Kejriwal questions CNG price hike, says auto fares may be reviewed

Updated on : 27-12-2013 12:17 PM

Chief Minister designate Arvind Kejriwal on Friday questioned the move by the Centre to hike CNG prices when a new government was to assume power in Delhi in two days’ time even as he suggested that autorickshaw fares in the national capital may be revised as a result of the steep increase.

He said he would examine the files and also ask the Centre about the reason for its haste in increasing the prices. “What was the need to increase CNG prices when a new government is to take over in Delhi.  It raises suspicions about their intention. I will look at the files once I take over tomorrow and see if the hike can be rolled back,” Kejriwal said. The compressed natural gas, or CNG, rate in the national capital was yesterday raised by a steep Rs 4.50 per kg in a second increase in rates in three months.  CNG will now cost Rs 50.10/kg in Delhi and Rs 56.70/kg in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad, Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL) has said. The hike came into effect from midnight last night. When told that autorickshaw drivers were unhappy with the hike and planning to go on a strike, Kejriwal said, “They have been associated with us for a long time… When I take charge tomorrow, I will hold consultations with them and try to find out a solution. If necessary, we cannot rule out the possibility of a hike in auto fares in Delhi.”  Meanwhile, commenting on a sting operation carried out by a news channel purportedly showing that files were being torn, the Aam Aadmi Party leader said it was the Chief Secretary’s responsibility to take care of files. “This also shows there is large scale corruption in these departments and officials who are seeking transfer are understood to have been involved in it,” he said.

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27122013

Khobragade accredited to the UN before arrest: India tells US

Updated on : 27-12-2013 08:48 AM

India has informed the US that Devyani Khobragade was accredited to the UN as a member of the country’s delegation to the General Assembly before her arrest in a visa fraud case.

“We have been advised by the Government of India that Dr Khobragade was notified to the United Nations as a member of India’s delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in September. We are currently looking into the matter,” State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf said on Friday.  The assertion by the Indian government that Khobragade was part of the Indian delegation to the UN beginning September, sources said would grant her full diplomatic immunity and thus any arrest would be considered a violation of the Vienna Convention.  With the latest revelation, it has emerged that Khobragade enjoyed full diplomatic immunity including from personal arrest and detention on December 12 when she was taken into custody by the US authorities in the visa fraud case.  39-year-old Khobragade, who was posted as Deputy Consul General in New York, was also accredited as an “Advisor to the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations” by the UN w.e.f. 26th August 2013 and her status as an Advisor was valid until December 31, 2013.  The accreditation was for the UN General Assembly 2013, sources said in New Delhi. Under the “Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations”, Article 4 Section 11A specifies “Immunities from personal arrest or detention and from the seizure of their personal baggage” of all representatives of members to the UN and further the Article specifies that the expression “Representative” shall be deemed to include all Delegates, Deputy Delegates, Advisors, Technical Experts and Secretaries of delegations.  “Her arrest, therefore, on December 12th 2013 was contrary to her status on that date,” sources said.  The 1999-batch IFS officer was arrested on December 12 on charges of making false declarations in a visa application for her maid Sangeeta Richard.  The diplomat was released on a USD 250,000 bond after being charged with visa fraud.  Subsequent revelations that she was strip searched and held with criminals triggered a row between the two sides with India downgrading privileges of certain category of US diplomats among other steps.

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27122013

India should cut debt in 5-6 years: Montek

Updated on : 26-12-2013 11:19 PM

India should reduce its debt within 5-6 years by putting fiscal policy on the right path, but “draconian changes” are not the answer, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said.

