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Wednesday,
June 26, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Norms for
giving drinking water to villages relaxed BJP turns
to Hindutva in UP
NBA to
launch satyagraha |
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Tehelka
panel rejects Jaitley’s plea Labour
panel report likely by month-end Monsoon
session from July 15 4
farmers commit suicide in Bihar Workshop
on space technology held DGP
directive on road safety
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Norms for giving drinking
water to villages relaxed New Delhi, June 25 The new norms approved today by the Union Cabinet envisages the provision of 55 litres per capita per day towards drinking water for rural habitations as against the 40 litres per capita per day at present. Announcing the decision, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan told reporters “the norms for the distance of source have also been relaxed to within 0.5 km in the plains and 50 metre elevation in the hills. The present norms provides a source within 1.6 km in plains and 100 metre elevation in the hills.” He said the allocation criteria for funds to the states for carrying out the accelerated rural water supply programme (ARWSP) would now be given 15 per cent weightage instead of the present 10 per cent for not covered or partially covered areas. Similarly, weightage of 10 per cent will be given to water quality affected habitations instead of the present 5 per cent. The relaxed norms would be subject to the condition that beneficiaries of the relaxed norms would share a part of the capital cost (not less than 10 per cent). The beneficiaries would also have to shoulder full responsibilities for subsequent operation and maintenance, he said adding that in case of schemes in quality affected villages or in multi-village schemes where the capital cost was very high, the schemes would be executed and implemented by the government departments. However, for distribution of drinking water within the village, the beneficiaries would have to share a part of the capital cost which should not be less than 10 per cent. Over 14,6674 habitations are partially covered and 17,710 habitations are not covered under the accelerated rural water supply programme. The Cabinet also approved India’s accession to the International Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims, 1976, apart from approving the introduction of the Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill 2002. The minister said this would benefit the shipping industry by limiting the maritime claims as had been defined in the 1976 convention. In another decision the Cabinet approved the introduction of the Merchant Shipping Amendment Bill, 2002, which seeks to amend the Merchant Shipping Act 1,958 and also the Major Port Trusts Act 1963. |
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BJP turns to Hindutva in UP Lucknow, June 25 Mr Katiyar was already a state general secretary. Known for his penchant for talking about Hindutava in the light of Ram Mandir, this MP from Faizabad has his hands full when he takes charge tomorrow. He has not only to keep a distance from the hawks present in saffron brigade, but also has to stop infighting in the state unit of the party. “It is a challenge for me. I know I am being identified as a man who only talks about Ram Mandir. But this impression is not true,” he told The Tribune from Delhi. The move to elevate Mr Katiyar to this coveted post was a well thought out strategy. After the party got drubbing in the recently held Assembly elections, it was clear that the party would have to redefine its strategy, which includes shedding its all-upper caste bias and secondly, to go back to the Hindutava fold if it wants to survive in this cow belt. All higher caste bias in the party was evident from the fact that the state party President, Chief Minister, vice-presidents, two of the three general secretaries were from the upper caste. The party got flaks not only for neglecting backward classes but also ignoring Hindutava agenda. A senior party leader told The Tribune today that post-election analysis was that the party lost only because it had thrown the Hindutava agenda in the lumber room. Mr Katiyar, a backward by caste, was considered to be the panacea to cure the BJP ill and considered to be the only face who could now salvage the reputation of the party. Despite his elevation he did not mince words in saying what was wrong in talking about Ram temple. “In fact, a temple exists at that place. Only thing is that it has to be given grandeur,” said the newly nominated state president. “But this time my priority would be different. I will have to ensure that the ongoing alliance between the BJP and the BSP should continue and complete five years, he said, and added, “This does not mean that Ram Mandir issue would be on the back burner”. He, however, refused to react to VHP leaders recent decision not to abide by court order in case of Ram Mandir. “We will decide about it later”, he said. |
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NBA to launch satyagraha Bhopal, June 25 Talking to a group of journalists here this afternoon, NBA leader Medha Patkar observed that these villages had escaped only because there had been scanty rains in the region for the past three years. If there were normal rains this season, the two villages would submerge — and also the inhabitants as they had refused to leave the villages until the governments took steps to rehabilitate them as per the norms prescribed in the Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal
(NWDT) Award and later endorsed by the Supreme Court. In its October 18, 2000, order, the Supreme Court had permitted further construction of the dam from 88 metres to 90 metres with the condition that the rehabilitation of the affected families at 90 metres would have to be ensured before the construction was resumed. |
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Tehelka
