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Thursday, November 17, 2011

Ensalved Communities May Not Revolt whatever may Come,Ethnic Cleansing is NO Worry as the Enjoy Death, Destruction and All Round disaster. Indian OBC Communities Prove this in many ways. OBC is used as the Best Tool to Sustain Manusmriti Rule simply

Ensalved Communities May Not Revolt whatever may Come,Ethnic Cleansing is NO Worry as the Enjoy Death, Destruction and All Round disaster. Indian OBC Communities Prove this in many ways. OBC is used as the Best Tool to Sustain Manusmriti Rule simply Because they are Upgraded in the Caste system than the SC Outcastes! Now OBC Head Count is Betrayed Despite the Parliamentary Consensus. brahaminical Stoges are Super Active to Kill the Constitution and Anti Reservation Movement is Relaunched as Anti Corruption Movement. Congress  Strengthened by OBC Leaders Push for Unprecedented Reforms Drive. 26Percent FDI in Pension. Airline FDI Capped 24 Percent!Anti People Legislation is the Agenda to be Accomplised in the Winter Session of Parliament with Excellent Floor Adjustment as Usal. Meanwhile,he Congress-led government has tried to reach out to Other Backward Communities (OBCs) by drastically relaxing the definition of 'creamy layer' and including those with an annual income of Rs 12 lakh in metros eligible for job reservations. The eligibility level in non-metros will be an annual income of Rs 9 lakh!India may allow foreign retail investors to trade equities!Finance Ministry gives nod to FDI in multi-brand retail!Ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's scheduled meeting with US President Barack Obama on Friday at Bali, India today notified rules on nuclear liability. The development is significant as nuclear liability has remained a key point of contention between the two nations over the civil nuclear cooperation deal signed in 2008.
Manmohan Singh, Barack Obama to chart road ahead in Indo-US ties!India decision to notify liability laws on the eve of talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and U.S. President Barack Obama on the sidelines of ASEAN summit being held here, is likely to go down well with Washington, and is also expected to add more substance to the bilateral talks.

Hillary Clinton arrives today for 2nd round of Indo-US strategic talks!

Gail, HPCL ,Greater Calcutta Gas Supply Company signed MoU for joint venture!

South China Sea conflict can have global fall-out: Indian Navy

Pranab approves changes in Food Bill!
Troubled Galaxy Destroyed Dreams, Chapter 708

Palash Biswas

http://indianliberationnews.com/

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Missile Tech: Giant Leap for India
5,000-km range Agni-5 to be test fired in February 2012
India has now graduated to a higher level of missile technology with more capable versions of Agni-1 and Agni-2.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/energy/oil-gas/state-run-oil-firms-to-revise-petrol-prices-every-two-weeks/articleshow/10762659.cms


OBC quota pool likely to get bigger

Times of India - ‎Nov 12, 2011‎
The eligibility level is proposed to be raised to Rs 9 lakh in non-metro cities, marking a two-fold hike from the existing ceiling of Rs 4.5 lakh to bar the "creamy" OBCs from availing of reservations in jobs and educational institutions. ...

Mixed response to Panel's quota split

Deccan Chronicle - ‎Nov 12, 2011‎
The panel has suggested that the mass of thousands of backward castes, presently part of an umbrella OBC list, be divided into distinct categories of "backward" and "most backward", like in Tamil Nadu. "I belong to the Goundar community, which is BC. ...
  1. OBC creamy layer ceiling raised


    Economic Times - 18 hours ago
    NEW DELHI: The Congress-led government has tried to reach out to Other Backward Communities (OBCs) by drastically relaxing the definition of 'creamy layer...
    Raise income limit for creamy layer to Rs 9 lakh: NCBC‎ Manoramaonline
    all 15 news articles »
  2. OBC quota pool likely to get bigger


    Times of India - 4 days ago
    'Creamy layer' is the salary limit beyond which an individual from backward caste ...The sentiment came out clearly during UPA 1's policy for 'OBC quota in ...

    indiatvnews.com
  3. Divide OBCs into subgroups, says govt panel


    Times of India - 6 days ago
    The landmark initiative, with implications for OBC mobilization and ... among the Most Backward Classes (MBCs) over the domination of the "creamy layer". ...
  4. Maha officers demand extension of ceiling limit for OBC


    IBNLive.com - 25 Oct 2011
    He contended that the creamy layer ceiling has deprived 70 per cent of the OBC students from benefits of various government concessions. ...
Finance Ministry gives nod to FDI in multi-brand retail!

Ensalved Communities May Not Revolt whatever may Come,Ethnic Cleansing is NO Worry as the Enjoy Death, Destruction and All Round disaster. Indian OBC Communities Prove this in many ways. OBC is used as the Best Tool to Sustain Manusmriti Rule simply Because they are Upgraded in the Caste system than the SC Outcastes! Now OBC Head Count is Betrayed Despite the Parliamentary Consensus. brahaminical Stoges are Super Active to Kill the Constitution and Anti Reservation Movement is Relaunched as Anti Corruption Movement. Congress  Strengthened by OBC Leaders Push for Unprecedented Reforms Drive. 26Percent FDI in Pension. Airline FDI Capped 24 Percent!Anti People Legislation is the Agenda to be Accomplised in the Winter Session of Parliament with Excellent Floor Adjustment as Usal. Meanwhile,he Congress-led government has tried to reach out to Other Backward Communities (OBCs) by drastically relaxing the definition of 'creamy layer' and including those with an annual income of Rs 12 lakh in metros eligible for job reservations. The eligibility level in non-metros will be an annual income of Rs 9 lakh!

Ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's scheduled meeting with US President Barack Obama on Friday at Bali, India today notified rules on nuclear liability. The development is significant as nuclear liability has remained a key point of contention between the two nations over the civil nuclear cooperation deal signed in 2008.India decision to notify liability laws on the eve of talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and U.S. President Barack Obama on the sidelines of ASEAN summit being held here, is likely to go down well with Washington, and is also expected to add more substance to the bilateral talks.


Earlier, in New Delhi, commenting on the recent developments related to the nuclear liability bill, a government source said that India does not see it as an insurmountable problem.


"People have been doing business in the nuclear field with India even without a nuclear liability bill. We aren't sure if this bill will address the concerns of the US companies wanting to do business with India. It is for those companies to decide. In India, Indian laws will apply so we have a control and say in that," the source said.


Ever since the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement was signed in 2008, American nuclear giants like GE and Westinghouse are desperate to tap the Indian nuclear market, which has potential of 150 billion dollars and is so far dominated by state run companies like Russia"s Rasotom and France"s Areva.


US companies have so far said that the liabilty laws in India are tough on suppliers and are also apprehensive about the right to recourse.


According to reports, the Rules of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages Act notified today, states that the suppliers of nuclear material would be allowed to specify a "product liability period" beyond which they would not be held liable for any accident.


The operator of the nuclear power plant concerned would, therefore, have no "right of recourse" against the suppliers after this period is over, whereas the operator is liable for the lifetime.


The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages Act was passed by Parliament in August last year,The notification of the rules made public today would clear the decks to make the law operational


The US administration and companies have been urging New Delhi to frame the liability law in accordance with international conventions. When the Liability Act is in place, American nuclear companies are likely to enter India.


Prime Minister Singh is meeting President Obama on Thursday. Besides the contentious nuclear liability issue, bilateral discussions could also focus on the situation prevailing in Afghanistan and Pakistan, bilateral trade and defence ties.


The meeting between two leaders is taking place after a gap of nearly a year. The last meeting took place when President Obama visited India in November 2010. By Smita Prakash


India may allow foreign retail investors to trade equities!

The Finance Ministry has given its consent to the draft Cabinet note on opening the multi - brand retail to foreign investment, an official said.

"Finance Ministry has given concurrence to the proposal of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) on allowing FDI in multi-brand retail sector," a senior ministry official said today.

The DIPP had earlier circulated a draft Cabinet note to seek inter-ministerial views on the politically sensitive issue.

The note was in line with the recommendations of the high level committee of secretaries (Cos), headed by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Kumar Seth.

The CoS had recommended 51 per cent FDI in the sector with several riders. These included a minimum foreign investment of USD 100 million.

The decision on FDI in the sector has been delayed in view of concerns that it would adversely impact neighbourhood kirana shops, which account for over 90 per cent of USD 590 billion retail trade. These concerns have been voiced by several political parties and traders' unions.

Besides, the government is also contemplating to hike the ceiling of FDI in single-brand retail. At present, the country allows 51 per cent FDI in single brand retail, 100 per cent in cash and carry (wholesale) business, but bars it completely in multi-brand retail.

Several global retailers like Wal-Mart and Tesco are waiting in the wings to entry into India's multi-brand retail segment.

India and the US Tuesday began their second strategic dialogue to expand counter-terror cooperation and expedite implementation of their landmark civil nuclear deal.


US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who arrived here Monday night heading a 25-member delegation of US officials, and External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna jointly chaired the talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.


The two sides are expected to discuss an entire gamut of issues, including strategic cooperation, counter-terrorism, energy and climate change, education, science and technology, health and defence, officials said.


India and the US are likely to sign key pacts in the areas of cyber security and civil aviation after the talks, said sources.


She will also call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singhand meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi before she heads to Chennai, India's southern city which is becoming a hub for American investment.


Clinton's visit comes less than a week after coordinated bombings in India's commercial hub of Mumbai killed 19 people July 13. India is likely to seek US assistance in probing the bombings. It's not yet clear what kind of cooperation New Delhi may want from Washington on this.


Besides bilateral issues, the volatile situation in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region will be an important part of the discussions.



India is considering allowing foreign retail and small investors to trade local equities, a finance ministry official with direct knowledge of the matter said on Thursday, a move that could bolster fund flows into Indian shares.


A qualified foreign investor (QFI) is an individual, group or association resident in a foreign country that adheres to anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing guidelines.


India currently allows wealthy foreign investors with a minimum net worth of $50 million and registered as a sub-account of a foreign institutional investor (FII) to invest directly in local equities.


"We are looking at allowing QFIs to invest in equities without capping such an investment," said the finance ministry official, who declined to be named.


The official said all such investors who meet "know your customer" ( KYC) requirements are likely to be allowed to directly invest in Indian shares.


The move is seen as positive for Indian stocks, which are down nearly 20 per cent in 2011. Foreign portfolio investors have bought equities worth about $663 million so far this year, sharply down from the $29 billion they invested in 2010.


"The move is extremely good. It will help attract foreign fund flows into the Indian market," said Ambareesh Baliga, chief operating officer at brokerage firm Way2Wealth.


