NEW DELHI, May 1: Retirement fund body EPFO’s interest rate for its over 50 million subscribers for this fiscal could be higher than 8.25 per cent provided during 2011-12, Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge today said.

“Suppose if our income goes up, it may be beyond 8.25 per also,” Kharge told reporters when asked whether EPFO has decided to pay 8.6 per cent rate this fiscal.

The minister said: “We will distribute interest (among subscribers) based on our income…This is what I said in Rajya Sabha. We will see what our total revenue is and based on that what can we give”.

A section of the media had reported last week that the EPFO has decided to pay 8.6 per cent rate of return this fiscal to its account holders, based on the minister’s reply to a debate on labour issues in the Rajya Sabha.

The minister explained that he had spoken about the 8.6 per cent rate of return in the context of the government’s decision to increase rate of return on the Special Deposit Scheme (SDS).

EPFO has parked about Rs 55,000 crore in the SDS. Its total corpus is around Rs 3 lakh crore.

There was a hue and cry when EPFO last month slashed the interest rate on PF deposits to 8.25 per cent for 2011-12 from 9.5 per cent in 2010-11.

As per practice, the rate of return on PF deposits is announced by the EPFO’s apex decision making body, the Central Board of Trustees (CBT), headed by the Labour Minister.

The CBT’s decision on the interest rate is based on EPFO’s income projections for a financial year. The decision is finally implemented after the Finance Ministry’s concurrence. (PTI)

Thousands join May Day rally in Kashmir

SRINAGAR, May 1: Thousands of workers today joined May Day rally in the summer capital, Srinagar, under the banner of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

The Anganwadi workers and Helpers, ASHA workers, Power Development Department (PDD) daily wagers, Horticulture Non-Gazatted Employees Union, Agriculture daily wagers and casual workers union, CITU Unit of Kishan Ganga Power Project, floriculture casual labourers union, SKICC employees union, Aircel Land Oustee and Security Guards Workers Union’, J&K medical and Sales Representatives association and other unions gathered at S K park near here to observe ‘May Day’.

The activists later took to streets. However, after marching through different streets from S K Park, they were stopped by police at Regal Chowk.

They were carrying banners, placards and shouting slogans demanding concrete measures to contain price-rise, creation of employment, strict enforcement of all basic labour laws, social security for toilers, no contractorisation of work of permanent or perennial nature, Amendment of Minimum Wages Act and fixation of statutory minimum wage of not less than Rs 10000 per month, Assured pension for all.

They were also shouting slogans in support of the demands of ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers and helpers, casual labourers working in different departments and daily wagers, besides sections of workers belonging to unorganised sectors.

CITU State President Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, while addressing the rally at Regal Chowk said ‘the woes of labourers, who are engineers of economic prosperity, are on the increase.’

The CITU State President said the International Labour Day drew its history from the Chicago martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for the struggle to regulate working hours, create conducive working conditions and for a dignified life.

The struggle continues despite odds for creating a world which is livable and is free from exploitation and oppression.

He underlined the necessity for wider unity among the working people for reversing the disastrous neo-liberal economic policies. No room for any illusion, only united struggles of the toilers can force the government and employers to concede the genuine demands of the working people.

The other CITU leaders, who also addressed the workers said the social security benefits like pension, provident fund and health insurance are hard won rights of the working class secured through decades of struggle.

These gains are now being reversed through privatisation of pension funds, provident funds and cuts in subsidies and welfare benefits and such measures being implemented across the world today specifically target the social security benefits in order to pass on the burden of the economic crisis to the working people.

While reiterating their demand for implementation of the basic labour laws in the state they stressed to amend the Minimum Wages Act and fixation of statutory minimum wage of not less than Rs 10000 per month.

