Heading to Permanent INSURGENCY in Absence of DEMOCRACY and SOCIAL Movement. A Full Generation ABSCONDS or Being DRUG ADDICTED. India Incs Make the BUDGET. NILEKANI Interview.
Troubled Galaxy Destroyed Dreams, Chapter 271
Palash Biswas
Economy to recover after Sept: PMEAC
Font Size
-A +A
Reuters
Posted: Jun 29, 2009 at 1307 hrs IST
GDP
New Delhi The economy will start recovering after September, the head of Prime Minister's economic advisory council, Suresh Tendulkar, said on Monday.
The economy expanded 6.7 per cent in 2008/09 (April/March), and the RBI estimates growth at 6 per cent this year.
Maya statues: SC issues show-cause notice to UP Govt
Font Size
-A +A
Agencies
Posted: Jun 29, 2009 at 1752 hrs IST
Print Email To Editor Post Comments
Mayawati's statue
Most Read Articles
Related Articles
Chidambaram slams Mayawati over statuesJackson was bruised and just had pills in hi...Kashmir was near resolution in 2001, claims ...'Cadres, people like fish, water... Can’t be...We didn't judge the wicket well, says DhoniMicheal Jackson keeps out of UK amid flu sca...
Chidambaram slams Mayawati over statuesMaya, Bhajanlal forge alliance for Harya...Maya now goes after party leaders, expel...
New Delhi Uttar Pradesh Government's controversial project of installing statues of Chief Minister Mayawati on Monday came under the scrutiny of the Supreme Court which sought an explanation from it for allegedly spending crores of rupees from the state exchequer.
The apex court issued show cause notice to the state government and Chief Minister after noting several allegations in a public interest litiattion (PIL) including that 90 per cent of the budget of the Uttar Pradesh Cultural department was used for installation of the statues of Mayawati, Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshi Ram and party symbol elephant.
"Notice to show-cause why the petition should not be admitted," a vacation bench comprising Justices Dalveer Bhandari and A K Ganguly said and sought reply within four weeks from the Uttar Pradesh Government, Mayawati, BSP and Election Commission which are named as respondents in the PIL filed by Supreme Court advocate Ravi Kant.
Kant alleged that the total money used by Mayawati from the state budget for 2008-09 and 2009-10 for such projects was to the tune of Rs.2,000 crore to "falsely glorify" the Chief Minister.
No sooner the order was issued, Mayawati's close aide and senior advocate Satish Chandra Mishra voiced his protest but the Bench said whatever he has to say he can to do it by way of reply to the notice.
Mishra, who resisted the issuance of notice, alleged that "it is a politically interest litigation filed at the behest of others (political rivals)" noting that even before the petition came up for hearing, the petitioners had gone before the media.
He said notice at this stage would open a larger issue relating to the use of public land and made a selective reference to Teen Murti Bhavan in the capital saying the land itself cost over Rs 500 crore.
However, the Bench was unmoved and said "whatever you have to say you can say it in the reply".
It reminded Mishra that it has only noted the allegations in the PIL which said "hundreds of crores of rupees" meant for developmental work were being used by the UP Government for personal glorification of leaders and installing their statues.
Before Mishra, senior advocate U U Lalit, appearing for the state goverment, contended that it was not the case for issuance of notice as the apex court in the past had passed orders in favour of the state government on the same issue which the petitioners are not aware.
Lalit was responding to the Bench which wanted to know from him whether he would like to file a reply to the PIL.
He said the issue has been going on for the past two years and "every single expenditure has been approved by the House (State Assembly).
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Maya-statues-SC-issues-showcause-notice-to-UP-Govt/482737/
Obama beats Brad Pitt as most stylish man!
Move aside Brad Pitt. US President Barack Obama has beaten all the usual male style icons to be named the world's most stylish man in a poll.
The survey of 3,000 men put the 47-year-old president at the top of the style list after impressing people all over the world with his suits and dress sense.
Actor Brad Pitt came second, praised for his ability to look stylish in a suit or in jeans.
Third in the poll, conducted by researcher OnePoll.com, was British footballer David Beckham, whose trendy style has seen him become one of the most photographed men in the world and the face - and body - for Giorgio Armani's underwear campaign.
"Barack Obama has a great sense of style, which no doubt adds to his popularity," said Jonathan Heilbron, CEO of luxury British shirt brand Thomas Pink which commissioned the poll.
"World leaders and politicians are not known for their dress sense, so it's refreshing to have Obama who seems to genuinely care about his appearance."