panel rejects Jaitley’s plea New Delhi, June 25 Deposing before the Venkataswami Commission probing the Tehelka expose of defence deals, Ms Jaitley alleged that Tehelka was spreading a “bundle of lies based on hearsay” and wanted to put on record the expert testimonies favouring her stand. However, the same was contested by the Tehelka counsel Kavin Gulati saying it was not “permissible” as it would amount to granting another chance to the applicant, who had been already given two chances to verify the tapes. Taking note of Mr Gulati’s views, Justice Venkataswami said after hearing the views of the parties concerned it was felt that expert witness testimonies would not be taken on record. During her submission before the commission, Ms Jaitley said: “I never accepted any money from the undercover reporter Mathew Samuel representing the fictitious Westend firm.” She alleged that the two tapes attributed to her were full of discrepancies, superimpositions, addition of words during conversation and deliberate editing. Even while transcribing the unedited tapes by the government, some portions had been left out, she charged. As per the confession of the Tehelka people there were two cameras operating simultaneously - one fixed to the undercover reporter’s tie and the other inside a brief case. Then how come the length of both the tapes varied, she demanded to know. She said her secretary introduced Samuel as a representative of ‘Silverstand’, an electronic company. But later the word ‘Silverstand’ was replaced by ‘Westend’ Ms Jaitley claimed adding one could even hear the sound of a vehicle when Westend was mentioned. “It shows that the particular word has been superimposed,” she alleged. “When Samuel asked me to meet again in Malayalam, I said call me up on the telephone if you do not get a response from the Defence Ministry,’’ she said. But Samuel went and told everybody that she had invited him for dinner and he could meet her any time, she stated. Pointing out another discrepancy, she said her daughter got married on March 29, whereas there were references in the tapes which were supposedly recorded last November that claimed — “Jaya’s daughter is getting married tomorrow’’. It showed that some portions were recorded in March and super-imposed in the tapes to jeopardise her political carrier, she charged. Earlier, former Navy official and NRI Suresh Nanda admitted that he had investments in the companies, which dealt in export of defence equipment from India and servicing of some engineering goods used by the Indian Navy, but wondered why his name was mentioned during the conversation at different stages. |
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Labour panel report likely by month-end New Delhi, June 25 “The report may come any time. It is already delayed. We expect it by the end of this month,” Labour Secretary P.D. Shenoy told reporters here today. Dr Shenoy said the ministry would start working on the report the moment the commission headed by Mr Ravindra Verma submitted the document. Earlier, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Munni Lal, who returned recently from abroad after attending the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, said that India had urged the developed countries to provide financial assistance to developing countries to facilitate the transition of workers from informal to formal sector. Referring to “decent work and informal economy”, a major issue on the ILC agenda, Mr Lal made a powerful plea on the issue saying that the foremost need of the job seekers was employment. “We have to
pursue the “job first’ approach as ‘decent work’ can follow later”, the minister said at the conference urging the developed world to understand and sympathise with the problems of the developing countries. The Second Labour Commission, set up in October 1999 and was asked to submit its report by October 2001 has already been given four extensions, of which the last will expire this month end. For making a close scrutiny of various labour issues in the wake of globalisation, the commission constituted six study groups to examine the existing labour laws, effects of globalisation, social security, unorganised labour, skill upgradation and status of woman, visited almost all state capitals to elicit the views of labour experts, employers’ representatives, trade union leaders and government officials. The panel also visited China early this year to study the contract labour situation and went to Malaysia to get a first hand knowledge of skill upgradation techniques. |
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Monsoon
session from July 15 New Delhi, June 25 The Union Cabinet at its meeting here this morning decided to recommend to the President to convene the four-week session which would end on August 14, he told reporters here. The session will have 23 sittings, including five days for private members’ business, spread over 31 days. The Budget session was adjourned sine die on May 17 and prorogued by the President on May 22. |
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4 farmers commit suicide in Bihar Patna, June 25 Four onion growers have reportedly committed suicide in the villages of Patna district as their crops were destroyed by untimely rain. Villagers maintained that Subhash Singh of Karmalichak, Raghunath Mahto of Begumpur Parpokhra and Hannu Mahto and Shravni Mahto of Bahri Begumpur Mandai committed suicide, unable to pay their loans that they had taken from moneylenders on high interests. The other vegetable growers are also facing problems as this year excessive production of vegetables has led to reduction in their prices. They being unable to either recover their cost or withhold the stock owing to the perishable nature of the vegetables, are on the brink of being broke. |
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Workshop
on space technology held Dehra Dun, June 25 Dr A.K.S. Gopalan, Director, Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad, and other scientists enlightened the delegates on the use of space technology for promoting satellite communication, geographical datamatics, communication technology for forest and watershed management, land use, town planning, mining, disaster management, water management, environmental and glacial studies in Uttaranchal. Besides, the workshop also deliberated upon establishing a space application centre in the state. |
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DGP directive on road safety Dehra Dun, June 25 In a missive to police chiefs of all 13 districts in the state, Mr Raturi has said they must ensure safety of commuters by enforcing established norms pertaining to fitness of vehicles and their drivers. The district police officials have been told to hold meetings with transporters and taxi unions to seek their cooperation. |
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