“In the next five or six years, the objective should be to bring the gross debt to GDP ratio down that means fiscal deficit also must go down,” he said, adding for this revenues must go up and there should be decrease in subsidies.  “Draconian changes are not at all the answer. A very large number of balls have to be balanced in an effort to put fiscal policy in right path”, he said, delivering the first Dr Raja J Chelliah lecture organised by Madras School of Economics and Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Chennai on Thursday.  Noting that a fiscal policy must be directed towards higher level of economic efficiency, he said: “Fiscal policy must be designed to promote growth. (It is) particularly important for a low income countries like us. In our case, trying to design fiscal policy, we need to look what is the implication of fiscal policy and the growth of an economy.”  Stating that fiscal policy was about making sure that different groups get a fare share of opportunities, he said: “India being a Federal structure, distribution is not just an individual’s context, but it is also a distribution of revenues between the Centre and States, States to lower level bodies and others”. One of the objectives of fiscal policy was to stabilise the economy on how to react to “shocks” (whenever a slowdown occurs) both external and internal, he said.  Later talking to reporters, Ahluwalia said inflation was a problem but added 2014 would be a better year.  “Inflation is a problem. We will see a softening of inflation. If you look at the data, it suggests that there will be softening of inflation. I cannot judge how quickly it will often, but it will soften,” he said.  On Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s charge that the Centre was not allocating more funds to Tamil Nadu, he said, “I would not comment on state issues. She has not written to me on this matter.” On the Goods and Services Tax, he said “Most of the parties, I think, are coming closer. So, obviously it requires a Constitutional amendment. It will require going to the next Government (for passage)”.  “I can assure you that if you are able to say that GST is now a reality, it will be the best signal globally that India is open for business and serious about it,” he said.

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27122013

Thai govt rejects delaying polls after fresh bout of violence

Updated on : 26-12-2013 09:02 PM

Thailand’s embattled government on Thursday rejected the Election Commission’s plea to postpone the February 2 snap polls after fresh street violence here left a policeman dead and nearly 100 others injured.

Police Sergeant Major Narong Pitisit, 45, died of injuries sustained in the clash with opposition protesters at the Thai-Japanese Stadium, where candidates were filing their nominations for the elections.  Medical officials said he was shot in the chest and suffered severe blood loss. Nearly 100 people, including policemen, were injured during clashes.  In a statement, the EC said its recommendation to delay the polls was due to the violence that started after police fired teargas and rubber bullets at stone-throwing mobs trying to enter the stadium. “A failure to handle the situation could possibly lead to more violence and if the election is held as scheduled that violence could escalate and result in chaos and casualties,” the statement said adding, “The EC has earlier signalled its concerns of more violence in the country.”  But, Premier Yingluck Shinawatra’s government rejected the EC’s call for delay in the polls.  “The Election Commission said holding elections will bring violence but the government believes delaying an election will cause more violence,” Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana said.  The opposition Democrat Party has already announced its plans to boycott the polls.  The protesters led by Democrat Party leader Suthep Thaugsuban want Yingluck to quit and have demanded the polls be delayed.  They want the government to stand down and be replaced by an un-elected “people’s council”.  The protesters have been demanding Yingluck’s resignation since mid-October.  The protests began after the government tried to introduce an amnesty bill that would have paved the way for the return of her brother, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra currently in self-exile in Dubai.  Yingluck called the snap election, scheduled for 2 February, after weeks of protests. The demonstrators dismissed the election, and the official opposition has refused to field candidates.  Protesters have further rejected another offer by Yingluck to form a national reform council intended to run alongside her government.  Yingluck’s Pheu Thai Party won the last election in 2011 and has a big majority in parliament.  However, protesters say her brother Thaksin, who was overthrown in a military coup in 2006, controls the government.

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27122013

Rahul Gandhi holds strategy session with top leaders, CMs

Updated on : 27-12-2013 11:33 AM

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Friday held a strategy session with top leaders and Chief Ministers of 12 Congress-ruled states to make the party fighting fit for the Lok Sabha polls.

The day-long exercise that commenced in the morning saw full attendance of Congress Chief Ministers along with senior leaders A K Antony, Sushilkumar Shinde, P Chidambaram, Ahmed Patel, Jairam Ramesh, Digvijay Singh, Janardan Dwivedi, Kapil Sibal and K B Thomas.  Having lost the polls in Delhi and Rajasthan, Congress is currently in power in 12 states— Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala and Meghalaya. With the election defeats rankling in memory, the party is keen to work out the strategy to retain the states where it is in power at present as there seems little possibility of it doing very well in the states already ruled by BJP as the Assembly elections showed.  While BJP bettered its performance in Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led Madhya Pradesh, it managed to retain Chhattisgarh despite Congress doing well in Bastar riding over a sympathy wave after the Maoist massacre of its leadership. The margin with which BJP wrested power from Congress in Rajasthan has also come a surprise for Congress. In Delhi while BJP managed to somewhat weather the AAP storm, Congress was virtually wiped out. So “home is where we gather grace” seems to be mantra of the meeting as the party is keen to retain Congress-ruled states.  The role of Chief Ministers like Virbhadra Singh in Himachal Pradesh and Bhupinder Singh Hooda in Haryana could be important as such. The meeting being held at 15, Rakabganj Road, also known as Congress War Room, to work out poll strategies will discuss the future course for the party in the wake of the passage of Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill. The issue of price rise and steps to arrest it will be taken up in detail at the conclave which will also discuss the food security issue. Party-ruled Haryana and Uttarakhand were among the first to launch the scheme, which UPA believes is a gamechanger for 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

