Saturday, December 25, 2010 Ministry of Defence
PIB 17:39 IST
A 30-member IAF Band will enthrall audiences and visitors to Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate on Sunday, December 26. With a combination of Jazz and Military Brass musical instruments, the air warriors will play western, Indian classical, martial, patriotic and popular Hindi tunes during a ninety-minute performance. The free display will commence at 4 p.m. TKS/-
Air Force Bands to Perform at India Gate on Sunday
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Seasons Greetings
PM Greets The Nation on Christmas
PIB 18:49 IST
The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has greeted the nation on the joyous occasion of Christmas.
In a message Dr. Singh said that Christmas is a celebration of the spirit of brotherhood and an opportunity to spread joy and share happiness. The festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ underlines the need to follow the ideals of sacrifice, service, redemption and love and compassion. May the festival usher in peace, prosperity and happiness to all, the Prime Minister added.
PM Greets The Nation on Christmas
Seasons Greetings
Wishing all Readers a Merry Christmas and a very HAPPY NEW YEAR & ALL the VERY BEST of EVERYTHING in '2011'.
May the NEW YEAR bring all the HAPPINESS for EVERYONE - Particularly the Soldiers of our Nation - both Serving & Veterans.
JAI HIND!
Report My Signal
Blog Team
PIB 18:49 IST
The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has greeted the nation on the joyous occasion of Christmas.
In a message Dr. Singh said that Christmas is a celebration of the spirit of brotherhood and an opportunity to spread joy and share happiness. The festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ underlines the need to follow the ideals of sacrifice, service, redemption and love and compassion. May the festival usher in peace, prosperity and happiness to all, the Prime Minister added.
PM Greets The Nation on Christmas
Seasons Greetings
Wishing all Readers a Merry Christmas and a very HAPPY NEW YEAR & ALL the VERY BEST of EVERYTHING in '2011'.
May the NEW YEAR bring all the HAPPINESS for EVERYONE - Particularly the Soldiers of our Nation - both Serving & Veterans.
JAI HIND!
Report My Signal
Blog Team
जूनियर कमीशन अफसर इंदिरा गांधी ओपन यूनिवर्सिटी द्वारा एक विश्वविद्यालय की डिग्री से सम्मानित
एक जूनियर कमीशंड अधिकारी होने के लेफ्टिनेंट जनरल वी के चतुर्वेदी, एवीएसएम, एसएम, महानिदेशक (जनशक्ति एवं कार्मिक सेवा) और श्री वी.एन. से एक डिग्री से सम्मानित राजशेखरन, इग्नू के कुलपति, 23 दिसंबर, 2010 को नई दिल्ली में एक समारोह में दीक्षांत समारोहA Junior Commissioned Officer being conferred a degree by the Lt Gen VK Chaturvedi, AVSM, SM, Director General (Manpower & Personnel Service) and Shri V.N. Rajasekharan Pillal, Vice Chancellor Ignou, at a convocation function in New Delhi on December 23, 2010. Photo no.CNR - 35736 PIB
Consumers Rights and Responsibilities
PIB 3:43 IST Dr. Sheetal Kapoor
24th December is an important day in the history of consumer movement in India as on this day the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 came into existence. Consumer Protection Act is considered as the Magna Carta for protecting consumer rights through establishment of advisory and adjudication authorities. This year the theme proposed by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs is “Consumers! Discharge your Responsibilities: Assert your Rights” which clearly means ‘there cannot be rights without responsibilities’.
Consumer Rights under Consumer Protection Act
Section 6 of the Consumer Protection Act clearly mentions the six rights available to the consumers. These are:
Right to Safety: To be protected against the sale of goods and services, which are spurious/ hazardous to life and property.
Right to information: To know the quality, quantity, weight and the price of goods/services being paid for, so that one is not cheated by unfair trade practices.
Right to Choose: To be assured, wherever possible, access to a variety of goods and services at competitive prices.
Right to be heard: To be heard and to be assured that the interest would receive due consideration at appropriate fora.
Right to Seek Redressal: To seek legal redressal against unfair or restrictive trade practices or unscrupulous exploitation of consumers.
Right to Consumer Education: To have access to consumer education.
Gandhiji in the light of the above rightly said “A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work - he is the purpose of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a favour by giving us the opportunity to serve him.”
Having examined the consumer rights and the purpose served by them, it is necessary to consider whether consumers should also be responsible enough to be entitled to exercise their rights. For instance, to be able to exercise their right to be heard, consumers should avail of the opportunities to know and be informed about consumer problems. To exercise their right to seek redressal of complaints, consumers must take all precautions to choose the right goods at the right price and learn how to use the products to prevent injury or loss. Some of the consumer problems can be avoided if we act responsibly.
Before Buying
As a responsible consumer we should plan our purchases in advance so that we get the right value for our money. We should try to enquire about the past performance of a product/ service and also try to find out the reputation of the producer/ seller/ service provider. Thus, self-help is the biggest tool in the hands of the consumers and they should make an informed choice. In this regard we can make use of comparative testing reports as published by voluntary consumer organizations such as, Voice and CERC for getting reliable and unbiased information about various brands which have been tested at various government approved laboratories.
While Buying
Consumers should collect information from various dealers regarding price and quality before purchasing products such as, cars, refrigerators, computers, etc. The proof of purchase and documents relating to purchase of durable goods should be obtained and preserved. It is important to get a cash memo with serial number, address and phone number to register a complaint, in a consumer courts, regarding defective product or deficiency in service. Similarly, durable consumer goods like TV, refrigerator, etc. carry warranty /guarantee cards issued by the dealers. The cards entitle the consumers to get the service for repairs and replacement of parts free of cost for a certain period after the purchase. Consumers should never sign a contract without first reading it. They should never sign a blank contract that a salesperson says will be completed later. If there is anything they do not understand, they can insist that it should be explained to them.
After Purchase
It is the responsibility of the consumer to use the product as per instructions given in the user manual. Further receipts, guarantee cards, terms of contract (photocopies), should be kept safely. In case of fault the dealer or the service center should be informed. Consumers should not meddle with the products themselves and should keep records for all correspondences and file them. Some consumers, especially during the guarantee period, make rough use of the product, thinking that it will be replaced during the guarantee period. This is not fair on their part. They should always use the products properly.
Besides the above responsibilities, consumers should be conscious of some other responsibilities. They should stick to the agreement made with manufacturers, traders and service providers. They should make timely payment in case of credit purchases. They should remember that they can exercise their rights only when they are willing to fulfill their responsibilities. As a dutiful consumer we should reduce waste, reuse and recycle products and think in terms of sustainable consumption. Thus, on the National Consumer Day we should be proud that we have rights but also should discharge our responsibilities. (PIB Features)
*Associate Professor, Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi
Disclaimer : The views expressed by the author in this feature are entirely her own and do not necessarily reflect the views of PIB. RTS/VN
SS-192/SF-192/22.12.2010
“Consumers! Discharge your Responsibilities : Assert your Rights”
24th December is an important day in the history of consumer movement in India as on this day the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 came into existence. Consumer Protection Act is considered as the Magna Carta for protecting consumer rights through establishment of advisory and adjudication authorities. This year the theme proposed by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs is “Consumers! Discharge your Responsibilities: Assert your Rights” which clearly means ‘there cannot be rights without responsibilities’.
Consumer Rights under Consumer Protection Act
Section 6 of the Consumer Protection Act clearly mentions the six rights available to the consumers. These are:
Gandhiji in the light of the above rightly said “A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work - he is the purpose of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a favour by giving us the opportunity to serve him.”
