Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL.BO) rose 3.1 percent and Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL.BO) gained 2.4 percent. |
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Petrol, diesel prices to go up by Rs 2/litre: Report
Varanasi: Did provide intelligence input, says PC
New Delhi: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, who flew into Varanasi Wednesday, a day after the terror struck in the temple town, while admitting that there have been lapses, pointed out that the Centre had provided specific intelligence inputs about the vulnerability of the ghats to the state government.
Speaking to reporters after he visited the blast site -- Sheetla Ghat -- and the injured in the hospitals, Chidambaram said, “It is a low to medium intensity blast. Forensic experts have already collected samples from the site, another forensics team is coming to Varanasi, we will await their reports.”
Giving further details, the Union Home Minister said that the blast was strong enough to make some boulders travel to a distance of 20-30 feet; they hit some people, while others suffered from fractures due to the ensuing melee.
Pointing out the lapses by the state police, he said, “We had cautioned all state governments that in the run up to 26/11 and 6/12, we can expect terror attacks.” Chidambaram mentioned that advisories were sent by the Centre to all the states on the eve of the sensitive dates.
“As far as UP is concerned, a specific advice was given on February 26, 2010 that Dashashwamedh Ghat was one of the targets for terorists,” he added.
“The ghats are especially vulnerable. Some arrangements were made but I think that they may have been some lapses. One would have to maintain vigil at all times, there is no scope for relaxing the vigil,” he said.
“Unfortunately despite the presence of a platoon somebody was able to plant an IED on the Sheetla Ghat”, he pointed out.
“Everyday is a new day and everyday one must be vigilant,” he opined.
On being asked by reporters whether there was a possibility of the National Investigating Agency taking over the probe, Chidambaram said that it will depend on the progress of the investigations that are being carried out by the state police. The Home Minister also expressed that the UP police would be able to break the case.
With regards to the complaints by the UP Chief Minister that the state was not provided with credible intelligence input, Chidamabarm retorted, “I am not here do a jugalbandi. I am not here to blame anyone. Obviously no one can give more specific info than that (input about threat to the ghats). It is the duty of every state government to provide safety to the people.”
On her another demand for a sophisticated anti-terror force for Varanasi, he said that the security is a state subject and the Centre can only supplement the security. “There is already one battalion of CRPF in Varansai and another in the district,” he pointed out.
Speaking to reporters after he visited the blast site -- Sheetla Ghat -- and the injured in the hospitals, Chidambaram said, “It is a low to medium intensity blast. Forensic experts have already collected samples from the site, another forensics team is coming to Varanasi, we will await their reports.”
Giving further details, the Union Home Minister said that the blast was strong enough to make some boulders travel to a distance of 20-30 feet; they hit some people, while others suffered from fractures due to the ensuing melee.
Pointing out the lapses by the state police, he said, “We had cautioned all state governments that in the run up to 26/11 and 6/12, we can expect terror attacks.” Chidambaram mentioned that advisories were sent by the Centre to all the states on the eve of the sensitive dates.
“As far as UP is concerned, a specific advice was given on February 26, 2010 that Dashashwamedh Ghat was one of the targets for terorists,” he added.
“The ghats are especially vulnerable. Some arrangements were made but I think that they may have been some lapses. One would have to maintain vigil at all times, there is no scope for relaxing the vigil,” he said.
“Unfortunately despite the presence of a platoon somebody was able to plant an IED on the Sheetla Ghat”, he pointed out.
“Everyday is a new day and everyday one must be vigilant,” he opined.
On being asked by reporters whether there was a possibility of the National Investigating Agency taking over the probe, Chidambaram said that it will depend on the progress of the investigations that are being carried out by the state police. The Home Minister also expressed that the UP police would be able to break the case.
With regards to the complaints by the UP Chief Minister that the state was not provided with credible intelligence input, Chidamabarm retorted, “I am not here do a jugalbandi. I am not here to blame anyone. Obviously no one can give more specific info than that (input about threat to the ghats). It is the duty of every state government to provide safety to the people.”
On her another demand for a sophisticated anti-terror force for Varanasi, he said that the security is a state subject and the Centre can only supplement the security. “There is already one battalion of CRPF in Varansai and another in the district,” he pointed out.
Giving details about the human causality, Chidambaram said that one 11-month-old baby girl Swastika, daughter of Santosh Kumar Sharma, had died in the blast while one lady by the name Phoolmani is battling for her life in the hospital.
He said that a total of 31 patients were admitted in the hospitals and nine have been already discharged.
Of the 31 four are foreigners, while two more were part of the nine persons who have been discharged.
This was the fourth terror incident in Varanasi -- the other three were in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
“After 26/11, 2009 was completely free of terror attacks but in 2010 we had one terror incident Pune in February…I was hoping and praying that the ear will end without another terror incident,” the Home Minister said.
He also congratulated the people of Varansai for maintaining calm and going about with their day-to-day lives with resilience.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Varanasi bomb blast: Terror email sent from Mumbai
Varanasi: The terror email claiming responsibility for the blast in Varanasi on Tuesday has been traced to an unsecured Wi-Fi in Navi Mumbai.
