NEW DELHI : The issue of price rise is likely to generate heat in Budget Session of Parliament beginning from Monday with Opposition members today making a strong pitch for a discussion over it in both Houses at an all-party meeting convened by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.
The Government will also be making a statement in both Houses on the condition of Indians in war-torn Iraq, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said after the luncheon meeting.
“We will be taking up the general budget, railway budget and also willing to discuss any issue of national importance…The government will also make a statement on the situation of Indians in Iraq. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will make the statement in both Houses,” Naidu said.
Leaders of various parties wanted price rise, rail hike and also the plight of Tamil fishermen to be discussed in the over a month-long session, which concludes on August 14.
The Speaker steered clear of all questions on the issue of granting Leader of Opposition status to the Congress, saying the meeting she had convened was to discuss the business before the House.
“The session will have 28 sittings and 168 working hours. Since the Standing Committees for various ministries are yet to be constituted, the demands for grants for various ministries will be passed by both Houses by July 31 after discussion in Parliament instead of the committees,” she said.
Naidu said the government is ready for a discussion on any issue and appealed to the Opposition to “cooperate” to ensure that the decorum and dignity of Parliament is maintained and the House business was carried out smoothly.
The Government also intends to bring bills to replace the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Ordinance, 2014 and the Ordinance with respect to Polavaram project under Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2014.
TRAI (Amendment) Ordinance cleared on May 28 ensured that the government could appoint Nripendra Misra as Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister. The AP ordinance was promulgated on May 29, ahead of the official division of the state on June 2.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP patriarch L K Advani also attended the lunch but were not present in the meeting. (PTI)
Price rise likely to generate heat in Budget Session
Former Chief Justice of High Court passes away
SRINAGAR : Former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Justice (Retd) Mufti Baha-ud-Din Farooqi died here this morning.
He was 88 and breathed his last in a hospital. He was laid to rest at Khankhai Mohalla graveyard this afternoon.
A number of social, religious organisatiions and lawyers have condoled the death of Justice Farooqi. Justice Farooqi served as the 12th Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and served from March 7, 1983 to August 23, 1983.
He also served as Chairman of the People Basic Rights Commission (PBRC), an independent organisation dedicated to the purpose of actively investigating human rights violations ‘committed’ by security forces in Kashmir, and seeking prosecution.
(AGENCIES)
July- 05,2014- TRAL : Protesters torch two police armed vehicles in Tral town of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district early this morning after a brief encounter between forces and militants. One militant was killed in the encounter, on Saturday. Excelsior/ Sajad Dar
July- 05,2014- TRAL : Protesters torch two police armed vehicles in Tral town of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district early this morning after a brief encounter between forces and militants. One militant was killed in the encounter, on Saturday. Excelsior/ Sajad Dar
Special AI flight carrying Indian nurses lands in Mumbai
MUMBAI: A special Air India flight carrying 46 Indian nurses set free by Sunni militants ISIS in strife-torn Iraq and 137 others arrived in Mumbai today.
The flight carrying 183 Indian nationals from Erbil landed in Mumbai at 8:43 AM.
The flight has made a ‘technical halt’ in Mumbai for refuelling and catering supplies.
The flight would leave for Kochi at 9:55 AM and reach the city at 11:55 AM, Air India officials said.
The flight would then leave for Hyderabad at 12:55 PM and arrive in the city at 1425 hours. The flight’s last destination would be Delhi where it would arrive at 1740 hours, the officials said.
Besides the nurses, the plane is also carrying 137 other Indian nationals, including 70 from Kirkuk in the northern part of Iraq.
An Air India spokesperson in Kochi said there are 183 passengers, including 23 crew members and three government officials, including a joint-secretary level IFS officer and an IAS woman officer from Kerala on board the flight.
According to information provided by Air India from Erbil, forty-six nurses will get down at Kochi and around 100 other passengers are bound for Hyderabad.
The ordeal of the nurses, who were working at a hospital in Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit, began when a swift ISIS (Islamic State for Iraq and Syria) offensive was launched on June 9.
The nurses were moved out on Thursday against their will and detained in the militant-held city of Mosul, 250 km from Tikrit. The Erbil International airport is about 80 km from Mosul.
Speaking to reporters in Kochi, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that evacuation of nurses from Iraq was a result of “collective efforts” and thanked External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Indian Embassy in Iraq and Ministry of External Affairs.
“We were in a very difficult situation in the last few days. Nurses in Tikrit were directly contacting me and their family members were contacting me.
“I requested External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and also called the Indian Embassy. I am very thankful to Swaraj and Indian ambassadors, MEA and the Embassy, they all helped us,” he said.
“In the last two days, I met Swaraj four times and we discussed everything and I’m happy about the attitude of the minister, she took personal interest,” said Chandy.