Having examined the consumer rights and the purpose served by them, it is necessary to consider whether consumers should also be responsible enough to be entitled to exercise their rights. For instance, to be able to exercise their right to be heard, consumers should avail of the opportunities to know and be informed about consumer problems. To exercise their right to seek redressal of complaints, consumers must take all precautions to choose the right goods at the right price and learn how to use the products to prevent injury or loss. Some of the consumer problems can be avoided if we act responsibly.
Before Buying
As a responsible consumer we should plan our purchases in advance so that we get the right value for our money. We should try to enquire about the past performance of a product/ service and also try to find out the reputation of the producer/ seller/ service provider. Thus, self-help is the biggest tool in the hands of the consumers and they should make an informed choice. In this regard we can make use of comparative testing reports as published by voluntary consumer organizations such as, Voice and CERC for getting reliable and unbiased information about various brands which have been tested at various government approved laboratories.
While Buying
Consumers should collect information from various dealers regarding price and quality before purchasing products such as, cars, refrigerators, computers, etc. The proof of purchase and documents relating to purchase of durable goods should be obtained and preserved. It is important to get a cash memo with serial number, address and phone number to register a complaint, in a consumer courts, regarding defective product or deficiency in service. Similarly, durable consumer goods like TV, refrigerator, etc. carry warranty /guarantee cards issued by the dealers. The cards entitle the consumers to get the service for repairs and replacement of parts free of cost for a certain period after the purchase. Consumers should never sign a contract without first reading it. They should never sign a blank contract that a salesperson says will be completed later. If there is anything they do not understand, they can insist that it should be explained to them.
After Purchase
It is the responsibility of the consumer to use the product as per instructions given in the user manual. Further receipts, guarantee cards, terms of contract (photocopies), should be kept safely. In case of fault the dealer or the service center should be informed. Consumers should not meddle with the products themselves and should keep records for all correspondences and file them. Some consumers, especially during the guarantee period, make rough use of the product, thinking that it will be replaced during the guarantee period. This is not fair on their part. They should always use the products properly.
Besides the above responsibilities, consumers should be conscious of some other responsibilities. They should stick to the agreement made with manufacturers, traders and service providers. They should make timely payment in case of credit purchases. They should remember that they can exercise their rights only when they are willing to fulfill their responsibilities. As a dutiful consumer we should reduce waste, reuse and recycle products and think in terms of sustainable consumption. Thus, on the National Consumer Day we should be proud that we have rights but also should discharge our responsibilities. (PIB Features)
*Associate Professor, Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi
Disclaimer : The views expressed by the author in this feature are entirely her own and do not necessarily reflect the views of PIB. RTS/VN
SS-192/SF-192/22.12.2010
“Consumers! Discharge your Responsibilities : Assert your Rights”
पूर्व सैनिकों संसद के पास 'एक रैंक एक पेंशन' के लिए विरोध प्रदर्शन करेंगे
जालंधर | शनिवार, 4 दिसम्बर 2010 नई दिल्ली
भारतीय पूर्व सेवाएं लीग (IESL) ने आज केंद्र को एक अल्टीमेटम सेवा की है कि लाखों में पूर्व सैनिकों संसद gherao अगर होगा 'एक रैंक एक पेंशन' के लिए उनकी मांग 18 अगले साल फरवरी तक स्वीकार नहीं था.
यहां पत्रकारों से बातचीत में Bhag सिंह, पंजाब और चंडीगढ़ IESLs अध्याय के अध्यक्ष ने कहा IESL 40 से 'एक रैंक एक पेंशन 30 ' जबकि के आंशिक सफलता हासिल की थी फीसदी मामलों अभी तक कर रहे थे बसे हो.
उन्होंने कहा कि लीग रक्षा मंत्री, राज्य मंत्री के अलावा रक्षा के लिए राष्ट्रपति के साथ 2009 के दौरान, लेकिन कोई लाभ उठाने के लिए बातचीत की थी. 21 अक्तूबर को, रक्षा राज्य मंत्री लीग जहां वह फिर से लीग के सदस्यों के साथ अलग से बातचीत द्वारा आयोजित सम्मेलन में भाग लिया.
उन्होंने कहा कि 'एक रैंक एक पेंशन' की मंजूरी पहले ही इस वर्ष 15 अगस्त को उसके ऐतिहासिक लाल किले से भाषण के दौरान किया गया था प्रधानमंत्री द्वारा दिए गए.
कर्नल सिंह ने आरोप लगाया कि सरकार अभी भी छुपाने और सेवारत और सेवानिवृत्त सेना व्यक्तियों के साथ की तलाश का खेल खेल रहा था. उन्होंने कहा कि देश सशस्त्र बलों की कीमत पर युद्ध और शांति के दौरान दोनों जीवित थे. उन्होंने कहा जब सरकार दी 'एक रैंक एक पेंशन' की थी और अन्य आईएएस कैडर तो क्यों सशस्त्र बलों की सुविधा से वंचित थे.
पूर्व सैनिकों संसद के पास 'एक रैंक एक पेंशन' के लिए विरोध प्रदर्शन करेंगे
भारतीय पूर्व सेवाएं लीग (IESL) ने आज केंद्र को एक अल्टीमेटम सेवा की है कि लाखों में पूर्व सैनिकों संसद gherao अगर होगा 'एक रैंक एक पेंशन' के लिए उनकी मांग 18 अगले साल फरवरी तक स्वीकार नहीं था.
यहां पत्रकारों से बातचीत में Bhag सिंह, पंजाब और चंडीगढ़ IESLs अध्याय के अध्यक्ष ने कहा IESL 40 से 'एक रैंक एक पेंशन 30 ' जबकि के आंशिक सफलता हासिल की थी फीसदी मामलों अभी तक कर रहे थे बसे हो.
उन्होंने कहा कि लीग रक्षा मंत्री, राज्य मंत्री के अलावा रक्षा के लिए राष्ट्रपति के साथ 2009 के दौरान, लेकिन कोई लाभ उठाने के लिए बातचीत की थी. 21 अक्तूबर को, रक्षा राज्य मंत्री लीग जहां वह फिर से लीग के सदस्यों के साथ अलग से बातचीत द्वारा आयोजित सम्मेलन में भाग लिया.
उन्होंने कहा कि 'एक रैंक एक पेंशन' की मंजूरी पहले ही इस वर्ष 15 अगस्त को उसके ऐतिहासिक लाल किले से भाषण के दौरान किया गया था प्रधानमंत्री द्वारा दिए गए.
कर्नल सिंह ने आरोप लगाया कि सरकार अभी भी छुपाने और सेवारत और सेवानिवृत्त सेना व्यक्तियों के साथ की तलाश का खेल खेल रहा था. उन्होंने कहा कि देश सशस्त्र बलों की कीमत पर युद्ध और शांति के दौरान दोनों जीवित थे. उन्होंने कहा जब सरकार दी 'एक रैंक एक पेंशन' की थी और अन्य आईएएस कैडर तो क्यों सशस्त्र बलों की सुविधा से वंचित थे.
पूर्व सैनिकों संसद के पास 'एक रैंक एक पेंशन' के लिए विरोध प्रदर्शन करेंगे
Toilet mafia threatens war hero
Delhi: Toilet mafia threatens war hero as reported by Abhishek Anand in mid-day.com on 23 December 2010
War hero Udaybhan Singh threatened by Toilet Mafia- pic/mid day
He fought and defeated Pakistan in 1965. Now 68-year-old Udaybhan Singh alleges he is in danger after filing an RTI plea on illegal charges at public conveniences in Delhi
The battleground has changed. In 1965, Udaybhan Singh, then a part of the Agra regiment, took the Pak army head on. Now the 68-year-old, who has turned an RTI activist, is waging a lone crusade against enemies closer to home. It all began when Singh went to a public toilet run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
Soldiering on: Udaybhan Singh says a woman visited him with her husband and threatened she would implicate him in a false case if he didn't mend his ways. According to the civic agency the lavatories are free for public. But Singh discovered that the person sitting at the gate was charging between two and five rupees a person.
