DOCSLIB.ORG

Modi Blames Previous Govts for Petrol Import Dependence

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Modi Blames Previous Govts for Petrol Import Dependence <bha>B8BuVtyZKih68ivpJfKJ8KNZAe4aLRlmjlo0kTxUSdu0acuwH9F7nATVrkM4QXs2bCTbN1XITzGgkARSTy03CMMB3cnitVOXJir22mxMNYrAqaiSxX29r+kuAcnzDILrGBgRLJYePCejcpzvpv/EVA==</bha> CCI NG 3.17 Product: TOIPuneBSPubDate: 18-02-2021Zone: KolhapurEdition: 1 Page: TOIKLP06User: cci Time: 02-17-2021 22:20Color: THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLHAPUR 6 TIMES NATION THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021 Don’t feel anger, I forgive India urges Modi blames previous govts Opec to ease my father’s killers: Rahul for petrol import dependence output cuts New Delhi: India, the world’s Puducherry: Congress lea- had plenty of friends inclu- third-biggest oil consumer, on der Rahul Gandhi on Wed- I don’t have anger or ding those both with political Wednesday urged Saudi Ara- nesday said the killing of his hatred towards any- background and people who ‘Middle Class Wouldn’t Be Burdened If It Was Addressed Earlier’ bia and other global oil pro- father Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 body.Of course, I lost my shared similar interests. ANI ducers to ease production brought him tremendous pa- father and When the student repea- New Delhi: On a day when ister further said it was a col- cuts, saying rising interna- in but he nursed no anger or for me it was ted the question on girl fri- petrol crossed the Rs 100 mark, lective duty to work towards tional oil prices are hurting hatred towards those respon- a very diffi- ends, he said, “We leave that Prime Minister Narendra Mo- clean and green sources of en- economic recovery and de- sible for it and he pardoned for another day.” To a student di on Wednesday said the mid- ergy as well as energy inde- mand. them. cult time. But who said she could not pursue dle-class would not have been pendence. “Our government Demand recovery should During an interaction the I don’t feel engineering though she loved burdened if the previous gov- is sensitive to the concerns of take “primacy” over oil prices Congress MP had with stu- anger, I don’t it, he advised her to chase her ernments had focussed on re- the middle class. That is why at least for the next few dents of a state-run women’s feel any dream and assured her of sup- ducing India’s energy import India is now increasing the fo- months, oil minister Dhar- college here, a pupil posed,” hatred or any anger. I forgive port and he would speak to her dependence. cus on ethanol to help farmers mendra Pradhan said. your father was killed by the parents if she wanted. Without referring to the re- and consumers,” he said. International oil prices LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Rahul Gandhi | CONGRESS LEADER Though most parties sup- lentless increase in retail fuel Ethanol extracted from have been on the boil since Tamil Eelam) what are your ported the release of seven prices, which are linked to in- PM Modi lays foundation of key projects in the oil and gas sector in sugarcane is being doped in Saudi Arabia pledged addi- feelings about these people? me Minister Indira Gandhi, convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi ternational rates, he said In- Tamil Nadu via video link from New Delhi on Wednesday petrol to reduce the require- tional voluntary output cuts and he answered by saying he said, “Violence cannot take assassination case, the Tamil dia imported over 85 % of its ment of imports. Currently, of 1 million barrels per day in violence cannot take away away anything from you... my Nadu Congress Committee oil needs in the 2019-20 finan- 8.5 % of petrol is ethanol and February and March under a anything. father is alive in me...my fat- (TNCC) had opposed it. Rajiv cial year and 53 % of its gas re- Meghalaya cabinet regularises this proportion is targeted to deal between the Organiza- “I don’t have anger or hat- her is talking through me.” Gandhi was killed on May 21, quirement. “Can a diverse and be raised to 20 % by 2025, help- tion of the Petroleum Export- red towards anybody.Of cour- Gandhi interacted with 1991 by a woman suicide bom- talented nation like ours be so decision to revise fuel tax rates ing cut imports as well as give ing Countries (OPEC) and its se, I lost my father and for me students of Bharathidasan ber at Sriperumbudur