Saturday, July 30, 2011

India lacks grand vision on national security: expert




Chennai:

India has four taskforce on national security but still doesn’t have a comprehensive idea of what national security means, according to an international expert.



Delivering Dr Kamal Aravind Endowment Lecture here on Friday, Dr Surjit Mansingh, a Visiting Scholar at the Sigur Center for Asian Studies at The George Washington University, Washington, highlighted India’s foreign policy constraints and said that the country has continuing uncertainty over how to develop its national power.



“This is due to lack of grand vision on what national security means,” she said.



This is mostly due to dearth of intellectualism which is usually centred around New Delhi. Although now in place like Chennai the intellectualism is growing but it has yet to be developed, she said.



She also said that there is a constatnt denigration of India’s armed forces as they are left out of the planning process.



“India’s neighbourhood is too fragile and one can’t afford to neglect the defence forces,” said Surjit, who was also a former professor of International Politics at the Jawaharlal Nehru University.



The absence of defence forces in planning process has come to such an extent that nobody takes India’s nuclear deterrence seriously, she said.



Surjit also hit out at lack of manpower in foreign missions. “India has 162 foreign missions which is manned by 700 people which is woefully inadequate when compared to China which has 4,000 people,” she added.



She also highlighted how Indian foreign policy shaped after the Cold War by citing examples from Nehruvian era and said India after losing the 1962 war failed to gain global recognition from 1963 till now. “Only now India is capturing the international attention,” she said

Friday, July 29, 2011

India lacks grand vision on national security: expert




Chennai:

India has four taskforce on national security but still doesn’t have a comprehensive idea of what national security means, according to an international expert.



Delivering Dr Kamal Aravind Endowment Lecture here on Friday, Dr Surjit Mansingh, a Visiting Scholar at the Sigur Center for Asian Studies at The George Washington University, Washington, highlighted India’s foreign policy constraints and said that the country has continuing uncertainty over how to develop its national power.



“This is due to lack of grand vision on what national security means,” she said.



This is mostly due to dearth of intellectualism which is usually centred around New Delhi. Although now in place like Chennai the intellectualism is growing but it has yet to be developed, she said.



She also said that there is a constatnt denigration of India’s armed forces as they are left out of the planning process.



“India’s neighbourhood is too fragile and one can’t afford to neglect the defence forces,” said Surjit, who was also a former professor of International Politics at the Jawaharlal Nehru University.



The absence of defence forces in planning process has come to such an extent that nobody takes India’s nuclear deterrence seriously, she said.



Surjit also hit out at lack of manpower in foreign missions. “India has 162 foreign missions which is manned by 700 people which is woefully inadequate when compared to China which has 4,000 people,” she added.



She also highlighted how Indian foreign policy shaped after the Cold War by citing examples from Nehruvian era and said India after losing the 1962 war failed to gain global recognition from 1963 till now. “Only now India is capturing the international attention,” she said

IT department sets target of Rs 35,287 cr in tax from TN


Chennai:

Income Tax department has set a target of Rs 35,287 crore in taxes to be collected from the state during the current financial year, according to top Income Tax sources.



Sources told Express on Thursday that the department has set a target of Rs 22,789 crore in taxes from corporates while Rs 12,498 from the salaried and others.



The gross collections till now is Rs 8,238 crore of which refund is 2,112 crore, sources said.



Interestingly, last year the target was 30,151 crore and the department’s gross collection was Rs 32,393. After refunds worth Rs 3,023 crore, the net collections was Rs 29,370 crore.



“We have been growing at 27 per cent if you see the gross collections but due to high percentage in refunds (226 per cent), the net growth rate is eight per cent,” a source added.



According to recent sector-wise details available with Express, banking is the biggest contributor followed by manufacturing, automobiles, finance and refineries.



Banking’s contribution was Rs 344.20 crore, about 22.04 per cent of the total taxes collected, followed by manufacturing whose contribution is Rs 268.96 crore, about 17.22 per cent of the taxes. Interestingly, automobile sector’s contribution is only 12.53 per cent (Rs 195.66 crore). Meanwhile, finance sector contributed Rs 185.18 crore (11.86 per cent) and refineries contributed 153 crore as taxes.



Refineries sector showed a growth rate of 163.79 per cent followed by manufacturing sector which grew to 47.63 per cent. Banking sector’s contribution grew by 42.11 per cent while automobile sector’s growth rate was 33.18 percent. Finance sector contribution was on the negative at –1.46 per cent.



China’s rise can be peaceful but outcome can’t be guaranteed: Ex-NSA


 

Chennai:

China’s rise can be peaceful but its outcome cannot be guaranteed as its action seem to correspond to a Game of Weiqi, a complicated game of encirclement in the chessboard of politics, according to West Bengal governor and former national security advisor M K Narayanan.