The speakers observed that the subsidies on food, fuel and fertilisers meant for the common man is targeted to be brought down to the mere 1.75% of GDP, while as 5% of GDP is being provided for tax defaulters and moneyed class. (UNI)

Abu Azmi convicted for hate speech

MUMBAI, May 1: A Magistrate’s court has convicted the president of Maharashtra unit of Samajwadi Party Abu Asim Azmi for making a provocative speech at a rally in 2000.

Metropolitan magistrate Sanjayshree Gharat of Mazgaon court sentenced him to two-years imprisonment and fined him Rs 11,000.

However, the Magistrate yesterday gave him 30 days to appeal to the sessions court.

Mr Azmi was convicted under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 153 (a) for promoting enmity between different groups) of the Indian Penal Code.

Reacting to the judgement, a spokesperson of the party’s legal cell said, “government sanction is needed to prosecute under section 153. It was not given in the case of others, but in Mr. Azmi’s case the government gave sanction. (UNI)

NEW DELHI, May 1: The Supreme Court today transferred the petitions of the killers of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, from Madras High Court to itself.

A bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and S J Mukhopadhayay allowed the petitions filed by L K Venkat and others for transfer of the case to the Supreme Court.

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil had rejected the mercy petitions of three assassins of the former prime minister who was blown off in a suicide attack in May 1991.

The petitioners had sought the transfer of the case on the grounds that similar mercy petitions were already pending before the apex court and therefore, it will be in the interest of justice to shift their pleas pending in the Madras High Court, to the Supreme Court.

The assassins, including Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan, have challanged the decision of the President in the High Court stating that their mercy petitions were pending for the last over 11 years and hence their death sentence should be commuted to life imprisonment.(UNI)

AMETHI, UP, May 1: Undeterred by the poll debacle in Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi today advised party workers to shun groupism and strengthen the organisation.

“You all should shun groupism and work unitedly to strengthen the party. Some changes are in the offing to strengthen the organisation…I want to see the strong organisation at village level”, Rahul told party workers while reviewing the party’s performance in Amethi constituency.

Rahul was apprised by party workers about groupism, neglect of grass root workers and poor selection of candidates on which he asked them to prepare for future challenges.

On demands of development and employment, Rahul, according to party workers, announced opening of a national paper mill in the constituency providing job opportunities to over 8,000 persons.

He also assured them that problems related to departments like railways, agriculture and electricity would be looked into.

Despite Rahul’s sister Priyanka solely dedicating herself for the ten Assembly seats in Amethi and Rae Bareli campaigning extensively. The party had managed only two seats in Amethi, drawing a blank in Rae Bareli.

In the last elections, the party had bagged seven seats here.

During the review meeting of Amethi, former MLA Amita Singh, who lost elections and her supporters were conspicuous by their absence.

Singh is wife of party MP from Sultanpur Sanjay Singh, against whom some of the candidates alleged non-cooperation during elections.

Earlier, miffed at being denied a meeting with Gandhi, activists of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) raised slogans outside the Munshiganj guest house where he was staying and alleged anomalies in development works in the constituency.

Rahul, however met and heard their grievances and assured them of all possible help.

Rahul, according to one of the activists, assured that hand pumps would be installed in all the villages and he would look into the anomalies, if any, in Rajiv Gandhi rural electrification project. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, May 1: The Supreme Court today reserved its verdict on BSP supremo Mayawati’s plea challenging a CBI probe against her in an alleged disproportionate assets case.

A bench headed by P Sathasivam reserved its order after two-hour-long hearing during which the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister accused the CBI for “fixing” the disproportionate assets (DA) case against her, a charge refuted by the agency.

Mayawati had filed a petition in May 2008 seeking quashing of the criminal proceedings against her in the DA case lodged by the CBI over eight years ago, alleging it was an act of political vendetta.

Mayawati’s counsel had said the bench should direct the CBI to consider the aspect of order passed by the Income Tax Tribunal holding that her income was genuine. The order had also been upheld by the Delhi High Court, he had pointed out.