The email was sent from an ID that belongs to a little known group called Al-Fateh, possibly a front used by the Indian Mujahideen (IM) to mislead investigators.
The email was sent from an ID that belongs to a little known group called Al-Fateh, possibly a front used by the Indian Mujahideen (IM) to mislead investigators.
Police have traced the internet protocol ID of the email. The email address was used only twice earlier. Sources also say that the investigators have found that the email, sent to some media organisations, was written on December 6.
A baby girl was killed and at least 25 people were injured in the blast at Sheetla Ghat in Varanasi on Tuesday. A railing collapsed in a stampede that followed the blast, contributing to the injuries. The explosion at Sheetla Ghat, near the main ghat where daily aarti or prayers are offered, took place at about 6:25 pm in the evening just as the aarti ended. Thousands of devotees and tourists had assembled at the ghat for the Ganga arti.
Police in Uttar Pradesh have begun patrolling communally sensitive towns and cities in the state. Police sources say two people were questioned in connection with the blast. They have now been released. The Union Home Ministry has also sounded a nationwide alert with special stress on four major cities - Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad - in wake of the blast.
A team of forensic experts collected samples from the blast site on Tuesday night and found traces of Ammonium Nitrate. Sources say the explosive indicates a possible Indian Mujahideen involvement in the blast. It is still, however, not clear whether the device used was sophisticated or a crude one. The Home Ministry has, however, said it was a low to medium intensity blast, which explains the low number of casualties. Home Minister P Chidambaram will visit the blast site today.
Karamvir Singh, the state's Director General of Police, reached Varanasi late Tuesday night. He said preliminary investigation suggests the explosive was kept in the wall between two ghats. He also said the police is taking the Indian Mujahideen e-mail seriously and following up all leads.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati also visited the blast site late in the night. "We will request the Centre to provide us with Special Force to tackle such incidents in the future and ensure that such incidents don't take place. We will request the Centre to provide us with similar security arrangements made after 26/11 in Mumbai," she said.
In the last two years, a number of emails from terrorists have been traced to Mumbai:
EARLIER EMAILS TRACED TO MUMBAI
· Sep 2010: Indian Mujahideen e-mail claiming responsibility for Jama Masjid firing
· Sep 2008: IM e-mail claiming responsibility for Delhi bombings traced to Chembur
· Aug 2008: IM e-mail, mocking probe into Ahmedabad serial blasts, traced to Khalsa College in Matunga
· July 2008: E-mail sent minutes before Ahmedabad blasts traced to US citizen's flat in Navi Mumbai
Varanasi blast: Home Ministry issues nationwide alert
New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry has sounded a nationwide alert with special stress on four major cities - Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad - in wake of the blast in Varanasi.
"A general alert has been sent to all state governments and they have been asked to stay on high alert," Union Home Secretary G K Pillai said here.
"It was low intensity blast which occurred at about 6.20 pm in which three-four people were injured. Subsequently we understand there could have been a stampede...as a result 15-20 people were injured. So roughly 20-25 people injured," he said.
Images: Blast rocks Varanasi
According to Home Ministry sources, alerts have been issued to the four metropolis in particular.
They said a high-level team of the National Investigation Agency is also likely to visit the holy town.
Secretary for Internal Security at MHA, U K Bansal said, "We had alerted Uttar Pradesh Police sometime back. I am sure the UP police will take it as a challenge. There is no reason for panic."
Girl killed, 25 injured in Varanasi blast
Varanasi: Terror struck this holy town when a low intensity blast ripped through a crowded bathing ghat on the banks of the Ganges river during evening prayers killing a two-year-old girl and injuring around 25 persons including a couple of foreigners.
Terror outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM) claimed responsibility for the blast in e-mails sent to media houses and said it "attributed" the attack to the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992.
Images: Blast rocks Varanasi
Home Secretary G K Pillai said the government believes that the blast, which also led to a stampede, was a terror strike. Some people were injured in the stampede, police said.
The girl identified as Sarita Sharma, who was with her mother for the prayers, died at Marwari hospital after the blast, according to IG (Varanasi) R P Singh. She was around two years, he said. It was not immediately known whether she suffered injuries in the explosion or in the stampede.
An Italian and a French national were among the injured.
The blast occurred at around 6:20 pm when thousands of devotees and some foreign tourists had assembled at the Dashashwamedh ghat for having darshan of the Ganga Arti ritual, police sources said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appealed for calm. Several cities including the national capital were put on high alert.
Additional Director General Law and Order Brijlal told reporters in Lucknow that the blast took place due to "some explosive material" kept on the stairs of the ghat.
Pillai said roughly between "20 to 25 persons" are currently injured. An Italian and a French national were among the foreingers injured. But police said 30 to 35 persons may have been injured. The injured have been rushed to district hospitals.
The blast occurred at a spot some two km away from Sankatmochan Temple which was targeted by terrorists in 2006.
