“

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi’s efforts at knitting the opposition together against the Narendra Modi government on the controversial demonetisation issue failed to set the Yamuna on fire. It lacked the political management of the grand old party which was in the vanguard of the freedom struggle. 

It became apparent more meetings and discussions were required to narrow down the differences among the non-BJP parties for greater participation. Most political parties feel strongly about the demonetisation lacking proper planning causing immense hardship to the people at large adversely affecting farmers, daily wage earners, the unorganised sector and the teeming poor. 

Rahul squandered away a great opportunity to push PM Modi on the back foot. The Congress should have liaised more closely with the other parties which share its ideology. Clearly, the requisite backroom work required was missing. 

In October-November last year, the assembly elections in Bihar were held in five phases after forming a Mahagatbandhan or grand alliance with Nitish Kumar as its chief ministerial candidate. The idea clicked and the Mahagatbandhan won delivering a serious blow to the Lotus party. The Congress played a key part in encouraging the grand alliance. The unambiguous message is that the Old Lady of Bori Bunder needs to reach out to others rather than expect others to just fall in line. 

Like the Congress there are others keen to occupy the opposition space. These parties are opposed to the BJP’s Hindutva agenda set by its mentor, the RSS. Last Tuesday’s high decibel verbal duel between the Rahul-Mamata combine and the loner Modi saw the latter having a definite advantage. 

The splintered opposition with Rahul and Mamata in the vanguard failed to create any impact. Even as Rahul focussed on the bribery charges, Mamata bayed for Modi’s head over the notes in the wake of the surprise and shocking demonetisation on the eighth of November. 

The 50-day period sought by the Prime Minister to sort out problems aimed at easing the pain of the masses ended barely 24 hours back on Thursday. There is no denying that compared to the pain of withdrawing one’s own money by standing in serpertine queues evidenced for more than five weeks got compounded by the empty ATMs failing to deliver cash. 

Things have improved marginally on the ground and bankers assert that things continue to be bad. At the same time some glitches remain particularly in the country’s outback which the Reserve Bank of India and economists of Niti Ayog claim will be sorted out in another week or ten days time into the new year. 

The opposition conclave in the national capital on December 27 became a lack lustre Rahul-Mamata show with the latter recalling “”the Prime Minister said he could be punished if the situation did not improve in 50 days which ended on December 29. If the cash withdrawals are not lifted after December 30, Modi should take responsibility and resign. The government’s promise should have some sanctity,”” asserted the TMC chief. 

Despite the Congress initiative, several parties including the Left Front, Janata Dal (United), Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj party and Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress party gave it a miss. Without being remorseful Rahul acknowledged that the parties which gave the meeting the miss had their own compulsions. It brought to the fore the serious differences of opinion particularly between Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s JD (U) and Lalu’s RJD. 

Rahul stressed “”Modi’s words should carry weight. The shock he gave the nation was at his own initiative. This was the biggest arbitrary financial experiment ever made in the world and Modi will have to explain the objective.”” 

An unfazed and authoritative Modi stepped up the anti-graft rhetoric at a public rally in Dehra Dun earlier this week taking upon himself the role of a “”chowkidar (guard)”” as desired by the people. He emphasised that demonetisation was a “”cleansing drive”” and those who thought they could make their black money white through back door means were being caught now.

The demonetisation issue did far more than divide the opposition. They were confused on the approach against the Narendra Modi government. The could not fault the stated aims of demonetisation to curb black money, tackle counterfeit notes and curb terror funding. They could not attack the move in principle without being seen as backing the corrupt. Surprisingly, demonetisation seems to have driven apart parties that were in alliance.

(T R Ramachandran is a senior journalist and commentator. The views are personal.)”

“

Can the sentence of life imprisonment be qualified by the word “rigorous”? The Supreme Court of India will decide this issue as a Bench comprising Justices PC Ghose and UU Lalit have issued a notice to the State of Chhattisgarh in a petition filed by Ram Kumar Sivare. Senior Advocate Parmanand Katara appeared for the petitioner.The petitioner, Ram Kumar Sivare was convicted for murder. He was awarded “rigorous” life imprisonment by the lower court which was confirmed by the Chhattisgarh High Court. The present appeal arises out of the judgment of Chhattisgarh High Court.