near energy import dependent?” Shillong: The Meghalaya cabinet on Wednesday regularised the farmers an alternate source of allies including Russia, a it was a very difficult time,” Government College for Wo- Chennai in a poll rally. he asked, addressing an online decisions of the government to revise the tax rates for petrol and income. group known as OPEC+. he said, adding, it was similar men and asked them to not The LTTE was defeated in event to inaugurate oil and gas diesel twice this month, reducing fuel prices by over Rs 7 per litre, CM India, he said, is looking to This has resulted in oil to having one’s heart severed. address him as ‘sir’ and inste- the 2009 civil war in Sri Lan- projects in poll-bound Tamil Conrad K Sangma said. The tax rate was first revised last week cut energy import depend- prices rising to $63 per barrel, “I felt trememdous pain, ad call him ‘Rahul,’ while ka. TNCC chief K S Alagiri Nadu. which slashed the retail prices of both petrol and diesel by Rs 2 a litre. ence as well as diversify its the highest level in more than but I don’t feel anger, I don’t fe- most addressed him as Rahul had said a few months ago that “I do not want to criticise The state government on Tuesday again lowered value-added tax sources to reduce risks. a year, leading to retail pump el any hatred or any anger. I ‘Anna’ (elder brother). if the Rajiv case case convicts anyone but I want to say (that) (VAT) on the two petroleum products resulting in reduction in the The focus now is also to- rates in India breaching the forgive,” he said to rounds of He earlier had a dialogue were to be set free, a demand had we focused on this subject prices by over Rs 5 per litre. PTI wards using renewable sourc- Rs 100 a litre mark. applause. To the next ques- with people from the fisher- would arise for the release of much earlier, our middle-class es of energy, which will by 2030 “The rising crude oil pric- tion related to his political in- men community here. Answe- all “murder convicts” who would not be burdened,” he spiralled in recent weeks. While global rates have re- form 40 % of energy generat- es during the last few weeks is nings despite losing his father ring a question on his friends had spent over 25 years in pri- said. Price of petrol crossed Opposition parties includ- bounded with pick up in de- ed in the country, he said, list- hurting the fragile global eco- and grandmother, former Pri- and ‘girl friends,’ he said he son. PTI the Rs 100 per litre mark in Ra- ing Congress have criticised mand, the government has not ing measures such as in- nomic recovery due to signifi- jasthan after fuel rates were the price hikes, blaming it on restored the taxes, which are creased share of solar power, cant demand contraction, hiked for the ninth day in a the Modi government raising at a record high. focus on public transport, which might even mirror the row. Since India imports the taxes to scoop out the benefit Central and state taxes switching to LED bulbs, scrap- impact of Covid-19 in its ini- majority of its oil needs, retail that arose from international make up for 60 % of the retail page policy for vehicles and tial stages,” Pradhan said at HC extends cover to Khadse till rates are benchmarked to in- oil rates plunging to a two-dec- selling price of petrol and over use of solar pumps in the 11th IEA IEF OPEC Sympo- ternational prices, which have ade low in April/May last year. 54 % of diesel. The Prime Min- irrigation. PTI sium on Energy Outlooks. With Saudi oil minister February 24 in land deal case Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud and OPEC Secretary Mumbai: The Bombay high for the ED, had told a bench of her hearing in the case to Fe- General Mohammad Sanusi court on Wednesday extended justices SS Shinde and Ma- bruary 24 and extended till SC lets Himachal, MP to be parties in Barkindo listening, he said a till February 24 the interim nish Pitale that an ECIR was then, the interim protection balanced approach needs to be protection from coercive ac- not like an FIR but an internal that it had granted to Khadse adopted at this juncture. tion granted to state NCP lea- document. Therefore, there on the last hearing. In mid-Ja- petition against laws on conversion Petrol sales, which reac- der Eknath Khadse in a land was no question of quashing nuary, Khadse (68), who quit hed pre-Covid levels six deal case. of the ECIR, Singh had said. the BJP and joined the NCP New Delhi: The Supreme of Muslims are being haras- the laws and issued notices to marriages. months back, fell below pre- The former BJP minister The summons and ECIR last year, had appeared before Court Wednesday permitted sed under these laws across both the state governments During the brief hearing, pandemic levels in the first approached the high court in pertain to a case the ED had the ED in connection with the an NGO to make Himachal the country.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • New Governments in Maharashtra & Haryana