Meanwhile, the relatives of the nurses have already arrived at Nedumbassery Airport to receive them.
Father of Neenu Jose (23) from Rajakaad in Idukki said, “I am grateful to God, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj”.
Neenu’s mother said, “Today is my daughter’s birthday and the reunion is the best gift”.
Sudeep, CEO of NORKA Roots, which acts as a counsel for the non-resident Keralites, said all the 46 nurses, except one, belonged to Kerala. The other one hails from Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu.
All efforts will be made to take them to their respective residences as soon as they arrive in Kochi, he said. (AGENCIES)
Amarnath yatra resumes from Baltal
SRINAGAR : Yatra to holy Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas resumed this morning from shortest Baltal route after remaining suspended for a day due to slippery conditions following heavy rains. However, yatra from traditional Pahalgam track continued smoothly.
Yatra officials said a fresh batch of pilgrims, including women and sadhus left Baltal base camp early this morning for the Holy Cave shrine following improvement in the weather and track conditions.
Yatra was suspended yesterday following slippery track conditions due to heavy rains. However, helicopter service was resumed in the afternoon after weather improved. They said yatris, who were held up at cave shrine yesterday after darshan of self made Ice-Shivlingam on June 3, also started return journey this morning. Officials said a fresh batch of pilgrims left Nunwan Pahalgam base camp for Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station on 42 km-long traditional track. Pilgrims, who had night halt at different halting station on the track, have also started their onward journey towards cave shrine early this morning.
More than 75,000 pilgrims had darshan of the ice-shivlingam in the cave shrine since the commencement of the two-month-long yatra from June 28.
(AGENCIES)
9th batch of 2,489 devotees leaves for Amarnath from Jammu
JAMMU : A ninth batch of 2,489 pilgrims today left amidst tight security from the base camp here for the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas.
The batch, which includes 543 women and 34 children, left in a convoy of 76 vehicles from Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu at around 4:25 A.M., police said.
The convoy is expected to reach destinations at Baltal and Pahalgam base camps by this evening, they added.
Including those that left today, as many as 14,592 pilgrims have so far gone onwards from Jammu to the Amarnath shrine. (AGENCIES)
Militant killed, jawan injured in encounter in Pulwama
Srinagar: An unidentified militant was killed and an Army jawan injured in an encounter in Tral area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district today.
Security forces launched a search operation in the forest area of Aripal village in Tral area following information about presence of militants there, an Army spokesman said.
He said contact was established with the militants and so far one unidentified ultra has been killed.
“The body of the militant, along with one AK 47 rifle, has been recovered,” the spokesman said, adding the operation was still in progress.
He said an Army jawan was also injured during the operation. (Agencies)
Cost escalation of projects
Developmental projects in our State floated either by the Centre or the State are seldom completed on scheduled time. Many reasons are assigned. Some of the difficulties in timely implementation of the projects could be overcome with little imagination and alacrity on the part of operatives on the ground. We do understand some of the physical disadvantages dogging a number of major projects, which need to be taken into account at the time of giving final shape to the project blue print.
But the cumulative result of delaying the implementation of projects is steep escalation that would lead to the suspension of work on some vital projects unless financial support is made available from some source. This discouraging aspect is to be expressively felt in the prestigious Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Programme for J&K State. In November 2004, the then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh paid his first formal visit to Kashmir where he announced that the Centre would provide rupees 24,467 crore for launching PMRP for J&K. Under this plan as many as 67 projects/schemes in four areas covering 11 sectors of economy were cleared for launching within ten years. The present assessment reveals that only 34 (a little over 50 per cent) projects have been completed so far even as the Re-construction Plan was due to complete 10 years in the next few months. Some of the remaining projects are either underway or have been suspended for want of funds. According to knowledgeable sources cost escalation of PMRP will jump to 35.000 crore rupees which means an increase of 11,000 crore rupees.
Some of the approved projects were to be undertaken by the Centre while others were either implemented by the State or through joint undertaking with the Centre. The hydro-electric power generating projects were to be included in the Central sector. National Hydro-electric Power Corporation is the agency through which power generating task is undertaken in the State. Actually, it is in the sector of power generation where cost escalation has been the highest. We would have very much liked that greater attention had been focused on power generation and whatever small or big projects had been identified should have been completed within the time frame. This has not happened and now we shall have to pay through our nose. In June this year, the term of the works undertaken in State under PMRP would have ended, and the Centre was not obliged to financially support the floated projects beyond that date. But the new Government at the centre headed by Narendra Modi has accorded sanction to extending the continuation of PMRP sponsorship in the J&K for one more year. It has been done with the intention that the State would be able to bring as many more projects to completion within the stipulated time of one year as can be possible. In other words it means that there will be no paucity of funds for the projects that are either half way or need to be revived. The Centre has also agreed to extend financial support to projects undertaken by the State under the PMRP and, in addition to that, it has also agreed to speed up power generating projects no matter whatever the cost escalation.