James Bond star, actor Daniel Craig, was voted fourth in the list, followed by US actor Al Pacino.
Rounding out the top 10 were actors George Clooney, Bill Nighy, Clint Eastwood and Will Smith as well as painter and filmmaker Andy Warhol.
The ILLUMINATI prepares the BUDGET in India on Washington Lines and the Finance Minister is always Americanised. The Government of Manusmriti India Incorporation is all set for the FINAL KIll!
The Telegraph published a Front Page story today and the theme is alarming. The full GENERATION of Tribal Youth does ABSCOND the villages and it is understood it has joined the Maoist Squad! Lalgarh and Narayan Patna in Orissa may be LIBERATED by the deciding STRIKE POWER and Killing Licence of Indian Security Forces. But the symptoms herald very well, as I am afraid to say with ample Proof that the Nation heads to PERMANENT INSURGENCY!
Ruled by EXTRA CONSTITUTIONAL ELEMENTS,Eunuchs, WASHINGTON Slaves, Immoral Imposters under the COLONIAL India Incorporation Government, we heavily depend upon the IMPOSED Law and ORDER enforced by force. Otherwise it is TOTAL ANARCHY. Industrial Revolution and BRITISH RAJ ended the AGRARIAN State of the MUGHALS as well as so called DARK AGE.RAJ abolished the feudal system led by landlord and Princes but created ZAMINDARS and the FEUDAL CIVIL SOCIETY and the privileged INTELLIGENTSIA. We still lack the BASIC Set Up of Industrialisation and modernisation,but have killed all means of Indigenous Livelihood and production system killing the Nature as well as the Nature associated People. The GREATEST element of Indian Feudal set U, the CASTE SYSTEM and APARTHEID in form of Untouchability with inherent Inequality, Injustice and Violation of Human and civil Rights exist with ENSLAVEMENT of Majority Eighty five percent population sustaining Manusmriti Rule and Brahaminical Hegemony.
India could gain $15 billion a year by implementing the Goods and Service Tax (GST) as it would boost exports, raise employment and
spur growth, the head of a government panel said on Monday.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is expected to lay a roadmap for the launch of the ambitious tax reform in his budget speech next Monday. It is expected to be implemented across the country from April, 2010.
The new tax system, which will replace all major central and state taxes, is expected to lower tax rates by broadening the tax base and minimise exemptions, Vijay Kelkar, Chairman, of the 13th Finance Commission said.
Kelkar said implementation of GST had raised Canada's GDP by 1.4 per cent and would help India redistribute the tax burden equitably between manufacturing and services.
"In India we can expect a similar kind of positive impact. This means gains of about $15 billion annually," he was quoted as saying in speech, a copy of which was made available by the finance ministry.
The panel, which has been set up to determine the devolution of federal taxes to states for five years, is expected to submit its report soon.
Referring to opposition to GST by some state governments, Kelkar said the panel could provide a compensation package to states and help speed up the implementation of a "flawless" GST.
Kelkar said railways, construction and real estate activities need to be brought under the GST as it would generate extra revenue for the government.
I have bben talking to my AMBEDKARITE as well as Marxist friends,Social Eco Human Right activists all the time that we have to keep in mind Total AMBEDKARITE Ideology and Ambekarite Agenda of Abolition of CASTE in mind whenever we talk anything about Change. I have been insisting that basically AMBEDKARITE Ideology deals with ECONOMICS and Political Economy apart from equality and social justice.
I beg your pardon,dear VTR and Dalit Voice team, I have to say that the Casteology to strike workable Caste Community Clubbing led by the Brahamins and the STETUE SPREE would rather STRENGTHEN the Hegemony and caste System.This trend of sharing Power without EMPOWERMENT would lead us to the TOTAL DESTRUCTION of Ambedkar Ideology. Mayawati with her naked AMBITIONS would DESTROY the Aboriginal INDIGENOUS movement in India for EVER.
As I had always been warning: BE AWARE of AMERICA since first GULF War, I must warn my friends: Be AWARE of MAYAWATI.
We need not any QUEEN, not even a DALIT Queen!
The Supreme Court Monday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to explain, within four weeks, the use of public money for installing statues of Chief Minister Mayawati and other prominent Dalit leaders!
The NEED of the hour is a NATIONAL INCLUSIVE DEMOCRATIC LIBERATION MOVEMENT! Any local Insurrection or Insurgency, certain liberated Base areas and PROJECTED Mass Movement, INTELLIGENTSIA or Capitalist Feudal CIVIL Societies would SUBVERT and DIVERT us only!
