Global agencies show interest in Bihar growth

PATNA, Feb 18: Global financing agencies, including the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, have expressed keenness to invest in construction, power, health, tourism and rural development in Bihar.

Head of the World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), UK-based Department of International Development (DFID) and Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) had their first joint meeting in Bihar in the presence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar here on January 13.

At the meeting, they agreed in principle to extend full financial help to the State Government in these sectors.

According to Kumar, each of the 8,712 gram panchayat in the state required Rs 35-40 lakh for construction of a state secretariat-like building.

A whopping Rs 3,000 crore was estimated to be spent for construction of these buildings, which would be tremor-proof and would have enough space to shelter those affected by floods.

A delegation of joint international development partners groups having representatives from World Bank, ADB, DFID and JBIC had already submitted to Kumar a concept report on the joint approach of the international development partners for the state.

"The joint approach for development evolved by the international funding agencies is a novel method to maintain coordination among agencies for granting loans and grants to states for carrying forward reforms," Kumar said.

The approach would help check any overlapping of fund to be sanctioned by the international agencies in development sectors.

WB in a coordination note to the chief minister had informed about sanctioning development policy loan of USD 225 million to support policy reforms being undertaken by the state government, according to official sources.

The basic purpose of the State Government was to continue the reform process and find cheaper resources to finance its budget as the effective interest on loan was lower than that on the market borrowing, they said.

The loan and programme agreements were signed by the State Government, the Centre and WB on January 15 this year.

"We have sent the legal opinion by Advocate General to the Centre, which has forwarded it along with the solicitor general’s opinion to the WB so that the first instalment of the loan was disbursed to the State Government.

"As part of the programme agreement, we have agreed to take the reform process further. To monitor this, a committee under the chairmanship of chief secretary is being set up," they said.

Bihar Rural Livelihoods Development Projects for USD 3 million was approved by WB in June 2007, they said.

This was a 5-year project in 4,000 villages in 42 blocks that cover 29 lakh people in Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Nalanda, Madhubani, Khagaria and Purnia districts.

The project aimed at empowering the rural poor through self-managed and vibrant community based organisations, including SHGs, through internal thrift and revolution of savings.

The primary-level self help groups would be organised into a federal one to have stronger linkages with financial institutions and there is a provision for community investment fund (USD 42 million) for skill building, infrastructure linkages, addressing food security needs, income generation and livelihood improvement.

The project is being implemented by Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society under the chairmanship of the state development commissioner, sources said.

WB was also contemplating to run Bihar panchayat strengthening project, which was at the preparatory stage.

The project aims to improve autonomy, capacity and accountability of panchayati raj institutions, they said.

The state government was in discussion with ADB for financing its road construction programme and it had agreed to retro-finance the construction of 82 km road at a cost of USD 420 million.

A discussion was on with ADB team for power sector support, and Bihar State Electricity Board and State Energy Department were working on related investment component.

DFID is considering to fund the governance and administrative reform programme, which is being designed to provide technical assistance of USD 36 million by early 2008 and would aim to strengthen the State Government’s capacity to implement administrative reforms and support the establishment of a centre for governance to take forward the reform process.

"The programme would strengthen systems and departments such as revenue, registration, commercial taxes, home and education. It would look at enhancing transparency and improving the mechanisms of accountability with an emphasis on the right to information," they said.

For the urban sector, DFID planned to aid the proposed project aimed to improve municipal governance in Bihar so that the urban areas could facilitate growth and reduce urban poverty, the sources said.

The focus would be to improve the capacities of municipal bodies in 14 towns, plan, finance and implement infrastructure projects as well as to monitor service delivery.

"This project will be based on successful experiences in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and is likely to be initiated early 2008," sources said.

DFID had also proposed flexible sector-wide financial support as well as technical assistance to activities in health, nutrition and water supply. This support is provided against an overall reform and expenditure plan.

DFID, they said, expects to put in place technical support services to assist the sectors in planning, utilising funds more effectively, learning from good practice elsewhere. It financed UNCEF trust fund (USD 150 million), which already supports the work in Bihar in areas such as reproductive and child health development and nutrition, water and sanitation, HIV/AIDs and education.

The Bihar Government has asked for monetary support from JBIC to build an expressway between Patna and Gaya and also develop tourist spots coming under the Buddhist circuit, they added. (PTI)

Criminal complaint filed against ‘Jodhaa Akbar’

CHANDIGARH, Feb 18: A complaint of waging war against the state was today filed in the district court here in connection with the controversial film ‘Jodhaa Akbar’ following protests by some Rajput and Hindu organisations.

The complaint has been filed against film censor board chairperson Sharmila Tagore, producers Ronnie Screwvala and Ashutosh Gowariker and UTV Software Company by Akhil Bharatiya Rajput Abhivakta Sangh president Arvind Thakur, Punjab Vishwa Hindu Parishad spokesman Vijay Singh Bhardwaj and International Hindu Sanrakshak Parishad General Secretary Shiv Murti Yadav.

