," he said. "We also condemn Badals links with the BJP, which has praised methods used by the police in Punjab during the unrest in the state," he said, referring to the saffron party’s demands for Punjab and Chechnya-type anti-insurgency operations to crush militancy. (PTI)

Venugopal asked to explain irregularities at AIIMS

NEW DELHI, Oct 18: With the High Court order staying any action against Director P Venugopal weighing heavily, the AIIMS Institute Body today demanded an explanation from him over complaints of discrimination of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) students and irregularities in management.

The meeting was marred by a walkout by BJP MP and member V K Malhotra who said the meeting was "illegal, improper, and unconstitutional".

"All the members met this morning and discussed about the functioning and state of affairs in AIIMS. The members showed concern about happenings in the institute and unanimously decided to seek reply from the AIIMS administration on all these issues," Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss told reporters here after chairing the institute body meeting, which was attended by 14 of the 17 members.

The administration has been asked to give a reply in two weeks time, Ramadoss said.

On being asked whether the sacking of Vengopal was on the agenda, the minister retorted back by saying "were you there in the meeting?"

He said the AIIMS authorities has been asked to explain complaints of discrimination against SC/ST students in the campus, financial irregularities, administrative inefficiency and indiscipline.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court ruled that any adverse action like termination of the services of Venugopal by the Institute Body would be subject to the final outcome of the writ petition pending in the matter.

On the court order, the minister said, "we respect the court and can’t say whether it is a blow or not".

Asked whether there is a ego clash between the minister and Venugopal, the minister said "individuals don’t matter and there is no ego clash".

"I want to improve the institute and turn it into another Harvard and Hopkins," he said.

The meeting, which was held at Nirman Bhavan and started at 11 am, first saw a walkout by Malhotra, who said he decided not to stay at the meeting becasue the "minutes of the meeting were circulated late and which don’t mention the action taken against Venupopal last time."

Malhotra was reffering to the July 5 institute body meeting which had recommended removal of Venugopal, triggering widespread protests at AIIMS and subsequent stay over the decision by the Delhi High Court.

Ramadoss had subsequently set up Valiathan Committee to go into the functioning of AIIMS.

Malhotra said the agenda papers charge Venugopal for the dengue outbreak and anti-reservation stir in the campus.

"The minister wants to humiliate a senior surgeon who has been honoured by Parliament. The minister wants to control the insitute and destroy it," he said.

The building where the meeting was held was swarmed with AIIMS faculty members and resident doctors, who had come in support of Venugopal.

While Venugopal left the premises after attending the almost two-and-a-half hour meeting and refused to comment, Congress Rajya Saqbha MP and member said "civil issues like dengue were discussed" in the meeting and "it was unanimously decided to allow Venugopal to reply on the matter".

The President of Resident Doctors Association Kumar Harsh told reporters that Prof D T Dogra who was the special invitee and also Dean Examination was not allowed to attend the meeting.

The Dengue Response Team which was formed to explain the outbreak in the institute was also not allowed to speak," Harsh said.

"The Health Minister should morally resign on the dengue outbreak. Even the realtives of the PM are not safe. An attempt is being made to defame the insituite," he said.

The president of the Faculty Assocaition of AIIMS B K Khaitan in a signed release said, "they have taken the opportunity to remind all members that there are a number of issues regarding the faculty working conditions and welfare which need the urgent attention of the institute body".

"We urge AIIMS Institute Body to maintain the legacy of AIIMS and work towrds the betterment of working environment of faculty at AIIMS that has been worsening becasue of erosion of autonomy of AIIMS in general and director’s authority in particular," the release said. (PTI)

SC dismisses HC’s decision on Aligarh riots

NEW DELHI, Oct 18: The Supreme Court has quashed the order of Allahabad High Court revoking the suspension of two senior police officers by the Uttar Pradesh Government for having not been able to control communal riots in Aligarh in April 2006.

A Bench comprising Justices H K Sema and P K Balasubramanyan on Monday, directed the high court to decide on merit the petition of the two police officers within three months.

The State Government had placed under suspension the then Additional Superintendent of Police Aligarh, S K Verma and the area Deputy Superintendent of Police, Narendra Pratap Singh on the charges of dereliction of duty. The order was challenged in the high court by

the two police officers and their suspension was stayed.

The State Government came in appeal to the Supreme Court against the stay order.

Communal riots had broken out in Aligarh on April 5 and 6, this year in which several people were killed and curfew had to be imposed to bring the situation under control. (UNI)

Shillong tries hand at world record in drum beating

GUWAHATI, Oct 18: Exactly a week after the festival of Deepawali, it seems all the drummers from across the world will be converging on Shillong.

Shillong, the Scotland of the East, is attempting to enter the Guinness Book of World Records by bringing together thousands of drummers on the occasion of the Autumn Festival.

The Vice-Chairman of the Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum (MTDF) Larsing M, the organiser of the Autumn festival, told mediapersons that around 8,000 drummers were excepted to participate in the event.

