NEW DELHI, Apr 24: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today called upon the global sugar industry to initiate steps for curbing price volatility of the sweetener.
“Much more needs to be done to improve the world sugar economy as we are still at a time when the world sugar market continues to experience considerable price volatility,” he said, while addressing the 41st session of International Sugar Council (ISC) here.
Mukherjee asked the ISC to take further steps for development and stabalisation of the global sugar sector.
ISC is a global body responsible for development of sugar industry in the entire world. It is the governing body of International Sugar Organisation (ISO), in which India is a member since 1993.
Noting that better information is a powerful tool for price stability, Mukherjee said, “I would like the ISC to examine and analyse the information system on demand and supply, international policies and the trade competitiveness for realistic estimation of sugar production.”
He also emphasised the importance of global cooperation in research and development of sugar technologies to unlock the full potential in developing countries.
Highlighting the growth of Indian sugar industry, Mukherjee said, the government has been seeking to stabilise the domestic sugar prices by moderating the volatility during scarce and surplus domestic sugar seasons.
He, however, said that more attention is required to improve quality of sugar, recovery level, reduction in water intensity of crops, energy and environment consideration in the production of sugar.
The minister further stressed the need to develop by-products like bio fuels for improving the financial health of the sugar sector in the country.
He also said that the domestic sugar industry should tap the benefits from flexible market-based mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol.
Expressing concern about cyclic nature of domestic sugar production, Food Minister K V Thomas said, “It has been our concerted endeavour to break this cyclicality with multi- pronged policy interventions.”
On by-products of sugar industry like ethanol, he said that exchange of information on technological innovations of participating countries will help India grasp the full potential of sugarcane crops.
India, the world’s second biggest sugar producer but the largest consumer, is estimated to produce 25.2 million tonne of sugar in 2011-12 marketing year (October-September), as against the annual consumption of 22 million tonne.
In view of higher domestic production, the government has permitted export of 3 million tonne. (PTI)
NEW DELHI, Apr 24: PepsiCo India and multiplex chain PVR Ltd today said they have extended their partnership by another five years for retailing of the products of the food and beverages major.
“As part of this five year partnership, PepsiCo India will be the official ‘Pouring Partner’ for carbonated soft drinks, health drinks and juice based drinks, beverages, packaged juices and water at all 166 PVR screens spread over 22 cities across India,” the two companies said in a statement.
PVR Ltd Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Bijli said: “The 15 years of association with PepsiCo have been truly fruitful and we aim to take it to the next level by announcing PepsiCo as official ‘pouring partner’ for carbonated beverages, packaged juices and water at all our outlets across India.”
The two companies said their partnership has evolved from a traditional supplier relationship over the years, acquiring new scale and dimension with the launch of integrated marketing programmes around the likes of the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
“Our association with PVR has only grown manifold over the last 15 years. With more than 25 million footfalls in 2011-12 and an increasing pan India presence, this association further consolidates our presence across the organised multiplex category,” PepsiCo India, CEO (India Beverages) Praveen Someshwar said.
He said the partnership with PVR will help garner an increasing revenue share of the category over the next five years. (PTI)
NEW DELHI, Apr 24: Competition watchdog CCI has imposed Rs 317 crore in penalties on three companies, including agro-chemicals major United Phosphorus, for collusive bidding to supply ALP tablets to Food Corporation of India (FCI).
The aluminium phosphide (ALP) tablet manufacturers—United Phosphorus, Excel Crop Care, and Sandhya Organics—have been fined 9 per cent of the their three years’ average profits.
ALP tablets are used by the FCI for preserving its central pool of foodgrains.
United Phosphorus has been asked to pay up Rs 252.44 crore, Excel Crop – Rs 63.90 crore and Sandhya Organics Chemicals – Rs 1.57 crore.
In its order, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said it has found companies entering into anti- competitive agreement and that their “acting together and quoting identical prices has deprived FCI of competitive bid rates in manner of procuring ALP tablets”.