Be AWARE.
The NEED is an UNIFIED AMBEDKARITE MARXIST SOCIO Political National Movement without any delay. SINCE the basic OBJECTIVE and IDEOLOGY of Marxism and AMBEDKARITE Ideology have no CONTRADICTION at all if we understand the society, know the History, may add and deduct,read the ECONOMIST and intend to RESIST the ZIONIST BRAHAMINICAL IMPERIALIST FASCIST Global ILLUMINATI CORPORATE Order of WAR, CIVIL WAR and the Agenda of MONOPOLISTIC Aggression and MASS DESTRUCTION.
WE must Stand UNITED and ACT Immediately.
It is an IRONY that the MARXISTS or Maoists Never do read Ambedkar or Lohia. They import the solution of an Indian Puzzle from developed World, EUROPE and neglects Indian Reality. On the other hand, Ambedkarites hate ACADEMIC and systematic studies depriving themselves of Knowledge as well as Information. They hate Marx, Lenin and Mao from the bottom of their heart and fail to get a VISION for mass mobilisation.
An Insurrection against Manusmriti rule demands a National Liberation Movement AFRESH to reverse the History right from Pushyamitra Sung after the DEMISE of Buddhism and Charvak darshan while VEDAS were doctored and EPICS as well as Upanishads were written and publicised as SACRED Books to justify the ARYAN Rule DEMONISING the Non Aryan Landscape and human scape.
That is why the RULING Class does divide the landscape into three major regions Himalayan, Central and North India, and finally south India alienating each from another and SEGREGATING TRIBALS all over the country with the CONTINUITY of Manusmriti Rule, Caste System and ASHWAMEDH Ygya which suit very well to the Agenda of TRI Iblis Satanic Global Corporate ILLUMINATI of Monopolistic Aggression and Mass Destruction Agenda!
Thus, Indian Bollywood Film Maker tries to Justify BUSH Warfare and the war against Terror with a Third grade Production New York!
Mind you, it is irrelevant how deep was Ambedkar`s study in Marxism. But he knew well Marxism. Hence he could introduce Trade Union Right, Eight hours working hour, maternity leave, Hindu code Bill! Thus, he could write Annihilation of Caste, Problems of Rupee and Small Holding! Thus, he could involve in research works on revenue and Human Resource management. Nothing goes against the basic CONCEPT of Marxism or Maoism! It is TRUE that Ambedkar was against the Marxists. But it was not because of the Ideology itself. But he was against the Brahaminical leadership of Indian communist movement and its Hypocrisy and betrayals!
Ambedkar developed his vision with the same instrument as the Marxist and Maoist leaders worldwide, developed.
It is simply JUSTIFIED without the help of algebra or Trigonometry!
China and Mao Tse Tung adopted Communism in accordance with the need and demand of Chinese Agrarian Society
China DID not REPLICATE USSR as East Europe did.
European Industrial society and traditional Asian Societies DIFFER Historically, Economically and Demographically.
Indian Communists did neglect the TRUTH!
If you allow my friends, I may dare AMBEDKAR adopted a socio economic political theory based on the deep roots of Indian society and History, folk and culture. He owed it to BUDDHISM and its REVOLUTIONARY ideology.
But his concept of Annihilation of caste has always been more RELEVANT than the ANNIHILATION Of Class Enemy!
It is the Real Class Struggle in India against the Manusmriti Rule and without understanding Ambedkar and his Vision any Communist Movement is all about Caste Hindu Brahaminical Power Politics and so it has been all the way!
I regret that I Never CARED to read Ambedkar or Lohia though I lost valuable time to study the BASTARDISED Gandhian Ideology which is the Main Pillar of Brahmin Bania Raj and Corporate Imperialism as well as Zionist fascism.
For me this BLOODY Gandhian ideology is more Dangerous than RSS.
Gandhian Ideology remains a Systematic MIND Control, Brain Washing and Dominating Ideology to sustain Manusmriti Rule even under Unipolar ILLUMINATI Global Zionist IMPERIALISM.
RSS is only the SUPPORTING VERB! Nothing Else. But our Marxist friends always failed to identify the main Enemy. It supported LPG Mafia and the GANDHIAN Dynasty right from the Beginning!