"However, in the current market, with so much of global uncertainty, the move will have little impact," he said.


The BSE Sensex dropped 1.9 per cent on Thursday to post its lowest close in six weeks, as investors cut their exposure to risky assets amid concerns about the impact of high interest rates and slowing economic growth on corporate earnings.


The benchmark index fell for the sixth straight session in its longest losing streak in more than three months.


In August, India allowed foreign investors to buy up to a cumulative $10 billion in domestic equity funds, opening the door wider to capital flows into Asia's third-largest economy.




Economic Times reports:
The Congress-led government has tried to reach out to Other Backward Communities (OBCs) by drastically relaxing the definition of 'creamy layer' and including those with an annual income of Rs 12 lakh in metros eligible for job reservations. The eligibility level in non-metros will be an annual income of Rs 9 lakh.

The existing ceiling for this is an annual income of 4.5 lakh. The National Commission for Backward Classeshas been pitching for a higher ceiling following pressure from dominant OBC groups. According to advocates of the higher ceiling, many reserved posts have been lying vacant on account of 'unrealistic' ceiling for OBCs.

The Rs 12 lakh ceiling would make dependents of those who earn Rs 1 lakh monthly salary eligible for quota benefits and will lead to a change in the profile of the new entrants.

The Backward Class commission, headed by MN Rao, has been maintaining affirmative action should benefit sections which are "socially discriminated". The panel was of the view that economic advancement was not guarantee for social advancement. "The basis of exclusion can be economic only if the financial advancement is enough to translate into social upward mobility.

This, however, is certain to cause disquiet among poor 'upper' castes, who have of late been demanding quota in educational institutions and government jobs. They are bound to claim that the latest decision would further shrink their job prospects.

A Cabinet release said the National Commission for Backward Classes advised the government for amendment in the central list of OBCs for Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and West Bengal and Union Territories of Andaman & Nicobar, Chandigarh, Delhi and Puducherry.

"The ministry of social justice & empowerment would make amendments in the central lists of OBCs in respect of these states and UTs. Inclusion of these castes/communities in the central list of OBCs would enable them to avail benefits of reservation in central government services and posts as well as admissions in central educational institutions, thus contributing to the goal of equity and inclusiveness," the release noted.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/obc-creamy-layer-ceiling-raised/articleshow/10762780.cms

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations today opened a summit on the Indonesian island of Bali, expected to tackle issues including maritime disputes and reform in Myanmar.


Opening the meeting, the host nation's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that the 10-nation ASEAN "wishes to play a greater role in the affairs of the world, to reach out to the world".


In an apparent reference to the South China Sea, where China is embroiled in disputes with several members of the bloc, he said: "We must ensure the stability and security of our region.


"ASEAN must continue to play a proactive role to facilitate and engage itself in the resolution of issues."


The leaders are set to discuss Myanmar's bid to host the grouping in 2014, which ASEAN's foreign ministers backed this week, saying it was a reward for reform gestures from the new military-backed government.


"We must continue to engage all leaders in the region," Yudhoyono said.


On Saturday the meeting will widen into the East Asia Summit, which also takes in Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand, and this year welcomes new members the United States and Russia.


In recent days Beijing and Washington have traded warnings over the handling of the South China Sea territorial wrangle, setting the stage for a confrontation in Bali.


BALI (INDONESIA): Prime Minister Manmohan Singhand US President Barack Obama are expected to chart a road ahead in the bilateral ties, including in civil nuclear cooperation, when they meet here tomorrow during which the situation in Af-Pak region is also likely to figure.


The meeting between the two leaders, first since the US President visited New Delhi in November last year, is taking place against the backdrop of India notifying the rules of conducting nuclear business with an aim to address apprehensions of American and other foreign companies.


The two leaders would mainly discuss the bilateral relations and how to take these forward, sources said today.


The meeting will provide them an opportunity to review the decisions and outcomes of Obama's visit besides discussing regional issues like the situation in India's neighbourhood.


The sources said the Indo-US relations were in "very good shape" and the two countries were working together on a range of issues, including Afghanistan and Pakistan besides economic crisis in the Eurozone and in the UN Security Council.


To press the point, the sources said considerable progress had been made on implementation of the decisions taken during the visit of Obama to India a year ago.


"It (the relationship) will have to keep evolving" in tune with the new developments taking place in the world, they said.

Pranab approves changes in Food Bill

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the head of the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on Food, has approved key changes in the proposed National Food Security Bill and the revised draft will be placed before Cabinet soon.

"Yesterday evening, the Finance Minister has given final clearance to the draft Food Bill. It will be soon placed before Cabinet," Food Minister K V Thomastold reporters on the sidelines of an event here.

The key changes proposed in the Bill have been approved and the Cabinet note will be circulated for inter-ministerial comments today, he added.

Earlier, in July, the EGoM on Food had cleared the draft National Food Security Bill, which seeks to provide a legal entitlement to subsidised foodgrains to 75 per cent of the country's rural population and 50 per cent of urban India.

After consultation with concerned stakeholders and the state governments, the Food Ministry proposed several key changes in the draft Bill and those have been approved by the Finance Minister, Thomas told PTI separately.

The two major changes include: keeping an option open for supplying more than 3 kg of subsidised foodgrains to general households and widening its reach to include lactating women, destitute and aged people and providing nutritious food to children, he said.

"The cash-handout of Rs 1,000 per month for six months to lactating women would be extended to the entire country instead of 52 districts," he added.


All set to corner the government, Opposition is likely to bring an adjournment motion on the issue of price rise on the first day of the winter session of Parliament and raise the heat on other issues like corruption.

"There is a possibility of adjournment motion on the first day of the session on Government's failure in implementing the August 4 resolutionof the House on checking price rise," senior CPI-leader Gurudas Dasgupta told reporters after an all party meeting chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar to build consensus for smooth functioning of the House.

Noting that the value of Indian rupee is going down and inflation is going up, Dasgupta said it was due to the "wrong policies of the Government." The CPI leader said the upcoming session is going to be a "very lively" one.

Echoing similar views, JD-U President and NDA convenor Sharad Yadav said that the Opposition parties will raise the tempo on issues like price rise and new reports of the CAG on corruption issues as well as on the 2G case. "All opposition parties are united on the issue of corruption," he said.

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said that while the Left wants an adjournment motion on price rise, BJP will come to a decision on it after consultations with its leaders.

She said a common strategy will be firmed up after November 21 meeting of the NDA after which the BJP will discuss floor coordination with other parties.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad making a strong pitch of carrying out caste census separately said even he can bring an adjournment motion but his supporting other parties will depend on their support for the issues raised by RJD.

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, however, described the meeting as "very fruitful" saying the general refrain of the parties was that the session should run smoothly and they have promised their cooperation.

Cabinet clears nuclear liability bill

SMITA GUPTA
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PTIRashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad with Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh addressing the media on the nuclear bill issue at the Parliament House in New Delhi on Wednesday.

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Removes "and" between clause 17 (A) and 17 (B)

The government was in damage control mode on Friday — the Union Cabinet snipped off the offending word "and" between clause 17 (A) and 17 (B) of the controversial Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill 2010.

Thus, it restored the operator's right to seek compensation from the supplier and approved the draft bill with 18 amendments, ready to be tabled in Parliament next Wednesday. This was in deference to the demands made by the Opposition.

Simultaneously, the government deployed Minister of State for Science and Technology Prithviraj Chavan to clear the air on the bill and reject Opposition allegations that the bill was designed to take on board the U.S.' interests. "Some [people] have expressed apprehensions," Mr. Chavan said, "that this bill was designed to address or benefit a particular country. It's totally wrong. I deny it emphatically."

Mr. Chavan stressed that the concerns of the Opposition — particularly that of the BJP and Left parties — were taken on board by removing the word "and" in clause 17.

He said: "Clause 17 is now largely the same as before the amendment made by the Standing Committee. But we have also strengthened it by adding that the operator can only start any legal process with the supplier after compensation has been paid to the affected persons."

Mr. Chavan was at pains to underscore that the experience of Bhopal had taught the government the need to put in place the strongest possible pro-victim law. He pointed out that the bill had the provision to increase the compensation amount from time to time.

Congress leaders said that BJP leaders were the most cooperative, especially as they sensed that opposition to the bill was unlikely to pay any political dividends, as the 2009 elections had demonstrated. The UPA is now dependent on the BJP to get the bill through, as the Left parties, whose concerns have only been partially addressed, are still holding out.

The committee had recommended that clause 17 should be read as "the operator of a nuclear installation shall have the right of recourse where — (A) "such right is expressly provided for in a contract in writing" and (B) "the nuclear incident has resulted as a consequence of latent or patent defect, supply of sub-standard material, defective equipment or services or from the gross negligence on the part of the supplier of the material, equipment or services."

With the removal of "and," the operator was free to pursue the supplier and he could do so even if there was no separate contract between the operator and the supplier, Mr. Chavan said.

Keywords: Civil Liability for Nuclear Bill, Manmohan Singh, Indo-U.S. ties, BJP, Left parties, controversial clause