"According to the information that we have, it was a low intensity blast which occurred around 6.20 pm," Pillai said in New Delhi. But Secretary (Internal Security) U K Bansal said the explosion was a "medium intensity" blast.
Some people suffered injuries due to the blast while some were hurt during the stampede which occurred due to the collapse of the railing. Some of the injured persons were reported to have been hurt by metal pellets.
Official sources in New Delhi said that an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was recovered from a metal dustbin at the site of the blast.
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Bomb disposal squads were also rushed to the spot.
Eyewitnesses said a loud noise which also shook some nearby buildings was heard when the explosion occurred.
Terror outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM) claimed responsibility for the blast in e-mails sent to media houses and said it "attributed" the attack to the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992.
Images: Blast rocks Varanasi
Home Secretary G K Pillai said the government believes that the blast, which also led to a stampede, was a terror strike. Some people were injured in the stampede, police said.
The girl identified as Sarita Sharma, who was with her mother for the prayers, died at Marwari hospital after the blast, according to IG (Varanasi) R P Singh. She was around two years, he said. It was not immediately known whether she suffered injuries in the explosion or in the stampede.
An Italian and a French national were among the injured.
The blast occurred at around 6:20 pm when thousands of devotees and some foreign tourists had assembled at the Dashashwamedh ghat for having darshan of the Ganga Arti ritual, police sources said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appealed for calm. Several cities including the national capital were put on high alert.
Additional Director General Law and Order Brijlal told reporters in Lucknow that the blast took place due to "some explosive material" kept on the stairs of the ghat.
Pillai said roughly between "20 to 25 persons" are currently injured. An Italian and a French national were among the foreingers injured. But police said 30 to 35 persons may have been injured. The injured have been rushed to district hospitals.
The blast occurred at a spot some two km away from Sankatmochan Temple which was targeted by terrorists in 2006.
"According to the information that we have, it was a low intensity blast which occurred around 6.20 pm," Pillai said in New Delhi. But Secretary (Internal Security) U K Bansal said the explosion was a "medium intensity" blast.
Some people suffered injuries due to the blast while some were hurt during the stampede which occurred due to the collapse of the railing. Some of the injured persons were reported to have been hurt by metal pellets.
Official sources in New Delhi said that an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was recovered from a metal dustbin at the site of the blast.
Live updates
Bomb disposal squads were also rushed to the spot.
Eyewitnesses said a loud noise which also shook some nearby buildings was heard when the explosion occurred.
MHA adopting casual approach to terror acts: BJP
New Delhi: BJP on Tuesday condemned the blasts in Varanasi and accused the Union Home Ministry of adopting a "casual" approach towards terror acts.
"He (P Chidambaram) is the most casual and confused Home Minister of the country. For quite sometime, every two months serious terrorist acts are taking place and the Home Minister always adopts a casual approach," BJP Vice-President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters.
He said even on December 6, which marks the anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition, a routine advisory was sent from the Union Home Ministry.
"This time also, no specific advisory was sent to the state for December 6. And if the Home Ministry had sent a specific advisory, then what happened today in Varanasi is a failure of the state," Naqvi alleged.
Another senior BJP leader and MP from Varanasi Murli Manohar Joshi charged the incident shows the police and security in the city had become lax and that terrorist outfits have again become active in the state.
"Terrorist outfits have once again become active in Uttar Pradesh and I have discussed this with the District Magistrate and Commissioner (of Varanasi) that they should take immediate steps and strengthen the security at the ghats," Joshi said.
Images: Blast rocks Varanasi
He claimed the timing of the blasts seems to have been chosen by the culprits with the intention to inflict maximum damage as a large number of foreigners visit the city during these months and in the evenings during Ganga aarti the crowd is "quite significant".
"It appears the police had also become lax and security was, I must say, out of gear. And this is the situation in the whole state where security arrangements are not being looked into," he said.
Joshi, however, ruled out that the blast timing had anything to do with Babri Masjid demolition anniversary. "No, it was not the purpose. It took place when the aarti was going on. It was the motive...," he said.
No leadership change in Karnataka, Yeddyurappa will continue: BJP
Bangalore: BJP chief Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday set at rest speculations over change in leadership of Karnataka government in the wake of land scam allegations, saying that B S Yeddyurappa would continue as the chief minister.
"The BJP high command is solidly behind Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa with full support," party President Nitin Gadkari announced at a press conference here after holding meetings with state unit office bearers, legislators and ministers.
"We do not want to create any instability in the state over the leadership issue. Yeddyurappa will continue as the Chief Minister," he said.
However, he said, "there are certain problems within the party and these problems will be discussed and solved in the party forum."
Gadkari, who went around the city for an on-the-spot inspection of development works with Yeddyurappa, rated the performance of the first-ever BJP Government in the south as "outstanding".
The BJP central leadership had on November 24 allowed Yeddyurappa to continue in office after contemplating to remove him following land scam charges.
Yeddyurappa had, then, managed to save his post raising the issue of stability of the government if he was removed.