"I visited almost all the MCD toilets in the area and found that a gang was at work, making money from the public conveniences. The person sitting on a chair outside charged every person two rupees for urinating and five rupees for defecating.
I filed a RTI on 26th of August, about the operating system of the MCD. But the civic agency replied that all the toilets are free for public. I saw with my own eyes that sweepers of MCD do not clean the toilets but the agency replied on the 3rd of November that designated employees clean the toilets on a regular basis," said Udaybhan Singh. MiD DAY has a copy of the RTI.
But as soon as he started his campaign, Udaybhan started receiving threats from the toilet mafia. He was asked to stay away from their business or face consequences.
"I was surprised when the toilet mafia of the area got information about me and the RTI and started threatening me. They warned me of dire consequences if I meddled in their affairs. I intimated the local police immediately on the 12th of October.
But cops didn't take any action on the complaint. Again on November 13, a lady came to my house with her husband and threatened me to stay away or she would falsely implicate me in a case. Without delay I again complained at the Govindpuri police station the next day. But no one took my case seriously," Udaybhan added. Udaybhan is now planning to complain about the situation to higher authorities. Cops confirmed that Udaybhan had complained about the threats but refused to comment further on the issue.
55% of Indians still defecate in the open which costs the nation Rs 12 billion due to poor sanitation and related illnesses. Number of people who have no access to toilets, globally is 1100 million (According to a WHO-UNICEF report)
Toilet mafia threatens war hero
War hero Udaybhan Singh threatened by Toilet Mafia- pic/mid dayHe fought and defeated Pakistan in 1965. Now 68-year-old Udaybhan Singh alleges he is in danger after filing an RTI plea on illegal charges at public conveniences in Delhi
The battleground has changed. In 1965, Udaybhan Singh, then a part of the Agra regiment, took the Pak army head on. Now the 68-year-old, who has turned an RTI activist, is waging a lone crusade against enemies closer to home. It all began when Singh went to a public toilet run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
Soldiering on: Udaybhan Singh says a woman visited him with her husband and threatened she would implicate him in a false case if he didn't mend his ways. According to the civic agency the lavatories are free for public. But Singh discovered that the person sitting at the gate was charging between two and five rupees a person.
"I visited almost all the MCD toilets in the area and found that a gang was at work, making money from the public conveniences. The person sitting on a chair outside charged every person two rupees for urinating and five rupees for defecating.
I filed a RTI on 26th of August, about the operating system of the MCD. But the civic agency replied that all the toilets are free for public. I saw with my own eyes that sweepers of MCD do not clean the toilets but the agency replied on the 3rd of November that designated employees clean the toilets on a regular basis," said Udaybhan Singh. MiD DAY has a copy of the RTI.
But as soon as he started his campaign, Udaybhan started receiving threats from the toilet mafia. He was asked to stay away from their business or face consequences.
"I was surprised when the toilet mafia of the area got information about me and the RTI and started threatening me. They warned me of dire consequences if I meddled in their affairs. I intimated the local police immediately on the 12th of October.
But cops didn't take any action on the complaint. Again on November 13, a lady came to my house with her husband and threatened me to stay away or she would falsely implicate me in a case. Without delay I again complained at the Govindpuri police station the next day. But no one took my case seriously," Udaybhan added. Udaybhan is now planning to complain about the situation to higher authorities. Cops confirmed that Udaybhan had complained about the threats but refused to comment further on the issue.
55% of Indians still defecate in the open which costs the nation Rs 12 billion due to poor sanitation and related illnesses. Number of people who have no access to toilets, globally is 1100 million (According to a WHO-UNICEF report)
Toilet mafia threatens war hero
Vijay Diwas- Report from various cities
Click here to read report from various cities
Vijay Diwas is commemorated every 16 December in India as it marks the decisive military victory over Arch-rival Pakistan achieved on 16 December, 1971. The anniversary of Vijay Divas is observed across India by paying rich tributes to the martyrs who laid down their lives for the nation. Most important celebration is held in nation's capital New Delhi where Defense Minister and head of all three wings of the armed forces pays homage at Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate.
BANGALORE: Thursday is Vijay Diwas. The National Military Memorial (NMM) park in the Indira Gandhi musical park premises originally scheduled to be completed by this day is still under construction. Though work is going on at a brisk pace, the memorial will be delayed by atleast a month. Which means it will not be ready even by Republic Day, the second deadline. Work on this Rs 15-cr memorial park started in August first week. More than a month was lost on legal issues. When work resumed, rainy days followed.
"There is some delay due to the rains. The pits dug up for the underground motivation hall were inundated. It's a nine-month contract that's on till May, 2011. But we had planned to finish it by January 26. But now, it might extend to February end,'' a BDA engineer told TOI. According to BDA estimates, 30% of the project is completed.
"We are sure not happy with the delay. We still hope to dedicate the memorial to the martyrs and their families on the Republic Day,'' Rajeev Chandrasekhar, chairman, National Military Memorial Committee, said.
Read more: The Times of India War memorial may open only after R-Day
Vijay Diwas is commemorated every 16 December in India as it marks the decisive military victory over Arch-rival Pakistan achieved on 16 December, 1971. The anniversary of Vijay Divas is observed across India by paying rich tributes to the martyrs who laid down their lives for the nation. Most important celebration is held in nation's capital New Delhi where Defense Minister and head of all three wings of the armed forces pays homage at Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate.
BANGALORE: Thursday is Vijay Diwas. The National Military Memorial (NMM) park in the Indira Gandhi musical park premises originally scheduled to be completed by this day is still under construction. Though work is going on at a brisk pace, the memorial will be delayed by atleast a month. Which means it will not be ready even by Republic Day, the second deadline. Work on this Rs 15-cr memorial park started in August first week. More than a month was lost on legal issues. When work resumed, rainy days followed.
"There is some delay due to the rains. The pits dug up for the underground motivation hall were inundated. It's a nine-month contract that's on till May, 2011. But we had planned to finish it by January 26. But now, it might extend to February end,'' a BDA engineer told TOI. According to BDA estimates, 30% of the project is completed.
"We are sure not happy with the delay. We still hope to dedicate the memorial to the martyrs and their families on the Republic Day,'' Rajeev Chandrasekhar, chairman, National Military Memorial Committee, said.
Read more: The Times of India War memorial may open only after R-Day
Malfeasance in the Military
The Tribune Wednesday, December 22, 2010, Chandigarh, India
Malfeasance in the military: It can be relied upon to apply the correctives
by Lt-Gen Harwant Singh (Retd)
For some time the military has been much in the news for almost all the wrong reasons. With the increasing number of scandals and scams being reported by the media, one cannot help but suffer the sinking feeling that the Indian military, too, along with almost every other constituent of the government is on the downward slide. Some may argue that the military can be no other than a mirror image of society from which it draws its manpower. Even so the ethos, the sense of honour and discipline in the military make it apart from society at large and as such can be relied upon to apply the correctives and stay on course.
It may be instructive to put in the right perspective some of the scams which have in the recent past drawn attention of the media and seem to tarnish the military’s fair image. Take the case of Sukna scandal. It relates to the issue of the No-Objection Certificate ( NOC ) to a private party for building a school on a piece of land outside the cantonment (not Army land). This NOC contravened a law that no civil construction can be allowed within 1000 yards of the cantonment boundary, but there has to be a notification to that end by the civil authority. In this case,there was no notification. Even so, the NOC issue was taken as an improper act and disciplinary action initiated against the officers concerned, including three general-rank officers.