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article583783.ece


Ministry proposes 24% FDI in Indian carriers by foreign airlines

VINAY KUMAR
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PTIAn view of the Mumbai airport. File photo
At a time when domestic airlines are reporting substantial losses, the Civil Aviation Ministry has proposed that the government allow 24 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by foreign airlines in Indian carriers.
The Civil Aviation Ministry is preparing a note for the Union Cabinet and it is likely to come up for discussion in the Cabinet over the next few days, sources in the ministry said here on Thursday.
``The Civil Aviation Ministry has proposed 24 per cent investment by foreign airlines. The Cabinet is likely to take a call on the issue in a couple of weeks,'' official sources said.
When asked about the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) proposing a 26 per cent cap, the sources said the government would take a final call on it. Current rules allow 49% FDI in Indian aviation companies, but do not permit foreign airlines to own stake in India's carriers.
While a majority of Indian airlines are opposed to FDI as they fear that foreign partners would eventually take over the carriers in which they invest, liquor baron Vijay Mallya whose Kingfisher Airlines has sunk into a deep financial crisis has raised the pitch for allowing foreign airlines to invest in India's domestic carriers. A number of banks which have exposure to domestic carriers are also finding it hard to restructure their loans. In such a scenario, FDI could infuse funds in the carriers which they badly need.
Apart from Kingfisher, Jet Airways and Spicejet have also reported losses due to high costs of operation and tax structure. State-owned Air India is also looking for infusion of more funds from the government to bail it out of financial crisis.
The current policy bars foreign airlines from investing in Indian carriers primarily on security grounds. A 26 per cent cap would allow a foreign investor to have voting rights in the board of an Indian carrier which would be not allowed if the cap is fixed at 24 per cent, the sources said.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) could allocate slots at airports vacated by Kingfisher Airlines to other airlines over the next few weeks. Kingfisher announced that it would slash about 40 daily flights where the company was making losses following a plan to reconfigure aircraft and cut costs.
The Civil Aviation Ministry has also indicated that over the next few months, an aviation ombudsman will be appointed to help the sector which is in dire financial strait.
"All stake holders have agreed to setting up an Ombudsman for the sector," ministry sources said. The ombudsman's office would also look into complaints by the passengers.
Keywords: FDI, civil aviation, direct investment

http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/article2635738.ece


Cabinet nod for 26 % FDI in pension sector

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
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No assured returns to pension subscribers
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday agreed to partially open the gates to foreign direct investment (FDI) in the pension sector to the extent of 26 per cent, as is now available in the area of insurance, but decided not to mention any sectoral cap in the proposed legislation.
In its approval to amendments in the PFRDA Bill, 2011, the Cabinet, however, turned down the Parliamentary Standing Committee's suggestion of providing a guarantee on assured returns on pension fund schemes.
The provision with regard to the FDI cap for the pension sector is proposed to be incorporated in the regulations once the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, 2011, is enacted.
Cap on a par with insurance sector
Explaining the need for the options kept open, an official spokesperson said: "The government is of the view that the FDI cap in the pension (sector) should be at 26 per cent, on a par with the insurance sector. However, it would like to retain the flexibility of changing the cap of FDI as and when required and that is why it has not been kept as part of the bill."
With the Cabinet's approval of some of the amendments proposed, the PFRDA Bill, which seeks to open the pension sector to private sector and foreign investment, will now be taken up for consideration and passage in the winter session of Parliament beginning November 22.
Panel suggestions
The proposed legislation introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 24 this year was subsequently referred to the Standing Committee chaired by BJP leader and former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha for scrutiny. In its suggestions, the committee had wanted the government not only to specify the FDI cap in the legislation itself but also provide for a minimum guaranteed return to pension subscribers.
While rejecting these proposed provisions, the Cabinet also turned down the committee's suggestion on providing greater flexibility to subscribers on withdrawal of funds from their accounts.
Essentially, the PFRDA Bill provides for the setting up of a statutory authority to undertake promotional, developmental and regulatory functions with regard to pension funds.
As to why the government has decided not to mention the FDI cap in the legislation is the fact that it has not been able to raise the FDI ceiling in insurance from the existing 26 per cent to 49 per cent as the changes require fresh amendments. As a result, the Insurance (Amendment) Bill has been pending approval since 2008.
On the other hand, once the FDI caps are mentioned in the regulations, the government would find it easier to modify the ceilings through an executive order, as and when required.
As for the issue of withdrawal, the spokesperson said that the flexibility of withdrawals from funds under the pension scheme would be tightened. "It would be allowed only in case of genuine needs...It would be considered when the need is critical.
It will not be allowed for frivolous reasons," the spokesperson added.
Keywords: Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority, FDI in pension funds, EPFO, New Pension System

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http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/article2633198.ece

FIIs can invest more in G-secs, corporate bonds

PTI
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Finance Ministry raises limit by $5 billion each
The Finance Ministry on Thursday increased the investment limit for foreign institutional investors (FII) in government securities (G-secs) and corporate bonds by $5 billion each, a move that will enhance capital flows and increase the availability of resources for corporates. The FIIs can now invest up to $15 billion in G-secs and $20 billion in corporate bonds, according to a Finance Ministry statement.
The investment limit in long-term infrastructure bonds, however, has been kept unchanged at $25 billion. A notification giving effect to the new FII investment ceilings will be issued by the Securities and Exchange Board of India soon.
"The present enhancement will increase investment in debt securities and help in further development of the government securities and corporate bond markets in the country," the statement said. The decision, which was taken after a review of the macro—economic situation, would enhance capital flows and make additional financial resources available to the Indian corporate sector, the statement added. The official added that the increase in investment limits became necessary as "...little space was available for further FII investment in G-secs and corporate bonds.'' As against the FII investment ceiling of Rs.43,650 crore in G-secs, foreign institutions had invested Rs.41,253 crore as of October 31, 2011.
Similarly, in the case of corporate bonds, FIIs have invested Rs.68,289 crore (as of October 31, 2011) as against the ceiling of Rs.74,416 crore.
Keywords: government securities, corporate bonds, foreign institutional investors, FII investment limit

Occupy protests: Latest developments

AP
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APOccupy Columbia protesters prepare to be arrested by Bureau of Protective Services officers on the South Carolina Statehouse grounds for refusing to remove themselves from the public grounds. Photo: AP
An overview of 'Occupy' protest across the U.S. and in London
NEW YORK
New York and cities across the country are preparing to host rallies and marches on Thursday, the two-month anniversary of the Occupy protests' birth in a lower Manhattan park.
Predictions varied, but protest organizers promised it would be their biggest event yet. A New York deputy mayor said officials were bracing for tens of thousands of people at various locations who could clog subways and bridges.
It was unclear Wednesday how reliable that estimate was. Previous protests in New York have consisted of several hundred people.
The encampment in Zuccotti Park, considered the epicentre of the global Occupy movement, was cleared out by police early Tuesday, leaving the movement in the nation's largest city without a permanent home. The day of marches was planned before the raid.
Some of the 200 or so protesters arrested in the raid were arraigned Wednesday, while dozens more arrested during an Oct. 1 march had court dates down the hall.
Protesters were also told they could retrieve belongings confiscated in the raid from a Manhattan sanitation garage. The mound of items ranged from books to tents to clothing.
NEVADA
In a city that celebrates behaving badly, Occupy Las Vegas protesters are touting civil obedience and government cooperation as anti-Wall Street efforts elsewhere have turned to violence and police confrontations.
Las Vegas demonstrators have sought approval from government leaders and police before protesting or setting up a camp site. They called off a protest during President Barack Obama's visit to Las Vegas last month because police asked them to do so. And they have created a system of protest rules that ban, among other things, law-breaking and hate signs.
The good behaviour in Las Vegas and other Occupy efforts across Nevada is even more noteworthy because Nevadans may have the most cause to rage against the machine. The state tops the nation in foreclosures and unemployment and entire neighbourhoods have been overtaken by vacant homes and storefronts.
But while protesters in other cities riot and rage, the Vegas group is hosting a series of free foreclosure mediation workshops for homeowners who are underwater on their mortgages.
Organizers insist their anti-greed message has a better chance of spreading if they aren't labelled violent anarchists.
WASHINGTON STATE
An 84-year-old woman has become a face of the national Occupy Wall Street movement after she was hit with pepper spray during a Seattle march.
A photo of Dorli Rainey with the chemical irritant dripping from her chin quickly went viral, becoming one of the most striking images from the protests that have taken place in cities across the globe.
Rainey has been active in Seattle's liberal politics for decades and once ran for mayor. She says Wednesday that she showed up at the downtown protest the previous day to show her support.
Police say demonstrators were blocking a downtown intersection.
Rainey was not among the six people who were arrested.
LONDON
London officials attached eviction notices to protest tents outside St. Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday. They are asking demonstrators to remove the camp by Thursday evening or face legal action.
The notices posted by the City of London Corporation said the encampment was "an unlawful obstruction" of a sidewalk, and asked protesters to take down "all tents and other structures."
Cathedral and city officials had suspended legal action to remove the camp two weeks ago, and offered the protesters a deal to allow them to stay until the New Year if they then agreed to leave. But the corporation said Tuesday that talks had failed and it was resuming legal action.
If the more than 200 tents are not removed, the corporation says it will go to court seeking an eviction notice. That process could take weeks or months.
TEXAS
An attorney for Occupy Dallas said an agreement with the city was reached Wednesday that allows protesters to stay at a campsite near City Hall four more weeks as long as they obey the law.
Protesters say they will keep their campsite clean so they don't get kicked out.
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings has said public safety and health conditions are a "paramount concern."
The city last week alleged protesters violated an agreement allowing the campsite. The city noted reports of an alleged sexual assault of a child, the removal of a baby over possible endangerment and trespassing arrests.
SOUTH CAROLINA
The Republican leader of the state Senate said Wednesday that the entity that manages the Statehouse grounds should clean up the Occupy protest grounds because it represents a public health risk.
Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler, R-Gaffney, stopped short of saying demonstrators should be removed, but complained they were an eyesore.
In a letter to Gov. Nikki Haley, Peeler cited the "tables, sleeping bags, coolers, folding chairs and even a port-o-john" at the encampment and said he didn't see how the items didn't "invade the public health, safety and welfare" of citizens.
MASSACHUSETTS
A Boston judge has ordered the city not to remove protesters or their tents from a downtown encampment without court approval, except in an emergency such as fire, a medical issue or an outbreak of violence.
A temporary restraining order was issued after a hearing Wednesday on the protesters' lawsuit. Fuller arguments will be heard Dec. 1, and the judge orders the sides to hold a mediation session before then.
A lawyer for the demonstrators says they are concerned they will be forced out in the middle of the night as Occupy protesters were in New York City this week.
CALIFORNIA
Occupy San Diego protesters have once again been rousted from a downtown plaza by police.
The San Diego Union-Tribune says nine people were arrested and a 10th was cited during the confrontation early Wednesday.
Officials say most arrests were for resisting or obstructing police.
Officers used bull horns to roust sleepers at the Civic Center Plaza. A police statement says tables, sleeping bags and other items were removed so the area could be cleaned up.
It is the latest confrontation in the city where 74 people were cited or jailed since the demonstrations began last month.
Keywords: Occupy Protests, Occupy Wall Street

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article2635606.ece

New rules give some relief to nuclear suppliers

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PTIA graphic presentation containing key recommendations on nuclear liability bill.

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Operator will be at supplier's mercy: Left partiesCabinet clears nuclear liability billBJP hands over note to Chavan on nuclear liability bill

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The government has finalised rules for the implementation of the country's new nuclear liability that aim to meet the concern of American nuclear suppliers wary of being exposed to unlimited liability in the event of a Fukushima-type accident involving any of their reactors.

The rules, which were notified on November 11, were made public on Wednesday on the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Bali for a regional summit where he is also set to meet U.S. President Barack Obama. They are, however, unlikely to satisfy U.S. objections even as they trigger criticism at home for what the Opposition will see as a dilution of Parliament's legislative intent in enacting a tough liability law last year.

