New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was conferred with a doctorate degree by Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) here on Monday. IARI conferred the degree to Singh for his significant contributions in developing the farm sectors of India. The 'Degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa)' was presented to Singh by Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar during the 50th Convocation of IARI. Speaking at the event, Singh said, "Agricultural growth is likely to be about 3.5 percent per annum during the 11th Five Year Plan. " Singh said: "This is a commendable achievement but we must improve upon it in the Twelfth Plan to reach 4 percent growth or even higher." He said that the flagship programme Bharat Nirman has focussed on increasing investment in rural roads, rural electrification, irrigation, rural housing and rural communications. "Over the past seven years we have engineered a shift in the terms of trade in favour of agriculture by raising significantly support and procurement prices," Singh said. "Food production at the end of the 11th Plan will exceed 250 million tonnes, an all time record. Our pulse production, at 18 million tonnes, is well ...
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New Delhi, In a bid to end the row with the Election Commission, Law Minister Salman Khurshid has said he bowed to the "wisdom" of the poll panel and regretted his statement regarding sub-quota to backward sections of minorities in Uttar Pradesh. "I treat this matter as unfortunate and regret the statement. I bow to the wisdom of the Election Commission," Khurshid said in a letter sent to the Election Commission Monday and released by the panel Tuesday. Informed sources said the Election Commission may treat the issue as closed following Khurshid's letter. The Election Commission censured Khurshid for his speech regarding nine percent job quotas for minorities. It wrote to President Pratibha Patil when Khurshid stood by the statement and said he was ready to be hanged for it. The president forwarded the letter to Prime Minister Manmohan ...
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New Delhi, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil has forwarded the complaint registered by the Election Commission against Union Law and Justice Minister Salman Khurshid to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh for 'appropriate action'. "The President has taken note of the Election Commission's letter and forwarded it to the PMO for appropriate action," said the Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson. The Election Commission sought the 'immediate and decisive' intervention of President Patil last night after it charged Khurshid with "improper and unlawful" defiance of its orders under which he was censured for promising sub-quota for minorities. The Election Commission told President Patil that Khurshid's action could 'vitiate free and fair polls' in Uttar Pradesh and that it was 'perturbed because the undermining of its Constitutionally-mandated duties has come from the Law Minister who has direct responsibility to uphold and strengthen the ECI rather than to denigrate it'. The Election Commission had earlier censured Khurshid for his remarks on sub-quota for minorities, and said he violated the election code of ...
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New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday met union ministers Pranab Mukherjee, Kapil Sibal and Salman Khurshid to discuss the fallout of the apex court verdict cancelling 122 2G licences granted by former communications minister A Raja in 2007 and 2008. The meeting, held at the Prime Minister's official residence at 7, Race Course Road, was still underway, sources said. The meeting was expected to discuss new guidelines for the allocation of 2G licences in the wake of the Supreme Court observing that first-come-first-serve policy was flawed and instead favouring auctioning. The meeting assumes significance with Norway and Russia pushing for government's intervention to safeguard investments by their state-owned companies Telenor and Sistema, respectively. Norway has already activated diplomatic channels with India on the issue. Russian communications minister Igor Shchyogolev is expected to visit India shortly to take up the issue with Sibal over safeguarding Sistema's investment in the Indian telecom sector. Sistema has invested in a joint venture firm, Sistema Shyam Teleservices ...
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New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to to meet senior ministers on Saturday to discuss and review the rules that will apply in case of the auction of the 2G spectrum. Singh is likely to consider whether to cancel the 2G licences that were given to telecom majors before 2008, media reports said. The licences were granted to telecom majors like Tata and Bharti-Airtel for free during that period. In a historic judgement the Supreme Court on Feb 2 scrapped 2G spectrum licences of 122 mobile networks granted during the tenure of A Raja as the telecom minister since early 2008. The scandal over the alleged allocation of telecoms licences at below-market prices, which could have lost the treasury up to Rs 1.76 lakh crore, according to the government’s auditor, has already impaired the Congress-led coalition government in ...
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New Delhi, Amid growing worries about the repercussions of the Supreme Court order cancelling 2G licences for business sentiment, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked for an analysis of the judgment. Sources said Singh has asked attorney general G E Vahanvati to brief him on all possible implications of the judgment. The PM's curiosity about the ramifications of the judgment coincides with the view in a section of the government that the SC verdict is too drastic and can dampen business sentiment. There is also a concern that with the apex court holding that the "first-come first-served" policy was inherently flawed, government has to quicken the transition to a policy where allocation of natural assets is made solely on the basis of auctions. Meanwhile, according to PTI, CBI moved the Supreme Court for a clarification whether the special 2G court can conduct a trial of Essar and Loop when they, unlike other recipients of licences from jailed telecom minister A Raja, have not been charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The news agency reported that CBI approached the SC after being directed to do so by the Delhi High Court on the basis of a petition by ...
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New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will hold two public rallies in election-bound Uttar Pradesh, official sources said Monday. While the places where he will address the meetings have not been identified, one rally will be in eastern Uttar Pradesh and another in the western part of the state. One of the rallies could take place next week, the sources said. Uttar Pradesh will see a seven-phase balloting from Wednesday. The polling will end March ...