We appreciate the liberal attitude of the Centre in regard to giving as much support to the State as it can so that economic development of the State is not arrested or suspended. The State Government should recognize the goodwill gesture shown by the centre. But at the same time we would like to say a word of caution to the State Government. A culture is developing in the State administrative system that reduces the importance of completing various projects on time. This is not a healthy trend and needs to be arrested. How can our state move forward and raise the standard of the people if more than half of the projects recommended and supported by the Centre are not completed in time. State Government should order research in the causes of long delays in completing major and minor projects and invite suggestions to overcome the bottlenecks. We have been repeatedly saying that such a study is urgently needed. It needs to be found out whether there is shortage of skilled and unskilled labour or whether there are serious problems with the transportation of raw material to project sites or whether there is the endemic problem of land acquisition etc. These matters need full investigation and solution as part of the mechanism devised for completing projects on.
Restoration of Yuva Vani
The strong argument in support of opening Yuva Vani channel of AIR in J&K some years ago was that it served the local cultural aspirations and also provided platform for new talent. On the basis of this sound argument, the Yuva Vani began its relays. Many accomplished artists with good talent took keen interest in performing at this channel and providing great source of entertainment and education to the youth of the State. At the same time, some of the traditional cultural manifestations which might have faded away with the passage of time have been revived and rejuvenated by the Yuva Vani.
Unfortunately, just before the parliamentary elections this channel was stopped by the Union Ministry of Information. We are not aware what the reasons for closing down the channel were but we are fully aware that there was widespread resentment among the youth in Jammu against this decision and they demanded restoration of the channel. Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Jitendra Singh, the MOS at PMO who took up the matter with the Union Minister of Information and convinced him that Yuva Vani channel should be revived. Jammu youth will be very happy to know that the service has been restored and they can make their input in more effective manner through this channel. There is need of improving the programmes of this channel especially in bringing awareness to the youth of their role in building cultural profile of the nation. In particular we would like that the youth of rural areas derive maximum benefit from the channel.
Remembering the founding Editor
Today the 5th of July 2014, we are observing the second death anniversary of the doyen of journalism and the founder of Daily Excelsior. This day induces us to look in retrospect and bring to our mind the vision and pioneering role of late S.D. Rohmetra when four decades and half ago, he started the Daily Excelsior with a modest beginning. Through the qualities of tremendous self-confidence, vision and hard work, he steered the paper through many difficult stages until it gained fairly wide popularity among the reading public. It soon rose to be the largest circulated English daily in the State.
The spectacular success registered by the Daily Excelsior under his stewardship was possible for two important factors to which he always paid special attention. These were the cooperation of his team of workers and the massive goodwill of the reading public. He had the unique style of carrying his team of dedicated workers along through thick and thin, understanding and sympathizing with them and giving them the feel of being members of one big family.
In regard to his care for the reading public, he saw to it that the Daily Excelsior not only catered to variegated tastes of our readers but also, and essentially, ensured that we carried the happenings of the day faithfully and commented on them dispassionately. Under the guidance of its mentor, Daily Excelsior came to be regarded as the most independent and objective paper of the State.
After his sudden and untimely departure in 2012, we have tried to walk in his footsteps and maintain the traditions he had carefully laid down. Past two years posed many challenges to us at various junctures. But drawing inspiration from the roadmap left behind by S.D. Rohmetra, Excelsior team has managed to surmount all difficulties, and with refurbished motivation of serving the country, the state and its people, we tried to improve the profile of the paper.
From 12 or 14 pages, the Daily Excelsior has grown to 16 or 20 pages. Its circulation has also gone up manifold, and encompasses a variety of aspects of social life. It gives us satisfaction to say that we have managed to come up to the expectations of the people by giving them the best possible reading material in the form of wide coverage of news in every field, opinion, editorials and write-ups etc
But this achievement and forward move could be possible only with close understanding and cooperation among the entire staff of the Daily Excelsior. The widening circle of readership worked as morale booster. At every stage of our work, the guidelines we inherited from late S.D. Rohmetra, the founding father of Daily Excelsior and the doyen of journalism always stood us in good stead.
Lastly we are indebted to the encouragement and patronage of the reading public, whose time to time suggestions and guidance remain invaluable input for improving the profile of the paper.
On the second death anniversary of S.D. Rohmetra, we take the pledge to relive the dream of our Founding Editor and assure our worthy readers that we shall strive more to meet their expectations.
-Kamal & Neeraj