American officials had opposed two provisions of the Indian Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act that stemmed from the legislature's refusal to indemnify foreign suppliers from accidents caused by faulty equipment. Section 46, which allows ordinary citizens to file tort claims for damages, is seen by the U.S. nuclear industry as exposing its companies to unlimited liability in the event of an accident. The new rules do not affect this Section, thus leaving the primary American complaint unaddressed.

Washington's second objection is to Section 17(b), which grants Indian operators a right of recourse against nuclear suppliers if an accident results from the "supply of equipment or material with patent or latent defects or sub-standard services."

The new rules do not directly affect 17(b) but open a door for its dilution by giving suppliers the option to piggy-back on 17(a) — which penalises a supplier if he had accepted liability in a written contract — and thereby limit their exposure in the event of faulty equipment to accidents which occur in the first five years of the reactor's operation. The rules do this by specifying that the provision for the right of recourse under 17(a) "shall be for the duration of initial licence issued under the Atomic Energy (Radiation protection) Rules of 2004, or the product liability period, whichever is longer." The 2004 rules state in Section 9 that every licence runs for a period of five years and the 2011 rules define "product liability period" as the period for which a supplier accepts liability for an accident caused by defective equipment in a contract. By this fix, Indian officials will tell the U.S. that an American vendor can limit its exposure for an accident to five years and Rs. 1,500 crore.

However, since the Fukushima-Daiichi accident in Japan happened some three decades after the initial reactor supply, critics in India are likely to ask whether the five year limit specified by the rules is prudent – or even legal, given that the Liability Act itself specifies no such term limits.

Ironically, Indian officials fully expect to be told in Bali later this week that the new rules do not match up to American expectations. That is why U.S. officials have been floating other solutions, such as getting the International Atomic Energy Agency to "vet" the Indian law to see if it is compliant with the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Safety, an international treaty that India has committed to sign. South Block sources toldThe Hindu that India has flatly rejected this suggestion and is likely to say so publicly if the U.S. pushes it again.

Keywords: Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, Manmohan-Obama meet, Indo-U.S. nuclear deal

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2633545.ece


Operator will be at supplier's mercy: Left parties

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(From left): CPI leader D.Raja, CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan, CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat, Forward Bloc leader Debabrata Biswas and RSP leader Abony Roy address a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday. Photo: Sushil Kumar Verma
"If there is no right of recourse in the contract, they cannot be held liable for any nuclear damage"
The Left parties on Thursday came out strongly against the recommendations on the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill by the Parliamentary Science and Technology Standing Committee, charging that they primarily aimed at protecting foreign suppliers, especially those from the U.S.
"From the outset, the Left Parties were opposed to the direction of the draft legislation, [worried] more about protecting the U.S. nuclear reactor suppliers from claims of liability and compensation and less about providing effective and speedy compensation to the people affected by a nuclear accident,'' Left leaders told a joint press conference here.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat said clause 17 (a) in the original draft legislation did not have the word "and.'' By including it in the bill, the standing committee had made sub-clause 17 (b) entirely contingent on whether such right of the operator to claim damages from the suppliers of nuclear material was explicitly provided in the private contract.
He said in the likely scenario of the foreign suppliers not agreeing to provide for right of recourse in the contract, they cannot be held liable for any nuclear damage, even if they had supplied defective equipment.
"What is more dubious is that this significant weakening of Clause 17 has been done under the guise of strengthening the right of recourse against the foreign suppliers,'' a joint statement by the Left leaders said.
The U.S. administration and the American nuclear industry lobby objected to sub-clause 17 (b) as they were not prepared to accept the right of recourse for the Indian operator vis-à-vis American suppliers and the Standing Committee recommendations were fully in line with the demand.
"The original bill was better, it [recommendation] made it worse,'' Mr. Karat said and sought to know from the Bharatiya Janata Party that when it stated it wanted an India-centric legislation, did it mean that the foreign suppliers did not have any liability?
While appealing to members of all political parties to reconsider support to the Bill, he said the Left parties would await the response from the government on the demand to bring foreign suppliers under the liability ambit before taking a final stand.
As for the liability cap and criticism that the Left demand for Rs. 10,000 crore, he said at current terms the recommendation of Rs. 1,500 crore was hardly significant since total liability for each nuclear accident remained capped at 300 million SDRs which was about Rs. 2122.40 core or $ 455 million, less than the Bhopal gas leak settlement.
Referring to international nuclear liability conventions, he said, none set any cap but only a floor limit, with countries like South Korea and Sweden having set operator's liability at 300 million SDRs and not total liability. Japan, Russia and Germany did not have any cap on total liability in contrast to India.
The recommendations also failed to take on board objections regarding the extant provisions protecting the operator and suppliers from facing litigation and the ambiguities regarding nuclear accidents in defence installations and jurisdiction of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.
Similarly, the recommendations did not alter the fact that the intent behind the Bill as well as its provisions, were meant to facilitate India joining the Convention on Supplementary Compensation, which the UPA government committed during the nuclear deal negotiations.
Other than the U.S. no other country, including India's neighbours who could be affected by a trans-boundary impact of a nuclear accident were signatories to the Convention.
Besides Mr. Karat, the leaders present included CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan, his AIFB counterpart Debabrata Biswas and RSP MP Abani Roy.
Keywords: Nuclear liability Bill, clubbing of clauses, Left parties, Prakash Karat

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article582401.ece


    

    


    


South China Sea conflict can have global fall-out: Indian Navy

In the backdrop of India's economic interests -- particularly in oil and gas sector -- growing in South China Sea, Indian Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma Thursday warned that conflict in the region and its outcome would have a major global fall-out, especially for those with considerable economic interests there.


Verma, delivering the keynote address at a United Services Institute (USI)-organised national security seminar here, also called for a multilateral security architecture for the Asia-Pacific region that can ensure peace and stability.


"We are seeing certain edginess in the relations between the countries of this region. The potential for conflict in the South China Sea and the instability of the Korean peninsula have heightened the awareness of policymakers, scholars and analysts to the region's shortcomings in terms of institutional arrangements to resolve potential crises," he told the participants of the think-tank's seminar.


"The South China Sea, in particular, is an area of significant concern... The developments in the South China Sea and the outcomes will have major implications not only for the countries in the region, but for the world at large, as many nations have considerable economic interests in the region," he said.


India has in the recent years entered into a deal with Vietnam under which Indian oil companies carry out oil exploration and develop oil wells in South China Sea. With China claiming South China Sea as its territory, Beijing has objected to India carrying out oil exploration in the waters there, though New Delhi holds that it was doing so only within Vietnamese territory.


India also favours free navigation in South China Sea, a stand voiced by New Delhi after it warship visiting Vietnamese port was warned on the open radio channel by an unidentified Chinese vessel or aircraft in the middle of this year.


Verma pointed out that Asia-Pacific region is home to numerous major shipping lanes, which service regional as well as global trade. "Disruption of traffic flow on these routes could thus have a severe impact on the global economy," he said.


For that reason, he called for brain-storming on the structure and content of the security architecture that would offer "a best fit" to promote peace and stability in South China Sea, owing to the peculiarities of the region.


"Precisely for this reason, ready-made solutions do not exist and that it may not also be feasible to borrow an existing arrangement functioning in another region to be applied in the Asia-Pacific," he said.


The navy chief said a scan of the multitude of threats that exists in the region, makes it apparent that unilateralism, as a strategy, may be inadequate and that multilateral cooperative mechanisms is the way forward.


"As most would agree, many contemporary issues that impinge upon the peace and stability of the region are beyond the capacity of any one country to handle single-handedly and therefore require, cooperative and collective action," he added.


As a model, Verma suggested the ongoing deliberations regarding multilateral effort under the aegis of the United Nations in combating piracy, if it can be applied in the region.

India re-activating air strip in Arunachal Pradesh

Wary of China's military infrastructure and capabilities build up in Tibet, India will Friday "fully re-activate" an advanced landing ground (ALG) at Vijayanagar in Arunachal Pradesh.


The third such base in the border state after Tuting and Mechuka, it will facilitate operations of Indian Air Force (IAF) fixed wing aircraft like the Soviet-era AN-32s, officers said here Thursday.


The "upgraded" Vijayanagar ALG is located at the tri-junction of India, China and Myanmar in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh. It will help India in quick mobilisation of troops and equipment to the borders during crisis situations.


"An IAF AN-32 carrying Arunachal Governor Gen. (retd.) J.J. Singh and Eastern Air Commander (chief)Air Marshal S. Varthaman will land at the ALG Friday to mark its reactivation," an officer said.


"The runway and other facilities have been upgraded to ensure operation of more types of IAF aircraft from there," the officer said.


The Vijayanagar ALG will be the fourth such facility India has created along its border with China in the last three years.


India had earlier opened Daulat Beg Oldi, Fukche and Nyoma ALGs in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir on its Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in the norther areas.


Vijayanagar will be the first such facility that IAF opens in the eastern sector along the LAC with China in recent years.


IAF also has plans to upgrade other eastern sector ALGs such as Pasighat, Walong and Ziro as well as several helipads in Arunachal Pradesh soon.


These efforts are part of India's military infrastructure build up to match up such efforts by China.


India has raised two new mountain divisions in the northeast and stationed them in Nagaland and Assam.


It has also based its frontline fighter planes, the Su-30-MKI, in Tezpur and plans to have another squadron of the aircraft in another air base in Assam soon.


Two new Akash missile squadrons too have been approved for the northeast in recent months.

17/11/2011

5,000-km Agni-V missile test in February

New Delhi: India will enter a league of select nations with missile capability to hit targets at 5,000 km range when it tests its Agni-V long-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile by February next year, defence scientists said Wednesday.

5,000-km Agni-V missile test in February

Following the test, India will take another three years to get the long-range missile, which is closer to Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) in range, for induction into the armed forces by end of 2014, they said at a press conference here.

"By February next year, we will conduct the test of Agni-V missile," said Avinash Chander, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chief Controller for Missile Systems.

"The test window will be anytime between end of December this year to two months from then," DRDO chief V.K. Saraswat qualified.

If the test is carried out by February 2012, the missile, with about 5,000-km range, will be ready for induction by 2014, Avinash Chander said. "That's what we are aiming to do."

The Agni-V range is just 500-km short of an ICBM. China has an ICBM that can reach any part of India and has over 11,000-km range.

"Only the US, Russia and China have that capability at the moment. There is no other country with such a capability (to test 5,000 km missile)," Avinash Chander said.