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New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday said the government had taken several legal and administrative measures to curb corruption in the past year but there was still a long way to go to ensure transparency, accountability and probity in public life. Addressing a conference of chief secretaries here, he said there was need for the central and state governments to work together to ensure better governance. The prime minister said he had told chief secretaries last year that the government was committed to taking all legal and administrative measures to curb corruption in public life and improving the delivery of public services. "We have moved substantially forward in these areas in the last one year. We have introduced in parliament a bill on Citizens Charter which will empower citizens to demand services with appropriate standards from government departments. The electronic delivery of services bill has also been introduced in parliament,” Manmohan Singh said. The prime minister said it was unfortunate that the Lokpal and Lokayuktas bill could not be passed in the last session of parliament. “But I do hope that we would soon be able to enact a ...
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New Delhi, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Friday said that India's economy is expected to grow by 7 to 7.5 per cent in the current fiscal year ending March. Inaugurating the two-day Chief Secretaries conference here, Dr. Singh said: "The latest data show that our economy grew at the rate of 8.4 percent in 2010-11. This was a creditable performance when seen in the background of a crisis-ridden world economy. But, growth in the current fiscal year is likely to be lower, between 7 and 7.5 percent in a large measure due to the continuing uncertainty in the global economic environment." Asserting that inflation was a persistent problem during the course of the last year, particularly regarding food items, Dr. Singh said: "Our government undertook several measures to ease the supply constraints that were a cause for rising prices. This coupled with the policy of monetary tightening that the Reserve Bank adopted has led to a continuous decrease in inflationary pressure in primary food articles in recent weeks." "The overall inflation has also eased. But, monetary tightening together with a difficult global economic environment, particularly the lingering Euro Zone ...
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New Delhi, In an attempt at improving social sector reforms, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today approved constitution of a National Council for Senior Citizens to advise the Central and state governments on issues related to the welfare of senior citizens and enhancement of their quality of life. The Council will specially refer to policies, programmes and legislative measures, promotion of physical and financial security, health, independent, productive living and awareness generation and community mobilisation. It will be chaired by the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister and will include the Minister of State in the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry, oldest members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, representatives of five state governments (one each from the North, South, East, West and North-Eastern regions) and one union territory by rotation, five representatives each from senior citizens’ associations, pensioners’ association, NGOs working for senior citizens and experts, and five senior citizens who have distinguished themselves in various fields. The Council will be anchored in the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry. According to 2001 ...
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Bangalore, Former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman G Madhavan Nair today urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to quash official order barring him and three other Space Scientists from holding government posts and also order a probe into the issue. Demanding that the Government should restore his honour, Prof Nair said, 'I have represented to the Prime Minister and asked him to quash the order as well as conduct an inquiry into the matter.' He said, 'I am not interested in any government favours. What I am interested in is restoring the honour of myself and my colleagues.' In the letter, Mr Nair wanted an inquiry into government action blacklisting the four scientists in connection with the Antrix-Devas deal in which the private firm was allotted scarce S band spectrum by ISRO allegedly violating rules during his tenure as ISRO Chairman. ...
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New Delhi, Calling it a big victory for India's constitution, Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy Tuesday welcomed the apex court order setting a three-month deadline for the government to sanction an application seeking prosecution of a public servant for corruption. "I am happy today by the fact that I visualise that it is possible to win war against corruption. The thorniest issue of sanction (to prosecute a corrupt official) has been simplified by the court order," Swamy told reporters here. He said the sanction was a big hurdle as the prime minister did not reply for 16 months to his application seeking sanction for prosecution of former telecom minister A. Raja for alleged involvement in the 2G scam. Explaining about the court order, Swamy said: "The delay won't be accepted beyond three months as the government has to decide on sanction and if they want to consult the attorney general, then one month more. So maximum within four months it has to be decide, else it will be treated as deemed sanction." He urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to immediately bring an ordinance amending Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which seeks a sanction from ...
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Bangalore, Former chief of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), G Madhavan Nair, on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to review the government's decision to ban him and three other former ISRO scientists from government jobs in the wake of the controversial S-spectrum deal. Nair, who was ISRO chief at the time the contract was signed, said the decision had not been communicated to them. "The whole circular came as a secret document which was not communicated to us. So I have indicated the procedural aspect of it. Also reiterating that these are leading scientists, who have contributed significantly to the nation, and they are all of renowned international standing. So from that point of view, I have made a request to the Prime Minister to review the whole situation," Nair told reporters. Reacting to media reports that the government might revoke the ban, Nair said it would send the right message to scientists. "I think it is a welcome move. You know that entire scientific community in the country has reacted and it will be right message to scientists if the Prime Minister is kind enough to revoke this order," added Nair. Nair went on to ...