The Commission also directed the companies to ‘cease and desist’ from engaging in practices of manipulating process of bidding in any manner.
CCI had investigated the matter after receiving reference from FCI which alleged that such cartel among manufacturers was leading to rise in cost of procurement.
FCI had also alleged that since the companies were “quoting identical rates under an anti-competitive agreement or understanding, the very purpose of floating tenders was defeated.”
It also said that as a result of the anti-competitive agreement of the ALP manufacturers, the price of the tablets has nearly doubled during 2007 to 2009. (PTI)
DEHRADUN, Apr 24: HDFC Bank and Wells Fargo, a diversified financial firm, have joined hands to enable NRIs in the United States to quickly remit money to beneficiary’s HDFC Bank savings account in India.
The new service will significantly enhance remittance opportunities to India given that Wells Fargo has one of the largest number of banking locations among US banks and HDFC Bank has over 2500 branches in India, a country that has a large and growing number of NRIs based in the US.
HDFC Bank is already one of the most preferred remittance channels for NRIs residing in The Gulf.
According to a World Bank report, the officially recorded remittance flows to developing countries are estimated to have reached 351 billion dollars in 2011, up 8 per cent over 2010 and is slated to touch 441 billion dollars by 2014.
Worldwide remittance flows, including those to high-income countries, are expected to exceed 590 billion dollars by 2014.
‘India has one of the highest remittance volumes in the
World according to the World Bank,’ said Daniel Ayala, executive vice president and head of Wells Fargo’s Global Remittance Services.
Remittances to HDFC Bank are denominated in Indian Rupees.
Once a customer has set up their ExpressSend agreement and the beneficiary account information is verified with HDFC Bank, the customer needs to conduct his first transaction at a Wells Fargo branch. Subsequent transactions can be conducted through Wells Fargo.Com, or via Wells Fargo Phone Bank.
Funds are sent to HDFC Bank quickly for credit during HDFC Bank’s local processing hours from Monday to Saturday excluding India holidays, Harish Engineer, executive director, HDFC Bank informed.(UNI)
NEW DELHI, Apr 24: Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, today announced the appointment of Mr Kishore Jayaraman as president of Rolls-Royce India and South Asia.
Mr Jayaraman joins Rolls-Royce after a 23 year career at General Electric, latterly as CEO, GE Energy- India region, the London-based company said in a statement.
Mr Jayaraman takes over from Anil Shrikhande.
Rolls-Royce has been active in India for 80 years and this appointment reinforces the group’s strategic commitment to the country, it said.
‘Kishore is an experienced industry professional with valuable knowledge and expertise. India is an important market for Rolls-Royce, with great potential built on a long and distinguished history across all of our business sectors,’ Rolls-Royce Director (International) said Michael Shipster.
In India, Rolls-Royce has 1,350 engines in service, across four market sectors civil and defence aerospace, marine and energy. (UNI)
NEW DELHI, Apr 24: The controversial proposal to amend the Income Tax Act with retrospective effect to bring into tax net Vodafone-type deals is expected to yield to the exchequer Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000 crore, the government said today.
“The Income Tax department has made an estimation that the total tax implication in consequences of retrospective amendments introduced in Finance Bill 2012 may be to the tune of Rs 35,000-40,000 crore”, Minister of State for Finance S S Palanimanickam told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s Budget proposal, aimed at taxing Vodafone-type merger and acquisition deals involving domestic assets has generated lot of debate, with various global bodies claiming that the move would hurt foreign investment.
Once the amendment is approved by Parliament, the British telecom giant would have to pay Rs 11,000 crore as tax for its acquisition of the Hutchison’s stake in Hutchison Essar Ltd in 2007.
On the overall implications of the proposed amendment, Palanimanickam said, “The figure of Rs 35,000-40,000 crore is an estimate and the exact amount is determined only when assessing officer completes assessment proceedings.