Saraswat said India's successful testing of the 3,500-km range Agni-IV and its technologies will provide it the capability to test Agni-V soon.

"The Agni-IV test success gives us the strength to test Agni-V that is under integration now, in the near future," he said.

"The two will have similar technologies, though Agni-V will be a three-stage propulsion system and Agni-IV is a two-phase propulsion system," the DRDO chief said.

Among the differences between Agni-IV and Agni-V will be the latter's higher payload capability, booster technology, and launchers.

The testing of the Agni-V will provide India the capability to test an ICBM in the future, though the government has time and again pointed out that it does not intend to do so.

Whether India will go in for an ICBM will be a political decision.

Source: IANS

17/11/2011

N-liability: India will work within its own laws

New Delhi: In a post-Fukushima world, India has to work within framework of its own law on issues relating to civil nuclear liability, official sources said on Thursday, a day before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets US President Barack Obama to discuss a range of issues, including fast tracking their nuclear deal.

N-liability: India will work within its own laws

"This is a reality we have to recognize not just in a post-Fukushima world... we cannot say Indian laws won't apply," sources told journalists in response to whether the issue would be an irritant in the Manmohan-Obama talks in Bali on the sidelines of the India-Asean and East Asia summits. "We have to work within the framework of our law," said a source, who does not see it as an insurmountable problem. "If you could do business previously, why not now."

Ahead of the Manmohan Singh-Obama meeting in Bali, the government Wednesday quietly notified the implementation rules for the civil nuclear liability law. The rules relating to Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act provides the nuclear plant operator the right to recourse for the period for which the supplier of equipment has taken liability for patent or latent defects or sub-standard services under a contract.

N-liability: India will work within its own laws

According to the rules, an operator's claim will in no case exceed the actual amount of compensation paid by him up to the date of filing such claim. The US has indicated that India's civil nuclear liability law would have to be brought in conformity with international conventions and the current regime imposed a heavy burden on nuclear plant operators in India.

Manmohan Singh had told journalists recently that the government would place rules and procedures relating to the civil nuclear liability regime in the winter session of parliament."It's only after that will we know the American position," the prime minister had said. But this was being viewed as just a hiccup with official sources saying that US-India relations were in very good shape with the two countries engaging each other on a range of issues.
"There was a political dialogue not just in Afghanistan and Pakistan but also in other regions... Trade was booming and balanced. And while other topics like maritime security may be discussed, paramount in the Manmohan-Obama talks Friday would be the bilateral relationship and how to take it forward," official sources said.

Source: IANS
Image Source: AFP


17/11/2011

DGCA warns airlines on mounting airfares after Kingfisher cancellations

New Delhi: With airfares mounting in the last couple of weeks primarily due to cancellation of Kingfisher flights, aviation regulator DGCA on Thursday warned airlines not to raise air ticket prices beyond a given range.

DGCA warns airlines on mounting airfares after Kingfisher cancellations

"There are price bands. Probably, the airlines are operating on the highest bands. ... Some upward movement due to large scale cancellations by a big airline (Kingfisher). We are closely monitoring the fares. We keep nudging them (airlines) if they go beyond the price band," DGCA chief E K Bharat Bhushan told reporters here.

Expressing hope that the fares would "level off soon," he said the airlines should have "transparency" in fixing airfares and follow the rules made by the DGCA in this regard.

Crisis-hit Kingfisher has cancelled over 200 flights since last week. To questions on the show-cause notices issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to Kingfisher, SpiceJet and IndiGo for non-utilisation of slots alloted to them and not flying as per their approved schedules, Bhushan said he had received replies from these airlines on the issue.

DGCA warns airlines on mounting airfares after Kingfisher cancellations

Indicating that unused flight slots could be transferred to other airlines, he said, "We have asked airport operators to give details of slots not being utilised by any airline. We will take decisions under the Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDG). "Airports will give me more information about unutilised slots. Its important that we should not make any knee-jerk reaction on the slot policy".

Airlines are allotted slots as per their flight schedules approved by the DGCA. They have to inform the regulator in advance if they plan not to use these slots in accordance with the laid down rules. The three airlines were issued show-cause notices under these rules. Asked about ailing Kingfisher Airlines wanting to directly import jet fuel, Bhushan said the Finance Ministry would take a final call on the matter. Kingfisher promoter Vijay Mallya on Tueday said that the company has applied to Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) for direct import of jet fuel, which would reduce fuel costs drastically. Jet fuel costs are almost 50 per cent of the total operating costs of the airline.

Source: PTI

17/11/2011

Mayawati hits out at opposition for criticising state split

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Wednesday lambasted the entire opposition for terming her move to divide the state as an "election stunt".

Mayawati hits out at opposition for criticising state split

Claiming that she has been raising the demand right from the time she formed her government in 2007, Mayawati attacked the centre for not caring to pay any heed to her repeated letters in this regard. She also sought to point out that there was no Constitutional binding for any state to pass a resolution to initiate the creation of a state.

"Nowhere does the Indian Constitution say that the process of carving out a new state has to be initiated by a state government or by the assembly of the concerned state assembly," Mayawati said in a statement.

"The national parliament is fully empowered to suo moto initiate the creation of a new state and after passing such a resolution it has to be sent to the president, who may seek the opinion of the concerned state legislature." she asserted, while citing provisions of Article 3 of the Indian Constitution.

Says Article 3: "Parliament may by law form a new state by separation of territory from any state or by uniting two or more states or parts of states or by uniting any territory to a part of any state," while adding that the parliament can also "increase or decrease the area of any state as also alter the boundaries or even the name of any state in the country".

Refuting Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh's oft repeated argument that the matter should first be referred to a State Reorganisation Commission, Mayawati pointed out, "there is no Constitutional binding to initiate the process through the medium of a state reorganization commission either".

The chief minister also strongly defended her case by adding: "Well, this demand has been pending before the central government for more than three years."

"Even prior to that I had raised the issue of carving out smaller states out of UP at a public rally on Oct 9, 2007."

According to her: "I first wrote to the prime minister about the need to create a separate state of Purvanchal way back on March 15, 2008." Two more letters were sent in this regard. "The first one was sent on Dec 11, 2009 in which I urged the prime minister to adopt the Telangana formula for creation of a separate Bundelkhand and an independent Western UP. The next one followed two days later on Dec 13 in which I renewed my demand for creation of Purvanchal."

Source: IANS

17/11/2011

Maoists are criminals, says Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday issued a stern warning to the Maoists and termed the ultras to be criminals.

Maoists are criminals, says Mamata Banerjee

Activists of the Trinamool Congress Party Wednesday took out a funeral procession of two of their colleagues who were killed by Maoists through the streets of Kolkata.

Suspected Maoists gunned down the duo, incidentally brothers, in Purulia district recently.

Hundreds of TMC members and relations of the deceased took part in the procession.

Later addressing the mourners, Mamata Banerjee termed the ultras as criminals and consoled the under-teen aged son of one of the slain TMC activists.

"His father and brother were killed. There are some people here who do not protest even if people get killed, but when the killers are caught, we have to organise press conference, and give their families compensation. Because of such people, it has become a selfish society," she said.

Banerjee further the people, who back Maoists are also criminals.

"Crime cannot be discriminated. Anybody who is allowing them knowingly to carry out the criminal activities, are also criminals," she added.

Banerjee also announced an ex-gratia amount of rupees five lakhs along with a job for the deceased''s next of kin.

Stating that the Naxals are the worst violators of human rights, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram had earlier on Tuesday said that the people at large need to understand that the rebels are involved in widespread cases of human rights violation.

Despite strong initiatives taken by the Centre, the Maoist insurgency has gripped nearly one-third of the country, spreading into the interiors of 20 states of the country.

Source: ANI

Full coverage: Mamata Banerjee

7/11/2011

Nuke deal to figure in talks as PM, Obama meet tomorrow

From Ajay Kaul
Bali (Indonesia), Nov 17 (PTI) Implementation of the civil nuclear deal is expected to come up when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets US President Barack Obama here tomorrow against the backdrop of India notifying the rules for conducting nuclear business with an aim to address apprehensions of American and other foreign companies.
At their first meeting since Obama''s state visit to New Delhi in November last year, the two leaders are expected to chart a road ahead in bilateral relations based on the outcomes of their last meeting.
Among the various issues expected to be discussed is the implementation of civil nuclear deal which has been delayed because of apprehensions among American companies over the liability aspect. The US had been pressing India to put in place the rules for conduct of nuclear business, which was done yesterday.
Ahead of the meeting, India asserted that its domestic laws with regard to nuclear liability and compensation will have to prevail and any contention otherwise would not be realistic after the Fukushima incident.
The sources said the rules should address concerns that any foreign company could have as these make it clear that liability cannot be unlimited or unending.
They underlined that law of the land will have to apply and the notification of the rules only clarifies the situation with regard to payment of compensation to victims in the case of a nuclear accident without waiting for the legal procedures to come into play.

The rules make it clear that a supplier will be liable in the case of a mishap on account of faulty material but the liability cannot be unlimited and for an unending period.
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General Direction for caste/tribe validity certificate in time

The State Government has constituted a Scrutiny Committee for verification of Caste Certificates issued by the Competent Authority. The office of the Scrutiny Committee is located at Konkan Bhavan, 6th Floor, Extension Building, Room No.71, New Bombay - 400 614. One has to carry the original OBC Caste Certificate and all supporting original documents which were submitted earlier while obtaining Caste Certificates from the Competent Authority.

 

The students who wish to apply for Medicine, Engineering, Architecture etc. under the OBC quota are required to attach the copy of the caste certificate at the time of admission to the said courses. However, at the time of selection to the said courses, one needs to submit validity certificate. It is therefore recommended that those students who are studying in F.Y.J.C or Std. XI ( Science ) should apply to the Scrutiny Committee well before 30th November for the relevant year.



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The National commission for backward classes (NCBC) is constituted to recommend inclusion or exclusion of any caste in central list of OBCs. This commission is entrusted with only single job of inclusion and exclusion of castes. The recommendation of National commission for backward classes (NCBC) is binding on Central govt as per the ACT.