The petitioner has contended that penal laws do not empower courts to qualify life imprisonment with the term “rigorous” and hence the judgments awarding “rigorous” life imprisonment is violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. When the matter came up for hearing on December 16, the Court issued notice on the limited issue of whether life imprisonment could be coupled with the condition that such imprisonment has to be rigorous while the rest of the contentions of the petitioner were dismissed.

“Let notice be issued in the matter limited to the question whether life imprisonment could be coupled with the condition that such imprisonment has to be rigorous imprisonment, returnable after four weeks. All other contentions of the learned Senior counsel for the petitioner are dismissed.”

Section 53 of the Indian Penal Code sets out kinds of punishments to which offenders are liable under the Code. Simple imprisonment and Rigorous imprisonment are discussed under the said Section. Rigorous imprisonment is termed as imprisonment with “hard labour”. However, what is noteworthy is that imprisonment for life is a separate category in itself as per Section 53 and it is not qualified by terms like “simple” or “rigorous”. Interestingly, another bench of Supreme Court had issued notice in a similar case from Maharashtra four years ago. Senior Advocate Parmanand Katara had appeared in that case too for the convict. That case is still pending as per the information available on the website of Supreme Court of India.”

“515mcGR0iL._SX322_BO1204203200_”” alt=””Conflict Resolution in Multicultural Societies – The Indian Experience”” />Managing ethnic diversity is a prime concern of almost every government in South Asia. When the danger of disintegration is looming ominously over multicultural countries, how does India record its success of maintaining and promoting diversities amid its manifold problems — poverty, illiteracy, regional disparities, social exclusion and ethnic conflicts. Amidst the complexities India’s enviable record of maintaining its integrity is exemplary not only in South Asia but the entire world. How does India do it? What are the strategies in operation? What is the key to India’s relative success? The book “”Conflict Resolution in Multicultural Societies — The Indian Experience”” by Jhumpa Mukherjee shows that a democratically designed decentralised system catering to the diverse ethnic needs of the population has served to integrate the country amidst divergent and periodic spells of ethnic movements and sought to rectify the neglect for institutionalisation of multiculturalism and add a novel dimension to decentralisation. The author critically examines the tribulations of ethno-regional diversity in a single political framework. Managing cultural diversities is one of the fundamental challenges of our times. Most of the states all over the world such as India, Nigeria, Mexico, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Britain and Spain are preoccupied with handling tribulations stemming from ethno-nationalism in their individual territories. In the post cold war period and recent social transformations cultural diversity has increasingly shaped the foundations of majority of social conflicts and political deliberations. And this quest for recognition of identity has led to severe identity assertion conflicts and movements throughout the globe. Expanding cultural freedom in the era of globalisation presents challenges and dilemmas. In the present era conflicts have become more complex and multi-dimensional that considerable interlinking of divergent factors and ethnic groups becoming more and more assertive of their rights. Democracy alone cannot sustain and promote diversity as it signifies power of the people. “”People”” in most cases implies the majorities who have access to the seats of political power often ruling by marginalising the minorities thus giving rise to exclusionary tendencies. Even if countries are not disintegrating, minorities are being marginalised. India battles her admirers by her veritable feast of peculiarities. She represents the world’s largest democracy with a huge range of complexities. Despite the problem of language, religion, tribes and more seriously questions of identity, yet the country has worked to stay united. Countries may face the risk of disintegration if conflicts within multicultural states are left unattended. Economically decentralisation is said to promote efficiency in the delivery of local services and public goods. Politically decentralisation is said to strengthen accountability and national integration. Decentralisation exercises the right to self determination. It is often seen as an aid to national integration and strengthening of democratic institutions. At the same time it cannot be said that decentralisation provides an answer to all ethnic conflicts. Decentralisation is the current buzzword in the discourse in Indian government and is increasingly seen as a tool to meet local needs and preferences. It is proposed as a way to promote a more democratic and participatory society. Political decentralisation by itself is not sufficient to recognise cultural claims coupled with the regional needs of the population. Political unity is highly volatile and has the tendency to degenerate into anarchy. Multicultural decentralisation plays an important role in accommodating the multifarious diversities. The sine qua non of such readjustments is that though each and every decentralised unit consists of certain proportions of minorities who may be majorities in other states and therefore they are not neglected. Ultimately differences should be accommodated and not simply managed. The Constitution of India which took two years, eleven months and 18 days in the making has crafted a text which provides “”space”” for the myriad and complex diversities. Instead of discouraging differences, the Constitution takes them for granted and offers adequate facilities for their expression and development. It may be recalled that the Bengali language imbroglio in Pakistan led to the disintegration of that country. As a consequence the monolingual state of Bangladesh was created. Similarly in Sri Lanka, the adoption of the policy of “”Sinhala only”” and being indifferent and adopting a non-accommodative stance towards the Tamils drew the country into a protracted civil war resulting in much turmoil in that Island state. The Constitution has ensured that the interests of different communities is well catered to. At the same time tensions are part of every multicultural society and are sure to settle down with conscious constitutional engineering. The British deliberately isolated the tribal community due to which they have been virtually untouched from the wave of nationalist current; more so the imperialist design of “”divide and rule”” failed to forge a common bond of unity between the tribals and non-tribals. The Indian National Congress also did not make any bold attempt to bring them into the national movement. This had a negative impact on the minds of the people. The Northeast represents a miniature India in itself. Recognising the unique character, the policy makers have created a web of interventions. As globalisation expands, conflicts amplify and fragmentation of multicultural states continues, it becomes crucial for states to develop the competence to meet the challenges. If left unmanaged or managed poorly, these struggles over cultural identity can soon become the greatest source of instability within — between states and in doing so it can trigger conflict that hinders development. Conflict resolution mechanisms need to be built in the political system through the process of power sharing and the distinct identities by providing different levels of autonomy. A single policy cannot be applied to all. This calls for flexibility in designing institutions. A case in point is Pakistan where there is pluralism and yet religious fanaticism replaces tolerance and the democratic temper is jeopardised. Even today the country is dotted with several movements. Jhumpa Mukherjee, who teaches political science at St Xavier’s college in Kolkata, emphasises that it is necessary to continuously devise new mechanisms of power sharing, multi-pronged and dynamic to respond effectively as the needs of these groups are not effectively tackled. Otherwise chaos, anarchy and disorder will prevail where ethnic conflict may easily spill over state boundaries.