    New Governments in Maharashtra & Haryana Haryana Haryana Legislative Assembly election was held on October 15, 2014 to select 90 members of the Legislative Assembly. The term of previously elected Assembly in 2009 expired on October 27, 2014. The result was announced on October 19, 2014. The BJP won the majority even without its NDA partner Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Manohar Lal Khattar was chosen to head the new government and was sworn-in on October 26, 2014. Voters turnout for the Assembly election set a new State record with 76.54%. This was the highest number of total and women candidates in Haryana Assembly elections since its formation in 1966. Among other practices to ensure a fair election, photo electoral rolls and photo identification were mandatory during the election. Each polling booth was provided with multiple awareness observers as non-participating members to verify free and fair voting and access. Cabinet Minister Portfolio Manohar Lai Khattar (Chief Minister) Home, Power, Town and Country Planning and Information and Public Relations. All other Education, Transport, Food and Supplies, Tourism, Parliamentary Ram Bilas Sharma Affairs, Hospitality, Technical Education Captain Abhimanyu Finance, Revenue, Excise and Taxation, Forests, Environment OP Dhankar Agriculture and Irrigation Anil Vij Health and Sports Narveer Singh Public Works Department, Public Health Engineering Kavita Jain Social Justice and Woman and Child Development Ministers of State Vikram Singh Thekedar Cooperation (Independent Charge) Krishan Kumar Bedi Social Justice Karan Dev Kamboj Food and Supplies, Transport, Tourism Maharashtra Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election was held on October 15, 2014, in a single phase, to select the 288 members of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
    [Show full text]
  • The BJP and State Politics in India: a Crashing Wave? Analyzing the BJP Performance in Five State Elections
    AAssiiee..VViissiioonnss 8800 ______________________________________________________________________ The BJP and State Politics in India: A Crashing Wave? Analyzing the BJP Performance in Five State Elections _________________________________________________________________ Gilles VERNIERS December 2015 . Center for Asian Studies The Institut français des relations internationales (Ifri) is a research center and a forum for debate on major international political and economic issues. Headed by Thierry de Montbrial since its founding in 1979, Ifri is a non- governmental and a non-profit organization. As an independent think tank, Ifri sets its own research agenda, publishing its findings regularly for a global audience. Using an interdisciplinary approach, Ifri brings together political and economic decision-makers, researchers and internationally renowned experts to animate its debate and research activities. With offices in Paris and Brussels, Ifri stands out as one of the rare French think tanks to have positioned itself at the very heart of European debate. The opinions expressed in this text are the responsibility of the author alone. ISBN: 978-2-36537-498-0 © All rights reserved, Ifri, 2015 IFRI IFRI-BRUXELLES 27, RUE DE LA PROCESSION RUE MARIE-THÉRÈSE, 21 75740 PARIS CEDEX 15 – FRANCE 1000 – BRUXELLES – BELGIQUE Tel: +33 (0)1 40 61 60 00 Tel: +32 (0)2 238 51 10 Fax: +33 (0)1 40 61 60 60 Fax: +32 (0)2 238 51 15 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] WEBSITE: www.ifri.org Ifri Center for Asian Studies Asia is at the core of major global economic, political and security challenges. The Centre for Asian Studies provides documented expertise and a platform of discussion on Asian issues through the publication of research papers, partnerships with international think- tanks and the organization of seminars and conferences.