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VALIDITY PERIOD OF OBC CASTE & NON CREAMY LAYER CERTIFICATE GOVT OM 25.07.2003 & CAT DECISION

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CENTRAL LIST OF OTHER BACKWARD CLASSES NEW OBC LIST 16/06/2011 for GUJARAT

http://www.ncbc.nic.in/Pdf/gujarat.pdf

 

1) સામાજિક અને શૈક્ષણિક રીતે પછાત વર્ગોને ઝડપથી, સમય મર્યાદામાં અને સરળતાથી જાતિ પ્રમાણપત્રો અને ઉન્ન્ત વર્ગમાં ન હોવા બાબતના પ્રમાણપત્રો આપવા બાબત
sje.gujarat.gov.in/downloads/noncreamylayercerti.pdf

ઠરાવ ક્રમાંક : સશપ-૧૧૦૯-૧૬૬૩-અ

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60 OBC MPs MET SPEAKER Ms.MEIRA KUMAR TODAY 1 PM ON PARL.COMMITTEE FOR OBC
News

Nearly 60 MPs belonging to OBC, led by Mr.V.Hanumantha Rao, MP (RS), Convenor of OBC MPs Forum met Hon'ble Speaker of Lok Sabha Ms.Meira Kumar today (17.3.2011) at 1 PM and submitted a memorandum urging her to constitute a Parliamentary Committee for OBC. They have stated that there is no mechanism at present to monitor the implementation of 27% reservation policy.

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http://obcreservation.net/ver2/
 



Hillary Clinton arrives today for 2nd round of Indo-US strategic talks


US secretary of state Hillary Clinton will arrive here on Monday to attend the second round ofIndo-US strategic dialogue on Tuesday.

During her visit a host of key bilateral, regional and international issues, including situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan and security cooperation in the backdrop of recent Mumbai blasts will be discussed.

On Tuesday, the US Secretary of State will hold a breakfast meeting with the national security adviserfollowed by the Indo-US dialogue after which she will call on the Prime Minister and will meet several senior political leaders including UPA ChairpersonSonia Gandhi.

Clinton will be travelling to Chennai on Wednesday where she is likely to meet representatives of US companies. Besides situation in the region, civil nuclear cooperation between the two countries will also be part of the strategic dialogue.

India is also expected to talk about American visa regime which is impacting the movement of Indian IT professionals in that country. The dialogue is based on five pillars which include strategic cooperation in defence and counter-terrorism, energy and trade.

Clinton and Krishna had launched the India- US Strategic Dialogue in 2009 to provide a framework and strategic direction for the huge range of bilateral government-to-government activity between the two countries. The first meeting of the strategic dialogue was held in Washington last year.

The strategic dialogue provides an opportunity to take stock of the progress in bilateral relationship and cooperation and to consult on global and regional issues of interest, besides charting out a short to medium-term roadmap of cooperation in priority sectors for the two governments, a spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs said.



Gail, HPCL ,Greater Calcutta Gas Supply Company signed MoU for joint venture

KOLKATA: Gail, Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) andGreater Calcutta Gas Supply Company today signed an MoU for a joint venture for city gas distribution, which is likely to require an investment of around Rs 2,000 crore.


GAIL and HPCL will hold 37 per cent stake each, while the rest will be owned the West Bengal government-controlled Greater Calcutta Gas Supply Company, official sources said.


The investment could be to the tune of Rs 2,000 crore for the project, GAIL Executive Director J Wasan said here.


The joint venture will look at various options of gas availability.


"We are looking at all options -- Jagdispur-Haldia pipeline, CBM from Ranigunj and Durgapur, and even importing gas by a floating terminal," Wasan said.


HPCL officials said it would take at least 2-3 years to execute the project.

17 NOV, 2011, 06.42AM IST, RAJEEV JAYASWAL,ET BUREAU

State-run oil firms to revise petrol prices every two weeks

NEW DELHI: State-run oil firms will revise petrol prices every two weeks if domestic prices need to be aligned with international levels, as they prepare to replace the opaque pricing mechanism with a transparent and predictable system, top executives said.

Oil companies also clarified that petrol prices in India are indexed to Singapore gasoline rates. Government and company officials had earlier justified fuel price hikes by linking domestic pump prices to international crude oil rates.

"We review petrol prices every fortnight. We will ensure petrol prices will fall if international prices fall. If international prices rise, our prices will also rise," saidRK Singh, chairman of Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd.

A government official, however, said the oil ministry's intervention cannot be ruled out. "Oil is a sensitive commodity. The government has to keep a constant vigil. When petrol was decontrolled, it was decided that the government can step in any time if public interest is at stake," said the official on condition of anonymity.

Oil companies have faced flak for 13 consecutive petrol price hikes in the past year-and-a-half even though international rates have dipped at times. They now hope to demonstrate that petrol prices can move in both directions, and industry officials say the new system should help depoliticise the issue.

An industry official said oilcos were encouraged by the prime minister, who brushed aside political opposition to the November 4 petrol price hike and said he supported market pricing.

Petrol was decontrolled in June 2010, but in effect oil companies informally consult the oil ministry before revising prices. Ahead of assembly elections in key states, oil companies did not raise petrol prices despite higher international rates.

INTENSE POLITICAL PRESSURE

Industry executives say the oil ministry, which has direct administrative control over state-run firms in the sector, informally controls pricing decisions.

A top official of a state-run company said after two quarters of net losses by government-run oil firms, the companies had no choice but to exercise their pricing freedom and try to win support by occasionally cutting petrol prices. "We want to demonstrate by action that prices are revised every fortnight. If the government interferes, it will have to compensate us for any loss," said the official, who did not want to be identified.

Oil companies had unexpectedly raised petrol prices on November 4 by Rs 1.80 in Delhi, creating a political uproar and triggering angry reactions from political parties, including the Congress and its allies.

After prices were raised, Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi had said: "We understand the plight of the people and call upon the government to provide a healing touch." In less than two weeks, oil companies cut petrol prices, and the oil industry official said the decision was taken under government pressure.

After political protests from allies, particularly Mamata Banerjee, the government immediately swung into action and - as reported by ET on November 7 - told oil marketing companies to find ways to cut petrol prices.

"The price reduction was predetermined. There was a nudge from the government. Only the quantum of the decrease was finalised after consultations between top executives of Indian Oil Corp, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum on Tuesday," an executive directly involved in fuel pricing said.

Oil industry officials said they were worried the government's approach towards petrol prices would make it very difficult for the empowered group of ministers (EgoM) to agree to raise prices of controlled products such as diesel, cooking gas and kerosene.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/energy/oil-gas/state-run-oil-firms-to-revise-petrol-prices-every-two-weeks/articleshow/10762659.cms

17 NOV, 2011, 02.23PM IST, ET BUREAU

ET Awards' Agenda For Renewal 2011: Ten reforms that will power more economic growth

For a document that undisputedly chiselled the first contours of India's post-independence economy, the Bombay Plan of 1944-45 went surprisingly unacknowledged. Jawaharlal Nehru never officially accepted the Plan even though the first Five Year Plan was remarkably similar to it.

Sixty seven years later, six stalwarts of India Inc have crafted the Agenda For Renewal at the invitation of the The Economic Times.

This may not be as seminal as the Bombay Plan, but it will be acknowledged - by the Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on November 26 at the The Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence, and by three of his cabinet colleagues.

Follow the campaign around the Agenda For Renewal at http://www.afr.economictimes.com

How the campaign for renewal will unfold...

Six business leaders, Deepak Parekh, chairman of HDFC, KV Kamath, chairman, ICICI Bank and Infosys, Ashok Ganguly, former chairman of Hindustan Unilever, Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman, Bharti Enterprises, Zia Mody, legal firm AZB Partners, NR Narayana Murthy, founder Infosys Technologies, crafted the Agenda For Renewal at ET's invitation.

This will be presented to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday, November 26 at the The Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence. Mukherjee and three cabinet ministers, Jairam Ramesh, minister for rural development, Kapil Sibal, minister for communications, and Salman Khurshid, minister for law and justice, will discuss this agenda with 400 CEOs who will be present at the ET Awards.

In the coming days, ET will orchestrate a national campaign around the Agenda For Renewal. This, we hope, will help the nation regain the sense of purpose and intent that has grown dull recently.

Presented below are edited excerpts of the deliberations between ET and the six CEOs that eventually formed the basis on which this agenda was crafted.
*

The people of this country should urge opposition parties not to add fuel to the negativism that is prevalent and more importantly support the government in some of the important bills that are pending. The opposition needs to have a more mature outlook of the future of the industry. ( Read Full agenda )

*

Companies without money or technology are using political contacts to get mining licenses, but global firms with both are not here. At the same time, there is controversy about national resources -- e-auctions for all government resources are the way forward. ( Read Full agenda )

*

While big moves like opening up FDI in more sectors will create an environment that is conducive to foreign investment, India also needs several smaller improvements like easier visa and immigration rules, faster permission for chartered flights and business jets of global executives to land. ( Read Full agenda )

*

Some states have not increased power tariffs for a decade and are now unwilling or unable to buy power from private generators; there is under-recovery and theft; part of the system is completely market oriented and part of it is completely distorted by policy initiatives, like subsidies. Subsidies are required, but they should be directed well. ( Read Full agenda )

*

There have been hardly any reforms in agriculture. Marketing laws are out dated, distribution and logistics from the farm gate to the food plate are filled with inefficiencies and corruption. (Read Full agenda )

*

Mumbai is referred to as the Shanghai of India, but infrastructure is poor and there is hardly any urban reform. To renew cities, we need more public-private partnerships because all capabilities do not lie only in the state or only in the private sector. ( Read Full agenda )

*

Delays and controversies pertaining to acquisition of land have time and again delayed projects in power, mining, auto and other sectors. Often, there has been intense conflict between business, the state, and farmers or locals. A clear, equitable and transparent policy can help avoid such conflicts. ( Read Full agenda )

*

India's economic growth could be higher by at least two percent if the various ministries in the central government co-ordinated better with each other, according a one CEO who helped draft the Agenda for Renewal. Ministries sometimes take a rigid stance on issues, but better communication can soften such stances. ( Read Full agenda )

*

Schools generate $20 billion every year, and the figure is growing at 14% a year, according to Kaizen private equity's education report. But education in India is not allowed to function as a for-profit business. ( Read Full agenda )

*

Electoral compulsions for funds become the foundation of the whole superstructure of corruption, according to the report of the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2001). ( Read Full agenda )




http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-company/corporate-trends/et-awards-agenda-for-renewal-2011-ten-reforms-that-will-power-more-economic-growth/articleshow/10767096.cms

17 NOV, 2011, 10.38PM IST, SAIBAL DASGUPTA,TNN

US naval move in Australia may help India take on China

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BEIJING: The US move to create a naval base in northern Australia close to the South China Sea can actually mean more dollars in the Indian kitty, and put more strategic and business opportunities in New Delhi's way, sources said. The first piece of evidence has come by way of Australia's decision to sell uranium to India.