“The proceeding before assessing officer is a quasi judicial proceedings and the name along with demand raised is determined only on completion of such proceedings.”
In a separate reply, Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena said: “Foreign investors make their decisions taking into account all relevant factors and the investments are admitted into the country within the framework of the applicable laws, rules and regulations formulated to promote the country’s interest”. (PTI)
In the latest Apex Committee meeting of the Kashmiri migrants ,the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced that his Government will soon promulgate ordinance for the protection and care of Kashmiri Hindu shrines and religious places. He asked his Revenue Minister to prepare a draft document in this regard so that it could be placed in the next cabinet meeting for approval . For the Hindu community of the State, in general, and that of Kashmir, in particular , the announcement is reassuring that its religious and spiritual place will be safe and the sign posts of Valley’s ancient civilization will receive adequate protection , to ward of threats of the prowling land mafia . These religious places are inextricably linked with the physical and spiritual existence of every Hindu who lives in the Valley. They are his defining land marks. Some of these places have been mapped by the UNESCO as part of the universal heritage. Therefore , this announcement of Omar Abdullah is a welcome development. Undoubtedly , he and his cabinet colleagues deserve our gratitude.
The unfortunate events of the last two decades have , besides traumatizing the displaced community , played havoc with its religious places . They became victims of weather and the human greed .Te raison detr’e of the law has been very well delineated by the Aims and Objects of the Bill No11/2009 , pending consideration before the Assembly, wherein it was introduced by the present Government ” …Due to the disturbed conditions in the Kashmir Valley in 1990 ,the majority of the Hindus left the Valley and Shrines remained unattended. There are complaints that properties of these shrines have been encroached up on .” This weighed with the then leader of the opposition and present Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather and made him introduce a private member’s bill in the previous Assembly. The bill was withdrawn on the assurance of then CM Gulam Nabi Azad that his Government would bring the necessary bill on its own . That, however , didn’t happen . The present government brought the bill . Though same got stuck in the Assembly, for the reasons not required to be mentioned here .
Experience has taught us that the religious places which have a statutory control are well managed and have become focal points to attract religious tourism , opening up lot of employment opportunities. Waqaf boards for Muslim Shrines , Prabandhak committees for management of Sikh Gurdwaras and Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine board provide shining examples in this regard . Ten million pilgrims paid obeisance to Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in the previous year . Imagine ! how much revenue it must have generated for the state . Similar can be the case with the well managed Hindu Shrines in Kashmir , given the breath taking locale and archeological value of some of them. We understand that whenever a reformatory step is contemplated it does impinge upon the vested interests of some one , somewhere. It was so in case of Mata Vaishno Devi enactment and it is being so experienced in case of the law under discussion here. It was the total commitment of the government, in1986, which cleared the way for law for Mata Vaishno Devi. Thankfully, we are seeing same kind of political will developing in favour of Kashmiri Hindu Shrines law as well.
It is understandable that some body or an organization may have a case to seek exemption from the sweep of the proposed law. We do appreciate that a democratic and responsive government has a duty to ensure that no section of the populace is harmed by its action .Precisely to avoid such a situation from arising , the Bill has enough provisions in it to take care of genuine interests of all concerned. It is not that the temples and religious places in Kashmir will ,ipso facto , fall under the purview of the law , as soon as it is promulgated . Cl ;1 ( a) of the Bill says that only those religious places and shrines will be administered , managed and regulated by the Board , created by the proposed Act , which are notified under Cl ; 5 of the Bill. They will be notified only after objections , if any , of any body or an organization are disposed of by the Special Officer-who will be a Class 1st Officer of the State Governmen. Before that, in order to notify the religious places under Cl 5 , a detailed enquiry and investigation has to be held by the Special Officer under Cl 4 of the Bill , regarding any claim of any kind laid by any person or a body. The Special Officer has been invested with powers of a Civil Court to decide the matter before him .In no case are his orders final in the matte. An aggrieved party has a right of appeal before the territorial District Judge, under Sub -Cl ( 5) of Cl 4 of the Bill .We hope , the Government will keep these facts in view while promulgating the ordinance . Care has to be taken that the proposed law does not get diluted as to make it ineffective in the real sense of term . Or, that the Hindu community is perpetually is caught in unnecessary litigation which might become unavoidable if the scheme and structure of Bill No11 /2009 is disturbed . There is need to ensure that the remedy does not become worse than the disease .
