 |
Wednesday,
November 21, 2001,
Chandigarh, India  
|
Global talks on development must: PM Panel’s nod to amend
Civil Procedure Code
Cong may back President’s rule in
Manipur |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
NORTH INDIA IN PARLIAMENT Centre to keep eye on pvt aviation
firms Discuss farmers’ plight, says
Mulayam Work in telegraph
office paralysed RS adjourned before
time Oppn in RS discusses
strategy Sonia hand denied
in Maneka shuffle
|
|
Global talks on development must: PM New Delhi, November 20 In a suo motu statement to both Houses of Parliament on his recent 10-day visit to Russia, the USA and the United Kingdom and his address to the 56th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Prime Minister said developing countries had recently faced some hard realities of the impact of globalisation on domestic poverty levels and income gaps. The results of Doha underlined the urgent need for a global dialouge on development, Mr Vajpayee said, adding that resource generation for poverty alleviation had to occupy a pride of place in this dialouge. Briefing about his visits and meetings with Presidents of Argentina, Cyprus and Iran and the Prime Minister of Mauritius on the margins of the General Assembly, Mr Vajpayee said interactions focussed on the broader, long-term agenda of our bilateral relationships with these countries. They also provided the opportunity for consultations on important international issues, including the campaign against terrorism and post-conflict challenges in Afghanistan, he said. Speaking on bilateral economic cooperation, including the diversification of our trade basket, Mr Vajpayee said that to compensate for the anticipated reduction of Indian exports financed by rupee debt repayment, promising new areas of trade in information technology, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals and diamonds need to be energetically explored. Simultaneously, Russian imports of traditional commodities like tea and tobacco should be sustained. We also discussed the release of rupee payment funds for Russian investment in Indian enterprises, he said. Four Chairs of Indian studies have been established in academic institutions in different cities of Russia. Partnership agreements have been concluded between Gujarat and the Astrakhan region and between Hyderabad and Kazan city. These arrangements will strengthen people-to-people, educational and cultural cooperation. “The Indo-US Defence Policy Group has been reactivated and will meet in December. We agreed to discuss ways to stimulate bilateral high technology commerce and to streamline procedures for transfers of dual use and military items. The lifting of economic and technology restrictions should help this process.” “I had extensive interactions with a wide cross-section of members of the US Congress. I met the leaders of both parties in the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as members of the House International Relations Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The bipartisan nature of support in USA for strong bilateral relations with India was yet again emphasised.” |
|
Panel’s nod to amend
Civil Procedure Code New Delhi, November 20 The committee, in its 80th report tabled in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, agreed with the proposal that reserved judgements should be pronounced within 30 days from the date on which the hearing is concluded, which should not ordinarily exceed 60 days on the grounds of exceptional and extraordinary circumstances of the case. The committee, also approved another amendment allowing a defendant to file written statement within 30 days from the date of service of summons which could be extended to 90 days. It, however, did not favour a clause seeking appointment of commissioner for recording evidence and instead, recommended that cross examination and re-examination of witnesses may be done in the presence of a judge, who can observe the demeanour of the witnesses. The committee was of the view that the system of sending summons through process server in lower courts particularly munsiff Court had been unsatisfactory and said there was need for introduction of modern means of transmission. |
|
Cong may back President’s rule in
Manipur New Delhi, November 20 “We will provide conditional support. The government should assure us that elections in Manipur will be held along with that of the three other states,” senior party MP Mani Shankar Aiyar said while initiating a discussion in the Lok Sabha on a statutory resolution seeking to extend Central rule for a further period of six months from December 2. Stating that the Central rule had not led to any development activity in the state, he squarely blamed Samata Party leader George Fernandes’ “machinations’’ for the political crisis in Manipur. Moving the resolution, Home Minister L.K. Advani said the state Governor, in his report, had spoken of the need for early elections. At the same time, he had noted that situation was not fully normal in the state. |
|
|
NORTH INDIA IN PARLIAMENT New Delhi, November 20 In relation to areas merged in Himachal Pradesh on account of the reorganisation of Punjab in 1966, these communities are treated as Other Backward Classes (OBC). He said that the Himachal Pradesh government has recommended the declaration of the aforesaid communities as Scheduled Tribe throughout the
state. He said that the state government’s proposal has been processed in accordance with modalities approved for deciding such claims.
Canal construction Minister of State for Water Resources Bijoya Chakravarty informed the Lok Sabha today that construction in the proposed canals in Haryana and Rajasthan can be taken up only after the relevant detailed project reports have been prepared by the Haryana and Rajasthan governments by including the quantum of water to be conveyed from Haryana to Rajasthan through the conveyance system of Haryana. The report would then be submitted to the Central Water Commission for techno-economic appraisal. Once the techno-economic viability of the project is established, it will be considered by the Advisory Committee on Irrigation, Flood Control and Multipurpose Projects. It will then be recommended to the Planning Commission for investment clearance.
Aid to terrorists Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Vidyasagar Rao said that subversive and terrorist organisations operating in Jammu and Kashmir and the north-eastern states are being provided financial assistance by Pakistan and other sympathetic groups abroad. Mr Rao said that the enforcement and security agencies are constantly making efforts to contain such clandestine activities operations against various secesssionist and militant organisations in different parts of the country.