    [Show full text]
  • National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes
    NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR DENOTIFIED, NOMADIC AND SEMI-NOMADIC TRIBES Voices of the DNT/NT Communities in India Visit of Chairman and Member to the State of Rajasthan and receiving representations/grievanc0es from local DNT/NT people CONTENTS Page No. 1. Foreword from Chairman 1 2. A note from Member Secretary – 3 ‘Voices of DNT/NT Communities in India’ 3. Summary of grievances received (State wise) 9 4. Analysis of Grievances/Policy implications 24 ANNEXURES Annexure-1 : List of States/Communities visited/met 31 Annexure-2 : State wise grievance statement 33 Annexure-3 : List of Communities seeking inclusion 118 Foreword Government of India has constituted a National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic & Semi-Nomadic Tribes with a mandate to identify and prepare a state-wise list of DNT/NT, apart from assessing the status of their inclusion in SC/ST/OBC, identification of areas where they are densely populated, reviewing the progress of development and suggesting appropriate measures for their upliftment. Commission came into existence from 9th January, 2015. 2. The Commission led by me made extensive visits, visited 20 states, held meetings with 15 State Governments, met nearly 123 communities in their locations and saw their living conditions and received nearly 834 grievances/representations from the community people, leaders and associations. 3. These visits and the grievances have given a new vision to us and views of the people, especially the down-trodden people who are yet to see the ray of hope. The publication of the document “Voices of the Denotified, Nomadic & Semi-Nomadic Tribes” is a very big effort towards achieving the objectives of the Commission.
    [Show full text]
  • Farewell to Maratha Politics?
    ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846 Farewell to Maratha Politics? Assembly Election in Maharashtra SUHAS PALSHIKAR Vol. 49, Issue No. 42, 18 Oct, 2014 Suhas Palshikar ([email protected]) teaches at the Department of Politics at the Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune. The dominance of Maharashtra’s politics by the Congress and the Maratha elite had been weakening since 1995, and the triumph of the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party in the assembly election seems to have finally brought it to an end. Who among the contenders -- the Nationalist Congress Party, the Shiv Sena, the BJP, and a Maratha elite now at a distance from both power and its community -- will occupy the space vacated by the Congress? More than the defeat of the Congress and NCP, what marks a new era for the politics of the state is the desertion of Maratha voters from the two Congress parties. In the present scenario, the BJP seems poised to pick its leaders in the state and build a social coalition that will stand by it for some time to come. The defeat of a sitting government need not draw much attention. But when it happens in a state that does not often see a change in the party/coalition heading the government, it stirs much expectation and speculation. More so, when the change could be a catalyst for regime change. The assembly election in Maharashtra in October 2014 may have been crucial in this sense. Politics in Maharashtra has long been known for the twin features of a dominant party and a dominant caste.
    [Show full text]
  • Ÿþp P a C 9 T H O F F I C E M E M O R a N D U M 0 3 . 0 9 . 2 0
    National Horticulture Board Ministry of Agriculture 8: Farmers Welfare Government of India, Plot No.85, Sector 18, Institutional Area, Gurugram - 122 015 (Haryana) Ph. 0124-2342992, Fax: 2342991, 2341225 - Website: www.nhb.gov.in NHB/CC/9thPPAC/2019-20/ .. September, 06, 2019 } 3°)0 Office Melno•.anduin Subject: P•.oceedings of the 9th aneeting of the P•.e- P•.oject App•.aisal Coananittee(5th PPACfo•.IPAScheane 2019-20) to conside •.the p•.oposals unde.. va•.ious scheanes of the. Boa•.d held on 03.09.2019 at NHB,HQ,Guwug•.aan - Rega •.ding. I am directed to enclose herewith a copy of the Proceedings of the 9th Meeting of the Pre-Project Appraisal Committee (New Project-2019-20) held on 03.09.2019 at NHB, Head Quarters, Gurugram under the Chairmanship of Dy. Managing Di ector, NHB. Ob(1)ql.tol~ (D.. Pal) Deputy Director Distribution: 1) All Divisional Heads jJoint Directors, NHB, Gurugram. 2) Account Officer, NHB, Gurugram. Copy for information to : 1) PS to MD, NHB, Gurugram 2) PA to DMD, NHB, Gurugram National Horticulture Board Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers' Welfare Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare NHB, Gurugram, Dated 06th September, 2019 Minutes of the 9th Pre-Project Appraisal Committee (PPAC) meeting (New Project-2019- Subject 20) to consider the proposals under various schemes of the Board. Date & Time 03.09.2019 Venue NHB, Gurugram The Meeting was chaired by Shri Brajendra Singh, DMD, NHB. The following members attended the meeting. Name of Officer/Representative with Designation attended the meeting S.No Composition 1. Deputy Managing Shri Brajendra Singh, Dy.