(The author is former Principal District & Sessions Judge )
Corruption in public life is not a modern phenomenon. It was prevalent in the political and civic life of ancient India and has been discussed by famous historian i.e. Katulilya in Arthshastra. But it is since independence that corruption has become a chronic feature of our public life. It is now treated as a normal feature. Now people do not show any reaction against corrupt practices, or express any shock when big scandals like 2G Spectrum, fair fax deal, scandal in Common Wealth Games are exposed .
In British rule when India was ruled with the help of bureaucrats of Indian civil service. These officers being above corruption helped the British to maintain law and order and run the administration efficiently. But some departments like police and PWD were notorious for their corrupt practices even then. Corruption was not so rampant as it is today for the simple reason that there were fewer opportunities.
After independence, we adopted a democratic pattern of society. In order to make democracy successful there must be responsible citizens who are not merely aware of their rights but also of their duties. They have power to put people in power who are worth to rule. Political rulers should be role model in society. They must possess high values. But it was indeed sad that public trust in these leaders was betrayed. Such is the height of situation that people now realize that the faith they had placed in politicians was misplaced. Now it has become a normal routine that when ever a scandal is exposed commissions of inquiry are appointed to appease the common masses and their anger. However complete truth is never made public.
There are endless opportunities for corruption in a developed country like ours. Although there are rules and regulations governing the conduct of public servants but these are twisted and interpreted in accordance with the circumstances. There is a wide spread nepotism and favourtism and manipulation in social setup of our country.
Even a petty clerk wields more power than a more successful private citizen. It is said that to get even a paper moved in a office of Govt. one has to grease the itching palms of these people.
The basic factor responsible for corruption is the conflict between the civil servants and politicians. In order to maintain his political base and consolidate his position in his area a politician accommodates many people i.e. prominent wealthy voters, party leaders, members of parliament etc. and grants them concessions to give their support. On the other hand responsible civil servants are constantly thwarted in their attempts to move according to establish rules. This is the crucial reason that antisocial activities can not be effectively be brought under control. Thus many people i.e. hoarders, smugglers, tax evaders, business, houses enjoy political support thus weaking the hands of the authorities. Corruption can certainly checked if the civil servants do not succumb to political pressure. However Govt should ensure that there is no victimisation of such honest officers. Otherwise it can demoralise them and corruption will flourish to a great extent in society. There is a widespread impression that many of our politicians and party chiefs place personal and party interests above public welfare and there by endanger basic values of life. A political leader should not become prey of people who are not well wishers of society. As political parties can not function without funds. They are obliged to accept money from business houses in exchange for certain concessions. The only way to eliminate this form of corruption is that election expenses should be reduced to the minimum and the law should be vigorously enforced.
Due to the progress in economy the price levels have risen to such extent that the purchasing power of the rupees is only 10 paise today. It has made life of fixed income group very difficult. People having black money used to live in palatial houses and make the middle classes feel helpless. Many of them can not resist the temptation of making easy money to maintain their social status. But this does not in any way justify corruption, but brings us to the point that we have forgotten our Gandhian ideals and merely pay lip services to them. Had our politician led an austere life corruption in society could have been greatly checked if not altogether eliminated. Besides no amount of revision in pay scales can satisfy people, unless the abnormal rise in the prices of essential commodities is brought under control.
