February 19, 2010
ü Sources say that India was realistic in its expectations of the talks with Pakistan.
· India has mentioned that terror will be the core agenda.
· Moreover, India realizes that not having talks could prove counterproductive, given Pakistan’s own vulnerability with terror.
· Please have a look at our opinion on India- Pakistan talks.
· Did you know that Pakistan is also the name of a village in the Purnia district of Bihar?
· Did you know that Kashmir was not the only point of contention?
o According to the British plan for partition of India, 600 princely states were allowed to decide between India and Pakistan. Most of the Muslim dominated areas acceded to Pakistan and most of the Hindu dominated areas acceded to India.
o Junagadh was a state on the southwestern end of Gujarat, with the principalities of Manavadar, Mangrol and Babriawad.
o The state had an overwhelming Hindu population which constituted more than 80% of its citizens, while the ruler of the state was a Muslim.
o On August 15 1947, the ruler of the state, Nawab of Junagadh Mahabat Khan acceded to Pakistan.
o Pakistan confirmed the acceptance of the accession in September 1947. India did not accept the accession as legitimate.
o The Indian point of view was that since Junagadh was a state with a predominantly Hindu population it should be a part of India. Additionally, since the state was encircled by Indian Territory it should have been a part of India. Indian politicians also stated that by giving Pakistan a predominantly Hindu region to govern, the basis of the two nation theory was contradicted.
o The Pakistani point of view was that since Junagadh had a ruler and governing body who chose to accede to Pakistan, they should be allowed to do so. Junagadh, having a coastline, could have maintained maritime links with Pakistan. Additionally, Pakistani politicians stated that the two nation theory did not necessarily mean a clear division of land and absolute transfer of populations as the sheer magnitude of such a proceeding would wreak havoc upon millions.
o None of the ten states were able to resolve this issue amicably and it only added fuel to an already charged environment.
o Later, after much political turmoil, Junagadh was annexed as part of India.
· The other territorial disputes the two nations have are for Siachen Glacier, Kori Creek. Pakistan is also having dialogues with India over Baghlihar Dam being built on River Chenab.
ü The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Thursday suggested that joint operations by the Centre and the West Bengal government against Maoists be backed by intensive coordinated action by the four State governments concerned.
· Please read our article on whether Military action against Naxals is justified.
ü In a blow to mining firm Vedanta, a fourth European investor has sold its multi-million pound stake in the company, citing “serious concerns about its [Vedanta’s] approach to human rights and the environment.”
· The company has been slammed for its plan to mine the Niyamgiri Hills of Orissa, home to the Kondh tribals, many of whom have opposed the plan
· The Norwegian government’s pension fund had been the first high-profile withdrawal, selling its $13 million stake in 2007, while the Martin Currie Investment sold its £2.3 million stake last year.
· What is wrong?
o A Sterlite Group company, Vedanta Alumina signed the joint venture agreement with the OMC on October 5 for developing bauxite mines at the Niyamgiri hill near Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district and the Khambasi hill in adjoining Rayagada district, for use in its one-million-tonne alumina refinery being set up at a cost of Rs.4,000 crores.
o According to the agreement, Vedanta Alumina will hold a 74 per cent stake in the joint venture company, with the remaining 26 per cent being held by the OMC.
o But there have allegations that the agreement violates the mineral policy of the state.
o The controversy dominated the proceedings of a six-day session of the State Assembly between November 1 and 6, 2004.
o Following media reports on the controversy, the State government clarified that Vedanta Alumina had not indulged in any sort of unauthorised industrial activity at Lanjigarh in the backward Kalahandi district.
o According to the government, the company has applied for 723.343 hectares for the alumina refinery project, out of which 58.94 hectares was forest land and the rest private or revenue land.
o For bauxite mining, the company needs 721.323 hectares, which includes 580.861 hectares of forest land.