BAMCEF friends belonging to different factions boast to have National Network and do try their best to mobilise SOCIAL MOVEMENT with BIG SEMINARS and Great CONFERENCES. But the effort is limited within the RESOURCEFUL IAS IPS and First Class Officers with white Color people.
The try to mobilise RESOURCES to run the NON EXISTING SOCIAL MOVEMENT.
They would never take the STREETS as the LEFTIST TRADE UNIONS do tend to witness,and even COOPERATE the SELL OFF of the Country.
The AMBEDKARITES and the MARXISTS, only two types of GENUINE Social POLITICAL forces having National Network, fail to take the INITIATIVE to lead the people and the COUNTRY as they HAVE NO GRASS ROOT Connection whatsoever.
Hence the people of WEST BENGAL chose to VOTE Mamata Bannerjee as they aspire to DEFEAT the CAPITALIST MARXISTS and the REGIMENTED GESTAPO in the DEATH Chamber!
The GREATEST Danger involves the GENERATION Nest deprived of the JOB Opportunities, Higher EDUCATION and a DEFINITE Social role.
The SOCIETY is DEAD.
The Nation SUCCUMBS.
In Indian SUBCONTINENT, Marriage continues and thus, the only INSTITUTION of HUMANITY and Human BOND Family survives despite so much STRESS and DISINTEGRATION.
ALIENATION of the YOUTH, Rav Parties, Drug ADDICTION,INSURGENCY lead them to the VALLEY of DEATH and transforming the Entire Nation into an INFINITE REHAB, we may not save the generation Next, I am AFRAID.
BEING the HOLDER of the legacy of history, anthropology, civilisation,Knowledge, Sate and after all HUMANITY, we HAVE to defend the CONTINUITY of CIVILISATION as well as HUMANITY. it is rather more IMPORTANT than the continuity of ECONOMIC Reforms!
Last Day was HECTIC for me. I had four or five meetings to attend including one of engineers. But the ACCIDENT in Sodepur DISCONNECTED me and Involved me in People`w DEMONSTRATION. I had to skip most of the meetings due to time CRUNCH. IT was a day without Nationwide INTERACTIONS. But I had to return to my workplace at nine in the NIGHT only.
In Jadavpur, I had the opportunity to meet an Old friend, an OFFICER of Commissioner level. I would not name him for justified reason. since I could not connect him for months , I asked his whereabouts and then, he shared his DEVASTATING Experience which shocked and stunned me.
I know Minister, Vice Chancellors, Registrars, Doctors, Professors, Engineers, Journalists, Writers, Industrialists personally who suffer from DEPRESSION due to family and children in Personality Disorder.
But this friend and his wife, both have become Psychiatric patients and have to go to REHAB just because both of their sons turned Drug Addicted in College Campus.
The Elder one had been in REHAB for a long time. He had been in ICU and getting out from there he got a job in Maharashtra where he married a Marathi Girl. He refuses to recognise his parents though he needs medical attention.
Marathi Police fails to understand the trouble of the old couple as they find nothing like personality Disorder in the son.
The younger son was a BRILLIANT ENGINEERING Student in the ICONIC Jadavpur University campus. He also got DRUG Addicted. He was sent to REHAB. My friend his wife got him relieved form Bangalore wife.
The lady returned home by next flight. The man stayed in Bangalore with the ailing son. But the BOY in DRUG Influence lost control of mind and tried to kill the father when he was ASLEEP. My Friend SURVIVED and admitted the boy in ICU.
Now, the Younger son is normal and has joined the campus again. The couple transformed their three story home into a Girl students` mess and shifted to SUBURBAN kalayani.
Where from the boy comes to the University campus with a Body Guard so that he should not REMIX into earlier life.
The Generation Next has only two OPTIONS now, Maoism or DRUG Addiction!
Who is responsible for this?
On the other hand, Both Michael Jackson's family and his personal physician were at pains to explain on Sunday what caused the troubled pop star's sudden death weeks before his long-awaited comeback.
Dr. Conrad Murray, who was at Jackson's side when he died, told police he did not inject the singer with painkillers before his fatal cardiac arrest on Thursday, his lawyer said on Sunday after reports he received a shot of narcotic Demerol.
When asked at Sunday's BET Awards about the care his son received from doctors in his last moments, Jackson's father, Joe, said, "I have a lot of concerns. ... I can't get into that, but I don't like what happened."
He said funeral arrangements for the King of Pop were still being discussed. A family friend said services could take place on Wednesday and the body could be buried at Jackson's famous Neverland Ranch.