“Conflict is not inevitable, but as tensions increase, there always is the danger of miscalculation,” Narayanan said while delivering The Triplicane Cultural Academy’s Sixth Rajaji Memorial Lecture ‘China and India: More Rivals than Friends’ here on Thursday evening.



“If China’s efforts to reconcile the diverging legacies of Mao Tse Tung and Deng Xiaoping prove less than successful, and India meantime is seen to reap the benefits of its demographic and democratic dividend, then the existential question would be whether the rivalry would spill over into something more problematic,” the former national security advisor said.



“The Chinese leadership maintains that their priority remains sovereign security and next territorial integrity and national unification. If this leads to an excess of nationalism and nationalistic fervour, then it will not be possible to predict the outcome,” he added.



To a query on the India’s waning influence in Nepal, he said after the monarchy perished, it left a vacuum and China is trying to fill it in. “But it is careful and waiting for India and Nepal to mess up the situation,” he said.



He also said while the world is comfortable with India, countries in Latin America and Africa where China has poured in investments are concerned and worried as what the objective of China is. Because India doesn’t look down upon any country where as China has a superiority complex,” he said.



He however hoped the soft power tactics of India would be more fruitful in tackling Pakistan and China. He also said there is a link between economy and security and China has deep pockets and wants to be the economic superpower before 2050.



To another query on Tibet, the former national security advisor said it is a part of China and India is only for autonomy of Tibet. On the border conflicts, he said the Chinese are too good in map-making and are able to produce documentary evidence.

“On the other hand, ancient India does not have maps and the maps of India came into existence only during the British,” he said

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

TN to establish petro-chemicals investment region




**Cuddalore-Nagapatinam belt identified

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu government is planning to establish petroleum, chemicals and petrochemical investment region between Cuddalore and Nagapattinam, according to Industries Secretary N Sundaradevan.



Speaking to Express after addressing a seminar on Business Opportunities for Cooperation between Tamil Nadu and Japan in infrastructure sector on Tuesday, he said that this is a major infrastructure initiative of the state and the Union Ministry of Chemicals to attract investments in chemicals and petrochemicals.



He said the project is expected to get the cabinet clearance before the end of this month. “This is a infrastructure which will be linked by road and rail and will be on the wastelands as well as coastal areas. It won’t affect the fertile lands,” he added.



He said it is too early to comment on how much the project is worth. However, it is learnt that it will be worth more than several thousands of crore. “We have indentified Nagarjuna petrochemicals as well as Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited but other players may also join in the initiative,” he added.



The center wanted us to give an undertaking that state highways will complete all the infrastructure work, he said.



Earlier, while delivering his inaugural address, he said

the joint steering committee of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Tamil Nadu government has identified number of infrastructure projects for cooperation. These include promotion of industrial parks and Japanese townships.



He also said that the state government on a bid top attract more number of Japanese companies has proposed to establish a Japanese cluster near Chennai.



Highlighting the potential for a logistics park near Ennore and Sriperumbudur, he also said that METI

has proposed a initiative of a fuel corridor that include power projects and off-shore coal and liquefied natural gas handling.

Koyambedu market infrastructure in tatters after waiver of maintenance fee



C Shivakumar
Chennai;

The waiver of maintenance fee by the DMK regime has left the Koyambedu market in tatters as the commercial establishment is grappling with its limited resources to maintain the market, according to traders.



Traders told Express on Monday that after the DMK regime waived Re 1 maintenance fee, the market condition has worsened with lack of adequate infrastructure and poor condition of buildings.



While traders blame the authorities of doing nothing to improve the lot of market, officials say the market is starved off funds after the waiver of maintenance fee. “Without revenue how can we maintain the market.



A source, who doesn’t want to be named, said currently, the maintenance of the market is being done with the funds collected from the leased toilets as well as from the cess collected from trucks supplying the goods. The government is forced to take funds from the fixed deposit to run the market, he added.



Koyambedu Wholesale Banana Association Secretary T Ramaraja Pandian told Express that lack of maintenance fee may be one of the reason for the failure of infrastructure but then officials are also to be blamed for illegal trading being carried by encroachers.



“If the government promises to take appropriate action against the encroachers and maintain the market then traders won’t have any problem in paying maintenance fee. I assure you they will pay the fee,” Pandian said.



He said the market, which is supposed to be Asia’s largest, hasn’t been white-washed ever since it has been set up. Now we have cows and buffaloes also as visitors,” he rued.