o The WEF had decided to give Vedanta the Golden Peacock Award in the category of environment management, which was later withdrawn.
o Amnesty International also has attacked Vedanta Resources, the UK-listed Indian mining company, for alleged callous treatment of tribal villagers near its aluminium smelter and planned bauxite mine in the eastern state of Orissa.
o Amnesty claims required pollution control systems have not been installed at the site, resulting in leaks of caustic waste water into the local river, the main water source for villagers.
o Criticism of the fast-growing Indian miner comes days after the Church of England said it had sold its £3.8m ($5.9m) share-holding in Vedanta, because of concerns about the company’s ethical standards.
o The controversy over Vedanta is part of an intensifying struggle across India, as New Delhi seeks to tap the minerals it needs for economic growth, which in the process, threatens to devastate the lives of some of the country’s poorest citizens
o Much of India’s rich mineral deposits lie in areas inhabited by indigenous tribes, who ostensibly have special protection under India’s constitution – including rights over their customary lands. “Avatar” anyone.
ü Preview to the budget(Agriculture. Click here to see Agricultures share in India’s GDP over the years)
· Surging food prices, food security and a negative growth in agriculture sector are expected to be at the centre of the budget.
· The rabi harvest has been quite good.
· With the supply side constraints still a concern, the duty structure for import of sugar, pulses and edible oils is likely to be retained to augment availability.
· After the noise made over the National Food Security Bill at the Chief Ministers’ conference earlier this month, there is an expectation that the Finance Minister will make an allocation for food grains subsidy for this purpose.
· The allocation may be a token one, as the requirement of food subsidy is estimated at about Rs. 37,000 crore to implement the Congress’ election promise of 25 kg food grains to the Below Poverty Line population at Rs. 3 a kg.
· The states have already disputed the Central Governments estimates of poverty levels.
· Along with this, it is certain that the Food Subsidy Bill, which was budgeted at Rs. 60,000 crore last year will swell by at least Rs. 12,000 crore.
· The reasons for this are the higher minimum support price and the procurement costs of wheat and rice that the Food Corporation of India undertakes.
· Moreover, there are long term plans also.
· The attempts at raising production and productivity through the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna and the National Food Security Mission have so far not yielded the desired results. But these remain the flagship programmes of the Agriculture Ministry along with the Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oilpalm and Maize (ISOPOM), the Macro-Management of Agriculture (MMA), the National Horticulture Mission (NHM), micro-irrigation and SEEDS scheme to maintain stocks of certified seeds to meet exigencies during calamities.
· But, the rumoured hike in diesel prices may add to the fears of the farmers.
· Farmers do expect that the Finance Minister will look into their demand of setting aside some planned funds as pay-outs for climate change consequences or for dealing with vagaries of weather.
· Despite the decline in the share of agriculture in the gross domestic product (GDP) from 36.4 per cent in 1982-83 to 18.5 per cent in 2006-07, the sector sustained the country’s years of recession and, that too, without a stimulus package for industry.
· However, the latest estimates say the worst monsoon in 37 years will bring down the farm growth rate to 0.2 per cent from 1.6 last year.
· Despite that allocations in the budget must per force address the requirement of not only increasing production and productivity but also of per capita consumption, per capita nutrition and the purchasing power.
· More funds need to be allocated to ensure that production is supported by infrastructure in farm-to-shelf-food processing, warehouses, pre-cooling, cold storage chains, marketing and supporting services in a public-private mode if need be.
ü At least 12 villagers, including three women and one child, were killed in a brutal Maoist attack by nearly 150 heavily-armed rebels who stormed Phulwariya village in Bihar’s Jamui district late on Wednesday night.
ü Violence erupted in some parts of the Darjeeling Hills on Thursday where life was hit due to a 24-hour strike by the students’ wing of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).
ü The Group of Ministers (GoM) on Wednesday cleared ‘The Prohibition of Unfair Practices in Technical, Medical Educational Institutions and Universities Bill’ drafted by the Human Resource Development Ministry to provide for a Central law to curb malpractices.