Tension over the mysterious death came to the surface at the BET Awards, modified at the last minute as a tribute to Jackson's musical genius. Some stars bristled over coverage of Jackson's downward spiral during the last decade, filled with accusations of child molestation and bizarre behaviour.
"He is one of our heroes," said rap artist and music impresario Sean "Diddy" Combs. "As African Americans, we are not going to let everybody beat him up."
Jackson, 50, was weeks away from an anticipated comeback with a series of 50 concerts in London. He rehearsed regularly up to the night before his death.
Concerns about his health had been rampant during his 2005 trial in California on charges of child sex abuse, of which he was acquitted. Last year, he was photographed in Las Vegas in a wheelchair.
Meanwhile, Security forces on Monday took control of Kantapahari, setting up a police camp after four years in the hub of Maoist-backed tribal agitation, with West Bengal Government claiming that 95 per cent of the areas have been wrested from the ultras in West Midnapore district. Around 1600 personnel of paramilitary forces, police and CoBRA, the special anti-naxal force, reached Kantapahari from both Lalgarh and Ramgarh ends as a helicopter kept an aerial vigil.
The Maoists set off a landmine and fired at the security forces in a forested area between Pirakata and Lalgarh but the troops retaliated. DIG CID (Special Operations Group) Siddhinath Gupta said here that the forces were now in full control of Kantapahari. A police camp had existed here till 2005 but was withdrawn. "A camp will be set up here after all these years."
In Kolkata, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee informed that the joint forces had been able to liberate nearly 95 per cent of the areas. The operations had been bloodless with no major encounter. Security forces reached Boropelia village, home of People's Committee Against Police Atrocities convenor Chhatradhar Mahato, leader of the group spearheading the agitation, but he remained elusive. He had been spotted in Kantapahari on Sunday.
However, police were confident that they will soon arrest him soon. "We will arrest him (Mahato)," DIG (Midnapore Range) Praveen Kumar said. He said that the operations had not ended. "Entering Kantapahari was part of it."
The forces, comprising the CRPF, BSF, State Armed Police and India Reserve Battalion, set out at around 7:00 AM from Lalgarh, secured on June 19 in the first phase of the operations and Ramgarh, taken over last Saturday, a senior CRPF officer said.
The police would remain till normalcy is restored, the chief minister was quoted as saying by PWD Minister Kshiti Goswami after a cabinet core committee meeting. The chief minister also assured the ministers that the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act under which the Centre recently banned the Communist Party of India (Maoist) would not be used indiscriminately.
Midnapore district police superintendent Manoj Verma said "People have come forward to cooperate. We hope this cooperation will continue. We will establish the rule of law." Kantapahari and surrounding villages of Boropelia, Chottopelia and Dalilpur Chowk, were the places where the tribals backed by Maoists had launched their agitation in protest against police atrocities in November last year following a landmine blast in which Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and two Union Ministers had a narrow escape.
The Maoists went on the rampage targeting ruling CPI(M) cadres and offices and had virtually taken control of a large area in West Midnapore district after driving away police and paramilitary forces. When the forces re-entered Chhotopelia, Boropelia and Dalilchawk villages, they were deserted except for a few elderly people.
Parvati Kisku, a woman who had to take care of her paralytic sister, said she had to stay behind as she could not leave her sibling. Prafulla Patra, whose son is a paraplegic, also said the same thing. Apart from Kisku and Patra, two or three aged couples were still in the village.
According to the police, Mahato's PCPA which opened "relief camps" at Dewantikri and Kantapahari had cooked 'khichri' for the inmates and supervised its distribution. Last night, a PCPA meeting was held at Dalilchawk where it was decided that it would be ensured that their leaders were not arrested, sources said. Meanwhile, at the Narcha relief camp, a woman who had given birth to boy five days ago was worried as he had fallen ill. The security forces after moving in called up the BDO and asked him to see that she received medical attention.
Centre mulls phase-wise withdrawal of AFSPA in J-K
New Delhi The Centre is considering a proposal for phased withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir following a strong case made out by state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for scrapping it with the Central leadership.
To begin with, Centre is likely to explore the possibility of phased withdrawal of the AFSPA in two districts of Kashmir - Srinagar and Budgam - and two in Jammu region - Jammu and Kathua - where incidents of violence has shown a marked decline, official sources said.
The Chief Minister has held a series of meetings with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and Defence Minister A K Antony during the recent past where he raised the issue of either amending the AFSPA, repealing it or taking it out of the state in a phased manner.