Today corruption has become so widespread that there is no sphere of national life where it does not exist. Large sum of money allocated for development of people at grassroot level for their welfare never reaches to real beneficiaries. Thus there is no progress of nation in real sense.
The Central Govt is always aware of the need to combat corruption. In 1964 on the suggestion of Sanathan Committee the Govt announced code for Central and State Ministers. It suggested the people in power to declare their assets and liabilities and put restretch on collecting funds for election. However these restriction were not seriously enforced, things continued to degenerate. A major factor in facilitating corruption in the existing system of transfers and posting of Govt servants. The threat of transfer was considered an ideal way of controlling the behavior of civil servants. The transfer system was introduced by British to prevent local officials from becoming too powerful. Today it has become the soul of the our social society. Of course there are still people who are honest. But as long as people are willing to offer bribes, directly or indirectly and as long as the needs of people go on increasing, there would be temptations to make money on the sly.
The J&K state not only enjoys a special constitutional status amongst the states of the Indian union, but has its own special and distinct problems as well, which are unique to itself. No other state has its borders with actively hostile neighbours as J&K. No other state has suffered so many external aggressions from its neighbours as J&K. And no other state has suffered so much internal turmoil and sabotage, day in and day out to neighbourly state’s – armed and unarmed intervention. It is the J&K Police, which faced in the past and still continues to face the consequences of this external onslaught of the enemy as the frontline force.
To add to this situation is the complexity of its geographic and demographic makeup. It’s four regions of Ladakh, Rajouri and Poonch, Kashmir and Jammu are distinct and each has its special identity and complexity. A development or a situation in one region does not affect the people of other regions as much as it does the originally concerned regions. The state is not a homogeneous unit. It is first bound together by geography and was brought into being by means of conquest.
For the past over twenty years we are facing the problem of armed militancy sponsored by Pakistan and it’s ISI. Though there is a thaw at present in the situation, yet the problem is not completely over. The training camps of militants across the border are still intact. The situation in Pakistan is not stable. Any major setback in the situation in Afghanistan and Waziristan will have direct impact on us. Situation on the militancy front can revert any time. We need to continue our vigil keeping our forces at the designated places. It is no time to make experiments and to harness new horses to run an unchartered course.
The present DGP Shri Kuldeep Khoda, is retiring after his successful and glorious innings and his successor is clearly visible even to a blind eye. Where is the ground for doubt and speculation unless the idea is to slacken the vigil against militancy, to demoralise the police force, to heap humiliation upon it’s glorious records of the past two decades of fighting militancy and to mock the supreme sacrifices of its thousands of brave jawans and officers in the service of the motherland. Why a public debate about a new DGP has started ? Is it a conspiracy, a mischief or a sabotage against the J&K Police and as a consequence against the J&K State or all the three combined ?
Normally, when a vacancy occurs, the senior most officer in the seniority list is considered and if found fit from all angles is promoted. If due to some reasons he fails short of the requirements of the job, only then – only then, the next officer on the list is considered. Or when number two in the seniority list far outweighs in merit than the officer at number one of the list and is found more suitable for the job, then only number two is considered, not otherwise. It is not the requirement of rules that if there are more than one officer of the same year of allotment then all of them will be considered for promotion simultaneously. There is law of progeniture in services. Every officer is considered for promotion in his own turn. There is no point in making water muddy by clubbing two officers with the same year of allotment together for consideration, however competent number two officer may be.
I was the first IPS officer to be allotted to the state of J&K on the basis of all India competition in 1962. During these over fifty years of association with the J&K Police, I have observed the working of many a deputationist, IGPs and DGPs and have found this experience as disastrous (with the sole exception of one deputationist who was with us only for two years). It is primarily because the deputationists do not thoroughly know the topography of the state, it’s regions, history and culture of its distinct four regions, their affiliations and mindset, the complexities in administering the state, the composition of the police force and its ethos, nature and composition of its bureaucracy, politicians, Army and Air Force top brass and many a paramilitary Force.