In the Tehelka episode, one senior officer was put behind the bars and the career of another general came to an end for merely accepting dinner from a Tehelka team. Some others suffered various degrees of punishment. As against this, those from the Ministry of Defence and involved in the case are yet to be punished. The additional secretary who accepted a gold chain from the Tehelka team was soon promoted. One defence secretary charge-sheeted in the Bofors case, instead of facing proceedings against him, was given the assignment of a Lt-Governor, placing him outside the reach of the long arm of the law. Another defence secretary was indicted by the Delhi High Court for altering the annual confidential report (an official document) of an air force officer. He was merely shifted to another ministry. Then there was the case of a defence secretary who on his own went ahead and entered into a dubious deal for the purchase of one lakh rifles for the Army for which no ammunition was available in the world market. Nothing happened against him. It would be interesting to note that none of these cases were brought to light by any internal mechanism of the Ministry of Defence. This was done by outside agencies.
In the case of some other scandals and fake encounters by Army men, which have been in public domain, action was taken and those involved were arrested, including a few senior-level officers, while some others were given a range of punishments. A number of cases reported later have not seen timely disposal, as the officers concerned have been seeking relief from civil courts, resulting in delays. They may be able to buy time, but in no way will they escape the wrath of the military law.
In the high-voltage case relating to the Adarsh Housing Society flats in Mumbai, the malfeasance is far more serious than the Sukna scam. In this particular case, the land (named Khukhri Park) was given to the Army by the civil administration a few decades earlier in exchange for some land of the Army elsewhere, taken by the civil administration to make a bypass, etc. Since this land was given to the Army, in the first place it should have come on the land records of the Defence Estates Department (a department of the MoD). This was obviously not done and the land remained on the records of the civil administration, though ipso facto the land belonged to the military and was in its possession. There is no provision under which this piece of land could be given to anybody, even to Kargil widows/heroes, without sanction from the Union Cabinet in Delhi. Putting the label of “Kargil war widows/heroes” on the Adarsh Housing Society appears to have been a later-day innovation.
It was the implied ambiguity in the ownership of the land which was exploited by RC Thakur, a functionary in the Defence Estates Office ( DEO ) at Mumbai. Though the military was the de-facto and de-jure owner of this land, slip-up, intentional or otherwise by the Defence Estates office, in not taking it on its records was of little consequence. While the military land records are maintained by the Defence Estate Office, it is the Army Commander who is the custodian of all kinds of military land within his command.
The sub-area commander of the military station at Colaba (who later came back as area commander after an NDC course), the subsequent area commanders and some others most shamefully collaborated in this nefarious scheme. They also roped in some of their greedy seniors. Not to be left out, those in the politico-bureaucratic set-up who were to give various clearances for the project picked up slices of the cake for themselves, friends and relatives. Eventually they formed the majority. Some others who could and were equally desperate for that piece of cake too joined in. Since this building was originally meant to have only six floors, its foundation would have been laid to cater to that requirement. Therefore, how could the building with the same foundation be raised to 30/31 floors? The mischief runs deeper.
From the large number of cases that have been brought to light, the impression seems to prevail that the military, too, has gone under. With officer-strength of over 35,000, even dozens of cases should not cause any alarm. The environment in the country is conducive to corruption, and an increasing number of Army men are not able to resist the temptation. It would be interesting to note that only the military organisations that come in contact or deal with the civilian contractors and wheeler-dealers of civil organisations are affected by the corroding influence of corruption. All the others in the military abide by high standards of integrity and honesty.
Therefore, it would be seen that it is the military’s own internal mechanism which invariably brought these cases to light and then proceedings were launched against the suspects. One can be certain that in the Adarsh Housing Society case, too, those whose actions are still governed by the military law (military law continues to operate in the case of an individual up to two years after retirement ) will face the military’s music.
While the military can be relied upon to routinely deal with the rot that seems to be creeping into its system, more vigorous and determined efforts will have to be made by the top brass to dig out every suspected case of corruption and misconduct and promptly dealt with. The exaggerated notion of scale and scope of privileges which supposedly go with higher ranks needs to be curbed. The present Army Chief is known for high integrity, probity and moral values and will surely clean up the Augean stables.
The writer is a retired Deputy Chief of the Army Staff.
Malfeasance in the military
Malfeasance in the military: It can be relied upon to apply the correctives
by Lt-Gen Harwant Singh (Retd)
For some time the military has been much in the news for almost all the wrong reasons. With the increasing number of scandals and scams being reported by the media, one cannot help but suffer the sinking feeling that the Indian military, too, along with almost every other constituent of the government is on the downward slide. Some may argue that the military can be no other than a mirror image of society from which it draws its manpower. Even so the ethos, the sense of honour and discipline in the military make it apart from society at large and as such can be relied upon to apply the correctives and stay on course.
It may be instructive to put in the right perspective some of the scams which have in the recent past drawn attention of the media and seem to tarnish the military’s fair image. Take the case of Sukna scandal. It relates to the issue of the No-Objection Certificate ( NOC ) to a private party for building a school on a piece of land outside the cantonment (not Army land). This NOC contravened a law that no civil construction can be allowed within 1000 yards of the cantonment boundary, but there has to be a notification to that end by the civil authority. In this case,there was no notification. Even so, the NOC issue was taken as an improper act and disciplinary action initiated against the officers concerned, including three general-rank officers.
In the Tehelka episode, one senior officer was put behind the bars and the career of another general came to an end for merely accepting dinner from a Tehelka team. Some others suffered various degrees of punishment. As against this, those from the Ministry of Defence and involved in the case are yet to be punished. The additional secretary who accepted a gold chain from the Tehelka team was soon promoted. One defence secretary charge-sheeted in the Bofors case, instead of facing proceedings against him, was given the assignment of a Lt-Governor, placing him outside the reach of the long arm of the law. Another defence secretary was indicted by the Delhi High Court for altering the annual confidential report (an official document) of an air force officer. He was merely shifted to another ministry. Then there was the case of a defence secretary who on his own went ahead and entered into a dubious deal for the purchase of one lakh rifles for the Army for which no ammunition was available in the world market. Nothing happened against him. It would be interesting to note that none of these cases were brought to light by any internal mechanism of the Ministry of Defence. This was done by outside agencies.
In the case of some other scandals and fake encounters by Army men, which have been in public domain, action was taken and those involved were arrested, including a few senior-level officers, while some others were given a range of punishments. A number of cases reported later have not seen timely disposal, as the officers concerned have been seeking relief from civil courts, resulting in delays. They may be able to buy time, but in no way will they escape the wrath of the military law.
In the high-voltage case relating to the Adarsh Housing Society flats in Mumbai, the malfeasance is far more serious than the Sukna scam. In this particular case, the land (named Khukhri Park) was given to the Army by the civil administration a few decades earlier in exchange for some land of the Army elsewhere, taken by the civil administration to make a bypass, etc. Since this land was given to the Army, in the first place it should have come on the land records of the Defence Estates Department (a department of the MoD). This was obviously not done and the land remained on the records of the civil administration, though ipso facto the land belonged to the military and was in its possession. There is no provision under which this piece of land could be given to anybody, even to Kargil widows/heroes, without sanction from the Union Cabinet in Delhi. Putting the label of “Kargil war widows/heroes” on the Adarsh Housing Society appears to have been a later-day innovation.
It was the implied ambiguity in the ownership of the land which was exploited by RC Thakur, a functionary in the Defence Estates Office ( DEO ) at Mumbai. Though the military was the de-facto and de-jure owner of this land, slip-up, intentional or otherwise by the Defence Estates office, in not taking it on its records was of little consequence. While the military land records are maintained by the Defence Estate Office, it is the Army Commander who is the custodian of all kinds of military land within his command.