TR

(T R Ramachandran is a senior journalist and commentator.)
”

“

Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa took over as the 25th Chief of the Indian Air Force on Saturday. In his address to the IAF, Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa said: “I feel honoured and privileged to have been entrusted with the responsibility to lead one of the finest Air Forces in the world. I will certainly be inspired by the exceptional achievements and the leadership of so many of my illustrious predecessors.”

IAF is on a trajectory of modernisation and is transforming into a strategic aerospace power with full-spectrum capability. Accretion through new acquisitions, replacement of obsolete equipment with state-of-the-art inductions and upgrade of the vintage weapon platforms would bolster our capabilities. Forthcoming inductions of the Rafale aircraft, Attack Helicopters, Heavy Lift Helicopters, Force Enhancers, and Air Defence Radars hold great promise for the future. The first ‘Tejas’ squadron of the IAF was also ushered in. 

Simultaneously, Airfield Infrastructure Modernisation programme and upgradations in Communications Network have strengthened the support structure for effective operations. While undertaking its modernisation, the IAF has taken an active role in the “”Make in India”” plan, to take forward indigenous production of combat aircraft, helicopters, weapon sensors and systems, besides other aviation equipment. A vibrant and flourishing domestic capability would be an essential ingredient for the Nation to continue its glorious evolution.”

In his address, he also expressed his pride at the way India’s image worldwide has been showcased through the IAF’s strategic reach. He commended IAF’s role as first responders in HADR situations and aid to civil authority in rendering stability to volatile situations on many occasions, besides bringing succour to people in distress.

He stressed the requirement of training and equipping IAF to deter the sub-convetional threats. He reiterated need for focused approach to enhance aerospace safety and IAF’s commitment for better standard of living for its airwarriors. 

Commissioned into the Flying Branch of IAF as a fighter pilot in June 1978, Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa is a Qualified Cat ‘A’ Flying Instructor and has more than 3000 hours of fighter flying under his belt with an immaculate flight safety record all along his distinguished career as a field commander. He is an alumnus of Rashtriya Indian Military College, the National Defence Academy and the Defence Services Staff College,Wellington. 

The Air Chief has many laurels to his credit. As Commanding Officer of a frontline ground attack fighter squadron, equipped with MiG-21 aircraft, he led the IAF punch during the ‘limited war’ against Pakistan in 1999 to evict the enemy from their Ã¢Â€Â˜dug in’ defences in the icy heights of Kargil region. For his outstanding bravery and leadership during the conflict, he was awarded  Yudh Seva Medal (YSM). The Air Chief Marshal has held a number of significant staff appointments at operational Commands. 