Earlier, addressing a meeting of BJP state unit office- bearers, Gadkari told them in clear terms that the party was in no mood to change the chief minister.
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He asked BJP workers to unitedly fight the coming zilla and taluk panchayat polls to ensure the party's victory.
The BJP chief said he was confident of the party's victory under the leadership of Yeddyurappa and K S Eshwrappa (state unit chief).
"The results of the zilla parishad and taluk panchayats should be in such a fashion that it should serve to be a befitting reply to those who have been expressing doubts over the leadership of Yeddyuppa," he said.
Gadkari exhorted partymen to display the unity shown by Opposition parties in attacking the government and stretch the winning streak it started in 2008 Assembly elections to the upcoming panchayat polls.
The expansion of the cabinet would take place after the local polls, he said.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
2G scam: Supreme Court questions PM's inaction
New Delhi: The Supreme Court (SC) has questioned the Prime Minister's alleged inaction in 2G scam. The apex court made the observation on Janata Party Subramaniam Swami's complaints against A Raja.
The Janata Party leader had sought the court's intervention on grounds that his application before the PM seeking his sanction to prosecute A Raja for corruption is pending for the last two years.
The petitioner told the court that there is no need for the PM's nod since Raja has resigned as a minister. There was another plea by petitioner Prashant Bhushan on the CAG report on licences issued to ineligible companies at 2001 prices.
During the last hearing on October 29, the Supreme Court had slammed the CBI for its "slipshod" investigations into the 2G Spectrum allocation issue and even wondered how Raja was continuing in office.
The Janata Party leader had sought the court's intervention on grounds that his application before the PM seeking his sanction to prosecute A Raja for corruption is pending for the last two years.
The petitioner told the court that there is no need for the PM's nod since Raja has resigned as a minister. There was another plea by petitioner Prashant Bhushan on the CAG report on licences issued to ineligible companies at 2001 prices.
During the last hearing on October 29, the Supreme Court had slammed the CBI for its "slipshod" investigations into the 2G Spectrum allocation issue and even wondered how Raja was continuing in office.
The Telecom Ministry had claimed that new licences and 2G Spectrum was distributed as per the existing policy which were followed by all the predecessors of Raja.
CAG report proves charge against Raja, SC told
NEW DELHI: The final report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has proved the allegations that Mr A Raja, who quit on Sunday night as telecom minister, granted 2G spectrum licences arbitrarily to favour certain companies were true, senior counsel Prashant Bhushan told the Supreme Court on Monday.
Mr Bhushan told a bench comprising Justice G S Singhvi and Justice A K Ganguly that Mr Raja advanced the cut-off date retrospectively and illegally to award 2G spectrum only to 122 out of 575 applicants. He said most of those who were awarded licences and 2G spectrum were ineligible.
Appearing for the petitioner Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), Mr Bhushan said that the licences were allegedly granted on first-come-first-served (FCFS) basis instead of transparent public auction.
The court was told that “even the FCFS method was not properly applied as priority was fixed from the date of compliance with the letter of intent (LOI) conditions rather than the date of receipt of applications”.
Referring to the central government’s affidavit filed last Thursday, the senior counsel told the court all the arguments that have been advanced in the affidavit were advanced by the department of telecommunications (DoT) before the CAG and the same were rejected by the audit authority.
He said that the director general audit (post and telegraph) too found fault over the manner in which 2G spectrum licences were issued. The senior counsel said that the CAG has annexed the director general audit’s report in its final report.
Bhushan told the court that 2G spectrum licences in 2008 were granted at the rates of 2001, when the telecom market was in a nascent stage. He told the court that by 2008 the telecom market had become buoyant, there was a huge demand and the prices had increased 10 fold.
The affidavit filed by the CPIL said that the DoT in its affidavit has not addressed the issue of Raja’s conversations with corporate lobbyists Nira Radia and the role played by her in the award of licences and spectrum.
The details of the conversations were given by the directorate of income tax (Investigations) to the Central Bureau of Investigation more than a year back, the affidavit said.
“The entire 2G spectrum scam is a multi-stage, well thought out, deliberate act where a criminal conspiracy was hatched between private companies/persons and officials of DoT in order to circumvent an open, transparent auction process to favour a chosen few,” the petitioner said.
Mr Bhushan told a bench comprising Justice G S Singhvi and Justice A K Ganguly that Mr Raja advanced the cut-off date retrospectively and illegally to award 2G spectrum only to 122 out of 575 applicants. He said most of those who were awarded licences and 2G spectrum were ineligible.
Appearing for the petitioner Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), Mr Bhushan said that the licences were allegedly granted on first-come-first-served (FCFS) basis instead of transparent public auction.
The court was told that “even the FCFS method was not properly applied as priority was fixed from the date of compliance with the letter of intent (LOI) conditions rather than the date of receipt of applications”.
Referring to the central government’s affidavit filed last Thursday, the senior counsel told the court all the arguments that have been advanced in the affidavit were advanced by the department of telecommunications (DoT) before the CAG and the same were rejected by the audit authority.