The CBI, during earlier hearings, had said there was “ample evidence” to show that she had amassed wealth disproportionate to her known sources of income.

She had claimed she had received the money through donations from party workers.

Questioning Mayawati’s assets, the CBI had said that her declared assets of Rs one crore in 2003 had gone up to Rs 50 crore in 2007.

The CBI, in its last affidavit filed on September 13, 2011, had alleged there was a “criminal nexus” between Mayawati and her relatives and the disproportionate assets case against her cannot be closed on the basis of conclusions arrived at by the Income Tax Department.

The agency had rejected Mayawati’s stand that the DA case should come to an end after the income tax authorities had accepted her income tax assessments. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, May 1: Deeply concerned over incentive- based population policies framed by some State Governments, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is mulling to frame guidelines and has sought details from states.

The NHRC has written letters to all states earlier this month seeking details of their population policies by May 31.

“The Commission has been deeply concerned about population policies framed by the State Governments. It has been observed that some of the State Governments have adopted the method of incentives/disincentives for adopting small family norms…,” the letter said.

The letter written by J S Kochher, Joint Secretary (Training) in NHRC, noted that small family norms were a “gross violation of human rights, particularly women’s reproductive rights.

It is mandatory for India to abandon targets and come up with programme that moved away from incentives and disincentives as New Delhi is a signatory to International Conference on Population and Development in 1994.

“We want to collect some details from the states. We will study it. Then we will make some policy,” NHRC Chairperson K G Balakrishnan told.

The Supreme Court had earlier this month sought the stands of the Centre and various state governments on a plea alleging sterilisation surgeries on women under torchlight, in various places, specially in Bihar, in gross violation of the medical and ethical norms.

A controversy had also broken out in Madhya Pradesh last month when an unmarried youth was subjected to vasectomy during a public camp held in Rewa district.

Balakrishnan also said the 2011 Census has thrown out alarming information about declining sex ratio. “There are widespread allegations of female foeticide.This is a very unfortunate situation. These things are done in a clandestine manner.

“It is very startling that the economically weaker sections are into such things. The most affluent sections of society are also into such things. It is not that the child could not be reared. So very sad situation. We should change the mindset,” he said.

To examine the population policy and chalk out a better strategy keeping in human rights, the NHRC had in 2007 constituted a Working Group which devised a reporting format to collect information from all states.

“In the meantime, the new Census has been carried out, which reveals that the child sex ratio has decreased from 927/1000 in 2001 to 914/2011 in 2011 which is a matter of great concern.

“Besides, during a span of more than four years, a number of developments might have taken place related to population issues in the states,” the letter said pointing out the need for the exercise to find out the existing policies adopted by various states. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, May 1: The Delhi High Court today reserved its verdict on a plea of a pilots’ body of erstwhile domestic carrier Indian Airlines seeking parity with their counterparts at Air India.

“The order is reserved and will be pronounced on Friday (May, 4), Justice Suresh Kait said after hearing arguments on behalf of lawyers of ICPA (Indian Commercial Pilots Association), Air India and the Ministry of Civil Aviation on the petition of the pilots’ body.

Earlier, ICPA had moved the high court alleging that it has not been dealt with “at a par” with Indian Pilots Guild (IPG), an association of pilots of Air India.

Seeking parity in training, the pilots body, in its plea, alleged the commanders (head pilot) of basic aircraft of former Indian Airlines have not been considered by Air India management for training of commander of advanced aircraft like Boeing 747, 787 and 777.

However, even co-pilots of Air India were considered for the training of advanced aircraft ahead of Indian Airlines commanders, ICPA said.

Lalit Bhasin, counsel for Air India, said the management of the national carrier was willing to impart training for flying advanced aircraft to pilots of both ICPA and the IPG.