The Air Chief has commanded the South Western Air Command. For his experience and professional excellence, he was handpicked to establish an ‘IAF Training Team’ abroad.

The Air Chief Marshal is also instrumental in developing the aerial targeting philosophy against the potential adversaries and transformed the concept of Air operations of the Indian Air Force to contemporary war fighting practices of Air Power. He is an avid reader and writer of issues pertaining to air power and joint operations.  Before taking over as the Chief of the Air Staff, he has been the Vice Chief of the Air Staff since June 2015.”

“The nomination of Sasikala Natarajan, a close confidant of the late J Jayalalithaa as the interim general secretary of the AIADMK on Thursday was along expected lines. It was smooth affair and the odd minor glitch, if any, did not cast a shadow on the Dravidian party’s general council proceedings in elevating Sasikala. What tilted the scales in her favour was her closeness to Amma as the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was known. Interestingly, present chief minister O Panneerselvam as the only other contender for the party post backed Sasikala or Chinnamma (younger mother). In a cult based party this was the only option to avoid a split which would have been disastrous. It is well known that Sasikala lacks popular appeal as evidenced in the case of Amma. Chinnamma dabbled in backroom politics even as Jayalalithaa refused to build a second line of leadership in the AIADMK. Sasikala was not given a party post by Jayalalithaa to keep in check another authority being developed. This facilitated Amma in keeping her cadres united. Sasikala gained confidence running the AIADMK in Jayalalithaa’s name when the supremo had to remain absent from public view because of spells in jail and hospital due to illness. Amma was also missing from public view during campaigning in April-May this year compelling Sasikala to convey her orders to the party rank and file. By doing so ensured Amma’s pre-eminence as the supremo of the AIADMK. Not just that no one dared to question her undisputed status of being the numero uno in the regional party. However, the fact that Sasikala lived in the sprawling Poes garden residence of Jayalaithaa gave her the authority. What cannot be lost sight of is that the party’s problems might have just begun. The authority of Panneerselvam as the chief minister might be undermined. It is no secret that several ministers and others have asked Sasikala to take over as the chief minister. Impartial observers believe the post might well be hers as most of the legislators are backing her and Panneerselvam is unlikely to offer resistance at least at this juncture. At the same time Sasikala is an accused in the disproportionate assets case against Jayalalithaa and awaiting judgement in the Supreme Court after a conviction by the trial court. In the wake of the searches in the residential and office premises of Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao by IncomeTax and Enforcement Directorate authorities, questions have arisen about the involvement of the higher ups in the AIADMK in corruption. Under these circumstances Sasikala can find herself on a sticky wicket if she makes an overambitious pitch for the chief ministership. She has never contested an election for public office so far. Interestingly she was not present at the AIADMK’s general council meeting and the decision taken there was conveyed to her by a group of ministers and other senior party leaders. According to Rule 20, Section 2 of the party bye laws stipulates that eligible candidates should have been a member of the party for at least five years. Sasikala who was expelled in 2011 rejoined the party in 2012. She has not completed the necessary five-year term.  This is for the first time in the history of the AIADMK that one person is not occupying both the posts of chief minister and general secretary. The void created by Jayalalithaa’s death is not easy to fill. In the circumstances it can trigger changes in the political landscape of Tamil Nadu.  What cannot be lost sight of is that there are already murmurs in the AIADMK about a section being opposed to Sasikala. Arch rival DMK views the churning going on in the AIADMK as an opportunity to make a comeback after losing out to Amma for two consecutive terms in 2011 and in 2016. In all this the BJP believes it has an opportunity to enlarge its presence not just in Tamil Nadu but generally in the country’s South contributing 130 seats in the Lok Sabha. ( T R Ramachandran is senior journalist and commentator. The views are personal.)”

“In constantly and fast changing developments that have plagued Uttar Pradesh’s ruling Samajwadi Party over the past week, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has staged a coup in Lucknow by getting himself unanimously elected as the party’s national President replacing his ageing father and party Chief Mulayam Singh.
A resolution to this effect was presented by party general secretary and Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle Ram Gopal Yadav in the Samajwadi Party’s national convention in Lucknow on Sunday which was passed with a voice vote.