The sub-area commander of the military station at Colaba (who later came back as area commander after an NDC course), the subsequent area commanders and some others most shamefully collaborated in this nefarious scheme. They also roped in some of their greedy seniors. Not to be left out, those in the politico-bureaucratic set-up who were to give various clearances for the project picked up slices of the cake for themselves, friends and relatives. Eventually they formed the majority. Some others who could and were equally desperate for that piece of cake too joined in. Since this building was originally meant to have only six floors, its foundation would have been laid to cater to that requirement. Therefore, how could the building with the same foundation be raised to 30/31 floors? The mischief runs deeper.
From the large number of cases that have been brought to light, the impression seems to prevail that the military, too, has gone under. With officer-strength of over 35,000, even dozens of cases should not cause any alarm. The environment in the country is conducive to corruption, and an increasing number of Army men are not able to resist the temptation. It would be interesting to note that only the military organisations that come in contact or deal with the civilian contractors and wheeler-dealers of civil organisations are affected by the corroding influence of corruption. All the others in the military abide by high standards of integrity and honesty.
Therefore, it would be seen that it is the military’s own internal mechanism which invariably brought these cases to light and then proceedings were launched against the suspects. One can be certain that in the Adarsh Housing Society case, too, those whose actions are still governed by the military law (military law continues to operate in the case of an individual up to two years after retirement ) will face the military’s music.
While the military can be relied upon to routinely deal with the rot that seems to be creeping into its system, more vigorous and determined efforts will have to be made by the top brass to dig out every suspected case of corruption and misconduct and promptly dealt with. The exaggerated notion of scale and scope of privileges which supposedly go with higher ranks needs to be curbed. The present Army Chief is known for high integrity, probity and moral values and will surely clean up the Augean stables.
The writer is a retired Deputy Chief of the Army Staff.
Malfeasance in the military
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Do Military Welfare Organisations come under the ambit of Consumer Protection Act?
Impact of Consumer Protection Act becoming Perceptible: Prof. Thomas
Thursday, December 23, 2010 17:33 IST
The impact of Consumer Protection Act is now perceptible in the operations of providers of goods and services. This was stated by Prof. K.V. Thomas, Minister of State for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution while inaugurating the National Consumer Day function here today.
The Minister said “In the Government and Public Sector we now see several Regulators, Ombudsman and grievance redressal mechanism in place, we can also discern the operation of consumer grievance redressal system in the private sector. This, to my view, is due to the proactive approach adopted in the Consumer Protection Act, by bringing the consumer rights in the forefront.”
Prof. Thomas said, “In India it is not the legislative measures that are lacking in providing the consumer with the mechanism or the enabling environment for protecting their rights. The challenge is in the strengthening of the administrative mechanism in implementing such measures. This can be achieved by striking a balance between the health of the economy and that of the consumers.” He said, the responsibility lies on the stakeholders, in particular the government and VCOs to crate awareness about the existence of the redressal mechanism and laws protecting consumer interests. This will not only empower the consumers, but also smoothen the process of policy implementation, the Minister stressed.
On the consumer responsibility which is this year’s theme of National Consumer Day, The Minister said that introduction of consumer responsibility should have a salutary impact on the growing market economy in India as well as on its environment. Prof. Thomas asked the higher income groups to work towards environment protection as they are in a good position to influence the other sections of the population.
Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Shri Rajiv Agarwal in his address stressed on the need for concerted efforts by all the stakeholders for educating the consumers. He said, Government has taken up a number of activities and schemes for creating consumer awareness in the country. The ‘Jago Grahak Jago’ slogan is now well known for informing the common man of his rights as consumer.
President, National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Mr. Justice Ashok Bhan, in his key note address, said that it is possible to bring down the pendency of consumer dispute cases to zero level if proper infrastructure and logistical support is provided to dispute redressal machinery. MP:SB:CP: consumer day (23.12.2010)
Impact of Consumer Protection Act becoming Perceptible: Prof. Thomas
Question: Do Military Welfare Organisations (like AWHO, AWES, CSD, AWWA etc) come under the purview of Consumer Protection Act?
Thursday, December 23, 2010 17:33 IST
The impact of Consumer Protection Act is now perceptible in the operations of providers of goods and services. This was stated by Prof. K.V. Thomas, Minister of State for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution while inaugurating the National Consumer Day function here today.
The Minister said “In the Government and Public Sector we now see several Regulators, Ombudsman and grievance redressal mechanism in place, we can also discern the operation of consumer grievance redressal system in the private sector. This, to my view, is due to the proactive approach adopted in the Consumer Protection Act, by bringing the consumer rights in the forefront.”
Prof. Thomas said, “In India it is not the legislative measures that are lacking in providing the consumer with the mechanism or the enabling environment for protecting their rights. The challenge is in the strengthening of the administrative mechanism in implementing such measures. This can be achieved by striking a balance between the health of the economy and that of the consumers.” He said, the responsibility lies on the stakeholders, in particular the government and VCOs to crate awareness about the existence of the redressal mechanism and laws protecting consumer interests. This will not only empower the consumers, but also smoothen the process of policy implementation, the Minister stressed.
On the consumer responsibility which is this year’s theme of National Consumer Day, The Minister said that introduction of consumer responsibility should have a salutary impact on the growing market economy in India as well as on its environment. Prof. Thomas asked the higher income groups to work towards environment protection as they are in a good position to influence the other sections of the population.
Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Shri Rajiv Agarwal in his address stressed on the need for concerted efforts by all the stakeholders for educating the consumers. He said, Government has taken up a number of activities and schemes for creating consumer awareness in the country. The ‘Jago Grahak Jago’ slogan is now well known for informing the common man of his rights as consumer.
President, National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Mr. Justice Ashok Bhan, in his key note address, said that it is possible to bring down the pendency of consumer dispute cases to zero level if proper infrastructure and logistical support is provided to dispute redressal machinery. MP:SB:CP: consumer day (23.12.2010)
Impact of Consumer Protection Act becoming Perceptible: Prof. Thomas
Question: Do Military Welfare Organisations (like AWHO, AWES, CSD, AWWA etc) come under the purview of Consumer Protection Act?
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
IESL serves ultimatum to centre
Ex-servicemen to gherao Parliament for "One Rank One Pension".
Jalandhar | Saturday, Dec 4 2010 IST
Indian Ex-Services League (IESL) today served an ultimatum to the Centre that ex-servicemen in lakhs will gherao Parliament if their demand for 'One Rank One Pension' was not accepted by February 18 next year.
Interacting with mediapersons here, Bhag Singh, president of the IESLs Punjab and Chandigarh chapter, said the IESL had achieved partial success of 'One Rank One Pension' whereas 30 to 40 per cent cases were yet to be settled.
He said the league had interacted with the Defence Minister, Minister of State for Defence besides the President during 2009 but to no avail. On October 21, the Minister of State for Defence attended a conference organised by the league where he again interacted separately with the league members.
He said 'One Rank One Pension' nod had already been given by the Prime Minister during his speech from the historical Red Fort on August 15 this year.
Col Singh alleged that the government was still playing the game of hide and seek with the serving and retired army persons. He said the country was surviving at the cost of Armed Forces both during war and peace. He asked when the government had given 'One Rank One Pension' to IAS and other cadres then why the armed forces were denied the facility. -- (UNI) -- 04DR67.xml
Ex-servicemen to gherao Parliament for'One Rank One Pension'
Ex-airmen seek one-rank one-pension
by Special Correspondent, The Hindu
Association for constituting panel to look into grievances
Demands free site for poor ex-servicemen
Coimbatore: The Tamil Nadu Ex-Airmen Welfare Association has urged the Centre to implement the system of one-rank-one pension. In a release, the ex-Airmen Association said that a resolution to the effect was passed at a general body meeting held here recently.