Omar gave a roadmap for its phased withdrawal beginning with the districts which have registered no or bare minimum violence during the past one year and in this context he gave examples of the four districts.
Sources in the Government said that while the situation in militancy-hit state has improved to a large extent, a serious thought could be given to the state's demand.
A meeting between Home and Defence Ministries officials may be held soon to elicit the views of the Army and Central para-military forces, which have been fighting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir for the past two decades, the sources said
Kashmir was near resolution in 2001, claims Musharraf
Islamabad Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has claimed that the Kashmir problem was near resolution during his regime and dismissed accusations that the powerful army did not want the settlement of the issue.
Musharraf claimed he and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had, during the 2001 Agra summit, even agreed to the draft of a joint declaration under which all issues, including Kashmir, could have been resolved.
"But the Indian leadership changed their mind at the last minute and did not support the joint declaration, saying that the Cabinet had not approved it," Musharraf said in an interview to 'Dunya News' channel.
Accusations that the Army does not want a resolution to Kashmir issue are ‘vicious propaganda’ and the need for the Army would remain even if the problem is resolved, he said.
Musharraf said he held talks with all stakeholders in the Kashmir issue, including the Hurriyat Conference and the leadership of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, for the resolution of the issue "but no one could guide me in the right direction."
He also said he had convinced the entire leadership in Kashmir, except hardliner Ali Shah Gilani, about his four-point formula which envisaged de-militarisation and joint control of the region.
HRD asks CBSE to provide revised proposal on grading system
New Delhi The HRD Ministry has asked the CBSE to provide a revised proposal relating to replacement of marking system by grades in its Class X examinations.
The ministry last week asked the CBSE, which had submitted a proposal in this regard, to clarify certain issues, including how grading would be calculated, a source in CBSE said.
"We have been asked to submit a revised proposal on the matter, with details on calculation of grading and how it would be reflected in the certificates," the source said.
CBSE Examination Controller M C Sharma said that there are several models on gradings. While some retain pass and fail system, others do not stick to the criteria.
The most popular system is the nine-point grading system which says that the whole range of marks would be distributed into nine grades. The last grade would be considered as unsatisfactory or poor grade.
Those securing over 90 per cent would get A grade indicating their outstanding performance in the test. Further grades would be A1, B, B1, C, C1, D, D1 and E.
The in-charge chairman of CBSE Veenith Joshi is heading the expert committee which will give the final shape to the grading model. Then it will be sent to the Ministry for approval, the source said.
Sibal had last week said the step aimed at reducing stress on students and parents. He also mooted the idea of making class-X board examination optional for promotion of students to class-XI in the same school. If accepted, the new system will come into force from 2010-11 session.
‘FM may fall back on disinvestment for Budget’
Font Size
-A +A
Agencies
Posted: Jun 29, 2009 at 1649 hrs IST
Pranab mukherjee
Sensex movement post-Budget may defy tre...Montek hints at a 'popular' budgetGovt considering removal of FBT, service...Finmin may dilute Fringe Benefit Tax in ...
New Delhi Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee might have to fall back on disinvestment and other non-tax revenue sources while presenting the Budget for 2009-10 on July 6, economists believe.
"There is little room to cut expenditure or hike revenue. In this scenario, the government will go for disinvestment, auction of spectrum and other non-tax revenue to check fiscal deficit," economic think tank National Council for Applied Economic Research senior fellow Shashank Bhide said.
He said the government might take some major decisions related to disinvestment in big public sector units.
Economists feel Mukherjee faces the double challenge of spurring growth in the sagging economy and checking the increasing burden on the government's exchequer.
"Rise in fiscal deficit is sure a matter of concern, but the government's focus will be on boosting demand in domestic economy and facilitating increase of purchasing power in the backdrop of global meltdown," senior fellow at Research and Information System (RIS) Sachin Chaturvedi said.
To revive growth, the economists suggest heavy investment in infrastructure such as roads, freight corridor and linking of rivers, and social sectors programmes like employment guarantee scheme, health and education.
NCAER's Bhide said the government is likely to reduce tax on investments in housing projects and infrastructure and may issue infrastructure bonds in its efforts to put the economy back on the growth trajectory.
The global downturn has pulled down the growth of Indian economy to 6.7 per cent in the last fiscal from the high of 9 per cent in 2007-08 and 9.6 per cent in the year 2006-07.
While, during the interim Budget in February the government targeted limiting the fiscal deficit fixed to 5.5 per cent of GDP, the financial year 2008-09 saw the deficit at 6.2 per cent.