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AAP 2% Swaraj – 98% Lootachar – LAME DUCK MINISTRY

27122013

 

AAP 2% Swaraj – 98% Lootachar – LAME DUCK MINISTRY
December26, 2013 (C)

Problems of India are 100 times more COMPLEX than perceived by Arvind
Kejriwal and he has No Solution for any – all in his Cabinet have Lame
Duck qualifications.

He may not have liked it BUT without whole hearted support of one of
other two National Parties no one in Government shall take Arvind
Kejriwal seriously.

Even for small things like Consumer Friendly Features in Electronic
Meters I had to write to PM scores of times, meet CERC members,
secretaries of power and EXPOSE CEOs of BRPL BYPL and NDPL before
power sector leaders for years.

AAP Lame Duck Ministers with no Experience and Qualifications are DEAD
Ducks before seasoned Civil Servants and notorious Contractors. They
have to write Cabinet Notes that put Prime Minister or CM of Delhi in
trouble. Even to order Investigations they have to issue Correct
Orders or Risk Criminal Cases.

The problems of India are not of Suraj or Corruption but LOOTACHAR all
kinds of thugs operate in Indian Economy – as per study of Late Joint
Director of CBI Shri BR Lall 50% of Indian Economy is BLACK economy.

Even if AAP implements all its promises of SURAJ, IT COULD AFFECT 2%
OF GDP of Delhi in savings to consumers. Calculations are simple –
Delhi consumes around 2000 crore units of electricity – even if AAP
reduces billed electricity to all consumers by Rs.1 or Rs.2 per unit
for domestic consumers – it shall be saving of just Rs.2000 crores,
Add Rs.1000 crores on account of free water supply in Delhi – This
shall be less than 1% of GDP of Delhi.

I don’t think with Lame Duck Ministry they shall be able to ACHIEVE
MUCH except making NOISES.

I shall Give APP Government 100 marks even if succeeds in lowering
Power Tariff by Rs.1 for all consumers and Rs.2 per unit for Domestic
Consumers 0-300 slab.
    
Gram Besam whole sale price is Rs.40 per kg but MRP of some brands
exceed Rs.100. Basmati Paddy price is between Rs.30-Rs.40 today and
Basmati should cost less than Rs.55 per kg for best quality – but
retail price for DUNAR and other brands exceed Rs.120 to Rs.160.

Prices of VEGETABLES triple within Delhi.

China sell Toilet Set – Commode, Seat and Cistern for $26 – around
Rs.1600 that retails for Rs.5,000 to Rs.10,000 for same quality.

We have to pay separately for all Electronics – Computers, Mobiles,
IPADS, DTH, Broad Band, Internet etc more than 10 devises per
household – my brother in USA pay $19 for Fast Wire Connect and
connect over 10 devices within few hundred meters.

Food ordered from restaurants cost over Rs.100 per person per meal – a
Dosa for example which should cost not more than Rs.20 is priced Rs.85
and with tips cost almost Rs.100.

Ghee which retailed for Rs.260 per liter some months ago now cost
Rs.360 to Rs.390 per liter today.

In the MCX list posted earlier Soybean Oil Cakes and Soybean Oil Seeds
are priced same Rs.36 per kg and in this Soybean Oil shouldn’t cost
more than Rs.40 per kg – but Wholesale price is Rs.70 to Rs.80 per Kg
or Liter and retail price in 1 liter pouches is Rs.90 to Rs.120 per
liter.

Reebok shoe manufacturer in NOIDA was paid Rs.400 that retailed for
Rs.1000 to Rs.2500 in India and much more in foreign countries.