Property tax
Another resolution urged for constituting committees comprising Defence Minister and Chiefs of the three Armed Forces to regularly look into their grievances. The association also urged the State Government to exempt them from paying professional and property tax as it was done in the neighbouring States. They also sought free house site for poor ex-servicemen.
Office-bearers
The following have been elected as office-bearers of the Association for a year at the meeting: S. Nithyanandan (President), G.E. Meyer and V. Subramanian (Vice-Presidents), G. Sankaran (General Secretary), C.K. Durairaj and M. Mallikarjuna (Joint Secretaries), K. Durairaj (Treasurer), K. Jagadeesan (Legal Advisor).
Ex Airmen seek One Rank One Pension
Jalandhar | Saturday, Dec 4 2010 IST
Indian Ex-Services League (IESL) today served an ultimatum to the Centre that ex-servicemen in lakhs will gherao Parliament if their demand for 'One Rank One Pension' was not accepted by February 18 next year.
Interacting with mediapersons here, Bhag Singh, president of the IESLs Punjab and Chandigarh chapter, said the IESL had achieved partial success of 'One Rank One Pension' whereas 30 to 40 per cent cases were yet to be settled.
He said the league had interacted with the Defence Minister, Minister of State for Defence besides the President during 2009 but to no avail. On October 21, the Minister of State for Defence attended a conference organised by the league where he again interacted separately with the league members.
He said 'One Rank One Pension' nod had already been given by the Prime Minister during his speech from the historical Red Fort on August 15 this year.
Col Singh alleged that the government was still playing the game of hide and seek with the serving and retired army persons. He said the country was surviving at the cost of Armed Forces both during war and peace. He asked when the government had given 'One Rank One Pension' to IAS and other cadres then why the armed forces were denied the facility. -- (UNI) -- 04DR67.xml
Ex-servicemen to gherao Parliament for'One Rank One Pension'
Ex-airmen seek one-rank one-pension
by Special Correspondent, The Hindu
Association for constituting panel to look into grievances
Demands free site for poor ex-servicemen
Coimbatore: The Tamil Nadu Ex-Airmen Welfare Association has urged the Centre to implement the system of one-rank-one pension. In a release, the ex-Airmen Association said that a resolution to the effect was passed at a general body meeting held here recently.
Property tax
Another resolution urged for constituting committees comprising Defence Minister and Chiefs of the three Armed Forces to regularly look into their grievances. The association also urged the State Government to exempt them from paying professional and property tax as it was done in the neighbouring States. They also sought free house site for poor ex-servicemen.
Office-bearers
The following have been elected as office-bearers of the Association for a year at the meeting: S. Nithyanandan (President), G.E. Meyer and V. Subramanian (Vice-Presidents), G. Sankaran (General Secretary), C.K. Durairaj and M. Mallikarjuna (Joint Secretaries), K. Durairaj (Treasurer), K. Jagadeesan (Legal Advisor).
Ex Airmen seek One Rank One Pension
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Alumni of National Defence Academy wins Prestigious Alexander Graham Bell Medal
Honour for Ex- naval Officer of India, Cmde Arogyaswami Paulraj (Retd)
Dr Arogyaswami Paulraj received 2011 IEEE Alexander Bell Graham Bell Medal. It is IEEE's most prestigious medal, and given mainly to pioneers/ fathers of major telecom and networking technologies- internet, ethernet, DSL, cellular phones, satellite Communication, are some examples. Recognized as the highest recognition in the world for pioneers in telecom technology. A first for India- The first Indian of course- Proud Alumni of National Defence Academy, Pune.
Broadcom congratulates Dr. Arogyaswami Paulraj
"As a community of engineers, we at Broadcom are delighted and honored by the IEEE's selection of Dr. Paulraj for the Bell Medal," said Dr. Henry Samueli, Broadcom's co-founder and Chief Technical Officer. "This is an outstanding achievement, and all of us at Broadcom extend our collective congratulations to him, his family and all of his colleagues who have had the pleasure to work with Dr. Paulraj over the years." Dr. Paulraj, a co-founder of Beceem Communications Inc., which Broadcom acquired last month, is a pioneer in MIMO (multiple-input, multiple-output) wireless technology, which relies on multiple radio antennas as both the transmitter and receiver to improve communications performance. An emeritus professor at Stanford University, where he supervises the Smart Antennas Research Group, Dr. Paulraj will continue as a senior technical advisor to Broadcom.
Citation: Alexander Graham Bell Medal
"For poineering contributions to application of multiantenna technology to wireless communications systems."
Citation Letter: Click here
He has also won more than a dozen national awards in India, including the Padma Bhushan in 2010, one of India's highest civilian awards. He serves on several company advisory boards, university councils, and government committees in the U.S. and India.
Paulraj's career in India included development of military sonar systems (1971-82) for the Indian Navy (NDA Alumni), massively parallel computers (1987-91), and the founding three national level laboratories -- Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Center for Advanced Computing, and Central Research Laboratories (1986-91). He has received over a dozen national awards in India for his contributions and is a Fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineering.
Read more
Naval Officer is Padma Bhusan Awardee 2010
Corps of Signals Connection: Prof A Paulraj is son in law of Late Brig RA Rajan (ex CO of 11 Corps Sig Regt)
Dr Arogyaswami Paulraj received 2011 IEEE Alexander Bell Graham Bell Medal. It is IEEE's most prestigious medal, and given mainly to pioneers/ fathers of major telecom and networking technologies- internet, ethernet, DSL, cellular phones, satellite Communication, are some examples. Recognized as the highest recognition in the world for pioneers in telecom technology. A first for India- The first Indian of course- Proud Alumni of National Defence Academy, Pune.
Broadcom congratulates Dr. Arogyaswami Paulraj
"As a community of engineers, we at Broadcom are delighted and honored by the IEEE's selection of Dr. Paulraj for the Bell Medal," said Dr. Henry Samueli, Broadcom's co-founder and Chief Technical Officer. "This is an outstanding achievement, and all of us at Broadcom extend our collective congratulations to him, his family and all of his colleagues who have had the pleasure to work with Dr. Paulraj over the years." Dr. Paulraj, a co-founder of Beceem Communications Inc., which Broadcom acquired last month, is a pioneer in MIMO (multiple-input, multiple-output) wireless technology, which relies on multiple radio antennas as both the transmitter and receiver to improve communications performance. An emeritus professor at Stanford University, where he supervises the Smart Antennas Research Group, Dr. Paulraj will continue as a senior technical advisor to Broadcom.
Citation: Alexander Graham Bell Medal
"For poineering contributions to application of multiantenna technology to wireless communications systems."
Citation Letter: Click here
He has also won more than a dozen national awards in India, including the Padma Bhushan in 2010, one of India's highest civilian awards. He serves on several company advisory boards, university councils, and government committees in the U.S. and India.
Paulraj's career in India included development of military sonar systems (1971-82) for the Indian Navy (NDA Alumni), massively parallel computers (1987-91), and the founding three national level laboratories -- Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Center for Advanced Computing, and Central Research Laboratories (1986-91). He has received over a dozen national awards in India for his contributions and is a Fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineering.
Read more
Naval Officer is Padma Bhusan Awardee 2010
Corps of Signals Connection: Prof A Paulraj is son in law of Late Brig RA Rajan (ex CO of 11 Corps Sig Regt)
2G Scam: No one will be spared- Manmohan
20/12/2010
New Delhi: On the second day of the Congress' plenary session – a meet that has become the occasion for earnest soul-searching as well as an attempt to exorcise the demon of corruption plaguing the party -- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took the lead in his speech on Monday and said he is ready to appear before the Public Accounts Committee on the 2G spectrum scam, stating emphatically that he “has nothing to hide”.