In another resolution, Akhilesh’s uncle Shivpal Yadav was removed from the post of state party chief and Amar Singh was expelled from the party with immediate effect.

Addressing the convention, Akhilesh Yadav said that he has highest regards and respect for his father, popularly addressed as `Netaji’ . He said that he will respect Netaji more than ever and if people are conspiring against his father it is his duty to act against them. The Chief Minister also said that a few persons in the party never wanted that Samajwadi party should come to power in the state.

Meanwhile, Mulayam Singh has termed the convention as totally unconstitutional. In a letter issued by the party head-quarters, Mulayam Singh, who abstained from the meeting, said strict action will be taken against those who attend the convention. The convention was held a day after Akhilesh and Ram Gopal Yadav were reinstated in the crisis-hit party following their expulsion for six years.

After the convention, it is clear that a new list of candidates will be issued under the stewardship of Akhilesh Yadav who has been at loggerheads with his father Mulayam Singh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Yadav. .

Mulayam Singh has called an emergency national convention on January 5 to clear the air among common people. He also said that some persons are continuously humiliating the party founder who has put great toil to build the part from scratch.  

Senior party leader and MP Naresh Agrawal has said that Amar Singh is a BJP agent. Kiran Moy Nanda, another close ally of Mulayam Singh also supported Akhilesh Yadav saying now Netaji Mulayam Singh must accept the reality that public wants leadership in the hands of Akhilesh Yadav. He said that every worker of Samajwadi Party whole heartedly respects Mulayam Singh but we can not let the forthcoming election to be put to the risk. 

Akhilesh Yadav also appointed’ Naresh Uttam as Samajwadi Party’s UP unit chief, replacing Shivpal Singh Yadav. All eyes will remain on the developments in Samajwadi Party in the next few days and political scenario in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.”

“

The Right to Food Campaign has expressed `dismay’ over the government’s `reckless’ attempt to renew currency notes, known as “”demonetization””, without any serious attention to the consequences it may have for poor people. This move serves no clear purpose and is a major attack on the right to food and the right to life, a statement issued by the Campaign has said.

“”Demonetization was sold to the public by claiming that it would flush out the black economy. In a rare display of near-unanimity, economists of all persuasions have exposed this misleading claim. Illegal income is not usually held in the form of wads of cash. It is spent, invested, laundered or converted in other ways into safer and more profitable stores of value than currency notes. That is the main reason why the bulk of old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes have found their way back to the Reserve Bank of India during the last two months, contrary to the assumption that demonetization would leave crooks with large amounts of unusable notes,’’ the statement said.

Another possible reason is that demonetization ended up enabling them to launder their black money by dispersing it into Jan Dhan and other accounts. The government is now planning to counter this by investigating millions of accounts and asking people to explain how they earned as little as a few lakhs of rupees. This will open the door to large-scale harassment, and perhaps also to the spread of corruption in the banking system, it said.

“”Even as it makes a song and dance of demonetization, the government is showing no interest in other measures that are likely to be more effective in curbing corruption. Three years after the Lokpal Act came into force, no Lokpal has been appointed. Likewise, the Whistleblowers Protection Act (passed in February 2014) awaits implementation. In fact, the government has introduced amendments in Parliament to dilute these two Acts. It has also failed to reintroduce the Grievance Redressal Bill, which had support of all parties but lapsed with the dissolution of the Lok Sabha in 2014. And of course, political parties continue to evade financial transparency,’’ the statement said.

With the corruption narrative exposed, the statement said, the government is now presenting demonetization as a step towards a “”cashless economy””. “”Whatever the merits of cashless payment systems, blanket demonetization is a ridiculous way of promoting them. The main beneficiaries of this approach are the private companies involved in cashless payments. Never has state power been put so blatantly at the service of corporate interests,’’ the statement added.

While the social benefits of demonetization are limited and uncertain, its stupendous costs are becoming more evident every day. The ravage begins with more than 100 demonetization-related deaths – suffocation in bank queues, heart attacks, suicides and more. This massacre has caused astonishingly little concern in the corridors of power, where passing reference is made, at best, to the “”inconvenience”” faced by the public. And for every person who died, how many have fainted, fallen ill, gone hungry or sunk into depression, the statement sought to know.

