Telangana nod: Bandh hits normal life in Seemandhra

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Updated on : 04-10-2013 12:32 PM

Normal life was paralysed in Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh as the 48-hour bandh in protest against the Union Cabinet’s decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh began on Friday morning.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has convened an emergency meeting on Friday afternoon with ministers, MPs, MLCs and MLAs from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema to discuss the developments following the Cabinet’s decision.  The united-Andhra supporters blocked highways and enforced closure of shops and other commercial establishments and educational institutions in the two regions.  The protesters organised rallies and sit-ins at important junctions at several towns.  The pro-united Andhra employees of Andhra Pradesh government, including the staff of state-run Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC), have already been on strike since mid-August.  Sporadic incidents of public and private property, including offices of ruling Congress, being attacked also came in from districts like Srikakulam, Kadapa and Chittoor.  The 48-hour shut down was called by the Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers (APNGOs) and other united-Andhra supporters.  YSR Congress called for a 72-hour bandh separately. A clash took place in Anantapur district between the workers of TDP and YSR Congress in the town.  TDP MLA Paritala Sunita alleged that YSRCP activists tried to stop them during a protest and also threw stones. Union HRD Minister M M Pallam Raju and filmstar-turned- politician and Tourism Minister Chiranjeevi have offered to quit protesting the Cabinet decision last night. Media reports said some Congress MPs and other senior leader are contemplating quitting the Congress in protest against the move to divide Andhra Pradesh.

Protests in Seemandhra region natural

Updated on : 04-10-2013 02:28 PM

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Friday described the protests in Seemandhra region against bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh as quite natural, saying wherever a new state is carved out, such feelings are bound to come.

Shinde also ruled out the possibility of creating any more states in the country.  “We will take them into confidence. We will try our level best. After all, wherever there is bifurcation of any state, such feelings are there. It is natural. No one can avoid these. But we have to console them. We will try to console them,” he told reporters here.  He was commenting on the protests in Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh and the 48-hour bandh called after the Union Cabinet’s decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.  The united-Andhra supporters blocked highways and enforced closure of shops and other commercial establishments and educational institutions in the two regions. Asked about the demands for separate states in other parts of the country, the Home Minister said the central government has no plans to do anything on such demands.  “Now we have considered Telangana. Nothing more than that,” he said.  The Home Minister dismissed the suggestion that the Naxal problem may increase in the new state Telangana once it comes into existence.  “The Naxal problem is there. But Andhra Pradesh is one state where we have done excellent work in curbing Naxalism. I am quite confident that even after formation of Telangana, they will completely cut down the activities of Naxalites,” he said.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has called for an emergency meeting at on Friday with ministers, MPs, MLCs and MLAs from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema to discuss the developments following the Union Cabinet’s approval of bifurcation of the state.

A decision on en masse resignation by ministers and legislators is expected to be taken at the meeting. At least five ministers and some legislators met at the Chief Ministers’ Residential Complex here late tonight and strongly condemned the Union Cabinet’s decision. Andhra Pradesh ministers and legislators from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema said the Union Cabinet’s decision to divide the state was “against the spirit of the Constitution”. “It’s a black day in democracy,” they said. Some ministers also met the Chief Minister at his camp office. Though the ministers and several legislators expressed willingness to quit their posts and also from Congress, the Chief Minister reportedly prevailed on them not to take such a step. “We have to defeat the resolution (on the state bifurcation) when it comes to the assembly,” Kiran reportedly told them.

After Tourism Minister Chiranjeevi, Union HRD Minister Pallam Raju resigned from his post on Friday morning after the Centre cleared the creation of a separate Telangana state from out of Andhra Pradesh. Bandh and protests continue in the Seemandhra region.

Over two months after the Congress Working Committee put its seal of approval, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal of the Home Ministry for creation of the 29th state and decided to set up a Group of Ministers (GoM) to work out modalities.  “The Cabinet has given its approval for the creation of a new state of Telangana,” Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told reporters after the meeting that lasted more than two hours.  He said it was decided that Hyderabad will be the common capital of the two bifucated states for 10 years.  After the creation of the new state, the security and guarantees including fundamental rights of the people of coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana will be ensured, he said.  The Cabinet approved a GoM that will go into the issue of a special financial disbursement that may be required from the central government for the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh, for building its capital and to cater to special needs of the backward regions.  The new state will have a geographical area of 10 of the 23 districts of undivided Andhra Pradesh.  The decision brings to fruition the announcement made by the then Home Minister P Chidambaram on 9th December 2009 for creation of Telangana.