    [Show full text]
  • JPI March 2015.Pdf
    The Journal of Parliamentary Information VOLUME LXI NO. 1 MARCH 2015 LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT NEW DELHI CBS Publishers & Distributors Pvt. Ltd. 24, Ansari Road, Darya Ganj, New Delhi-2 EDITORIAL BOARD Editor : Anoop Mishra Secretary-General Lok Sabha Associate Editors : D. Bhalla Secretary Lok Sabha Secretariat P.K. Misra Additional Secretary Lok Sabha Secretariat Sayed Kafil Ahmed Director Lok Sabha Secretariat Assistant Editors : Pulin B. Bhutia Additional Director Lok Sabha Secretariat Sanjeev Sachdeva Joint Director Lok Sabha Secretariat V. Thomas Ngaihte Joint Director Lok Sabha Secretariat © Lok Sabha Secretariat, New Delhi THE JOURNAL OF PARLIAMENTARY INFORMATION VOLUME LXI NO. 1 MARCH 2015 CONTENTS PAGE EDITORIAL NOTE 1 PARLIAMENTARY EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES Conferences and Symposia 3 Birth Anniversaries of National Leaders 4 Exchange of Parliamentary Delegations 8 Parliament Museum 9 Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training 9 PRIVILEGE ISSUES 11 PROCEDURAL MATTERS 13 PARLIAMENTARY AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS 15 DOCUMENTS OF CONSTITUTIONAL AND PARLIAMENTARY INTEREST 27 SESSIONAL REVIEW Lok Sabha 41 Rajya Sabha 56 State Legislatures 72 RECENT LITERATURE OF PARLIAMENTARY INTEREST 74 APPENDICES I. Statement showing the work transacted during the Third Session of the Sixteenth Lok Sabha 82 II. Statement showing the work transacted during the 233rd Session of the Rajya Sabha 86 III. Statement showing the activities of the Legislatures of the States and Union Territories during the period 1 October to 31 December 2014 91 (iv) iv The Journal of Parliamentary Information IV. List of Bills passed by the Houses of Parliament and assented to by the President during the period 1 October to 31 December 2014 97 V.
    [Show full text]
  • 53,370 More Coronavirus Cases Take National Tally to 78.14 Lakh
    WWW.YUGMARG.COM FOLLOW US ON REGD NO. CHD/0061/2006-08 | RNI NO. 61323/95 Join us at telegram https://t.me/yugmarg Sunday, October 25, 2020 CHANDIGARH, VOL. XXV, NO. 253, PAGES 8, RS. 2 YOUR REGION, YOUR PAPER Mi India creates a Hero Electric Indian Ocean Forevermark new Guinness World launches the all new composes a launches three Records feat with the City Speed NYX-hx powerful anthem stores in North Ray of Hope, World’s with an incredible for Bharat Ke India Largest Oil Lamp range of 210/km per Mahaveer charge PAGE 3 PAGE 3 PAGE 3 PAGE 3 53,370 more coronavirus Working on empowering farmers, cases take national boosting agriculture sector: Modi tally to 78.14 lakh AGENCY Bengal, 58 from Chhattisgarh, 51 BJP leader moves SC NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 24 from Karnataka, 40 from Uttar over pleas on Pradesh, 33 from Tamil Nadu and 26 With focus on healthcare and tourism, inaugurates 3 projects in Gujarat India’s COVID-19 tally climbed to each from Delhi and Kerala. ‘minority’ definition 78.14 lakh with 53,370 fresh cases in The total 1,17,956 deaths report- NEW DELHI: Delhi BJP AGENCY a day, while 70,16,046 people have ed so far in the country include leader Ashwini Upadhyay has AHMEDABAD, OCTOBER 24 so far recuperated pushing the na- 43,015 from Maharashtra followed moved the Supreme Court tional recovery rate to 89.78 per cent by 10,858 from Tamil Nadu, 10,821 seeking transfer to itself of all Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday on Saturday, the Union Health Min- from Karnataka, 6,830 from Uttar petitions pending in various said his government was taking initiatives to istry said.