Pointing out that this wass only the tip of the volcano, the statement said that the big damage had only begun to unfold, as economic recession hits millions of vulnerable families. It does not require a PhD in economics to understand that when the bulk of the population is strapped for cash, economic activity and employment take a dip. Every day, fresh reports confirm that this is happening. Farmers have been dumping vegetables on the roads for want of a remunerative price. Traders and vendors have seen their sales dive, often by 50 per cent or more. Sales of durable goods have crashed across the board. Construction activity has slowed down. And most importantly, workers have been laid off on a large scale, it further said.

Other victims include pensioners and NREGA workers, who find it difficult to secure their meagre pensions and wages at the best of times. Now, with the banking system jammed, millions of them are in danger of their lifeline being cut off for weeks or even months.

The government’s reaction to this catastrophe is astonishingly smug. For one thing, it is claimed that the recession will be short-lived, and that the economy will bounce back very soon. It is in the nature of a recession, however, that getting out of it may not be easy. For another, the public is being asked to grin and bear it as long as the crisis lasts, without any measures being taken to protect people from insecurity and impoverishment. Instead of facing the crisis, the government relies on propaganda and public relations to deny it, and to give people an illusion that their suffering is a glorious contribution to the nation’s progress, the Campaign said.

The Campaign has demanded an immediate increase of the centre’s contribution to social security pensions for widows, the elderly and disabled persons (under the National Social Assistance Programme) from Rs 200 per month to Rs 1,000 per month; implementation of National Food Security Act provisions for universal maternity entitlements (Rs 6,000 per child) and central assistance for the inclusion of milk, eggs and fruits in school mid-day meals and ICDS.

It has also sought an increase in the annual NREGA budget to Rs 60,000 crore, with effect from 2016-7; compensation for all families of victims of demonetization-related deaths and reversal of all recent reductions in social spending by the central government, as a share of GDP.

The signatories to the statement include among others:  Kavita Srivastava and Dipa Sinha (Conveners – Steering Committee), Annie Raja, (National Federation for Indian Women), Colin Gonsalves , (Human Right Law Network), Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey and Anjali Bhardwaj, (National Campaign for People’s Right to Information), Madhuresh, Arundhati Dhuru and Ulka Mahajan (National Alliance of People’s Movements), Asha Mishra and Kashinath Chatterjee (Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti), Ashok Bharti (National Conference of Dalit Organizations), Anuradha Talwar, Gautam Modi and Madhuri Krishnaswamy (New Trade Union Initiative), Binayak Sen (People’s Union for Civil Liberties), Subhash Bhatnagar (National Campaign Committee for Unorganized Sector workers), Paul Divakar and Asha Kowtal (National Campaign for Dalit Human Rights), Mira Shiva, Radha Holla and Vandana Prasad (Jan Swasthya Abhiyan), Ranjeet Kumar Verma, Prahlad Ray, Praveen Kumar, Anand Malakar (Rashtriya Viklang Manch), Lali Dhakar, Sarawasti Singh, Shilpa Dey and Radha Raghwal (National Forum for Single Women’s Rights), G V Ramanjaneyulu, Kavita Kuruganthi (Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture), Jashodhara (National Alliance for Maternal Health and Human Rights), Ilango (National Fishworkers Federation), Zasia, Sonam, and Noor Jehan (Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan).”

“

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced sops of farmers, small entrepreneurs and women. Addressing the Nation on the completion of 50 days of demonetization — announced on November 8, 2016 – Prime Minister said the Government has taken some major decisions to ensure homes for the poor, the neo middle class and the middle class.

Two new middle income categories have been created under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana in urban areas. Loans of up to 9 lakh rupees taken in 2017, will receive interest subvention of 4 per cent. Loans of up to 12 lakh rupees taken in 2017, will receive interest subvention of 3 per cent.

The number of houses being built for the poor, under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana in rural areas, is being increased by 33 per cent. Another scheme has been put in place for the neo middle and middle class in rural areas. Loans of up to 2 lakh rupees taken in 2017, for new housing, or extension of housing in rural areas, will receive an interest subvention of 3 per cent.

“”In the last few weeks, an impression was sought to be created that the agriculture sector has been destroyed. Farmers themselves have given a fitting reply to those who were doing so. Rabi sowing is up by 6 per cent compared to last year. Fertilizer offtake is up by 9 per cent. During this period, the Government has taken care to ensure that farmers do not suffer for want of access to seeds, fertilisers and credit. Now, we have taken some more decisions in the interest of farmers.