He said that the director general audit (post and telegraph) too found fault over the manner in which 2G spectrum licences were issued. The senior counsel said that the CAG has annexed the director general audit’s report in its final report.
Bhushan told the court that 2G spectrum licences in 2008 were granted at the rates of 2001, when the telecom market was in a nascent stage. He told the court that by 2008 the telecom market had become buoyant, there was a huge demand and the prices had increased 10 fold.
The affidavit filed by the CPIL said that the DoT in its affidavit has not addressed the issue of Raja’s conversations with corporate lobbyists Nira Radia and the role played by her in the award of licences and spectrum.
The details of the conversations were given by the directorate of income tax (Investigations) to the Central Bureau of Investigation more than a year back, the affidavit said.
“The entire 2G spectrum scam is a multi-stage, well thought out, deliberate act where a criminal conspiracy was hatched between private companies/persons and officials of DoT in order to circumvent an open, transparent auction process to favour a chosen few,” the petitioner said.
2G Spectrum Scam: 85 companies got licenses by suppressing facts, says CAG
New Delhi: The report that pushed A Raja through the exit door of the Telecom Ministry has been tabled in the Lok Sabha. Prepared by the government's auditor, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), the document holds Raja responsible on many fronts for violating guidelines, indulging in favouritism and costing the government Rs. 1.76 lakh crores by mishandling the allocation of 2G spectrum in 2008.
"85 licenses were issued to companies which suppressed facts, disclosed incomplete information and submitted fictitious documents to DoT and thus used fraudulent means of getting licenses and thereby access to spectrum," sad the CAG report.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said CAG reports are taken very seriously and that places greater responsibility on the auditor to ensure that the reports are balanced and fair.
The CAG, Manmohan Singh said, was an important watchdog and its reports were taken seriously by the media, the Parliament and the government. He also said he was "aware of concerns regarding the inadequate and delayed response to the reports of the CAG," and added that the Finance Ministry had taken a number of steps to improve matters.
"85 licenses were issued to companies which suppressed facts, disclosed incomplete information and submitted fictitious documents to DoT and thus used fraudulent means of getting licenses and thereby access to spectrum," sad the CAG report.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said CAG reports are taken very seriously and that places greater responsibility on the auditor to ensure that the reports are balanced and fair.
The CAG, Manmohan Singh said, was an important watchdog and its reports were taken seriously by the media, the Parliament and the government. He also said he was "aware of concerns regarding the inadequate and delayed response to the reports of the CAG," and added that the Finance Ministry had taken a number of steps to improve matters.
There were loud and angry scenes in Parliament once again today, courtesy the Opposition - the Lok Sabha has been adjourned till Thursday, since tomorrow is a national holiday for Eid.
The government is trying its best to get Opposition parties to stop stalling proceedings over the 2G scam. But a lunch meeting with Opposition leaders called by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to try and end the deadlock, has ended without a breakthrough.
Mukherjee, who also met senior BJP leader LK Advani at the latter's Parliament office earlier, emerged from the lunch meeting to say, "We are for discussion. No solution has been found yet. They want a JPC."
Raja was forced to resign on Sunday night under considerable pressure from the Congress, which has been attacked in Parliament by a united Opposition for corruption within its ranks.
The resignation was described as a welcome step by the Opposition but it continues to demand a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the 2G scam. The government has said there is no question of agreeing to this.
Parliament has not functioned at all this winter session - the Opposition says it won't let the House get to work till a JPC is announced.
What the CAG Report says about Raja
"The Honourable Minister of Communication & IT, for no apparent logical or valid reasons, ignored the advice of Ministry of Law and Ministry of Finance, avoided the deliberations of the Telecom Commission to allocate 2G spectrum, a scarce finite national asset at less than its true value on flexible criteria and procedures adopted to benefit a few operators." The report also says Raja ignored PM's advice.
What the CAG Report says about Raja
"The Honourable Minister of Communication & IT, for no apparent logical or valid reasons, ignored the advice of Ministry of Law and Ministry of Finance, avoided the deliberations of the Telecom Commission to allocate 2G spectrum, a scarce finite national asset at less than its true value on flexible criteria and procedures adopted to benefit a few operators." The report also says Raja ignored PM's advice.
Details are also emerging on how Raja bent the rules for a few corporates who walked away in 2008 with 2G licenses at what experts describe as throwaway prices based, inexplicably, on 2001 rates.
Several of the companies should have been declared ineligible, says the CAG report.
Swan Telecom and others favoured
Swan Telecom was among those that won a 2G license in 2008. The charges in the CAG report are that Swan should not have been considered for a license because Reliance Communications held 10.7% stake in Swan - and according to the rules, a telecom operator cannot own more than 10% stake in another telecom company operating in the same service area.
The application should have been rejected by the Department of Telecom (DoT).