If one has served the state for intelligence gathering, then he has acquired knowledge about the state only from that angle, and if one has served the state only to maintain public order then he has understood the state from that angle alone (It is no reflection on the competence of the officers reportedly mentioned in the MHA panel proposed for the post of DGP, as I do not know the gentleman).
Policing as a whole is a very big and complex affair. It touches almost all aspects of human society. Knowledge of one or two functions of policing is not enough, however, vital these functions might be.
In order to qualify as Police Chief, one must first qualify as possessor of the knowledge of the state, its history and culture, its regions and religions, its police, government and politics. Mere superficial knowledge won’t do. A thorough knowledge can be obtained if one has lived and breathed the air of the state for years and years and if one has rubbed shoulders with its toiling masses and the rank and file of its police force and if one has lead his men in crisis and during enemy onslaught. These qualities give him a special place and regard in the hearts of his men making him worthy of leading them as their chief. Importing officers and superimposing them on the existing system won’t work. It might even reverse the momentum painstakingly achieved against militancy by years of hard work and sacrifice.
I have also read in the newspapers that senior most officers of the state cadre, being of 1984 batch, do not qualify to be DGPs, as they have not completed thirty years of service. It is humbug. The state government is well within in competence to take a decision on the appointment of the new DGP. Here also seems to be a hand of mischief or conspiracy at work. For the past more than half a century since I have been associated with the J&K Police none of the IGPs and DGPs who were selected for the post had completed thirty years of service at the time of their selection. The following table will expose this argument also. Since the extension of IPS to the state, the following officers have been selected to serve as IGPs and DGPs;
Bedi was succeeded by our own very competent cadre officers like M N Sabarwal, A K Suri, Gopal Sharma and a deputationist Gurbachan Jagat (1966) till Kuldeep Khoda. None of these officers had completed thirty years of service at the time of their selection as their DGP. Raising this point now against the 1984 batch officers is nothing short of mischief.
Deputationists, since they work under various handicaps try to create their own lobby of officers who are loyal to them. These officers are rewarded for their loyalty. Sometimes juniors are promoted over the head of their more deserving seniors creating dissentions and bad blood, dividing the force in camps. Chain of command is disturbed and sycophancy becomes the norm. Deputationists in order to consolidate their own position create their lobbies in the secretariat and in Delhi, amongst politicians and press men to the determent of cohesion and camaraderie in the force. Being men of the centre they often look more towards the centre.
IPS cadre of J&K state has come off age. It has given many distinguished and highly competent IGPs/DGPs to the state. Why should it be ignored now ? when highly competent, trained and tested officers are available to head the force. Why should we look elsewhere for commanders. There is no point in making a tamasha or circus of it at all. The chief of the police is not a ring master. His selection is a quiet, governmental exercise and it should be done in a quiet and dignified manner. The public debate which is raging in the press and other forums should cease forthwith.
(The author is J&K’s first IPS Officer and a former DGP)
In a decisive verdict, the Supreme Court has dismissed a PIL petition challenging the appointment of Lt. Gen. Bikram Singh as the next Army Chief. This verdict, however, does not affect any legal proceedings against him in connection with the alleged fake encounter in J&K. Earlier, the SC Bench had asked for the file from the government clearing the appointment of Lt. Gen. Bikram Singh. The Court said that it had studied the file and found that there were not one but many allegations brought against the General but the Government had, at its level, cleared him of all those doubts and finally cleared his appointment. As such the court did not find any reason why it should interfere in the decision of the Government in this regard. The age issue of COAS also came up in the course of debate but the court brushed it aside saying that that case had already been disposed off and would not be reopened. The counsel for the petitioners made a strong plea that Lt. Gen. Bikram Singh was implicated in UN Congo mission besides the J&K alleged fake encounter but the court did not uphold any of these objections and ruled the dismissal of the petition reiterating that the Government had cleared him at various levels.