The Prime Minister was addressing the Congress plenary in Burari on Monday. While he exhorted partymen and office-bearers on the need to show integrity and to be honest, Singh also dared the Opposition by categorically rejecting its demand for a joint parliamentary probe (JPC) in the spectrum allocation.
He said: "All aspects of the 2G spectrum allocation are being probed. No purpose will be served by a JPC as a multi-agency probe is underway into the spectrum allocation."
He added: "I am ready to appear before the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament on this issue although there is no such precedent. I have nothing to hide."
He said the PAC has all powers which can be given to the JPC. He said the BJP has "falsely propagated" the government does not want a JPC because it does not want the Prime Minister to appear before it.
"I believe like Caesar's wife, the PM should be above suspicion," he said.
Singh firmly said no "guilty person will be spared in the 2G spectrum and CWG scams" irrespective of which party he belongs to.
He also said the government will pay careful attention to the four-point agenda to fight corruption set out by Sonia Gandhi.
The Congress, embattled in a fight against allegations of financial irregularities by its ministers and senior leaders, needed both Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh to come out with statements that would emphasise its intent to fight corruption.
A united Opposition has already ruined an entire session of Parliament on its demand for a JPC probe into 2G. The Opposition has also demanded the Prime Minister appear before the JPC and explain what went wrong in the spectrum allocation.
On Sunday, Congress President Sonia Gandhi had unveiled a four-point action plan to intensify the "battle against corruption", advocating a new system of fast-tracking all cases of corruption involving public servants, "full transparency" in public procurement and contracts, "open and competitive system" of exploiting natural resources, and asking all party chief ministers and ministers at both the Centre and states to set an example by reviewing and relinquishing all discretionary powers, particularly in land allocation.
Source: The Indian Express
No one will be spared: Manmohan
Related Scam:
All Who Cleared Adarsh File Were Gifted a Flat: HC
Comment: What about the loot. Will it be brought back or confiscated?
New Delhi: On the second day of the Congress' plenary session – a meet that has become the occasion for earnest soul-searching as well as an attempt to exorcise the demon of corruption plaguing the party -- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took the lead in his speech on Monday and said he is ready to appear before the Public Accounts Committee on the 2G spectrum scam, stating emphatically that he “has nothing to hide”.
The Prime Minister was addressing the Congress plenary in Burari on Monday. While he exhorted partymen and office-bearers on the need to show integrity and to be honest, Singh also dared the Opposition by categorically rejecting its demand for a joint parliamentary probe (JPC) in the spectrum allocation.
He said: "All aspects of the 2G spectrum allocation are being probed. No purpose will be served by a JPC as a multi-agency probe is underway into the spectrum allocation."
He added: "I am ready to appear before the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament on this issue although there is no such precedent. I have nothing to hide."
He said the PAC has all powers which can be given to the JPC. He said the BJP has "falsely propagated" the government does not want a JPC because it does not want the Prime Minister to appear before it.
"I believe like Caesar's wife, the PM should be above suspicion," he said.
Singh firmly said no "guilty person will be spared in the 2G spectrum and CWG scams" irrespective of which party he belongs to.
He also said the government will pay careful attention to the four-point agenda to fight corruption set out by Sonia Gandhi.
The Congress, embattled in a fight against allegations of financial irregularities by its ministers and senior leaders, needed both Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh to come out with statements that would emphasise its intent to fight corruption.
A united Opposition has already ruined an entire session of Parliament on its demand for a JPC probe into 2G. The Opposition has also demanded the Prime Minister appear before the JPC and explain what went wrong in the spectrum allocation.
On Sunday, Congress President Sonia Gandhi had unveiled a four-point action plan to intensify the "battle against corruption", advocating a new system of fast-tracking all cases of corruption involving public servants, "full transparency" in public procurement and contracts, "open and competitive system" of exploiting natural resources, and asking all party chief ministers and ministers at both the Centre and states to set an example by reviewing and relinquishing all discretionary powers, particularly in land allocation.
Source: The Indian Express
No one will be spared: Manmohan
Related Scam:
All Who Cleared Adarsh File Were Gifted a Flat: HC
Comment: What about the loot. Will it be brought back or confiscated?
आरटीआई को प्रभावी तरीके से लागू कराने की मांग
आरटीआई को प्रभावी तरीके से लागू कराने की मांग
21 Dec 2010, 0400 hrs IST
- आरटीआई कार्यकर्ता लोकेश बत्रा ने लिखा नोएडा अथॉरिटी के सीईओ को पत्र
- कानून की धारा 26 को लागू कराने की मांग
- कानून के प्रचार- प्रसार पर बल देती है धारा 26
प्रमुख संवाददाता ॥ नोएडा
नोएडा अथॉरिटी के नए सीईओ रमा रमण को आरटीआई कार्यकर्ता रिटायर्ड कमोडोर लोकेश बत्रा ने पत्र भेजकर कानून की धारा 26 को प्रभावी तरीके से लागू कराने की मांग की है ताकि आरटीआई के प्रति जागरुकता फैलाई जा सके। गौरतलब है कि इस धारा में पब्लिक अथॉरिटी को ऐसे प्रोग्राम करवाने को कहा गया है जिससे लोगों को सूचना के अधिकार के इस्तेमाल के बारे में जानकारी मिले। पब्लिक अथॉरिटी को इस धारा के तहत साहित्य, वर्कशॉप, सेमिनार आदि के जरिए लोगों को आरटीआई के बारे में बताना होता है।
नोएडा अथॉरिटी के नवनियुक्त सीईओ रमा रमण ने पदभार संभालते ही साफ किया था कि नोएडा अथॉरिटी के कर्मचारी व अधिकारियों को अपने काम करने के ढंग में बदलाव लाना होगा। उन्होंने कहा था कि वे सिटिजन चार्टर को लागू करेंगे ताकि लोगों का काम तय वक्त से पहले पूरा हो।