The CAG report says, "It was evident at the time of applying for license that the substantial equity of M/s Reliance Telecom in M/s Swan was 10.7%. Since M/s Reliance Telecom was operating in all the service area for which M/s Swan Telecom had applied for the license, their application was not in conformity with Clause 8 of the guidelines".
The report also says that Reliance Telecommunications and Tata Teleservices were among those who got undue benefits, and that Reliance was allotted spectrum ahead of the others. According to CAG, Idea and Spice were wrongly denied spectrum on the grounds of a proposed merger.
Swan Telecom and others favoured
Swan Telecom was among those that won a 2G license in 2008. The charges in the CAG report are that Swan should not have been considered for a license because Reliance Communications held 10.7% stake in Swan - and according to the rules, a telecom operator cannot own more than 10% stake in another telecom company operating in the same service area.
The application should have been rejected by the Department of Telecom (DoT).
The CAG report says, "It was evident at the time of applying for license that the substantial equity of M/s Reliance Telecom in M/s Swan was 10.7%. Since M/s Reliance Telecom was operating in all the service area for which M/s Swan Telecom had applied for the license, their application was not in conformity with Clause 8 of the guidelines".
The report also says that Reliance Telecommunications and Tata Teleservices were among those who got undue benefits, and that Reliance was allotted spectrum ahead of the others. According to CAG, Idea and Spice were wrongly denied spectrum on the grounds of a proposed merger.
CAG report not final, says Moily
Law Minister M Veerappa Moily on Friday said the report of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on 2G spectrum allocation cannot be called an indictment of Telecom Minister A Raja , as claimed by opposition, as it is not final.
"You cannot call it an indictment. It is not a final report. Technically no one can call it indictment," Moily told PTI here, adding he had not seen any minister resigning following a CAG report.
But at the same time, he hastened to add that the CAG report has "weightage" as it is by a constitutional body. The CAG report is actually a query raised by the institution on a particular ministry, the minister stressed.
"CAG is an important institution to safeguard the interests of the exchequer. There is a process involved under which queries are raised by the CAG following which the opinion of the particular ministry or department is obtained. Then the report is presented to Parliament and becomes its property," he said.
Moily said then the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) selects a particular paragraph in the report for discussion and then it becomes the right of a particular ministry to give a reply to the PAC.
To a question on Opposition onslaught on the Telecom Minister, he said "in a healthy democracy you cannot find fault with the opposition. But this does not mean that a particular ministry is actually wrong".
He said the CAG had raised similar queries when late Pramod Mahajan was the Communications Minister in the NDA government. "NDA did not volunteer to make him resign... I have no memory of a minister who has resigned following a CAG report," Moily said.
"You cannot call it an indictment. It is not a final report. Technically no one can call it indictment," Moily told PTI here, adding he had not seen any minister resigning following a CAG report.
But at the same time, he hastened to add that the CAG report has "weightage" as it is by a constitutional body. The CAG report is actually a query raised by the institution on a particular ministry, the minister stressed.
"CAG is an important institution to safeguard the interests of the exchequer. There is a process involved under which queries are raised by the CAG following which the opinion of the particular ministry or department is obtained. Then the report is presented to Parliament and becomes its property," he said.
Moily said then the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) selects a particular paragraph in the report for discussion and then it becomes the right of a particular ministry to give a reply to the PAC.
To a question on Opposition onslaught on the Telecom Minister, he said "in a healthy democracy you cannot find fault with the opposition. But this does not mean that a particular ministry is actually wrong".
He said the CAG had raised similar queries when late Pramod Mahajan was the Communications Minister in the NDA government. "NDA did not volunteer to make him resign... I have no memory of a minister who has resigned following a CAG report," Moily said.
2G spectrum scam: Raja ignored PM's advice, says CAG report
New Delhi: The report that pushed A Raja through the exit door of the Telecom Ministry has been tabled in the Lok Sabha. Prepared by the government's auditor, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), the document holds Raja responsible on many fronts for violating guidelines, indulging in favouritism and costing the government Rs. 1.76 lakh crores by mishandling the allocation of 2G spectrum in 2008.
There were loud and angry scenes in Parliament once again today, courtesy the Opposition - the Lok Sabha has been adjourned till Thursday, since tomorrow is a national holiday for Eid.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is meeting senior BJP leader LK Advani in the latter's office to discuss a possible end to the stand-off in Parliament. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Bansal is at the meeting too.
Raja was forced to resign on Sunday night under considerable pressure from the Congress, which has been attacked in Parliament by a united Opposition for corruption within its ranks.
There were loud and angry scenes in Parliament once again today, courtesy the Opposition - the Lok Sabha has been adjourned till Thursday, since tomorrow is a national holiday for Eid.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is meeting senior BJP leader LK Advani in the latter's office to discuss a possible end to the stand-off in Parliament. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Bansal is at the meeting too.
Raja was forced to resign on Sunday night under considerable pressure from the Congress, which has been attacked in Parliament by a united Opposition for corruption within its ranks.
The resignation was described as a welcome step by the Opposition but it continues to demand a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the 2G scam. The government has said there is no question of agreeing to this.