Jagan for indefinite fast against Telangana from tomorrow

Updated on : 04-10-2013 12:46 PM

YSR Congress Party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy called for an indefinite fast from Saturday in protest against the Union Cabinet’s approval for creation of Telangana as the 29th state.

Holding the ruling Congress and main opposition TDP responsible for the decision, he demanded that all Lok Sabha members from Seemandhra regions quit, so that the process of division could be halted. He took exception to Centre’s decision to go ahead with the division without taking on board the resolution of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. He recalled that Assembly resolutions were passed when the states of Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand were formed. Future course of action by YSRCP would be decided soon, he said.

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Gujarat Economy STAGNANT, Corruption in MNREGA, JNNURM – CAG 

Gujarat Economy STAGNANT, Corruption in MNREGA, JNNURM – CAG
October04, 2013

Stagnant no growth in Income Tax Collection this year – 23% below
estimates point to WORST economic situation in India.

First Gujarat Industry is STAGNANT since 2009-10 and Last Drought Year
Was Severe and Heavy Floods & Rains had affected crops in Gujarat.

CAG slammed Gujarat for not implementing Child Care Programs against
75 thousand Angawadi workers 50 were engaged.

Gold and Diamond traders Fabricating Bills to get higher Bank Credits
in Gujarat.

There is Corruption in implementation of MNREGA and JNNURM programs.

In last story Banaskantha Dairy is giving just Rs.30 for full cream
milk against Rs.35 and also giving less share of profits at 6% against
13% by other established dairies.

Ravinder Singh
Progressindia008@yahoo.com

State’s I-T collection falls short of target
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad: Half yearly (H1) figures for income tax (I-T) collection
indicate that a recession is creeping into Gujarat’s economy. The
target the IT department set for financial year 2013-14 is Rs 31,880
crore against which realization in the first six months is only Rs
12,091 crore.

    The I-T department had realized collections of Rs 11,200 crore in
the first six months of the Financial Year 2012-13. Though the
collection has slightly gone up this year, the IT department has
fallen much short of the targeted 23% growth.

    S K Ray, chief commissioner of Income Tax, Ahmedabad says, “Though
collection of income tax is 8% higher than the previous year, as of
now we are far behind our targeted growth. The festive season is one
of the chief reasons behind the slowdown in collection, especially in
Gujarat, we are hoping collections pick up after Diwali.”

    The main reason for the slowdown seems to be the liquidity crunch
in the market. Vijay Shah, a real estate developer and chairman of
Urban and Infrastructure Committee of Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and
Industry believes,

“Instances like the NSEL crisis have hindered the flow of money into
all industries. The projects are thus delayed for six months or a
year. This will definitely bring tax collection down but in the long
run it is going to take a positive shape.”

CAG slap follows Rajan rebuke
Modi Government Slammed For Bungling Women, Child Welfare Schemes
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Gandhinagar: The country’s apex auditing agency, the Comptroller &
Auditor General of India, has slammed the Gujarat government in its
latest report on social indicators, with censure that recalls the
criticism of Gujarat by Raghuram Rajan. CAG notes that every third
child in Gujarat is reported underweight; a report by a panel led by
Rajan — now the RBI governor — had placed Gujarat in the category of
“less developed” states in a new development index.

    CAG has pointed out that basic amenities were unavailable in some
instances that involved Anganwadi Centers. It has also criticized the
poor implementation in Gujarat of an initiative of the Centre — the
Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) — that seeks to promote
holistic development in kids, expectant and lactating mothers, and
adolescent girls.

    “Against the requirement of 75,480 AWCs, 52,137 (69%) AWCs were
sanctioned and 50,225 AWCs were in operation,” CAG observes. “Thereby,
a population of 1.87 crore was deprived of the benefits of ICDS.
Though GOI directed the state in November 2008 to submit proposal for
additional projects based on revised population criteria, no proposal
was forwarded by the state.’’ In 123 projects in 8 districts, basic
amenities (building, safe drinking water, and toilets) were not
available in 9% to 40% of AWCs, CAG says. ‘Irregularities in MNREGA
implementation too’

Gandhinagar: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has brought
out several irregularities in the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) in the state. It has
revealed deficiencies in planning and implementation of the act. The
CAG has found that the utilization of funds was not optimal and there
were deficiencies in financial management like incorrect financial
reporting, unspent balances lying, booking of advance payment as final
expenditure, among other things. There were also discrepancies in
registration of households and issues of job cards. Several instances
of suspected payments and ghosts workers were also noticed. Vigilance,
monitoring and evaluation mechanisms were found to be ineffective. TNN

CAG also notes that every third child in Gujarat is underweight

‘State failed to carry out urban development reforms’
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Gandhinagar:The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has
slammed Gujarat government for failing to carry out stipulated urban
development reforms.