“One each from ICPA and the IPG can be trained at a time for flying Boeing 747 and 787 aircraft. However, the pilots of ICPA cannot be trained to fly Boeing 777 as the training process for this category was over,” Bhasin said, adding that these are policy decisions and cannot be interfered with by the courts.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation told the court that it may implement the recommendations of the Justice Dharmadhikari Committee, instituted in November last to look into grievances of ICPA, within 45 to 60 days.

During the hearing, the counsel for pilots’ body said the courts cannot be asked to keep away on the grounds that these (training of pilots) issues are policy matters.

“The Air India management is not waiting for the recommendations and implementation thereof of the Justice Dharmadhikari committee and is going ahead with the training programme. But it (Air India) wants that the courts should keep away from such issues,” the ICPA said.

Recently, a three-member committee has been formed to look into the implementation aspect of the Justice Dharmadhikari committee report on the issue.

Earlier, the court had asked the Aviation Ministry to file a report detailing actions taken to address the grievances of the ICPA.

Air India, which operates flights to offshore destinations and India Airlines were merged into one entity in 2007.

Earlier, the Civil Aviation Ministry had objected to the plea of ICPA saying the government has decided to invest public money to revive Air India and “the carrier cannot be allowed to suffer because of the pilots’ bodies (ICPA and IPG)”.

On May 6 last year, ICPA had called off a 10-day strike after the government had assured them that their demands of pay parity and other grievances would be considered by the Justice Dharmadhikari Committee by November. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, May 1: The Government is drafting a policy aimed at providing better security to Indian sailors and other seafarers in the wake of several incidents of hijacking of ships by pirates off the Somali Coast.

“The ministry is drafting measures for security of the seafearers, but we cannot disclose any other information now as the proposal at a preliminary stage,” a Shipping Ministry official said.

Around 500 Indian seafarers have been held hostage by Somali pirates off the Caribbean Coast in the past four years.

Some of the hostages were crew members of the ships—MV Iceberg-I, MV Rak Afrikana, MV Suez, MV Asphalt Venture, MV Savina Caylyn, and MV Sinin—which were hijacked by the pirates in 2011.

Meanwhile, as per the latest report on the pirate activities released by the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) in March this year, Somali pirates around the Horn of Africa are holding 236 crew members as hostage from eight vessels.

According to EU NAVFOR, of the 236 sailors now held hostage by the pirates in the region, 32 are Indians and includes seven members from the ship ‘Asphalt Venture’. The ship was, however, released.

Asphalt Venture was hijacked on September 28, 2010, in the Somali Basin and was released after intervention by anti-piracy forces on April 15, 2011. However, the pirates took 15 of the vessel’s crew as hostage, demanding more ransom.

Shipping Minister G K Vasan had earlier said that India and US could explore the possibility of working together to counter piracy on the basis of the 2006 Indo-US Framework for Maritime Security Cooperation. This provides for expanding cooperation in areas such as counter-piracy and littoral security. (PTI)

AMETHI, UP, May 1: Miffed at being denied a meeting with Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, activists of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) today raised slogans outside the Munshiganj guest house where he was staying and alleged anomalies in development works in the constituency.

“We want to apprise the MP about anomalies in development work in his constituency. There are poles in the villages but no electricity wire…The villages have no arrangement of hand pumps”, Rita Singh, a local BKU activist said.

Over two dozen activists gathered at the guest house to meet Rahul, who was scheduled to meet workers of Amethi constituency to analyse the poll debacle.

They also raised slogans against him to press for the meeting.

Later, when Rahul came to know about the protest, he called the activists, heard their grievances and assured them of all possible help.

Rahul, according to one of the activists, assured that hand pumps would be installed in all the villages and he would look into the anomalies, if any, in Rajiv Gandhi rural electrification project.

Later, Rahul met workers of Amethi Assembly constituency but former MLA Amita Singh, who lost elections and her supporters were conspicuous by their absence.

Singh is wife of party MP from Sultanpur Sanjay Singh, against whom some of the candidates alleged non-cooperation during elections. (PTI)