Parliament has not functioned at all this winter session - the Opposition says it won't let the House get to work till a JPC is announced.
What the CAG Report says about Raja
"The Honourable Minister of Communication & IT, for no apparent logical or valid reasons, ignored the advice of Ministry of Law and Ministry of Finance, avoided the deliberations of the Telecom Commission to allocate 2G spectrum, a scarce finite national asset at less than its true value on flexible criteria and procedures adopted to benefit a few operators."
Details are also emerging on how Raja bent the rules for a few corporates who walked away in 2008 with 2G licenses at what experts describe as throwaway prices based, inexplicably, on 2001 rates.
Several of the companies should have been declared ineligible, says the CAG report.
Swan Telecom and others favoured
Swan Telecom was among those that won a 2G license in 2008. The charges in the CAG report are that Swan should not have been considered for a license because Reliance Communications held 10.7% stake in Swan - and according to the rules, a telecom operator cannot own more than 10% stake in another telecom company operating in the same service area.
The application should have been rejected by the Department of Telecom (DoT).
The CAG report says, "It was evident at the time of applying for license that the substantial equity of M/s Reliance Telecom in M/s Swan was 10.7%. Since M/s Reliance Telecom was operating in all the service area for which M/s Swan Telecom had applied for the license, their application was not in conformity with Clause 8 of the guidelines".
Monday, November 15, 2010
Manipal univ starts new courses in Karnataka campus
Manipal, Nov 15: The Manipal University here has introduced new courses for the new academic year, besides enhancing the freeships for the new session of 2010-11 for which the admission process began here today.
Announcing this at a press conference University Vice-Chancellor K Ramnarayan and Registrar G K Prabhu said the Board of Management had also agreed to the proposal of awarding scholarship scheme of three year to those take up PhD courses from the new academic session.
Under this scheme, 13 students have been shortlisted out of the 180 applications received.
During the first year, the students will be paid Rs 16,000 per month, whereas it will be Rs 17,000 during the second year and Rs.
18,000 in the third year. The university will also not undertake any service bonds, they said and added that this is the first private university which has introduced such scholarship scheme to the PhD students depending on the availability of guides more students will be registered from the next academic session.
Under this scheme, 13 students have been shortlisted out of the 180 applications received.
During the first year, the students will be paid Rs 16,000 per month, whereas it will be Rs 17,000 during the second year and Rs.
18,000 in the third year. The university will also not undertake any service bonds, they said and added that this is the first private university which has introduced such scholarship scheme to the PhD students depending on the availability of guides more students will be registered from the next academic session.
Yeddyurappa to set up panel to probe land deals
Bangalore, Nov 15 : Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa Monday declared that he would set up an inquiry commission headed by a former Supreme Court judge to investigate land deals across the state, especially in and around Bangalore, over the past 10 years.
"I have decided to set up an inquiry commission headed by a former judge of the Supreme Court to go into the allotment of sites and de-notification of land under special circumstances during various regimes in the past 10 years, including our government since May 2008," said Yeddyurappa, facing allegations of irregularities in allotment of land to his sons.
Denying any wrong doing or violation of law in allotting prime land in and around Bangalore to his two sons B.Y. Vijeyendra and B.Y. Raghavendra, the chief minister said two acres of prime industrial plot at Jigani on the city's outskirts was given in 2007 to Fluid Power Technologies Ltd, in which his two sons were directors.
"Two acres of land in Jigani industrial area was allotted to the company as per norms to expand its business. Though the three-year-old company paid the land cost to the KIADB (Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board), the plot had not yet been given due to a dispute between land owners and the board," Yeddyurappa said.
Yeddyurappa was then the deputy chief minister in the 20-month-old coalition government (2006-07) headed by Janata Dal-Secular leader H.D. Kumaraswamy, who is a Lok Sabha member from Ramanagara since May 2009.
Raghavendra is also a Lok Sabha member from Shiomga, the home district of Yeddyurappa.
Refuting charges by opposition leaders against him and his family members in the media on various land deals during the 30-month-old first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, Yeddyurappa said no regulation was violated for allotting a 4,000 square feet residential site in Bangalore to Raghavendra under the chief minister's discretionary quota.
"Several other lawmakers, including MPs and the state legislators, were allotted residential sites developed by the state-run Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) under the discretionary quota (G category)," he said.
Sharing facts and figures pertaining to the BDA allotments over the last two decades, Yeddyurappa said 149 sites were sanctioned during 1996-99 by then chief minister J.H. Patel, 334 sites during then Congress government headed by current External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna (1999-2004), 76 sites in 2004-2006 under then chief minister Dharam Singh, 288 sites during Kumaraswamy's 20-month government, and 136 sites under his tenure.
"Allotment of sites to sitting and former lawmakers and achievers in various fields under the 'G' category has been in practice over the years and during all regimes. Raghavendra was allotted a site under the MP quota, which is no violation of any rule," Yeddyurappa said.
