DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2013 (PAGE 11) Number of undernourished Centre asks states to form high-level Rahul’s intent if not choice people in India down 6.5%: FAO of words was right: Pilot NEW DELHI, Oct 6: panels to curb accidents NEW DELHI, Oct 6: “...I don’t think it’s a question of must and necessary undertak- India, the world’s second biggest wheat and rice grower, saw NEW DELHI, Oct 6: go a long way before we can the offence of drunken driving. “To make an omelette, you ing but certainly the Congress the number of people who suffered from chronic hunger drop by rest,” the Centre has said. It also asked states to set up have to break an egg,” says Union The Road Transport and party will make its points of view 6.5 per cent to 21.38 crore during 2011-13, according to a joint Citing China’s example for highways patrol on the pattern Minister Sachin Pilot on Rahul Highways Ministry has asked very clear..Don’t forget, it’s report by UN food agencies. curbing accidents, it has asked of Maharashtra stressing such Gandhi’s denunciation of the the State Governments to form because of the party that we are in During 2008-10, as many as 22.86 crore people were under- states to ensure that its various dedicated police force can bring aborted Ordinance on convicted high-level committees to take government,” he said. nourished in the country, it said. wings, including Transport, down accidents and ensure safe- lawmakers, though he feels that steps for reducing road accident He, however, evaded a direct “Despite the progress made worldwide, marked differences in Health, PWD, Police, Justice, ty. “choice of words and the timing fatalities that have increased query on whether Gandhi is now hunger reduction persist... The vast majority of hungry people live Education and Finance worked Maharashtra has a designat- may be in question”. consistently in recent years. the Supreme leader and whether in developing regions.” said the report by Food and Agriculture in close coordination in view of ed police force for highways. A Considered one among the “All the State Governments his intervention on the Ordinance Organization, the International Fund for Agricultural “strategy for ensuring road safe- Traffic Engineering Unit under core team of the Congress Vice are requested to constitute High issue marks a generational change Development and the World Food Programme. ty being multi-pronged.” it analyses the causes of acci- President, he also rejected criti- Level Committees headed by in Congress party. At the global level, some 84.2 crore people in 2011-13 suffered Unless special arrangements dents and suggests preventive cism that Gandhi’s outburst on the the Chief Secretary to take “That conjecture is not impor- from chronic hunger, not having enough food for an active and are put in place to ensure close measures, it said while asking issue undermined the position of stock of the road safety scenario tant.... What is more important is healthy life. Their number has fallen by 4 per cent from the 2008- coordination and accountability, states to emulate this model. Prime Minister Manmohan in their States and the measures the fact that what Gandhi did was 10 level, it said. realising the full potential of Although National Singh, who was at that time the Congress Vice President did Most of the world’s undernourished people are still to be found required to be instituted at the was now being supported by to channelise that public opinion individual sectoral responsibili- Highways constitute only about abroad. as a political party and spoke as its in Southern Asia, closely followed by sub-Saharan Africa and State level to reduce road acci- ties and the goal of road safety two per cent of the total road The minister maintained that Cabinet by Congress party. Eastern Asia, the report said. dent fatalities,” the Ministry “...Perhaps the choice of its Vice President and made sure is not possible, it said. length they account for 29.1 per Gandhi and all party leaders have that its sentiment is known to It underlined that economic growth is key for progress in said in a missive to states. It also asked the states to cent in total road accidents and “utmost respect” for Singh. words and the timing may be in A total of 4,90,383 road everybody including the govern- hunger reduction. “But growth may not lead to more and better tighten noose round the necks 35.3 per cent in total number of “Does that not take some question, but the intent, the senti- accidents were reported by all ment,” he said. jobs and incomes for all, unless policies specifically target the of liquor shops violating norms. persons killed in road accidents. courage of conviction....To take it ments and the objectives of what poor. states/Union Territories (UTs) he said... Irrespective of that if Pilot also recalled that Rahul in 2012, of which 1,23,093 were The states have also been The Ministry said in view of head on. To make an omelette, Gandhi has himself clarified very “In poor countries, hunger and poverty reduction will only be requested to ensure that licences manifold increase in road traffic you have to break an egg. Gandhi we look back, we will look at the achieved with growth that is not only sustained, but also broadly fatal accidents. fact that Gandhi did something he categorically that he did not mean “The number of persons for liquor shops are not given during last few years “It is very had done it. Government and the to undermine the authority of any- shared.” along National Highways and in much necessary to regulate the party supports it. And I think the believed in, the Congress The report also stressed that the developing regions as a whole killed in road accidents were believed. We have changed the body, including the Prime 1,38,258 i.E. An average of one case of drunken driving to traffic movement.” country is now in a better to posi- have made significant progress towards reaching the target of mind. The government has rolled Minister. fatality per 3.5 accidents. The strictly enforce Section 185 of India has 33 lakh km of road tion tackle the issue of corrup- He also sought to downplay halving the proportion of hungry people by 2015. Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 which tion,” he said on Karan Thapar’s back.” proportion of fatal accidents in network, of which about 79,000 contentions of the Prime Minister The report has urged countries in these regions “to make con- provides for punishment of km is the National Highways. programme Devil’s Advocate in Replying to a question on total road accidents has consis- and UPA allies being upset over siderable and immediate additional efforts” to meet the millenni- tently increased ... We have to imprisonment or fine or both for (PTI) CNN-IBN. whether Government will have to um development goals. Pilot was asked whether consult Rahul Gandhi before the development. Rice and wheat production in India stood at 104.40 million tonne Gandhi’s outburst had not under- major decisions hereafter as he About leaders of allies like and 92.46 million tonne in 2012-13 crop year (July-June). (PTI) mined the authority of the has emerged as the supreme NCP’s Sharad Pawar and NC’s Three oil PSUs move SC for Congress Core Group chaired by leader of Congress, Pilot said Farooq Abdullah disapproving of party President Sonia Gandhi or Gandhi is the “leader” and cer- the manner in which Gandhi India, US ties moving the Prime Minister’s Cabinet, tainly there are certain decisions denounced the decision, Pilot said which took the decision and that need to be discussed with the Congress has “tremendous modification of Aadhaar order reflected his “immaturity”. party. respect” for the allies it works with. “We are running this govern- “Rahul is one individual but NEW DELHI, Oct 6: that some authority had issued a ensure its successful implemen- “Gandhi has also clarified that ment on the behalf of the people he represents the Congress party. forward: American experts circular making it mandatory the intent was not to undermine tation, this court may be pleased of India. If everybody wanted to And Congress party is one that Three oil PSUs have moved and when any person applies to the government, the Prime WASHINGTON, Oct 6: to clarify or modify its order change the decision, then we did leads the government. UPA is a the Supreme Court seeking get the Aadhaar card voluntari- Minister and the allies. ...The dated 23.09.2013 to state that it. There is nothing wrong in say- Congress-led government. modification of its earlier order ly, it may be checked whether The meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and while no one may be denied ing that we actually took a step Certainly, there are certain deci- intent was not to upset the allies. that Aadhaar card is not manda- that person is entitled for it US President Barack Obama has signalled a forward movement in domestic LPG cylinders at mar- back and reflected on what we sions that need to be discussed There is no reason It may have tory and no person should suffer under the law and it should not bilateral strategic ties with key agreements signed in defence and ket rates in the absence of were doing,” Pilot added. with the party and the party guides been something that they felt, but for want of it in getting benefits be given to any illegal immi- energy sectors, eminent American experts have said. Aadhaar cards, the Aadhaar card Rejecting the criticism against the policies and programmes of it has been talked through. It has of Government schemes. grant.” “I think it was a very important trip in difficult times for both may be allowed to be mandato- Gandhi on the issue, he said what the government of the day. been clarified.” (PTI) sides. There is political turmoil both in the US and India. So it is IOCL, BPCL and HPCL The order had come during rily sought by the MOPNG to all the more important that there be continuity to show that the US- would mention the matter on the hearing of a PIL filed by make subsidy payments to those India relationship is going forward no matter what the events of Monday for urgent hearing Justice K Puttaswamy, former entitled to the same under the the day may be,” Raymond Vickery, senior director at Albright before a bench of Chief Justice high court judge, seeking to DBTL scheme with a view to Stonebridge, told. P Sathasivam and Justice restrain the Centre, Planning eliminate diversion of sub- “I think that combined with the strong personal relationship Ranjan Gogoi which has Commission and the Unique sidised cylinders into black mar- between President Obama and Prime Minister Singh was a very already listed a similar plea of Identification Authority of India ket,” the plea had said. important sign to give that this is going forward,” Vickery said. Ministry of Petroleum and (UIDAI) from issuing Aadhaar “The DBTL scheme has During the Clinton Administration, Vickery served as Assistant Natural Gas (MOPNG) for con- cards by way of an executive been launched to ensure that the Secretary of Commerce for Trade Development, where he was sideration on October 8. order of January 28, 2009. LPG consumers’ entitlement is responsible for India in the Department’s Big Emerging Markets Khushbu Jain, counsel for The MOPNG, in its plea, not diverted and to prevent initiative. the PSUs, said Additional had said the Aadhaar card was leakage in the LPG subsidy. The Vickery identified pre-early works agreement between Solicitor General Nageshwar not necessary for the consumers LPG subsidy amounted to Rs Westinghouse and NPCIL and joint defense declaration as the key Rao would mention the plea who want to purchase unsub- 39,558 crores during 2012-13,” achievements of the India-US summit. before the bench as the earlier sidised LPG cylinders from the it said. The Westinghouse-NPCIL agreement should facilitate progress order has created “serious oil companies, but it is neces- It said the average market toward licensing the AP-1000 