WALMART and other Mega Marts ensures Unbranded Goods of Best Quality
are retailed for a fraction of branded goods as an option to 80%
people who either can’t afford or don’t prefer brands.

But politically AAP is opposed to this. Up to 25% Savings to Consumers
are possible in Delhi with the introduction of WALMART like Mega
Stores.

There are hundreds of things which I have not covered here.

Wishing Him All The Best – I Shall Mail 2-3 Petitions or Messages
Every Day as usual and he shall –

-  Over Few Hundred Pending Petitions in CM Office for CM Arvind
Kejriwal to take necessary action.

Ravinder Singh*
Inventor & Consultant
Ph:  9650421857
Progressindia008@yahoo.com
*Ravinder Singh is a WIPO awarded inventor specializing in Power,
Transportation, Water, Energy Saving, Agriculture, Manufacturing,
Technologies and Projects.

ANNEXURE
INTRODUCTION OF AAP MINISTERS

Arvind Kejriwal
Education: B.Tech, Indian Institute of Technology
Age: 45Years Gender: Male
Occupation: Dependent on financial support from family and friends.
Assets: One plot in his own name in Indirapuram and 1 Lac in his bank
account. One flat in Gurgaon in his wife’s name and 1 lac deposit.

Arvind Kejriwal was an Income Tax Commissioner before he left his job
and started working as a full time activist fighting against
corruption. He was one of the most prominent figures who pushed for
the Right-To-Information to be passed as a law. He also worked a lot
in raising the mass awareness about RTI. Arvind along with Sri Anna
Hazare ignited the biggest fight against corruption at a level which
was never seen in last 4 decades. On innumerous occasions he has
busted and unfolded many of the scams involving leading businessmen,
bureaucrats, and politicians of India. He also sat for a 15 days fast
to raise voice against sufferings caused to comman men by unjustified
and irrational high charges for water-electricity.

Manish Sisodia
Address: Pandav Nagar, Delhi-92
Education: Diploma in Journalism
Age: 41Years Gender: Male Occupation: Social work, Writing

Mr. Manish Sisodia is a well known name in the Janlokpal movement. A
journalist by profession Mr. Sisodia has worked in Zee news and All
India Radio for a long time. Later he became very active in the
struggle to pass the RTI act and played a key role in laying the
foundation of the Jan Lokpal movement. He also sat on a fast for 10
days in demand for forming a SIT to probe the misapproprities of
corrupt ministers. He was also sent to jail with Anna hazare in the
struggle against corruption.

Somnath Bharti
Education: MSc, LLB
Age: 39Years Gender: Male Occupation: Lawyer Assets: One house in name of wife

After doing MSc from Indian Institute of Technology, Somnath Bharti
pursued a degree in Law and started his career as a lawyer. He fights
for social causes through his profession as a lawyer and drags issues
dealing with society to the court to bring them to justice. After the
Delhi gang rape case, Delhi Police tried to falsely convict around 8
innocent young boys, Somnath Bharti fought for those young boys and
helped them get justice. He was an active member during Janlokpal
movement and has also been president of IIT-Alumni association.

Rakhi Birla
Education: MA in Mass Communication Age: 26Years
Gender: Female Occupation: Journalist Assets: One family owned house.
Rakhi is a journalist with a private news channel. Apart from that she
works in collaboration with few social institutes and works for the
causes of Valmiki community. She hails from Valmiki community and her
father was associated with Congress for a long time but quit it in
2011 during Janlokpal movement.

Saurabh Bhardwaj
Education: B.Tech, LLB
Age: 34Years Gender: Male Occupation: An engineer in a Private firm
Assets: One ancestral house Criminal Record: None

Saurabh Bharadwaj is an engineer by profession. He was working in a
private firm when in 2005 a horrendous incidence of rape happened with
a poor girl. This incident shook him so much that he started to fight
to get her. During this period he figured that to provide justice in
these matters it is imperative that one should have legal knowledge.
He studied law and regularly helps the poor in giving them all legal
help possible. He constantly raises his voice for the blind, poor
students, flood affected and old.