· What does this bring to the table? This bill indents to curb a lot of malpractices that have crept into the professional education system. These include capitation fee, donation, overcharging for the prospectus, opacity in admission process, misleading advertisements, recruitment of unqualified persons and underpayment of teachers.
· The Bill provides for a punishment of up to three years in jail and Rs. 50 lakh as fine.
· According to the Ministry, the draft legislation has built-in safeguards against any misuse of authority or interference with the autonomy of institutions.
· Professional and technical education is the new growth sector in Indian education — crucial to the nation and for the young.
· Enormous pressures for admissions triggered corruption in the past. Seats were bought and sold under the guise of `capitation' fee and `number 2' money under the table.
· Clearly, only the rich could afford the `revenue-based' seats in unaided institutions.
· It is interesting to note that the quota system is linked to this subject as several sections of the society have said that “paid for” seats are a kind of reservation for the rich.
ü The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Thursday approved a proposal for strengthening and upgrading government medical colleges to increase the number of postgraduate seats and starting new postgraduate disciplines, with Central government funding, during the XIth Plan period.
· This means 5,000 postgraduate seats will be added annually to 148 government medical colleges with a Central funding to the tune of Rs. 1,350 crore.
· The funding will be done by way of a one-time grant under a new centrally-sponsored scheme with a funding pattern of 75 per cent by the Centre and 25 per cent by the States.
· The funds would be disbursed directly to the head of the institute in two instalments. The State governments would undertake to refund the grant, if the number of seats was not increased and the new disciplines were not started within the prescribed period.
· The quantum of funding will be decided by an Empowered Committee, constituted under the chairmanship of the Union Health and Family Welfare Secretary.
ü A retired Sikh schoolteacher is set to become the first non-white member of the far-right British National Party (BNP) after it reluctantly voted on Sunday to change its whites-only policy following a court order. It should be noted that BNP is infamous for it’s opposition against non-white immigrants.
ü Concerned over the United States' growing budget deficit, China has reduced its holdings of U.S. debt by $45 billion in the past five months and is now no longer Washington's biggest creditor.
· According to U.S. Treasury data released on Tuesday, Beijing sold as much as $34 billion of its dollar assets, of which it holds $755.4 billion, in December alone.
· China's shedding of its American assets has now left Japan as the biggest foreign holder of U.S debt.
· This reduces Chinese influence over US markets.
· In recent months, economists in China have been pressing the government to reduce its holdings of U.S. treasuries, particularly in light of concerns over the U.S.' rising budget deficit, forecast to reach a record $1.56 trillion this year.
· India’s holding is $29.6 billion.
ü The Centre on Thursday approved the proposal for release of equity infusion of Rs.800 crore in two equal monthly instalments to National Aviation Company of India Ltd (NACIL), the holding company of Air India.
· NACIL is now facing severe financial losses.
· Costly legacy assets, weakening revenue stream and high cost structure also result in rising liabilities.
· The equity infusion will help the troubled Air India tide over its cash flow problem and finance fleet acquisition plans.
· The company's present paid-up equity capital is Rs.145 crore. This was found grossly insufficient for an aviation company of its size. The fresh equity would preclude borrowing from the markets at a high cost.
· The airline had posted a loss of about Rs.7,200 crore in the last two fiscal years.
· The plan includes cost reduction and revenue enhancement programme, focusing on fleet rationalisation, route profitability, manpower rationalisations and structural changes.
· Air India has also been asked to take the following steps: rationalise manpower and productivity-linked incentives, fully integrate the erstwhile Indian Airlines with Air India, review all agreements on technical and operational matters, return all leased aircraft at the earliest, re-deploy staff to curb infructuous expenditure, close all overseas offices where Air India does not operate.
ü Congrats to Team India for retaining their No1 position in Tests.
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