Singh allotted sites to his daughter and relatives, while Kumaraswamy sanctioned 30 adjacent sites in a Mysore to his family members and relatives when he was the chief minister from February 2006 to October 2007.
Accusing the opposition leaders of misleading the people and tarnishing his image to cover up their irregularities, the chief minister said the allegations were baseless and trivial as their efforts to destabilise his government miserably failed last month.
"The intention of the opposition leaders is very clear. They are indulging in false propaganda because they are unable to digest the popularity of my government, implementation of various welfare schemes and development programmes," he said.
"Having failed to bring down the BJP government, they are looking for new issues," Yeddyurappa added.
Denying any wrong doing or violation of law in allotting prime land in and around Bangalore to his two sons B.Y. Vijeyendra and B.Y. Raghavendra, the chief minister said two acres of prime industrial plot at Jigani on the city's outskirts was given in 2007 to Fluid Power Technologies Ltd, in which his two sons were directors.
"Two acres of land in Jigani industrial area was allotted to the company as per norms to expand its business. Though the three-year-old company paid the land cost to the KIADB (Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board), the plot had not yet been given due to a dispute between land owners and the board," Yeddyurappa said.
Yeddyurappa was then the deputy chief minister in the 20-month-old coalition government (2006-07) headed by Janata Dal-Secular leader H.D. Kumaraswamy, who is a Lok Sabha member from Ramanagara since May 2009.
Raghavendra is also a Lok Sabha member from Shiomga, the home district of Yeddyurappa.
Refuting charges by opposition leaders against him and his family members in the media on various land deals during the 30-month-old first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, Yeddyurappa said no regulation was violated for allotting a 4,000 square feet residential site in Bangalore to Raghavendra under the chief minister's discretionary quota.
"Several other lawmakers, including MPs and the state legislators, were allotted residential sites developed by the state-run Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) under the discretionary quota (G category)," he said.
Sharing facts and figures pertaining to the BDA allotments over the last two decades, Yeddyurappa said 149 sites were sanctioned during 1996-99 by then chief minister J.H. Patel, 334 sites during then Congress government headed by current External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna (1999-2004), 76 sites in 2004-2006 under then chief minister Dharam Singh, 288 sites during Kumaraswamy's 20-month government, and 136 sites under his tenure.
"Allotment of sites to sitting and former lawmakers and achievers in various fields under the 'G' category has been in practice over the years and during all regimes. Raghavendra was allotted a site under the MP quota, which is no violation of any rule," Yeddyurappa said.
Singh allotted sites to his daughter and relatives, while Kumaraswamy sanctioned 30 adjacent sites in a Mysore to his family members and relatives when he was the chief minister from February 2006 to October 2007.
Accusing the opposition leaders of misleading the people and tarnishing his image to cover up their irregularities, the chief minister said the allegations were baseless and trivial as their efforts to destabilise his government miserably failed last month.
"The intention of the opposition leaders is very clear. They are indulging in false propaganda because they are unable to digest the popularity of my government, implementation of various welfare schemes and development programmes," he said.
"Having failed to bring down the BJP government, they are looking for new issues," Yeddyurappa added.
426 killed in 2010 trying to infiltrate Jammu and Kashmir
New Delhi, Nov 15 : Defence Minister A K Antony on Monday said that 426 terrorists and have lost their lives in infiltration attempts through Jammu and Kashmir so far this year.
He said that the Army has adopted a robust counter infiltration strategy which has an appropriate mix of technology and human resource put together to check infiltration effectively.
Establishment of effective Counter Infiltration grid along the India Pakistan border is dynamic in nature, the minister informed opposition members Yashwant Sinha and Narendra Singh Tomer in reply to a question.
The posts along the Line of Control are held based on tactical considerations depending upon threat, terrain, task, and resources. Surveillance and domination of these posts is ensured by maintaining an effective vigil, he added
Establishment of effective Counter Infiltration grid along the India Pakistan border is dynamic in nature, the minister informed opposition members Yashwant Sinha and Narendra Singh Tomer in reply to a question.
The posts along the Line of Control are held based on tactical considerations depending upon threat, terrain, task, and resources. Surveillance and domination of these posts is ensured by maintaining an effective vigil, he added
60 defence air mishaps in 3 years
New Delhi, Nov 15 : A total of 60 aircrafts, including MiG 21 and helicopters of the armed forces, have crashed during the last three years, Defence Minister A K Antony disclosed in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Forty three service personnel and five civilians were killed in these accidents. Twenty civilians were injured, the minister informed, in reply to a question raised by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Ravindra Kumar Pandey.
The minister said that each crash is investigated through a Court of Inquiry and remedial measures are undertaken accordingly to check their recurrence in future.
Phasing out of a particular aircraft and its replacement is decided based on operational requirements of the services, which is reviewed from time to time, he added.
The minister said that each crash is investigated through a Court of Inquiry and remedial measures are undertaken accordingly to check their recurrence in future.
Phasing out of a particular aircraft and its replacement is decided based on operational requirements of the services, which is reviewed from time to time, he added.
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