Satyendra Kumar Jain
Education: Bachelor of Architecture Age: 49Years Gender: Male
Occupation: Architecture Consultancy

An architect by profession, Satyendra used to work at CPWD but fed up
with the level of corruption in the department he quite his job and
started providing architecture consultancy. He actively joined during
the Janlokpal movement and is often seen fighting for social causes.
He helped in getting the building constructed for an organization that
works for blind girls in Chitrakoot. He is also associated with with
an organization named Sparsh, that works for the welfare of mentally
challenged children. Satyendra also helps and aids for the marriages
of girls from poor families in his area.

Girish Soni
शिक्षाः 12वीं पास एवं ITI आजीविकाः व्यवसाय

परिचयः 1980से ‘भारत की जनवादी नौजवान सभा’ के साथ काम किया और मादीपुर
के महासचिव के पद पर रहते हुए शिक्षा एवं रोजगार के लिए संघर्षरत आम आदमी
की आवाज बने. गिरीश सोनी की समाज में साफ़ छवि है एवं इलाके की समस्याओं
के लिए लोगों के साथ मिलकर लड़ते रहे हैं. बिजली-पानी आन्दोलन के दौरान
गिरीश सोनी ने घर-घर जाकर लोगों को आन्दोलन से जुड़ने के लिए प्रेरित
किया.

List of APP Cabinet

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party has finalised its Cabinet for Delhi with
Arvind Kejriwal as the Chief Minister. The Cabinet will include former
journalist Manish Sisodia representing Patparganj, Malviya Nagar MLA
Somnath Bharti, former journalist Rakhi Birla who is an MLA from
Mangolpuri, Saurabh Bhardwaj from Greater Kailash, Satyendra Jain from
Shakur Basti and Girish Soni from Madipur.

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4th National Painting Competition on Water Conservation to be Held Tomorrow

27122013

Central Ground Water Board, Ministry of Water Resources is organizing 4th National Painting Competition on Water Conservation among the students of classes VI, VII & VIII. The National level Paining Competition will be held tomorrow at NASC Complex, PUSA, New Delhi. The objective of this painting competition is to create awareness among the growing children about conservation of water.

This National Painting Competition is held in 3 stages i.e. School, State & National level.

This year, School level Painting competition was held throughout the country on the theme “Save Water Secure the Future. In all more than 26000 schools and more than 19 lakh students in all the States and Union Territories have participated at School Level. Out of these, 50 students selected by the Jury in each State, were invited to participate in the State Level Painting Competition which was organized on third week of November, 2013 on the theme “Care for Water before it becomes rare”. In the State Level Painting Competition First prize of Rs. 10,000/-, Second prize of Rs. 8,000/-, Third prize of Rs 5,000/- and ten Consolation prizes of Rs. 1000/- each are being given.

In the National level Painting Competition, 90 students who won 1st, 2nd & 3rd prize in the State Level Painting Competition will participate. First prize of Rs. One lakh, Four Second prizes of Rs. 50,000/- each, Eight Third prizes of Rs 25,000/- each and Consolation prizes of Rs. 5000/- each are being given to the remaining participants.

Union Minister of Water Resources, Shri Harish Rawat will be the chief guest on the occasion and distribute the prizes to the winning students. The function will be attended by parents of the students and senior officers of Ministry of Water Resources, other Central Government departments and distinguished guests.

This painting competition on water conservation leads to innovative ideas for depicting the water stressed situation and solution for water conservation. It is well known that children are good motivators and if they follow good practices and others in society will follow them. Through this painting competition, Ministry of Water Resources is making an effort to create wealth of motivators to educate the society on water conservation at large.

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School Students from Assam, Tripura & Mizoram Call on Union Home Secretary

27122013

A group of 20 students accompanied by three teachers from the remote part of Assam, Tripura & Mizoram called on Union Home Secretary Shri Anil Goswami here today. Welcoming the students Shri Goswami expressed the hope that this visit will go a long way in helping them understand this vast country.  The students are on a National Integration tour being conducted by Assam Rifles to promote harmony and awareness. The tour is aimed at integrating the youth with the nation and promoting concept of unity in diversity.  Assam Rifles conducts National Integration Tours to showcase the richness and varied culture of India to students haling from far flung areas of North East.  It gives them a window of opportunity to widen their horizons and give wings to their imagination. Apart from visiting places of historical and educational importance they have time for recreation and enjoyment also. The tour also provides them an opportunity to meet important national personalities.