"The government is likely to give priority to the development of social, economic and agriculture sectors," economist Tushar Bhattacharya, who has worked with several industry and trade bodies pointed out.
Bhattacharya added that the fear of falling exports on the back of global slowdown continues and that the government might take steps to boost exports to the Africa and the Latin America.
Speaking about service tax, Bhide said there might be some increase in the forthcoming budget, however, Chaturvedi and Bhattacharya feel there is very little scope for any such rise.
Indian PM should induct more professionals in government, says Silicon Valley's Kanwal Rekhi
Tags: Silicon Valley (US) , Indian PM , Government , Kanwal Rekhi
Buzz up!
vote now
(Source: IANS)
Published: Fri, 26 Jun 2009 at 15:01 IST
F Prev Next L
Silicon Valley (US): Hailing the appointment of Infosys chief Nandan Nilekani as chairman of the Unique Identification Database Authority of India (UIDAI), Silicon Valley's Indian giant Kanwal Rekhi said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should induct more professionals in his government.
"This is a very good move. India needs to develop a tradition of public service for retired talent from the private sector as in the US," the most celebrated alumni of Mumbai IIT where he has set up the School of Information Technology with a $3 million corpus, told IANS in an interview.
"Capitalising on their experience and managerial talent will serve the nation well. Hopefully many more appointments like this will follow," he said.
Calling the Indian prime minister "not much of a liberaliser", he said, "Manmohan Singh disappointed in his first five years. He should lose no time this time around to speed up reforms."
Questioning Manmohan Singh record as a reformer, he said, "I don't think of him (Manmohan Singh) as an instinctive liberaliser. Though I am no votary of Hindutva, the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) quickly liberalised major sectors - aviation, telecom, infrastructure, government enterprises like Maruti.
"What has Manmohan Singh done after the BJP left in 2004? Opposition of the left was a handy excuse for not moving on the economic front. Even after he called their bluff on the India-US nuclear deal, he did not move on the economic front."
Though he commended Lalu Yadav for doing "a good job" as the railway minister, the outspoken IITian said, "But he didn't built upon the success. He didn't put the profits back into the railways. He was busy with his agenda for Bihar. I think railways should get privatized also."
He said the Indian government-run enterprises are the dens of corruption and inefficiency and must be privatised.
"Any activity that can be run for profit in the private sector ought not be a part of government activity," he said.
"Many people oppose privatisation saying that if government-owned enterprises are run like capitalist enterprises, who will help India's poor people. But how have government-run enterprises helped India's poor when they make huge losses and suck the taxpayers' money which can be used to help the poor in social sectors?" asked the venture capitalist of Silicon Valley.
"On the other hand, look what privatisation in the aviation and telecom sectors have done for Indians. These sectors are now thriving and creating millions of jobs for India's poor. Why should the government run inefficient Air India when Jet Airways is doing so well?" he said.
Manmohan Singh, he said, would be postponing India's prosperity if he does not go for wholesale reforms and privatisation immediately.
"The government should get down to basics of providing primary education, primary health care and primary infra-structure. It has no business being in the business," said the multi-millionaire venture capitalist who formed The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) in 1992 to nurture budding entrepreneurs.
http://www.samaylive.com/news/indian-pm-should-induct-more-professionals-in-government-says-silicon-valleys-kanwal-rekhi/636630.html
Exclusive interview of Nandan Nilekani: Give the Rural Poor Technology
Submitted by TheIndiaStreet on August 16, 2007 - 11:18am.
-2 thumbs up
*
By Dr Suvrokamal Dutta
In an exclusive Interview to The India Street, Nandan Nilekani, Co-Chairman, Infosys has said that technology has helped level the playing field for India in the global arena. “In a way, technology has transformed India by providing a new vision to the country and liberating its populace,” pointed out Nilekani.
Nilekani believes that rural India’s need for knowledge empowerment can be addressed using technology. “The telecom revolution has really ensured that people in every part of India are able to connect with each other and with the external world,” he said.
I completely agree with Nilekani comments because India has leapfrogged to the next stage where mobile phones and the Internet are revolutionizing the Indian consumer and corporations. In addition, what technology has done for the Indian corporation is remarkable.
“Competing in the industry is no longer limited to a privileged few. Technology has brought forward a whole new set of entrepreneurs who are ensuring that India gets her right place in the world. From an employment perspective, it has raised the standard of living of the average middle class Indian. The IT & ITES industry has enabled the middle class Indian to go after bigger dreams,” pointed out Nilekani.