nuclear reactor technology in India. doubts, confusion and uncer- sary for supply of subsidised price of a domestic LPG cylin- Taking their defence ties to a new level, the two countries also tainty” in the minds of citizens cylinders in 54 districts in the der is Rs 943.36 and the retail decided to undertake joint development and production of military who have already enrolled for country. price of the same is Rs 410.50 hardware, involving transfer of high-end technology from Aadhaar card to avail Direct “Keeping in mind the objec- and “the subsidy works out to America, bringing India at par with closest US allies. Benefit Transfer for Liquefied tives for which the DBTL Rs 555.55 per subsidised cylin- “We have a strong mutual interest in fighting terrorism and the Petroleum Gas Consumers scheme has been launched and der,” adding that to avoid diver- fact is that US technology with regard to homeland security, in (DBTL) scheme to get sub- implemented and the absolute sion of funds, the modification regard to border patrol, coast guard operation is important,” he sidised LPG cylinders. necessity of the Aadhaar card to of the order was needed. (PTI) DBTL has already been said. implemented and has been run- Acknowledging that there are a lot of problems in US- India ning successfully in 54 districts India intends to extend on trade and investment relationship, Vickery said there is “entirely and the old system of subsidy too much negativity”, and described the recently launched anti- has been stopped, the PSUs India campaign as purely “inside the Beltway thing”. said, adding that the firms are in Ganging up against India on one issue or the other, he argued, process of implementing the arrival visa for 40 countries really does not reflect the true relationship on trade and invest- scheme in 235 other districts. ment. Earlier, the apex court NEW DELHI, Oct 6: “We have now scheduled not only the energy dialogue, we agreed to hear on October 8 the India intends to extend visa on arrival facility to tourists from have made commitments with regard to the bilateral investment plea of MOPNG that has sought treaty. We are setting up a meeting of the trade policy forum. So 40 more countries, including the US, the UK, Canada, Brazil, “clarification or modification” Australia, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, a move which will make the those things are going to go forward,” Vickery said. of the order for continuing with country a more tourist friendly destination and promote foreign US companies have alleged unfair policies by India designed its DBTL scheme which can be exchange earnings. to benefit a few Indian corporations at the expense of manufactur- availed only by those persons ing and jobs in America and other countries around the world. who have secured Aadhaar The Planning Commission has called a high-level meeting of Vickery was also critical of those who think that the present cards. A bench headed by different ministries and National Security Advisor on Monday to UPA Government would not do anything before the general elec- Justice B S Chauhan had on deliberate on the feasibility of the move. tions next year. September 23 said, “In the “We have called a meeting on October 7 to discuss the possi- “I just remind them, only eight months before the last elec- meanwhile, no person should bility of extending tourist visa for 40 more countries as this could tions, Prime Minister Singh got through the Parliament the civil suffer for not getting the help in garnering more foreign exchange and containing the cur- nuclear deal. And if he could do that, we can get together the Aadhaar card in spite of the fact rent account deficit,” Planning Minister Rajeev Shukla said. (PTI) preparations needed to make real progress. This is too important relationship, just to let it drift and let it go sideways,” he said. “I think that is the true message of the Prime Minister meeting with the President,” Vickery added. Richard Rossow, director for South Asia, McLarty Associates, said the Obama-Singh meeting was better than most people’s expectations. The Westinghouse and NPCIL agreement, he said, is a step in the right direction. “The US needs to work with India in areas which are more in India’s strategic interest,” he said and listed out the announcement of the joint working group on manufacturing as one of the key achievements of the trip. Responding to a question on the anti-India campaign by some business groups ahead of the trip, he said that it has had an impact as Indian government has taken note of several of the concerns of the American businesses and have taken steps to address them. The US exports to India, he said, is up by 12 per cent this year as compared to previous year. Similarly US imports from India are up by five per cent. (PTI) Paternity row: Tiwari seeks adjournment of hearing for 8 weeks NEW DELHI, Oct 6: Veteran Congress leader N D Tiwari, who is to appear on October 8 for cross-examination in connection with the paternity suit against him, has moved a plea in the Delhi High Court seek- ing adjournment of proceedings for eight weeks citing health rea- sons. In his application, which is likely to be heard on Monday, 88- year-old Tiwari has sought postponement of his questioning say- ing he will be unable to travel from Lucknow to Delhi on account of his ongoing treatment of heart ailment. "I have been advised to avoid exertion and travel," the plea said, adding that the 83-year-old younger brother of Tiwari was also hospitalised. On October 8, Tiwari is supposed to appear before high court appointed local commissioner S M Chopra, a former additional district judge, for recording evidence on day-to-day basis in the case. The high court on September 18 had rejected Tiwari's plea to hold his cross examination at a place other than the court complex. Earlier, the high court had barred Tiwari from leading any evi- dence in favour of his claim that he did not father 32-year-old Rohit Shekhar. (PTI)