"They would collectively play the tune ‘Positive Vibrations’ composed by Rudy Walang for five minutes to be able to enter the record book," Secretary of the MTDF Ailban S Mawkhroh informed.

It will be an awesome sight and unprecedented decibel of sound when they would perform in the Nehru Stadium in the Polo ground. The current record is of 7,727 drummers.

The Guinness authorities are also sending their representatives for the event as Shillong gets ready for an elaborate attempt.

"Positive thinking will produce a positive result," is the motto of Autumn Festival, which has been organised by the MTDF in conjunction with a group of individuals and business houses to bring to the fore tourism-related activities throughout the state.

MTDF has decided to hold some events of the festival at Sohra and Jowai to involve the rural sectors, exposing them the benefits of tourism. (UNI)

PMO proposes sweeping powers to regulate FDI

NEW DELHI, Oct 18: The Prime Minister’s Office has sought the opinion of various ministries for creating an umbrella legislation that would empower the Government to suspend any foreign investment in sensitive sectors such as telecom, airports and IT on national security considerations.

The National Security Council has proposed the ‘National Security Exemption Act’ to empower the "Government to suspend or prohibit any foreign acquisition, merger or takeovers of an Indian company that is considered prejudicial to national interests."

Sources said NSC has suggested security screening of foreign participation in sensitive sectors, sensitive locations and from countries of concern.

Sensitive sectors were identified as seaports, airports, telecom, Internet service providers, international long distance telecom services, oil refining, gas pipelines, oil and gas exploration, shipping, metallurgy, defence, data processing and pharmaceuticals.

Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh and North Eastern states and areas in proximity to vital nuclear, space and defence installations and border areas were classified as sensitive locations.

Foreign investment, according to NSC, from countries such as China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and North Korea could threaten security interets as the entities from these countries could be manipulated.

Sources said NSC was of the opinion that flow of unverifiable investments both from tax havens like Mauritius, Cyprus and Cayman Islands and from criminal groups operating from other countries posed a security threat as the source of money could be illegal and it could be used to create economic crisis through sudden withdrawal or pumping in.

Besides, it was difficult to identify the real ownership in investments from tax havens.

FDI or foreign participation in Indian projects under the present system could be a process for laundering money and Hawala transaction, which were a serious threat to the country’s economic security, the NSC said.

"The existing system is flawed in the sense that it does not have a mechanism for examining comprehensively, funds coming to sensitive locations, sensitive sectors and from countries of concern, neither at the time of approval nor during the period of operations of foreign entities," the NSC note said.

It suggested foreign participation in sensitive sectors and locations and from countries of concern should be subjected to special security screening both at the time of approval as well as during the entire period of their operation.

Besides, sectoral regulators should seek opinion of intelligence and security agencies and Ministry of Finance be made the nodal point for implementation and monitoring of security guidelines.

For all contracts, tenders and agreements entered by State Governments, Central Government departments, PSUs of State and Central Government and local bodies, the NSC suggested introduction of a ‘National Security Exception Clause,’ sources said.

The present system lacks a procedure to check and verify the antecedents of foreign companies and their promoters at the time of approval or to monitor their activities during their presence in India, the NSC said. (PTI)

Shahabuddin to be discharged by Oct
end: AIIMS informs HC

PATNA, Oct 18: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) today informed the Patna High Court that controversial RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin was recovering fast from his spinal operation and would be sent back to Siwan by the end of this month.

The report from the premier Delhi-based institute was presented to Justice V N Sinha who had asked the hospital to furnish details on recovery of the MP during the last hearing on October 10.

Advocate General P K Shahi said that as per the court’s order, state-owned BSNL, MTNL and NIC have agreed to assist the Bihar government in arranging trial of Shahabuddin by video-conferencing, but have sought time for carrying out the exercise.

He further said once Shahabuddin returns Siwan by month end, there would not be any problem in conducting speedy trial in several pending cases against him.

Justice Sinha said since the latest hospital report said that Shahabuddin would be discharged by the end of October, there was no need to pass further order on the subject.

The court put off the matter for next hearing on October 30.

The earlier report of AIIMS presented to the court during last hearing on October 10 had said the Siwan MP had undergone an operation for his spinal problem on October seven and would require 10-15 days to recover.

Shahabuddin had gone to AIIMS on August 5 for specialised treatment on the order of the Patna High Court. (PTI)

Allahabad HC fixes Nov 21 as next date
of hearing for Haj case

LUCKNOW, Oct 18: The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court today fixed November 21 as the next date of hearing on a writ petition seeking direction for not providing subsidy for Haj and any other pilgrimage by the government.

The court passed this order on the request of the respondent Central government counsel.

A division bench comprising Justice Jadish Bhalla and Justice Dharam Veer Sharma passed this order on the writ petition filed by one B N Shukla. (PTI)

India tourism launches "home stay"
scheme for foreign tourists

NEW DELHI, Oct 18: In a major effort to overcome acute hotel room shortage and to empower the women, the India tourism today launched a new scheme which enables foreign tourists to stay with an Indian family to experience local customs and traditions and relish authentic ethnic cuisine at affordable rates.