Even the toilets in the market which are leased to contractors are in a sorry state as it has not been renovated and there is no compound wall to regulate the encroachers and starving animals. Some of the roofs are leaking, complained traders.



Interestingly, the roads are also in a bad shape and the previous government had sanctioned Rs 33 crore just before the elections. “Currently, the tender process is on and once it is finished, the roads will be laid soon,” said a Marketing Management Committee source.



Now with the monsoons staring, the market is facing the threat of being waterlogged following metro rail project. Traders said the storm water drain is in a pathetic state and there is a urgent need to renovate it before the rains. “If the renovation is not possible atleast some necessary remedial action should be taken so that the business can flourish during the rains also,” the sources added

Monday, July 25, 2011

Law ministry denies RTI seeking opinion over HC judgement on payscales of data operators

Law ministry denies RTI seeking opinion over


HC judgement on pay scales of data entry operators

*Chapter 1 (f) of the RTI act 2005 states

all opinions could be accessed by public authority

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

The Ministry of Law and Justice, which enacted the Right to Information Act, has denied information pertaining to advises or opinion tendered by the ministry on four judgements of different high courts across the country on pay scales of data entry operators working in different ministries.



The RTI which was filed by one TVLN Mallikarjuna Rao seeking the information on law ministry’s alleged different opinions on the pay scales of data entry operators, working in different ministries as the ministry has failed to implement the fifth pay commission’s recommendations, was denied as the advice tendered are confidential and in fiduciary relationship.



Interestingly, as per the Chapter 1 (f) of the RTI act 2005, information means all opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, log books, contracts, reports, papers, samples, data materials in any electronic form and information relating to any private body can be accessed by a public authority.



Rao said the application was filed to find out the law ministry’s opinion over the Mumbai High Court judgement on 2008 and judgements issued by other high courts relying the said Bombay High Court judgement over the pay scales of data entry operators working in Controller General of Defence Accounts.



The RTI query will help bring in a uniform fifth Central pay commission scales across various departments of government of India.



Citing Supreme Court judgements on numerous cases including G C Ghosh versus Union of India 1992 to minimize the service litigations, the fifth pay commission has recommended that decisions taken in one specific case either by the judiciary or the government should be applied to all other identical cases without forcing other employees to approach the court of law for an identical remedy or relief, said Rao.



“I have sought opinions tendered on four judgements of different high courts, but the Central Public Information Officer of the ministry has denied the information that the queries are neither specific nor clear as there is no date and file number in respect of which the information is sought,” Rao said, adding that, “No RTI applicant will be able to supply file number and date unless otherwise it is uploaded on the website.”



Surprisingly, the ministry which has stated the information as confidential, has suggested that the applicant approach the concerned ministry or department. “If the information is so confidential how can they suggest that I approach other department to get the information,” said Rao.



“Now I have filed a second appeal with Central Information Commission (CIC) in New Delhi seeking its intervention in the matters,” he added

TNEB borrowed Rs 9,600 crore from banks in eight months




C Shivakumar
Chennai:

Tamil Nadu Electricity Board borrowed Rs 9,600 crore as loans, including short and mid-term, from various banks in a period of eight months from April 2010 to December 2010, which is nearly Rs 1,500 crore more than what it borrowed the pervious financial year, according to information available through RTI.



The RTI filed by one V Anbazhagan states that the TNEB borrowings from banks rose to more than 8,000 crore in the last four years bringing to fore the financial mess the department is in.



TNEB sources said the borrowing grew because of a spurt in demand for power besides opening up of new industries. There was also 24-hour non-stop power supply to the industries during the period besides the rise in middle class income which increased the consumption rate, he added.



Interestingly, the RTI states that borrowings during the period 2007-08 was Rs 1,750 crore and it rose to Rs 2,650 crore in 2008-09 financial year. It further rose to Rs 8,170 crore in 2009-10. What is more surprising is that the debts rose to Rs 9,600 crore in eight months from the period April 2010 to December 2010, the RTI stated. Surprisingly, there was no cash loss during 2006-07.



TNEB borrowed money in 57 instances from various banks in eight months ending December 2010 at various rate of interests from as low as 8.25 per cent to 11 per cent.



The borrowing at higher rate of interest was in 2008-09 when it borrowed Rs 50 crore as a medium term loan at a interest of 15.25 per cent from Federal Bank followed by a medium term loan of Rs 100 crore at 14 per cent interest from Canara Bank.



The documents reveal that while the medium term loans was more than the short term loan during the period 2007-08 and 2008-09, it became vice-versa from the period 2009-10 and 2010-11.