The US move will provide a sense of protection to East Asian countries including Japan, who have serious conflicts with China but buy vast amounts of Chinese goods. The new found protection will encourage East Asia to reduce its dependence on China for goods and enhance economic ties with India, sources said.

"Japan, Vietnam and Indonesia will feel more secure. India and Indonesia can get together to control the Malacca Straits, which is the route though which 90% of Chinese goods to East Asia passes," Subramanian Swamy, Janata Party president and a widely regarded China expert, told TNN.


There are signs that China is jittery about the US move to station 2,500 US marines in the Northern Territory of Australia within five years. Beijing on Thursday warned Australia it might get "caught in the crossfire" if it allows the US to exercise its naval might in the waters around it. Washington's move has put the US navy within easy sailing reach of Vietnam, which is involved in a serious territorial dispute over oil-rich islands in the South China Sea.


The move will also bring some relief to the ONGC, which is one of the foreign companies involved in exploring oil along with Vietnamese oil firms in the South China Sea. China has bitterly criticized India on the move and asked ONGC to withdraw.


When it comes to exporting to East Asia, India cannot replace China, which has a wide range of goods to offer, Uday Bhaskar, director of the National Maritime Foundation, said.


"But there is a strategic review of the bilateral relation with India by the US, EU and Japan, wherein Indian markets are being recognized as an important driver of trade in the region," Bhaskar added.


India will need to retool its export basket if it seriously wishes to compete with China as a provider of goods in East Asia, he said.


The US move can also mean massive savings in investments being made by the Indian defence agencies on the India-China border, Abhijit Iyer-Mitra, research officer at the Institute of Conflict Studies in New Delhi, said.


"This is God sent. The more US ramps up its military presence in South China Sea, the more it will divert Beijing's attention from India," he said.


"It can actually mean a big saving on investments being made on the China border. But I doubt if our defence establishment would make the best of the opportunity. They are too attached to big budget," he said.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/us-naval-move-in-australia-may-help-india-take-on-china/articleshow/10772302.cms

India's infrastructure sector needs $1 trillion investment in 12th Plan

India's infrastructure sector will require investment of about USD 1 trillion in the 12th Five Year Plan, double the amount envisaged in the ongoing plan period, a report says.


According to a report 'Real Estate and Construction Professionals in India by 2020' by realty consultantJones Lang LaSalle, investment in infrastructure during 2007-12 is USD 500 billion.


"The expected level of infrastructure investment predicted in the 11th Plan is 2.36 times that of the 10th Plan. Furthermore, this is expected to almost double for the 12th Five Year Plan," the report said.


The report, which was prepared for Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), also pointed out that about 97 million jobs are likely to be created over the next 10 years across different sectors in the country.


"In 2020, the workforce participation rate will increase to 42 per cent with 585 million working population, implying net increase of 97 million people," it added.


Due to this huge increase in jobs, India may need to potentially build an average of 8.7 billion sq ft of real estate space every year, adding up to a whopping 95 billion sq ft between 2010 and 2020, RICS said.


The study, however, said there is a huge shortfall of skilled manpower in the infrastructure sector that needs to be addressed with urgency.


"The country is currently facing massive shortages of skilled workforce in the construction sector. If we do not address this issue, it will be a big deterrent for us," RICS South Asia Board Chairman Anshuman Magazinesaid.


As per estimates, only 27,000 civil engineers are added every year against an annual demand of 4.27 million for the next decade. India's total strength of civil engineers is about 5,33,000.


"A sustained period of shortfall in annual supply, coupled with an increasing year-on-year demand, could result in a cumulative demand of nearly 40.2 million civil engineers over 2010-20, with a shortfall of 39.4 million civil engineers over the same period," the report highlighted.


Similarly, the country is likely to witness a total shortfall of 3.64 million architects and 1.1 million planners during 2010-20 period.


The survey, however, said the estimated supply of non-core professionals in the built environment sector is nearly three times the supply of core professionals, but they fall short of desired skills.


"A large part of this non-core professionals needs to be trained on the real estate, construction and infrastructure sectors, to convert them into specialised professionals," RICS said.


Labour issues may hinder India's aim for global small car hub
: India's goal of becoming the global small car hub could be hampered by labour issues, acute shortage of skilled workers and slow pace of expansion by auto component makers, according to market research firm JD Power.

In its report 'India Automotive 2020: The Next Giant from Asia', JD Power said the country's ambition to become a global small car production base confronts some serious manpower related obstacles such as lack of skilled labour force, high labour cost and workers' low efficiency and productivity.

"The risk of union-related labour problems is omnipresent in India, since many labour unions are affiliated with political parties. As a result, local politics frequently interferes with business operations," the report said.

According to the report, "unions use their influence to promote manual labour rather than automation in Indian plants" for creating more employment, resulting in longer production cycles, greater variability in quality and more cost outgo.

In labour market efficiency, India ranks 92nd among 139 nations in the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index 2010-11, it added.

Besides, the report pointed out that increasing labour cost "has put pressure on production costs and in some cases has led to labour problems".

The report highlighted labour unrests faced by various automakers in India such as Hyundai and General Motors.

As recently as last week, Maruti Suzuki India also witnessed a 13-day long strike at its Manesar plant.

On the availability of qualified manpower, the report estimated that the Indian auto sector lacks as many as three lakh skilled workers.

"India has a huge employable population, but many are not fit enough to be put on the job. As a result, wages will keep rising in areas where there is a shortfall of manpower," the JD Power report said quoting CRISIL Chief Economist D K Joshi.

Commenting on the auto component sector, it said smaller suppliers need to be professionally managed and should have technologies to produce global-quality products.

"Most domestic automatic suppliers are relatively small companies started by individuals who risk their personal capital. These suppliers are frequently averse to risk-taking as one small mis-step might mean bankruptcy. Consequently, the components industry has been slow to invest in new capacity to meet growing demand," JD Power said.

As vehicles manufacturers grow in size and standards, suppliers should also expand accordingly. Otherwise, there is a chance of "jeopardising the growth potential", it added.

"I don't think domestic companies are scaling up. We are still thinking small. That's where the crunch is: people are afraid to put up big capacities," Tata Motors Vice-Chairman Ravi Kant said in the report.

Besides, the country lacks adequate infrastructure, including ports, roads and power generation capabilities, JD Power said, adding timely completion of various infrastructure projects are very critical for sustained development.

"We do not have sufficient power. The power that is supplied to us is 40 per cent of our requirement, and this is not reliable. Regardless of our power need and supply from the government, we have to generate our own power," Honda Siel Cars India Vice-President (Manufacturing) Praveen Paranjape said in the report.

It, however, said the Indian government recognises this problem and aims to invest $1 trillion during 12th Five Year Plan on infrastructure, up from $514 billion in the 11th Five Year Plan.
29 JUN, 2011, 04.09AM IST, ET BUREAU

Contract labour: A ticking bomb amid auto industry's labour force

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.

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It's only 11 days since the loud protests of striking workers at Maruti Suzuki's Manesar factory gave way to the steady, almost comforting hum of the assembly line. But public memory of the fierce 13-day strike that stalled production of some of Suzuki's best-selling models is already fading.

Managing Director Shinzo Nakanishi shrugged off an estimated Rs 500-600 crore revenue loss as 'negligible'. It's business as usual, except that there is a time bomb ticking amid the automotive industry's million-strong labour force.

Contract workers, who are paid much less than permanent employees and enjoy far less benefits, make up 70-80% of the industry workforce, according to estimates by trade union leaders. And the underlying tension between their aspirations, auto companies' cost considerations and outdated labour laws could easily precipitate another big dispute - anytime and at any company.


The strike at Maruti was only following a pattern - companies such as Hero Honda, Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI), Hyundai, Ashok Leyland,MRF, Apollo Tyres and Sona Koyo have faced industrial unrest in the past five years. The truce at Manesar, and the rest of the industry, is uneasy. The $73-billion industry employing close to 13 million people wants to double revenues by 2016. It will need a workforce of 25 million to get there.


However, complex laws that govern companies' ability to hire and fire workers to cope with the cyclical swings in demand for cars, trucks and bikes will only fan this tension. Archaic labour laws seek to protect the job security of workers. But they have also ironically forced companies to hire contract labour, denying these workers the very security laws were supposed to provide. "Indian labour laws could do with flexibility given the current environment. Stronger industrial relations can have a positive impact on productivity as well," says Yezdi Nagporewalla, executive director, KPMG.


Outdated labour laws a concern


Inflexible and out-of-date labour laws could derail India's automotive ambitions, market research firm JD Power - which specialises in the automotive industry - points out in a recent report.


"Companies can pay lower wages to contract workers and discontinue their services at will," says All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) National Secretary DL Sachdev. "This is the foundation of most industrial unrest in recent times. There has been no credible effort to offer permanent employment at justified wages, despite the auto industry growing by leaps and bounds," he adds.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/newsbyindustry/auto/automobiles/Contract-labour-A-ticking-bomb-amid-auto-industrys-labour-force/articleshow/9033123.cms

Metro Cash & Carry in expansion mode

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SPREADING OUT: Rajeev Bakshi, Managing Director, Metro Cash & Carry India, addressing a press conference in Mumbai on Thursday. Photo: Paul Noronha
To invest Rs.2,400 cr on new stores in the next four years
German retailer Metro Cash & Carry on Thursday said it planned to open 8-10 stores in the country every year in the next four years at an investment of around Rs.2,400 crore.
"I think the time for expansion has come. We will open 8-10 stores a year in the next four years in larger towns with a population of more than a million people," Metro Cash & Carry Managing Director Rajeev Bakshi told reporters here.
"We normally invest about Rs.60 crore on our stores, and in Mumbai it is even higher," he added.
Explaining the expansion plan, he said the firm would open a store in Jalandhar in December, one in Delhi in January and another one in February at an undisclosed location. The company on Thursday today opened its eighth wholesale distribution centre in India at Borivali in Mumbai, built at an investment of Rs.120 crore.
The new centre will offer tailored assortment of 10,000 products (food and non-food) to business customers in Borivali, including hotels, restaurants, caterers, traders and small offices, the company said. The distribution centre was spread over four acres and has a selling space of about 60,000 sq. ft., Bakshi said.
On the expansion plans in Maharashtra, he said, "there are other places like Nagpur, Thane and Nashik. There are no firm plans to open stores here but they are under consideration."
Asked if the company will get into business to consumer space, he said, "our core business is cash and carry. Internationally our focus has been on cash and carry. We think in India cash and carry is a bigger opportunity. So we are not interested in this short-term to get into B-2-C segment."
Keywords: Metro Cash & Carry, German retailer, investments in India

--

Other Backward Class

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Central Government of India classifies some of its citizens based on their social and economic condition as Scheduled Caste (SC),Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Class (OBC). The OBC list presented by the commission is dynamic (castes and communities can be added or removed) and will change from time to time depending on Social, Educational and Economic factors. For example, the OBCs are entitled to 27% reservations in public sector employment and higher education. In the constitution, OBCs are described as "socially and educationally backward classes", and government is enjoined to ensure their social and educational development.