Pak shelling in J&K Replying to another question in the Lok Sabha, Mr Vidyasagar Rao said that till November 15 this year, 4492 incidents of shelling/firing were reported from the Line of Control and along the international border. He said that eight civilians were killed and 57 injured in these incidents. Mr Rao said that biannual and frequent flag meetings at the level of local commanders are held regularly with Pakistan Rangers in an attempt to bring down incidents of unprovoked firing at the border. Delhi Fire Service Minister of State for Home Affairs Vidyasagar Rao told the Lok Sabha today that response time of the Delhi Fire Service(DFS) ranges from three to five minutes in urban areas and eight to 10 minutes in rural areas. Replying to a question whether DFS has the infrastructure to handle a New York-like disaster, the minister said that DFS is well equipped to deal with normal emergency situations. He said that Delhi has 36 fire stations and a fire station scheduled to become functional in the current year. |
|
Centre to keep eye on pvt aviation
firms New Delhi, November 20 The move comes as part of the stepped up security measures that are being adopted in the wake of September 11 attacks in the USA. The Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Shahnawaz Hussain, today told the Rajya Sabha that a high-powered committee, which had been constituted by the government to undertake a comprehensive review of the systems, procedures for acquisition, maintenance and operation of small aircraft, had submitted its report. To a spate of questions on aviation security, Mr Hussain, in a written reply said as part of stepped up airport security quick reaction teams were being deployed, security of all airports was being gradually taken over by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and sky marshals deployed on all domestic flights on random basis. He said other measures included giving strict access to airport controls and making ladder-point security checks at all airports mandatory. Upgraded technology was being inducted for perimetre security and baggage checks and airport security staff were being given special training. On the probe being conducted into the air crash which killed former Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia and four others, the minister said the high-powered committee going into the accident was yet to submit its final report. |
|
Discuss farmers’ plight, says
Mulayam New Delhi, November 20 He told the House during zero hour that the woes of farmers were compounded by the government agencies’ refusal to pick up foodgrain. He said during the past one year farmers in UP alone had suffered losses of Rs 15,000 crore. He said farmers in his state were forced to sell paddy at Rs 350 a quintal, losing Rs 150-180 a quintal. The same was the case with maize and sugar cane. Mr Yadav said “People are on the verge of suicide. There is no water, electricity or pesticide. Farmers are being forced to pay back loans when they have no money.” He charged the Uttar Pradesh Government with being interested in creating riots and causing turmoil the elections in the state. Mr Yadav said even countries such as Iran and South Africa had refused to buy foodgrain from India because the quality was poor. Mr Shivraj Patil (Cong) and Mr Somnath Chatterjee (CPI) urged that a discussion on the farmers’ issue be held in the House given the seriousness of the situation. |
|
|
Work in telegraph
office paralysed Hanumangarh, November 20 Besides, rural stations such as Goluwala, Tibbi and Talwara are not connected with the EKB line necessitating use of the telephone. The CTO also sells forms for new telephone connections, shifting of telephones, CCI and Internet connections, but only four persons are at present working at the office against 10 sanctioned posts. There is only one telegram messenger. When he goes on leave, the delivery of telegrams is affected. The pay phone installed at the office is out of order for the past several months and one has to go to a PCO outside the office. A telegram carrying the PMT result of a boy was delayed and he was not able to get admission to the course. Many telecom officials sit in the same building in which the CTO is located but nothing is being done to improve the situation. |
|
|
RS adjourned before
time New Delhi, November 20 The Upper House was left without any listed legislative business one hour after the post-lunch session as the Explosive Substances (Amendment) Bill, 1999, seeking amendments in the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, was passed after a brief discussion. Realising the situation, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs O. Rajagopal said the government was interested in discussing another Bill, but it could not be taken up because the Opposition had objected to it. This was strongly objected to by Opposition members with Mr Suresh Pachauri (Cong) and Mr Dipankar Mukherjee (CPM) saying that they were prepared to discuss the Bill, but the government had not listed it in today’s agenda. |
|
Oppn in RS discusses
strategy New Delhi, November 20 At a meeting today of the leaders of Opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha in the chamber of Dr Manmohan Singh, Leader of Opposition, the parties decided on a joint strategy in the House. Apart from the leaders of the Congress, the meeting was attended by representatives of the CPM, SP, JD, CPI, RJD, TMC and RSP. The parties also discussed the Prime Minister’s statement given in the Rajya Sabha today. |
|
Sonia hand denied
in Maneka shuffle New Delhi, November 20 “We have a Prime Minister who can take back so many tainted ministers. He can also reshuffle the ministers in an equally whimsical manner,” party spokesman S. Jaipal Reddy said. Asserting that the Congress was “absolutely ignorant” about the change effected by Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, he said Ms Sonia Gandhi did not discuss any issue other than POTO during a meeting with the Prime Minister last week. He brushed aside Ms Maneka’s Gandhi’s charge that she was removed from the ministry as she had ordered investigations into certain cultural organisations with which Ms Sonia Gandhi was associated.
PTI |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 121 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
(