    In its latest report on local bodies in the state, CAG has said,
“The performance audit on implementation of Jawaharlal Nehru National
Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) revealed that the stipulated urban
reforms had not been implemented fully in the state.”

    It pointed out that implementation of JNNURM was deficient in
planning and the detailed project reports were prepared without
addressing all issues. It has highlighted irregularities worth around
Rs 132 crore in JNNURM works in the state. “Instance of award of work
to second lowest agencies after post-tender negotiations, injudicious
rejections of tenders, cost overruns and loss of central assistance
were noticed. In some cases, works were not taken up due to failure of
urban local bodies to arrange land and provide alternate or transit
accommodation for slum dwellers. Projects already under execution were
included in the Mission — against scheme guidelines. Monitoring
mechanism was also not effective,” the report says.

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Lalu Prasad gets five years in jail, Mishra four

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RJD leader Lalu Prasad was on Thursday sentenced to five years imprisonment in a 17-year-old fodder scam case by a special CBI court after he was convicted on corruption and other charges four days back.

The sentencing by special CBI judge Pravas Kumar Singh disqualifies Prasad from Parliament and renders him ineligible for contesting elections for 11 years. 65-year-old Prasad and other convicts are currently lodged in the Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi. The former Bihar Chief Minister, who was convicted on September 30 dealing a body blow to RJD ahead of next Lok Sabha polls, was also fined Rs 25 lakhs. Another former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra was sentenced to four years imprisonment in the case. Six other politicians and four IAS officers, among the convicted, were also sentenced to prison terms for fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore from Chaibasa treasury when Prasad was heading the RJD government in the early 1990s. Of the 45 convicts, the judge had delivered the sentence against eight of them on September 30 itself. Earlier on Thursday, arguments on the quantum of sentence Prasad and 36 other convicts were completed in the special court here with CBI seeking maximum prison term of up to seven years for them. The counsel of Yadav, Mishra, sitting JD(U) MP Jagdish Sharma, former legislator R K Rana and others had pleaded for lesser sentence. Former Development Commissioner Phoolchand Singh, former Science and Technology Secretary Mahesh Prasad, former AHD Secretary Beck Juleus, former Income Tax Commissioner Adhip Chandra Choudhary, former Class I officers Gouri Shankar Prasad, Brajnandan Sharma, K M Prasad (all three were with the Animal Husbandry Department) and other officials, suppliers were among those found guilty. A sitting from Jahanabad, Sharma also faces disqualification in the wake of a Supreme Court judgement that an MP or MLA would stand disqualified immediately if convicted by a court for crimes with punishment of two years or more and under some other laws even without jail sentence. RJD spokesperson Manoj Jha has said that the verdict would be challenged in a higher court. None of the convicts was present in the court and the sentencing was done through video conferencing. The special court had earlier granted bail to eight of the convicts as they had been sentenced to three years imprisonment, a prison term that allows them to move for bail in the same court. The convicts were sentenced under IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of a valuable security/will or authority to make or transfer any valuable security/receive any money), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 477A (fraudulently destroying or defacing, or attempting to destroy or deface, or secreting a will). They were also found guilty under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Prasad had begun arguments on September 9 and had closed them on September 17 after the Supreme Court turned down his request to transfer the case to another court alleging political conspiracy. Following the fodder scam, Prasad had to resign as the Chief Minister of Bihar. After installing his wife Rabri Devi as the Chief Minister, Yadav had surrendered before a court in Patna on July 31, 1997. Later, he came to Ranchi following a court order that Ranchi had jurisdiction in the case. The Becon Guest House was converted to a camp jail in Ranchi before he was shifted to the old Birsa Munda Jail at Circular Road. After Jharkhand’s bifurcation on November 15, 2000, litigations were brought before the Supreme Court whether the Patna High Court had the jurisdiction on the cases in this part of the undivided Bihar and trial was stayed for a year till December 2001. The apex court had said in November, 2001 that trial would be conducted by special courts in Ranchi. Trial in Ranchi began in March, 2002 by seven special courts. Prasad’s counsel had examined 29 witnesses in his defence. But when the defence continued to skip dates, the court fixed July 15 for delivering the verdict and asked the accused to complete arguments by July 1. Subsequently, Prasad moved the Supreme Court pleading shifting of his case from the court of Pravas Kumar Singh on the ground of political conspiracy, which the apex court struck down, paving the way for the first judgement against Prasad.