Farmers who have taken loans for the Rabi crop from District Cooperative Central Banks and Primary Societies, will not have to pay interest on such loans for a period of 60 days. Farmers who have paid interest during the last two months, will receive these amounts back, directly into their bank accounts,’’ he said.

Arrangements are being made to provide farmers even better access to loans from cooperative banks and societies. NABARD created a fund of 21,000 crore rupees last month. Now, Government is adding 20,000 crore rupees more to this. The loss that NABARD suffers by giving loans to cooperative banks and societies at low interest rates, shall be borne by the Government, Mr Modi said.

The Government has decided, that 3 crore farmers who have Kisan Credit Cards, will be given RuPay debit cards within three months. Kisan Credit Cards were launched in 1998, but so far, it was essential to go to a bank, to use them. Now, farmers will have RuPay Debit Cards, which they can use anywhere.

Just as agriculture is vital for the economy, so are the medium and small scale enterprises also called the MSME sector. Government has taken some decisions in the interest of small and medium businesses, which will also boost employment, Mr Modi said.

“Government of India underwrites loans given by banks to small businesses through a trust. So far, loans were covered upto one crore rupees. This limit is now being enhanced to 2 crore rupees. Earlier the scheme only covered bank loans. Hereafter it will cover loans given by NBFCs as well. This decision will enable better access to credit for small shop-owners and small enterprises. Banks and NBFCs will not levy  high interest on these loans, as Government of India is bearing the cost of underwriting them,’’ he added.

Government has also asked banks to raise the credit limit for small industry from 20 per cent of turnover to 25 per cent. Banks have also been asked to increase working capital loans from 20 per cent of turnover to 30 per cent, for enterprises that transact digitally. Many people connected with this sector have made cash deposits in the last few weeks. Banks have been asked to take this into account when deciding on working capital, he said.

A few days back, Government announced a major tax relief for small businesses.  Income of businesses with turnover of up to Rs 2 crores was calculated at 8% of the turnover. Now, for such businesses income from digital transactions will be calculated at 6%. This will effectively reduce their tax liability by 25%.

The progress of the MUDRA Yojana has been very encouraging. Last year, nearly 3 and a half crore people have benefited from this. The Government now aims to double this, giving priority to Dalits, Tribals, Backward Classes and Women. “We are introducing a nation-wide scheme for financial assistance to pregnant women. 6000 rupees will be transferred directly to the bank accounts of pregnant women who undergo institutional delivery and vaccinate their children. This scheme will help reduce the maternal mortality rate, in a big way. This will help ensure nutrition before and after delivery, and improve the health of mother and child. So far, pregnant women in 53 districts were being given financial assistance of 4000 rupees, under a pilot project.

We are initiating a scheme for senior citizens. Banks often reduce their deposit rates, when they receive a large volume of money. This should not adversely impact senior citizens. Under the scheme, senior citizens will receive a fixed interest rate of 8 per cent for a period of 10 years, on deposits upto 7.5 lakh rupees. The interest will be paid monthly,’’ he said.

 “We have, during the external aggressions, of 1962, 1965, 1971  and Kargil;  witnessed the intrinsic strength of our citizens. Such collective energy and patriotism is understandable, in the face of external threats. However, when crores of Indians unite to fight a war against internal evils, it is unparalleled,’’ he said.

Indians have displayed  the strength of people power, utmost discipline, and the ability to discern the truth in a storm of disinformation. They have shown  that resolute honesty, can defeat dishonesty. “It is historic, that both the people and the government are on the same side in this battle against evil.  The Government is well aware, that in this period, you had to queue up, and face difficulty in withdrawing your own money,’’ Mr Modi said. 

“”`My effort is to take the banking system to normalcy as fast as possible in the new year. I have asked all concerned officers in the Government to focus their attention to this task. They have especially been told to proactively resolve the problems in rural and remote areas,”” he said.

There is no precedent globally, to what India has done. Nations similar to us do not have the amount of currency that we had. Over the last ten to twelve years, 500 and 1000 rupee currency notes were used less for legitimate transactions, and more for a parallel economy. The excess of cash was fuelling inflation and black-marketing. It was denying the poor, their due.  Lack of cash causes difficulty, but excess of cash is even more troublesome. Our aim is to achieve a balance. Economists agree that when cash is outside the formal economy, it is a cause of worry. When it joins the mainstream, it is an opportunity for development, he explained.