The unique scheme called "incredible India bed and breakfast establishments" seeks to provide comfortable homestay facilities of standardised world class services to the tourists.

Such facilities would be categorised as "silver" and "gold," depending upon the degree of comforts provided.

Union Tourism Minister Ambika Soni, while launching the scheme, said a set of guidelines have been issued to regulate the participating homesteads and make the effort a great success.

"This will be a unique opportunity for house owners, especially the housewives, because they will get an opportunity to earn extra income while remaining at home," Ms Soni said.

She said the Tourism Ministry would give adequate publicity to these facilities along with providing professional training to the recognised house owners under the capacity building programme.

The houses, once registered with Tourism Ministry, will be promoted through e-commerce platform of incredible India website.

This e-commerce platform will provide travel agents, tour operators, airlines, State Tourism Corporations and most importantly small and medium entrepreneurs like bed and breadfast suppliers, an opportunity to avail twin benefits of promotion and publicity through incredible India platform as well as creation of secure payment gateway for online booking of their respective products.

Ms Soni said the classification for B and B establishment will be given only in those cases where the owner of the establishment along with his family is physically residing in the same establishment and letting out minimum one room and maximum five rooms.

The quality of facilities and services would be evaluated by the Regional Classification Committee. Due preference will be accorded to the homes, which are able to provide Indian experience by way of Indian decor, authentic and exotic Indian cuisine.

Those homesteads which want to be enrolled under the B and B establishment scheme would have to register with the Ministry of Tourism through the local offices by paying a fee of Rs 5,000 for gold and Rs 3,000 for silver classification.

The classification will be valid for two years from the date of issue of orders.

India is fast emerging as a favourite destination with the foreign tourist arrival recording phenomenal growth every year since 2001 under the incredible India campaign. But the availability of hotel rooms and other accommodation is not in commensurate with the tourist traffic growth.

This has led to the star hotels charging unreasonable tariff rate which, in turn, affect the flow of tourists.

There were also complaints of bouncing of hotel room bookings in view of heavy rush of tourists.

The shortage of rooms in the country at present is estimated to be in the order of 150,000 to 200,000 with Delhi alone fell 40,000 rooms short of the actual demand.

Replying to a question, Ms Soni said the accommodation constraints in Delhi would have serious implications on the arrangements for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Based on the experience available from Melbourne Commonwealth Games, it is estimated that there will be a requirement of about 50,000 rooms in the budget category for the tourists visiting Delhi and surrounding areas during the games. (UNI)

Artefacts, antiques seized in Bolpur

SANTINIKETAN, Oct 18: Two years after disappearance of Tagore’s nobel medallion, police have busted an antique theft racket with the seizure of rare artefacts and antiques, oil-paintings and moulded figurines from a studio-cum-art gallery in Bolpur in West Bengal’s Birbhum district and arrested five persons in this regard.

A CBI team has arrived here to conduct a probe to examine any possible link between the racket and the 2004 theft of Tagore’s nobel medallion from Rabindra Bhavan Museum of Visva Bharati University founded by the nobel laureate.

Acting on a tip-off, policemen posing as antique buyers contacted a lodge owner S Ghosh who took them to studio owner Rohitashwo Ghosh, from whose premises the items were allegedly seized yesterday.

Five persons were arrested in the case, including the lodge and gallery owners, Chandan Mandal, order supplier Mantu Kaji and a woman, police said.

They will be produced in a district court today.

Birbhum Superintendent of Police Satyasankar Panda said Tagore’s nobel medal or any other memorabilia stolen from the Rabindra Bhavan were not among the seized artefacts.

Also seized were some valuable paitings from the Kolkata residence of the studio owner during the night-long raid.

The forty-odd paintings belonging to Bengal school were being projected as works of Nandalal bose, Satyajit Ray and others.

Police said experts would determine whether the paintings were fake or genuine.

Following the seizures, police raided studio and houses of some persons at different places around Bolpur and Santiniketan.

The seizure points to a thriving racket in stolen antiques, with 16 to 17 idols reported missing from temples in and around Bolpur over the past two years after the nobel medallion was stolen on March 25, 2004, police said.

Several mementos, a Saraswati idol and rare paintings were stolen from the house of economist Bhabotosh Dutta here last month. None of them however figured in yesterday’s seizure, police said.

Sub Divisional Police Officer Debasish Dhar said senior CBI officers were expected to join the bureau team today. A CBI camp had been set up in Visva Bharati after the nobel medallion theft.

A coordination meeting will be held between the CBI, cid and district police officials today.

Rabindra Bhavan Director Sabujkali sen said there was no laxity in security at the museum after the theft of the nobel medal. The museum, which was shifted to the first floor of the building after the theft, would be shifted on the ground floor within three to four months. (PTI)