Until 1985, the affairs of Backward Classes were looked after by the Backward Classes Cell (BCC) in the Ministry of Home Affairs. With the creation of a separate Ministry of Welfare in 1985 (renamed as Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on 25 May 1998) the matters relating to Scheduled CastesScheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Minorities were transferred to the new Ministry.

The Backward Classes Division in the Ministry looks after the policy, planning and implementation of programmes relating to social and economic empowerment of OBCs. It also looks after matters relating to two institutions set up for the welfare of OBCs: National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC) and the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).

Contents

  [hide

[edit]Overview

Rural landholding pattern of various social groups calculated by National Sample Survey 99-00 indicate that OBC and forward Castes are comparable in wealthiness.)

Backward class people is a collective term, used by theGovernment of India, for castes which are economically and socially disadvantaged. They typically include the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). According to "The Times of India" on 31 August 2010, even after 17 years, at most 7% of seats have been filled by OBCs, regardless of their 27% reservation.[1] This difference between proportion of different communities in Higher educational institutions is mainly because of difference in primary school enrollment. Political parties in India have attempted to use these communities as votebanks.[citation needed]

[edit]Obligation of the government

Under Article 340 of the Indian Constitution, it is obligatory for the government to promote the welfare of the Other Backward Classes (OBC). Article 340(1) states, " The president may by order appoint a commission, consisting of such persons as he thinks, fit to investigate the conditions of socially and educationally backward classes within the territory of India and the difficulties under which they labour and to make recommendations as to the steps that should be taken by the union or any state to remove such difficulties and as to improve 'their condition and as to the grants that should be made, and the order appointing such commission shall define the procedure to be followed by the commission."

Article 340(2) states, "A commission so appointed shall investigate the matters referred to them and present to the president a report setting out the facts as found by them and making such recommendations as they think proper."

[edit]Demographics

[edit]First Backward Classes commission

The First Backward Classes Commission was set up by a presidential order on January 29, 1953 under the chairmanship of Kaka Kalelkar. The commission submitted its report on March 30, 1955. It had prepared a list of 2,399 backward castes or communities for the entire country and of which 837 had been classified as the "most backward". Some of the most notable recommendations of the commission were:

  1. Undertaking caste-wise enumeration of population in the census of 1961;
  2. Relating social backwardness of a class to its low position in the traditional caste hierarchy of Indian society;
  3. Treating all women as a class as "backward";
  4. Reservation of 70 per cent seats in all technical and professional institutions for qualified students of backward classes.
  5. Reservation of vacancies in all government services and local bodies for other backward classes.

The commission in its final report recommended "caste as the criteria" to determine backwardness. But this report was not accepted by the government as it feared that the backward classes excluded from the caste and communities selected by the commission may not be considered and the really needy would be swamped by the multitude and would hardly receive special attention.

[edit]Mandal commission

**NFHS Survey estimated only Hindu OBC population. Total OBC population derived by assuming Muslim OBC population in same proportion as Hindu OBC population)

The decision to set up a second backward classes commission was made official by the president on January 1, 1979. The commission popularly known as the Mandal Commission, its chairman being B. P. Mandal, submitted a report in December 1980 that stated that thepopulation of OBCs, which includes both Hindus and non-Hindus, was around 52 per cent of the totalpopulation according to the Mandal Commission.

However, this finding was criticized as based on "fictitious data". The National Sample Survey puts the figure at 32%.[2] There is substantial debate over the exact number of OBCs in India, with census data compromised by partisan politics. It is generally estimated to be sizable, but lower than the figures quoted by either the Mandal Commission or and National Sample Survey.[3]

27 percent of reservation was recommended owing to the legal constraint that the total quantum of reservation should not exceed 50 percent. States which have already introduced reservation for OBC exceeding 27 per cent will not be affected by this recommendation. With this general recommendation the commission proposed the following overall scheme of reservation for OBC:

  1. Candidates belonging to OBC recruited on the basis of merit in an open competition should not be adjusted against their reservation quota of 27 per cent.
  2. The above reservation should also be made applicable to promotion quota at all levels.
  3. Reserved quota remaining unfilled should be carried forward for a period of three years and de-reserved thereafter.
  4. Relaxation in the upper age limit for direct recruitment should be extended to the candidates of OBC in the same manner as done in the case of SCs and STs.
  5. A roster system for each category of posts should be adopted by the concerned authorities in the same manner as presently done in respect of SC and ST candidates.

These recommendations in total are applicable to all recruitment to public sector undertakings, both under the central and state governments as well as to nationalised banks. All private sector undertakings which have received financial assistance from the government in one form or other should also be obliged to recruit personnel on the aforesaid basis. All universities and affiliated colleges should also be covered by the above scheme of reservation. Although education is considered an important factor to bring a desired social change, "educational reform" was not within the terms of reference of this commission. To promote literacy the following measures were suggested:

  1. An intensive time-bound programme for adult education should be launched in selected pockets with high concentration of OBC population.
  2. Residential schools should be set up in these areas for backward class students to provide a climate specially conducive to serious studies. All facilities in these schools including board and lodging should be provided free of cost to attract students from poor andbackward class homes.
  3. Separate hostels for OBC students with above facilities will have to be provided.
  4. Vocational training was considered imperative.
  5. It was recommended that seats should be reserved for OBC students in all scientific, technical and professional institutions run by the central as well as state governments. The quantum of reservation should be the same as in the government services, i.e. 27 per cent.[citation needed]

[edit]Legal Dispute

[edit]Supreme Court interim stay

On 29 March 2007, the Supreme Court of India, as an interim measure, stayed the law providing for 27 percent reservation for Other Backward Classes in educational institutions like IITs and IIMs. This was done in response to a public interest litigation — Ashoka Kumar Thakur vs. Union of India. The Court held that the 1931 census could not be a determinative factor for identifying the OBCs for the purpose of providing reservation. The court also observed, "Reservation cannot be permanent and appear to perpetuate backwardness".[4]

[edit]Supreme Court verdict

On 10 April 2008 the Supreme Court of India upheld the government's initiative of 27% OBC quotas in government-funded institutions. The Court has categorically reiterated its prior stand that those considered part of the "Creamy layer" should be excluded from the scope of the reservation policy as well as from private institutions. The verdict produced mixed reactions from supporting and opposing quarters. Several criteria to identify the portion of the population comprising the "creamy layer" have been recommended, including the following:[5]

Those with family income above Rs 250,000 a year (now Rs 450,000 a year,As of October 2008) should be in creamy layer, and excluded from the reservation quota. Also, children of doctors, engineers, chartered accountants, actors, consultants, media professionals, writers, bureaucrats, defence officers of colonel and equivalent rank or higher, high court and Supreme Court judges, all central and state government Class A and B officials should be excluded. The Court has requested Parliament to exclude MPs' and MLAs' children as well.

[edit]Supreme Court conclusions from Ashoka Kumar Thakur vs. Union of India

  1. The Constitution (Ninety-Third Amendment) Act, 2005 does not violate the "basic structure" of the Constitution so far as it relates to the state maintained institutions and aided educational institutions. Question whether the Constitution (Ninety-Third Amendment) Act, 2005 would be constitutionally valid or not so far as "private unaided" educational institutions are concerned, is left open to be decided in an appropriate case.
  2. The "Creamy layer" principle is one of the parameters to identify backward classes. Therefore, principally, the "Creamy layer" principle cannot be applied to STs and SCs, as SCs and STs are separate classes by themselves.
  3. Preferably there should be a review after ten years to take note of the change of circumstances.
  4. A graduation (not technical graduation) or professional course deemed to be educationally forward.
  5. Principle of exclusion of Creamy layer applicable to OBC's.
  6. The Central Government shall examine as to the desirability of fixing a cut off marks in respect of the candidates belonging to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs)to balance reservation with other societal interests and to maintain standards of excellence. This would ensure quality and merit would not suffer. If any seats remain vacant after adopting such norms they shall be filled up by candidates from general categories.
  7. So far as determination of backward classes is concerned, a Notification should be issued by the Union of India. This can be done only after exclusion of the creamy layer for which necessary data must be obtained by the Central Government from the State Governments and Union Territories. Such Notification is open to challenge on the ground of wrongful exclusion or inclusion. Norms must be fixed keeping in view the peculiar features in different States and Union Territories. There has to be proper identification of Other Backward Classes (OBCs). For identifying backward classes, the Commission set up pursuant to the directions of this Court in Indra Sawhney 1 has to work more effectively and not merely decide applications for inclusion or exclusion of castes.
  8. The Parliament should fix a deadline by which time free and compulsory education will have reached every child. This must be done within six months, as the right to free and compulsory education is perhaps the most important of all the fundamental rights (Art.21 A). For without education, it becomes extremely difficult to exercise other fundamental rights.
  9. If material is shown to the Central Government that the Institution deserves to be included in the Schedule (institutes which are excluded from reservations) of The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 (No. 5 of 2007), the Central Government must take an appropriate decision on the basis of materials placed and on examining the concerned issues as to whether Institution deserves to be included in the Schedule of the said act as provided in Sec 4 of the said act.
  10. Held that the determination of SEBCs is done not solely based on caste and hence, the identification of SEBCs does not violate Article 15(1) of the Constitution.

[edit]See also

[edit]Notes

  1. ^ Kumar, D Suresh (25 September 2010). [17 yrs after Mandal, 7% OBCs in govt jobs|http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/17-yrs-after-Mandal-7-OBCs-in-govt-jobs/articleshow/6465115.cms]. Times News Network. [Archived by WebCite®|http://www.webcitation.org/5tnYAVRTu] on 27 October 2010. Accessed 27 October 2010.
  2. ^ [1]. Accessed October 2010.
  3. ^ [2][dead link]
  4. ^ "Supreme Court stays OBC quota in IITs, IIMs"rediff.com (Rediff.com India Limited). March 29, 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-01.
  5. ^ "New Cutoff for OBCs"The Telegraph. April 11, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-11.

[edit]References

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