When The India Street asked Nilekani about whether at present companies could access and develop technology more easily than before, he said that the liberalization process has made technology ubiquitous. In terms of statistic, the Indian IT/ ITES sector is expected to exceed $ 47.8 billion in annual revenue in this financial year, an increase of nearly 28 percent in the current fiscal.
“With the growth in Indian economy and favorable policies, leading MNCs are looking to India as an attractive market for their products and technologies, and are targeting the Indian consumer,“ Nilekani said. He also added that the Internet has opened the world to India and brought in greater awareness and the accompanying benefits of globalization. According to Nilekani, at this moment of time India has over 70 million Internet users, of which nearly 2 million have broadband connections.
“The telecom boom we are experiencing in India today is opening up new opportunities for Indians. About 5 million new telephone connections are added in every month,” Nilekani said.
Suggested Reading:
*
Rakesh Jhunjhunwala’s insights
*
Editor Musings – CEO Salaries, Jhunjhunwala interview, Corruption Index
*
Editor Musings – New Service Tax, Chuck E Cheese India, and India Executive Optimism
'It is the software equivalent of bijli-sadak-makan'
27 Jun 2009, 0122 hrs IST, Andy Mukherjee, ET Now
Discuss
Share
Save
Comment
Single page view
Text:
A day after the government announced that Nandan Nilekani would head the Unique Identity Authority of India, Mr Nilekani said he believes the ID
Nandan Nilekani
More Pictures
project can have a transformational impact on India. It is the software equivalent for bijli, sadak and makan, he told ET NOW in an exclusive interview. Excerpts:
How are you feeling about moving out of Infosys, though of course your colleagues must be sad to let you go?
Actually, it is a gut-wrenching decision for me to leave Infosys after 30 years. But at the same time, this was an offer I couldn't refuse because I think if this project is done properly, it can have a transformational impact on India's economy and society and therefore, I have written a whole chapter on this in my book. So, I thought I should give it a shot.
How do you see the scope of this project? What will you be doing?
I think these are early days yet, but there are a few things beginning to coalesce in our thinking. One is you need to have a large single online database which has the basic records of all Indian residents, which adds up to over a billion records.
But ultimately, when we fill it up, part of that will be information about the person's name, his number, date of birth and so forth, and part of it will be the biometrics information... his fingerprints and maybe, a facial picture. There are two big issues here. One is enrolment and the other is authentication.
So, enrolment is how we add new people and authentication is how you verify who the person is. So, some elements of the architecture are beginning to fall into place, but we have a lot of work ahead, talking to all the government departments to come out with a standard interoperable way of doing this.
Give us an idea of how you are going to deal with potential conflict situations because of the fact that you are a shareholder in Infosys, and Infosys will be bidding for parts of this project?
I propose to put in place very robust and fool-proof procurement systems and processes which are transparent. I will recuse myself from any process where there is the possibility of conflict. I am even more concerned than you are about propriety.
Give us a sense of just how smart do you think this card will become?
Well, you know what I am really giving. What this body is giving is just the enrolment and authentication of individuals. That is a service that it will offer. Now, an individual department that is using this authentication system has to take its own business rules based on authentication.
So, this system is not going to do that because that will make it too complicated. That is the obligation of the agency which will use my authentication service.
You say in your book and I quote... 'Acknowledging the existence of every single citizen automatically compels the state to improve the quality of services and immediately give the citizen better access'. Now in terms of access, what is your priority here? Financial sector access? Is that the top theme here with the unique ID project delivering subsidies, targeting them better, making sure they reach the right person. Is that the priority?
I see this as dramatically improving access because we can have better targeting of subsidies with this access. We can have conditional cash transfers and other direct benefit schemes.
We can improve the quality of our security and, as Raghuram Rajan said in his report, it is an instrument of financial inclusion because we then start creating around this the credit history and financial condition of the poor to aid their access to loans, which will improve financial inclusion of the poor. To me, this is pro-poor because it will empower people and give them an identity vis-à-vis the government.
1|2|3|Next >
Read business stories in हिंदी | ગુજરાતી
Centre to consider Orissa plan to fight Naxals: Chidambaram
BS Reporters / Bhubaneswar/berhampur June 27, 2009, 1:02 IST
P ChidambaramThe Centre would consider the Orissa government’s plan to combat Naxalite problem in the state, said Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday.
.