The criminal complaint was admitted in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Y S Rathore and likely to come up for hearing tomorrow.

Thakur and others said that the complaint had been filed for waging or attempting to wage war against the state, conspiring to commit certain offences against the state, creating provocation with intent to cause riot, intent to facilitate war, promoting enmity between different classes and uttering words with the intent to hurt religious feelings.

On February 15, when the movie was released, several persons owing allegiance to Rajput and Hindu outfits have protested in front of cinemas halls and theatres here. (PTI)

Rs 40 lakh proposed for NOKs of soldiers killed in all ops

NEW DELHI, Feb 18: A uniform ex-gratia compensation of Rs 40 lakh to the next of kin of a soldier killed in all operations-be it border skirmishes or counter insurgency-has been proposed to the sixth Central Pay Commission.

Defence Minister A K Antony stated this in reply to a matter raised by CPI(M)’s Hannan Mollah under Rule 377 in the Lok Sabha on September 10 last year.

The member had requested for grant of uniform welfare package to all soldiers who were killed or wounded in counter-insurgency operations at par with the amount given to the next of kin of those killed or wounded during 1999 Kargil War.

Mr Antony said a comprehensive package of Rs 19 lakh from the National Defence Fund (NDF) was paid to each of the next of the kin of all battle casualties of Operation Vijay in Kargil.

The package included a lump sum amount of Rs 10 lakh as ex-gratia, Rs 5 lakh for construction of dwelling unit, Rs two lakh as parent assistance and Rs two lakh for children education, he added.

The Defence Minister said even the disabled boarded out soldiers during the Kargil conflict were also extended the liberal compensation package ranging from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 13 lakh depending on the degree of disability.

However, similar compensation was not being given to the next of the kin of the kin of those killed or wounded during border skirmishes, action against terrorists and militants, he added.

"There is a provision to pay an ex-gratia of Rs 7.5 lakh in case of death and Rs one lakh for soldiers getting disabled or boarded out. This differential rate in compensation was prescribed on the presumption of differential level of risk and intensity of action involved."

The service headquarters had submitted a joint memorandum to the Sixth Central Pay Commission, seeking attractive package to defence service personnel, Mr Antony said.

This included uniform ex-gratia compensation of Rs 40 lakh to the next of kin of soldiers killed in all operations, he added.

Mr Antony said a proposal for uniform ex-gratia compensation of Rs 10 lakh in case of death of defence service personnel in all operations was considered by the Defence Ministry in consultations with Finance and other Ministries.

The Finance Ministry expressed the view that the Sixth Pay Commission had been constituted and was likely to submit its recommendations, and those of the commission might be awaited, he added. (UNI)

HC reserves order on Bihar Govt’s
appeal against Lalu-Rabri

PATNA, Feb 18: Patna High Court today reserved its order on the Bihar Government’s appeal challenging acquittal of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and his wife former Chief Minister Rabri Devi in a disproportionate assets case, an offshoot of the multi-crore fodder scam.

Justice R K Dutta reserved the order after senior counsel Surendra Singh, appearing on behalf of the state government, countered criminal lawyer Ram Jethmalani who had on January 28 pleaded for dismissal of the state government’s appeal against the couple.

Arguing on behalf of the duo in the DA case, Jethmalani had described the state’s NDA Government’s appeal against their acquittal as having arisen "unquestionably out of political vendetta".

Singh said the subordinate court had not relied on the evidences produced by the prosecution (CBI) in support of the DA case against the duo.

"Instead, the CBI court seems to have been influenced by the income tax appeallate tribunal’s order exonerating the couple of the charge of amassing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income," he pleaded.

That order "should not not be binding", Singh argued and urged the court to set aside the subordinate court’s order.

Jethmalani had said even the informant in the case, CBI DSP R K Kharagwal, on whose statement the FIR was registered in the case on August 18, 1998, had during the course of cross examination said he did not not know why his name figured in the investigation and that he did not know any fact in the case.

Disputing Jethmalani’s claim, Singh said the informant had submitted a confidential report to the then CBI SP V S Kaumud which had formed the basis for registration of the FIR in the case on August 18, 1998.

Singh ridiculed that the appeal against their acquittal had arisen "out of political vendetta" and said the State Government wanted the offenders to be brought to justice.

Counsels for the CBI and Lalu-Rabri duo had during the hearing of the special leave petition filed by the couple in the Supreme Court contested the Bihar Government’s right to challenge their acquittal by the trial court.

Since the CBI, which is a Central Government agency, had probed the fodder scam cases, the premier investigative agency or the Union government alone and not the State Government were competent to challenge the acquittal, they had argued.

However, the Supreme Court had not given any relief to the couple saying it could hear the SLP only after the State Government’s appeal was admitted.