लोकेश बत्रा ने सीईओ से कहा है कि आरटीआई एक्ट की सेक्शन 26 में जनता को इस एक्ट की अधिक से अधिक जानकारी देने, अपने कर्मचारी व अफसरों को इस एक्ट के बारे में प्रशिक्षित करने व जनता की जरूरत के हिसाब से आवेदन जमा कराने में मदद करने का प्रावधान किया गया है। इस जानकारी के अभाव में न तो डिपार्टमेंट से जुड़े कर्मचारी व अधिकारी आरटीआई के तहत पूछे गए सवालों का जवाब गंभीरता से देते हैं और न ही इस पर किसी अधिकारी की जवाबदेही तय होती है।
उन्होंने अपने पत्र में कहा है कि अब वक्त आ गया है कि प्रशासन में जनता की भागीदारी को बढ़ाया जाए। इससे जानने का अधिकार पब्लिक को मिलेगा।
आरटीआई को प्रभावी तरीके से लागू कराने की मांग
21 Dec 2010, 0400 hrs IST
- आरटीआई कार्यकर्ता लोकेश बत्रा ने लिखा नोएडा अथॉरिटी के सीईओ को पत्र
- कानून की धारा 26 को लागू कराने की मांग
- कानून के प्रचार- प्रसार पर बल देती है धारा 26
प्रमुख संवाददाता ॥ नोएडा
नोएडा अथॉरिटी के नए सीईओ रमा रमण को आरटीआई कार्यकर्ता रिटायर्ड कमोडोर लोकेश बत्रा ने पत्र भेजकर कानून की धारा 26 को प्रभावी तरीके से लागू कराने की मांग की है ताकि आरटीआई के प्रति जागरुकता फैलाई जा सके। गौरतलब है कि इस धारा में पब्लिक अथॉरिटी को ऐसे प्रोग्राम करवाने को कहा गया है जिससे लोगों को सूचना के अधिकार के इस्तेमाल के बारे में जानकारी मिले। पब्लिक अथॉरिटी को इस धारा के तहत साहित्य, वर्कशॉप, सेमिनार आदि के जरिए लोगों को आरटीआई के बारे में बताना होता है।
नोएडा अथॉरिटी के नवनियुक्त सीईओ रमा रमण ने पदभार संभालते ही साफ किया था कि नोएडा अथॉरिटी के कर्मचारी व अधिकारियों को अपने काम करने के ढंग में बदलाव लाना होगा। उन्होंने कहा था कि वे सिटिजन चार्टर को लागू करेंगे ताकि लोगों का काम तय वक्त से पहले पूरा हो।
लोकेश बत्रा ने सीईओ से कहा है कि आरटीआई एक्ट की सेक्शन 26 में जनता को इस एक्ट की अधिक से अधिक जानकारी देने, अपने कर्मचारी व अफसरों को इस एक्ट के बारे में प्रशिक्षित करने व जनता की जरूरत के हिसाब से आवेदन जमा कराने में मदद करने का प्रावधान किया गया है। इस जानकारी के अभाव में न तो डिपार्टमेंट से जुड़े कर्मचारी व अधिकारी आरटीआई के तहत पूछे गए सवालों का जवाब गंभीरता से देते हैं और न ही इस पर किसी अधिकारी की जवाबदेही तय होती है।
उन्होंने अपने पत्र में कहा है कि अब वक्त आ गया है कि प्रशासन में जनता की भागीदारी को बढ़ाया जाए। इससे जानने का अधिकार पब्लिक को मिलेगा।
आरटीआई को प्रभावी तरीके से लागू कराने की मांग
Monday, December 20, 2010
नियमित नायब Subedars की मानद नायब Subedars को पेंशन की सुप्रीम कोर्ट की पुष्टि की अनुदान जो 2006 से पहले सेवानिवृत्तजैसा
सोमवार, 20 दिसंबर, 2010
कि पहले बताया गया 6 केंद्रीय वेतन आयोग की सिफारिशों के आधार पर, सरकार ने एक भुगतान नियमित नायब सूबेदार की Havildars तक के पैमाने पर आधारित पेंशन देने अधिसूचना जारी किया था नायब सूबेदार की मानद रैंक दी गई. हालांकि कहा अधिसूचना केवल एक शर्त है कि यह प्रभाव (वित्तीय) के साथ लागू 2006/01/01 से होगा निहित, यह कहीं नहीं कहा कि यह केवल जो 2006/01/01 के बाद सेवानिवृत्त जो पहले सेवानिवृत्त नहीं है और को लागू नहीं होगी इस कट ऑफ तारीख. यह अभी भी नकारात्मक था, लेकिन संबंधित अधिकारियों है कि यह केवल पोस्ट करने के लिए 2006 के सेवानिवृत्त लागू किया गया था से व्याख्या की जा रही है. सशस्त्र बल न्यायाधिकरण (पीछे) के चंडीगढ़ खंडपीठ Feb 2010 में तथापि नीचे काल्पनिक कट ऑफ तारीख के इस प्रतिबंधात्मक व्याख्या मारा था और फैसला सुनाया कि लाभ सभी मानद नायब Subedars के लिए उपलब्ध सेवानिवृत्ति की तारीख से प्रभावित हुए बिना किया जाएगा.
रक्षा मंत्रालय ने चुनौती दी थी कहा माननीय उच्चतम न्यायालय में जिस तरह से एक विशेष के आदेश याचिका (SLP) छोड़ो. SLP पिछले जिससे पीछे का आदेश कायम रखने सप्ताह बर्खास्त कर दिया गया.
दिलचस्प है, सेना मुख्यालय, पहले भी कहा अधिसूचना के जारी करने, बाहर रक्षा मंत्रालय, एक तथ्य है जो रिकार्ड पर है कि वहाँ स्पष्ट आदेश दोनों से पहले और बाद 2006 से सेवानिवृत्त लोगों के लिए किया जाना चाहिए की ओर इशारा किया था. लेकिन पुनश्च निदेशालय की बहुत उचित अनुरोध ऐसा लगता बहरा जिससे विषय पर अनावश्यक मुकदमेबाजी के लिए अग्रणी कानों पर गिर गया.Navdeep द्वारा पोस्ट / 4:39 पर मेजर Navdeep सिंह AM
पढ़ें मूल लिंक
कि पहले बताया गया 6 केंद्रीय वेतन आयोग की सिफारिशों के आधार पर, सरकार ने एक भुगतान नियमित नायब सूबेदार की Havildars तक के पैमाने पर आधारित पेंशन देने अधिसूचना जारी किया था नायब सूबेदार की मानद रैंक दी गई. हालांकि कहा अधिसूचना केवल एक शर्त है कि यह प्रभाव (वित्तीय) के साथ लागू 2006/01/01 से होगा निहित, यह कहीं नहीं कहा कि यह केवल जो 2006/01/01 के बाद सेवानिवृत्त जो पहले सेवानिवृत्त नहीं है और को लागू नहीं होगी इस कट ऑफ तारीख. यह अभी भी नकारात्मक था, लेकिन संबंधित अधिकारियों है कि यह केवल पोस्ट करने के लिए 2006 के सेवानिवृत्त लागू किया गया था से व्याख्या की जा रही है. सशस्त्र बल न्यायाधिकरण (पीछे) के चंडीगढ़ खंडपीठ Feb 2010 में तथापि नीचे काल्पनिक कट ऑफ तारीख के इस प्रतिबंधात्मक व्याख्या मारा था और फैसला सुनाया कि लाभ सभी मानद नायब Subedars के लिए उपलब्ध सेवानिवृत्ति की तारीख से प्रभावित हुए बिना किया जाएगा.
रक्षा मंत्रालय ने चुनौती दी थी कहा माननीय उच्चतम न्यायालय में जिस तरह से एक विशेष के आदेश याचिका (SLP) छोड़ो. SLP पिछले जिससे पीछे का आदेश कायम रखने सप्ताह बर्खास्त कर दिया गया.
दिलचस्प है, सेना मुख्यालय, पहले भी कहा अधिसूचना के जारी करने, बाहर रक्षा मंत्रालय, एक तथ्य है जो रिकार्ड पर है कि वहाँ स्पष्ट आदेश दोनों से पहले और बाद 2006 से सेवानिवृत्त लोगों के लिए किया जाना चाहिए की ओर इशारा किया था. लेकिन पुनश्च निदेशालय की बहुत उचित अनुरोध ऐसा लगता बहरा जिससे विषय पर अनावश्यक मुकदमेबाजी के लिए अग्रणी कानों पर गिर गया.Navdeep द्वारा पोस्ट / 4:39 पर मेजर Navdeep सिंह AM
पढ़ें मूल लिंक
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Protest against corruption: Soldiers and Citizens join forces
A joint Panel of Citizens and Soldiers protest in Patiala on Saturday, 18 Dec 2010.Protest against corruption: Soldiers and Citizens join forces Tribune News Service,
Patiala, December 18
Representatives of the Joint Panel of Citizens and Soldiers protested at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial here this morning. The joint panel pledged to take forward the “Flame of Hope” kindled by the Supreme Court to check corruption in governance.
The panel also maintained that the nation must rise to save hard-earned sovereignty and integrity. Dr MS Randhawa and Capt CS Sidhu, co-conveners of the panel, warned the nation if it continued to remain silent on corruption issue.
A joint Panel of Citizens and Soldiers protest in Patiala
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