In 2007-08, the medium term loan was 1,350 crore while the short term loan was Rs 400 crore. Similarly in 2008-09, the medium term loan was 2,350 crore and short term Rs 300 crore.



But in 2009-10, the medium term loan was 2,595 crore while the short term loan was 5,575 crore, and in the eight months of the financial year 2010-11, the medium term loan was Rs 3,500 crore while the short term loan was Rs 6,140 crore.



TNEB sources said the department focused on short term loans during the period 2009-10 as the long term rates were on the higher end during the period 2008-09 and banks were reluctant to lend on long term. “We also had a two per cent advantage and saved nearly Rs 50 crore as interest,” the source said.



The huge debt was also due to the power crunch as no new projects came up since 1995 while the consumption rose enormously due to rise in population and industries, the source added

US-India initiative to train women to be leaders



*Goldman Sachs to help local self-help groups think global

Express News Service

Chennai:

United States and India is planning a initiative to train women to be local leaders in a bid to promote democracy at the local level, according to US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.



Delivering a speech at Working Women’s Forum here on Wednesday, Clinton said United Stated and India is establishing a regional training programme at the Asia University of Women to spotlight the success of the panchayat programme and train women to be local leaders.



The US secretary of state also announced that Goldman Sachs, a important global financial company, will support a training programme through the Indian School of Business to self-help groups to bring more knowledge and skills about how to take businesses from the local village level to the cities to the countries and to the world.



Hailing Working Women’s Forum president Jaya Arunachalam, for growing from a 800 women members in 1978 to a one million group, she said the self help movement has changed women’s lives be it in India, Bangladesh, South Africa, Chile and Nicargua.



Hillary also highlighted the problems faced by rural women who breathe smoke while cooking in rural areas and hailed Dr Kalpana Balakrishnan of Sri Ramachandra University for making cooking safer for women and children.



“Because of the health problems caused by breathing smoke, we have worked with many partners around the world to create Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves and are proud that Indian government launched its own National Biomass Cookstove Initiative two years ago,” she said.

Jaya, who was earlier felicitated by Clinton for winning the Global Leadership title award for Economic Development in 2005, highlighted the role of Working Women’s Forum apart from microfinance on preventing female infanticide, education of adolescent girls, strengthened productive role of women and taking care of old women through insurance and social security.

Ryots pin hopes on AIADMK regime after rules bent to acquire land

Farmers pin hopes on AIADMK regime after rules


bent to acquire fertile lands for industries


C Shivakumar Chennai:

Farmers in three villages of Madurai district, who have been battling against the state machinery during the DMK regime to save their fertile lands from being acquired for industries, are now pinning their hopes on the AIADMK government and have urged the state chief minister J Jayalalithaa to look into the issue of forcible acquisition of land by officials bending every rules. The farmers along with rights activists met State Agriculture Minister K A Sengottaiyan, Industries Minister S P Velumani and Industries secretary Dr N Sundaradevan and provided them with valid documents highlighting the state high-handedness in acquiring 1,478 acres of land in Sivarakkotai, Karisalkalanpatti and Swamimallampatti in Thirumangalam taluk of Madurai district by lying in the court, tampering with the records and even burning them and denying information through right to information act.

When Express contacted the Industries Secretary Dr N Sundaradevan, he said State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT) is looking into the issue and refused to comment further.

Talking to Express after meeting the officials and submitting a petition, RTI activist and Madurai District Farmers Welfare Association secretary M Ramalingam said that the district administration during the DMK regime used every tactic to acquire fertile lands for industries even though the then Industries secretary has specifically mentioned not to acquire fertile land and water bodies. According to documents available with Express, then Madurai district collector S S Jawahar identified fertile lands for acquisition and then prepared a fudged document to show the land is barren and dry. Now the local MLA has given a letter stating that the land is fertile, says Ramalingam while handing over a copy of it. Interestingly, when the farmers approached the court, the collector lied in the court stating only 96 farmers own 1,470 acres of tract where as the district administration issued notices to 2,000 farmers. And when the court sought documents, land records were mysteriously burnt and a village administrative officer was arrested and later let off,” the farmer turned RTI activist says.


Surprisingly, a 2001 census earlier has stated that the three villages have more than 600 farmers. “By 2011, there are about 2,000 cultivators. The district collector lied in the court. It is perjury. He along with all the officials who tampered with the records and tried to affect the livelihood of farmers has to be dismissed and punished,” demanded Ramalingam. He feels there is a ray of hope with the change in the regime. “The minister and officials gave a patient hearing and have assured to take necessary action,” he said, adding that the farmers are not against industries but want the government to identify barren lands lying idle nearby. “Why not those lands which have been used to buy colleges and for real estate purposes be used,” he added