 Linking unrest and unlawful activities with black money, Mr Modi said it is accepted the world over, that terrorism, Naxalism, Maoism, counterfeit currency trade, drug trade, human trafficking – all of these depend on black money.

Pointing out that demonetistion has dealt a severe blow to these trades, Prime Minister said youth who had turned to the wrong path, are returning to the mainstream in large numbers.  “If we remain vigilant, we can now save our children from returning to those evil ways of violence and cruelty.  The fact that so much of the cash in circulation has been deposited in the banking system indicates the success of this mission,’’ he added.

Appreciating efforts of bank employees during this Herculean effort, Mr Modi said some grave crimes by some officers in some banks have come to light. Some Government officers have also committed serious offences, and tried to take advantage of the situation. They will not be spared, he warned. “”History is witness that the Indian banking system has never received such a large amount of money, in such a short time. While respecting the autonomy of the banks, I appeal to them to move beyond their traditional priorities, and keep the poor, the lower middle class, and the middle class at the focus of their activities,’’ Prime Minister said.

Political parties, political leaders and electoral funding, figure prominently in any debate on corruption and black money. The time has now come that all political leaders and parties respect the feelings of the nation’s honest citizens, and understand the anger of the people. It is true that from time to time, political parties have made constructive efforts to improve the system.

“”I urge all parties and leaders to move away from a “holier than thou approach,”” to come together in prioritising transparency, and take firm steps to free politics of black money and corruption. This is to break the endless cycle of elections, reduce election expenditure, and minimize pressure on the administrative machinery,’’ Mr Modi said.”

“

British medical journal, The Lancet has called for a robust advertising regulation and banning social media promotion covering all milk products for children up to 3 years.

In its latest issue, the journal has said that regulation of the marketing of breast milk substitutes is a cornerstone of global action on breastfeeding. The International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes was drafted in 1981 amid widespread concern about the advertising and promotion of infant formula, particularly in settings where mothers lacked access to the clean drinking water and sterilisation equipment needed to safely prepare formula milk. The Code prohibits direct advertising of breast milk substitutes to mothers, claims that formula milk provides health benefits, and gifts or free supplies to health-care workers and facilities.

A new report by WHO, UNICEF and, the International Baby Food Action Network summarises the status of international implementation of the Code. Encouragingly, 135 of 194 countries in the analysis had at least some legal measures in place, compared with 103 countries in 2011. However, only 39 countries have comprehensive legislation covering all aspects of the Code, it says.

Strikingly, it is high-income countries (including the USA, Australia, and much of western Europe) and middle-income countries such as China that have the fewest legal protections—and some of the lowest breastfeeding rates, particularly beyond 6 months. Meanwhile, many poorer countries lack the resources to effectively implement, enforce, and monitor their existing laws, the journal says.

 The Indian law prohibits advertising of breast milk substitutes but the law is not applicable on online advertising and social media promotion. “

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday trashed the competition in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, saying that BJP’s absence from governing the State for 14 years had led to lack of development and asserted that the only option left was to vote the BJP to power in the State. Addressing a huge rally in Lucknow, Mr. Modi said that politics between parties was acceptable but politics in the matters of development of poor and common people was totally unacceptable.He said that the State government was biased and partisan towards development as it did not pay any heed to the proposals of BJP MPs. He praised the farmers of UP and country to toil hard which has resulted in huge production of rice and pulses but UP government has no interest in buying their produces.

Seeing huge turnout at the Parivartan Maharally, Mr. Modi said that it was evident that people wanted a change in UP as they are fed up with hooliganism, loot, atrocities against women and poor and land grabbing. The Prime Minister said that BJP wants to bring such a change which may provide much needed relief to the people who have been deprived in all these years. Without naming the Dalit icon and BSP supremo Mayawati, Mr, Modi said that we have developed a powerful App and named it BHIM, to easily transact the money and it was a gesture to pay our respects to Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, who was not only a great law expert but also a great economist, but some persons are unable to digest the move. All opposition parties, he said, “”are obsessed with Modi hatao (remove Modi) Me? But I am fixated on removing corruption,”” he said, referring to his demonetisation drive that was launched in November. “”There is only one option for Uttar Pradesh,”” the PM said, “”and it is the BJP.”” “