    [Show full text]
  • Minutes / 2015-16 June 25, 2015
    Convener - SLBC Maharashtra No. AX1 / SLBC – 127 / Minutes / 2015-16 June 25, 2015 Minutes of the 127th SLBC Meeting held on June 24, 2015 at Mumbai 127th SLBC meeting was convened on 24.06.2015. The meeting had a focused agenda to finalise State Annual Credit Plan for 2015-16 including crop loan disbursements. Chief Guest of the meeting was Hon’ble Chief Minister, Maharashtra State, Shri Devendra Fadnavis. Shri Sushil Muhnot, Chairman, SLBC and Chairman & Managing Director, Bank of Maharashtra chaired the meeting. Shri Eknath Khadse, Minister for Agriculture, Shri Sudhir Mungantiwar, Minister for Finance & Planning, Shri Ram Shinde, Minister of State for Agriculture & Horticulture, Dr. P.S. Meena, Additional Chief Secretary (Admin, O&M), Dr. Sudhir Kumar Goel, Additional Chief Secretary (Agri & Marketing), Shri Sudhir Shrivastava, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance), Shri D.K. Jain, Additional Chief Secretary (Information Technology), Shri S.K. Sharma, Principal Secretary (Cooperation), Shri Bijay Kumar, Principal Secretary (Financial Reforms), Shri Chandrakant Dalvi, Commissioner (Cooperation) and other senior officials of the State Government attended the meeting. The Reserve Bank of India was represented by Shri G.P. Borah, Chief General Manager and Shri C. Patnaik, General Manager. NABARD was represented by Dr. U.S. Saha, Chief General Manager, MRO, Pune. IDBI Bank was represented by Shri SKV Srinivasan, Executive Director. The meeting was also attended by Shri Pramod Karnad, Managing Director, MSC Bank, Shri U.R. Rao, Chairman, Maharashtra Gramin Bank, Shri SDS Carapurcar, Chairman, Vidarbha Konkan Gramin Bank and other senior officials of Reserve Bank of India, various banks and Lead District Managers in the State.
    [Show full text]
  • 8`Ge Cvrtyvd `Fe E` \Zdr Hzey C"= Tc Wf U Gzr 2A>4
    '&& 2 92 : ( ; ; ; !#$%!&'()* ,"3",3 6,578 4,5. : ? 31:5AA%8121$5)5& %?1??1C:%45%A 1&'*%&2A1%3 21*3)*74&5" @35:%*@37@%&1"%A A%&3)A%):7A 3%&2)'%A3 &%7A%**8%?1"57*2 A1')A8?5A?5A1)'&1A 17A5/-/-?)&%* 213A%27& 3821A%@%2B)6%8"%2% <* .=!!" .>= <% 1 % + ,-.-'/ '-- & 1R 0 % .R &1"21*3) &1"21*3) rime Minister Narendra PModi on Thursday out- mid a row between the lined the dos and don’ts for the &1"21*3) ACentral Government and new inductees in his Council of Twitter, newly sworn-in Union Ministers even as he empha- he first meeting of the new Information Technology (IT) sised that the exit of the 12 TModi Cabinet on Thursday Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Ministers was not linked to approved the 1 lakh crore on Thursday said all those performance but was based fund for disbursement among who live and work in India will on the “need of the hour”. The farmers through Agriculture have to abide by the rules of the PM made it clear that corrup- Produce Marketing Committee country. tion will not be tolerated and (APMCs) to provide a medium ! He was responding on Ministers should not speak to long term debt financing Twitter’s stand-off with the out of turn to the media. facility for investment in viable "# Government over the new IT According to sources, the projects for post-harvest man- rules while talking to reporters Prime Minister also asked the agement infrastructure and Amid the ongoing farmers’ after meeting BJP general sec- Ministers not to leave the community farming assets protest, the Government also ! retary (Organisation) BL national Capital until August through interest subvention asserted that the procurement Santhosh at the party office.