Earlier during the resumed hearing in the High Court on the admission of Bihar Government’s appeal, its counsel and Supreme Court lawyer Surendra Singh had on January 24 argued that the CBI had grossly erred in calculating the household expenses of Lalu and his wife.

The Bihar Government had on February 19 last year moved the Patna High Court against the acquittal of Lalu and Rabri in the DA case by CBI Judge on December 18, 2006.

The DA case charged Lalu Prasad with amassing assets worth over Rs 46 lakh beyond his known sources of income when he was chief minister between 1990 and 1996. Rabri was made a co-accused for abetting the offence. (PTI)

Show cause notice to Manyata on
residence certificate issue

PANAJI, Feb 18: South Goa district administration today issued show cause notice to Sanjay Dutt’s wife Manyata seeking clarification as to why her residence certificate submitted for court marriage should not be cancelled.

The 32-year-old starlet had submitted a certificate claiming her residence at Aquem, a sub urban locality in South Goa’s Margao town.

The certificate was used in the declaration of her marriage with Sanjay Dutt, 48, in the Sub Registrar’s office, on February seven pending final signature which has to be executed within 90 days.

Margao ‘Mamlatdar’ (senior Government officer) Paresh Faldesai, in his notice, has given Manyata time till tomorrow to submit her clarification.

"It has come to the notice that you have not been residing at the given address. Show cause why your residence certificate should not be cancelled," the notice, sent to Manyata’s Goa address through a circle inspector, reads.

The controversy over the certificate had put a question mark on the issue of Manyata’s legal union with the Bollywood actor.

"We have given her the opportunity to clarify. If she fail to reply, then her residence certificate will be cancelled," a district administration official said.

The authorities have already informed the sub registrar’s office about the suspension of the residence certificate based on which the legal marriage formalities of Manyata and Dutt have been kept on hold.

Manyata has to provide any valid proof to substantiate her claim that she has been staying at the Goa address, officials said.

Dutt and Manyata were married as per Hindu rites in Mumbai on February 11.

"It’s upto her what proof she brings," authorities said.

Dutt and Manyata’s marriage registration row has already seen a ‘talathi’ (village level revenue officer) being suspended for issuing ‘bogus’ residence certificate.

The State Government has initiated an inquiry against the entire episode. (PTI)

SC issues notices to CBI on petition challenging HC order

NEW DELHI, Feb 18: The Supreme Court today issued notices to the CBI on a petition filed by the Punjab Government challenging a Punjab and Haryana High Court order for a CBI inquiry in the Moga Sex Scandal.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran, however, refused to take on record the status report CBI wanted to file.

The two accused had filed a petition in the High Court that they have been falsely implicated by the state police who in cognisance with some females were running a blackmailing racket.

The court ordered a CBI inquiry into the case instead of quashing the criminal proceeding against the two petitioners.

The Punjab Government, however, contended that the state police was conducting the investigation without any fear or favour and the CBI was likely to be misused by the UPA government at the Centre to settle political scores. Therefore, no CBI inquiry was called for. (UNI)

Political parties in Haryana step up campaign to woo voters

CHANDIGARH, Feb 18: With an eye on the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, political parties in Haryana have already accelerated their campaign to woo the voters, with farmers’ issue dominating the centrestage.

Ruling Congress has been going to the masses highlighting the achievements of the Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led government during the past three years versus "non-performances" of the previous regimes.

The main opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) held an impressive rally in Rohtak district a few days back, with top UNPA leaders including Mulayam Singh Yadav and Chandrababu Naidu, besides Farooq Abdullah and other leaders in attendance.

INLD president and former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala has been touring various towns raising the issue of "miserable plight of farmers" and "forcible acquisition of land from peasants for setting up SEZs" by the Congress regime and other issues like power shortage, deteoriorating law and order and SYL canal issue.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has been criss-crossing the state telling people how his Government waived off power arrears of ruralites worth over Rs 1600 crore at one go when his Government took over in March 2005, besides making unprecedented development in the state, be it ensuring equitable distribution of water, bringing in thousands of crores worth foreign investment or paying the highest price to the farmers for their produce and land acquired.

Not to be left behind, Janhit Congress (BL), recently floated political outfit by Kuldeep Bishnoi, suspended Congress MP and former chief minister Bhajan Lal’s son, has been busy drawing attention of the people on SEZ and other issues like unemployment.

It also remains to be seen what next step Janhit Congress will take in case Bhajan Lal and his two loyalist Congress MLAs, who are facing disqualification from the state assembly for "forming" the political outfit, are shown the door for their act. Janhit Congress was launched in Hooda’s home town Rohtak in December last.

Meanwhile, the BJP, which has just two MLAs in the 90 member Assembly, is organising a rally in March in the Jind district.

Presence of BJP president Rajnath Singh and other senior leaders like L K Advani and Sushma Swaraj at the party rally is expected to give a boost to the party cadres in the state. (PTI)