    [Show full text]
  • Water Crisis: a Tale of Govt Apathy, Privilege Short on Empathy and Responsibility, the Centre's Neglect Is Rivalled Only by Its Officials' Flippancy
    6/27/2016 Deccan Herald vom 24.06.2016#B Water crisis: A tale of govt apathy, privilege Short on empathy and responsibility, the Centre's neglect is rivalled only by its officials' flippancy By Sonia Faleiro When 2­year­old Rutuja playfully tipped over a bottle, spilling water onto the mud floor of the family's shack, her mother, Nageshwari Rathore, let loose a screech, lunging forward as though to slap the toddler. Rathore stopped herself, sinking her head into her hands. "You finished it," she whispered. The loss wrenched at the 25­year­old. That June morning she had stood in line in the scorching heat for over an hour to collect five litres of water. A government tanker rolls up once a day to the abandoned field where she now lives. Located in Ghatkopar, a Mumbai suburb, the field functions as a relief camp for 350 families who have left their villages in rural Maharashtra because of a drought, the worst in 100 years. Wild pigs root through the open sewer that runs alongside the Rathores' tarpaulin shack. When the monsoon arrives, possibly in the next few days, it will flood the camp and force the family out. Over 330 million Indians ­ about one quarter of the country's population ­ have been affected by the drought. In Maharashtra, where over half the population is dependent on the rural economy, the effects are severe. An average of nearly nine farmers committed suicide every day last year, primarily over debt related to crop failure. Rural Indians are falling behind even as urban Indians enjoy unprecedented prosperity.
    [Show full text]
  • Amitanand Choudhary Location : New Delhi: Article Date : 04/08/2016
    4/8/2016 The Times of India Title : DRY RUN ­ SC: NREGS funds not enough for drought­hit Author : AmitAnand Choudhary Location : New Delhi: Article Date : 04/08/2016 `Budget Not Much To Employ Distressed Lot' The Modi government's 2015­16 budget was hailed as `pro­farmer' with substantial hike in farm sector allocation, but the Supreme Court on Thursday said money allocated for MNREGS was not enough to address the problems of farmers and rural population hit by drought. A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and N V Ramana examined data provided by the Centre on MGNREGS and said the current allocation would not be sufficient to ameliorate the condition of droughthit people who would turn up in large numbers to get employment under the scheme. It said the state governments would not be able to offer jobs to the distressed people due to lack of funds and the Centre should consider increasing allocation, particularly to states reeling under drought. “There is a shortage of funds and this shortage is going to be severe if all states comply with 100 days of employment per household per year which at present is only at 46 days as per your data. You need to have larger budget to solve the problem of drought hit people by offering them employment,“ the bench said. The Centre enhanced budgetary allocation for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) to Rs 38,500 crore from Rs 34,699 crore last year, but Rs 10,000 crore would be for payments of last year's liability with only Rs 28,500 crore available for the current financial year.
    [Show full text]
  • 19Th April, 2016
    NEWS FLASH – 19th April, 2016 SUGAR The sugar belt pays the price: no new factories for five years New sugar factories will not be allowed to come up in drought-hit Marathwada for the next five years, the state government announced on Monday. It is also mulling to make drip irrigation mandatory for cultivating sugarcane — one of the most water-intensive cash crops. Revenue minister Eknath Khadse on Monday said considering the water scarcity in Marathwada, restrictions must be imposed on unlimited use of water by sugar factories. “The government will not give permission to new sugar factories in the region, at least for the next five years,” he said, adding permissions in other regions would be given only after taking the availability of water and usage into consideration. Mr. Khadse had said during the recently-concluded Assembly budget session the Manjara co-operative sugar mill in Latur, owned by former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh’s family, had used water for crushing sugarcane despite the water scarcity in the district. He also stressed the need to use methods like drip irrigation for crops such as sugarcane, saying changing the water usage patten was important to stop the indiscriminate use of water. Water cuts to breweries and distilleries in Marathwada are being kept in abeyance as closing a production unit would affect workers but the option hasn’t been ruled out, Mr Khadse said. Crop insurance scheme Meanwhile, the state cabinet on Monday announced the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojana (PMFBY) in Maharashtra this kharif season. A state level co-ordination committee will be set up with the Chief Secretary as chairman to decide on issues such as notifying crops under the scheme, risk level and setting up an execution mechanism.
    [Show full text]