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New Delhi, In a bid to tap the vast potential for bulk transportation of goods at low cost through inland waterways, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has initiated steps to fast-track development of such infrastructure by state-run and private firms. India has about 14,500 km of navigable waterways comprising rivers, canals, backwaters and creeks that can be used to move cargo in a green, fuel-efficient mode. Like national highways, the country has three functional national waterways with two more underway. "The initiative will harness huge potential of inland waterways in transporting bulk cargo like coal, foodgrains, fertilizers, project cargo, fly ash, and containers at competitive cost for public and private sector firms ," an official statement said. "Adequate use of waterways will also ease the burden on rail and road infrastructure." The statement came after a high level meeting at the Prime Minister's Office which noted that a pact among National Thermal Power Corp, Inland Waterways Authority of India and a private developer has led to competitive transportation rates for the state-run firm. Investment worth Rs.650 crore has also been committed by the ...
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New Delhi, Upping the ante on the Lokpal bill ahead of assembly polls in five states, Anna Hazare Sunday shot off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking him to "show courage" in passing stringent anti-corruption legislation to give the country something to remember him by. Team Anna also wrote separate missives to Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Gadkari, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and other leaders questioning their party's stance on aspects of the legislation passed by the Lok Sabha last month. Using sharp language in the letters to the prime minister and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, Hazare described Home Minister P. Chidambaram as "corrupt" and wondered why the government wanted to keep Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) "in its grip." The four-page letter to Manmohan Singh, only signed by Hazare, said he was not sure whether the Congress will give him another chance to become the prime minister and he should use this opportunity to push for a stringent anti-corruption law. "You have turned 80 and this country has given you everything. Now the county is asking something in ...
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New Delhi, Levels of under-nutrition in the country were "unacceptably high" despite impressive GDP growth, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Tuesday and added that the problem of malnutrition was a "national shame". Addressing a gathering here at the release of a malnutrition report 'HUNGaMA', the prime minister said: "The results of this survey are both worrying and encouraging." "As I have said earlier and I repeat that the problem of malnutrition is a matter of national shame. Despite impressive growth in our GDP, the level of under-nutrition in the country is unacceptably high. We have also not succeeded in reducing this rate fast enough," he said. He complimented the Citizen's Alliance against Malnutrition, Nandi Foundation, Mahindra & Mahindra and other partners and supporters for carrying out the survey. "I understand that the surveyors have reached more than 73,000 households in 112 districts across nine states. To measure more than one lakh children and talk to 74,000 mothers is indeed an extraordinary accomplishment." "The survey reports high levels of malnutrition, but it also indicates that one child in five has reached an acceptable healthy ...
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New Delhi, Calling the centenary celebrations of the African National Congress (ANC) a moving moment for all those across the world who cherish human dignity and freedom, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has said that India and South Africa have coordinated their positions on many complex global issues. In a message to South African President Jacob Zuma, Dr. Singh said: "The dawn of 21st century has seen a dramatic shift in global, economic and political architecture and in the emerging paradigm, countries of the South are increasingly being called to play a much larger role. ...today we (India and South Africa) share the same table at United Nations Security Council and G-20 and we are partners in IBSA and BRICS." Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, who is heading the Indian delegation to the Centenary celebrations of the African National Congress (ANC) in the South African city of Mangaung (Bloemfontein) called on President Jacob Zuma yesterday and personally handed over the message of Dr. Singh along with the message of Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Sonia Gandhi recalled the shared past and shared national heroes by the two countries. She recalled ...
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Bangalore, Commenting over the recent differences between United Progressive Alliance (UPA) with key partner Trinamool Congress (TMC), Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah has said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would "bridge the ties" with its key ally. Talking to reporters here, Abdullah said: "Soon things between them would be sorted out." "I think, they are going to patch up, these things do happen. Sometimes there are irritants around but I am sure that Prime Minister is going to be able to bridge the thing," he added. Abdullah further said that it was important to find ways to overcome differences. "I don''t think we should find our faults now, we should find out how to patch up rather than finding faults," he said. The alliance of the TMC and the Congress had run into troubled waters on several issues like the passage of bill for the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the domestic retail market or the recent issue of the Lokpal Bill. Strains were visible during the parliamentary debate on the anti-graft Lokpal Bill last week, when TMC did a volte-face and opposed certain provisions in the government-draft of the legislation. Despite several ...
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Jaipur, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday said Indians living abroad can now take part in the poll process back home. "Pursuant to the law that was enacted to enable non-resident Indians to vote in our national elections, the Government has issued notifications for registration of overseas Indian electors under the Representation of People Act, 1950," the PM said, addressing the inaugural function of the 10th Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas here. Singh said that this constitutes the first major step to enable Indian residents abroad to participate in election processes. He said in the last session of Parliament "we have introduced a Bill intended to merge and streamline the People of Indian Origin and Overseas Citizen of India schemes by amending the Citizenship Act." "This will rectify some of the anomalies in the schemes and provide for an Overseas Indian Card which will be given to foreign spouses of such card holders as well," he ...
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Gangtok, Sikkim has been accorded Rs 269.15 crore as additional Central assistance apart from the Rs 1,000 crore announced earlier by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for earthquake relief, restoration and rehabilitation. In total, Sikkim has been provided with Rs 1,269.15 crores under the National Disaster Relief Fund by the Central government as of now, confirmed Union Home Ministry sources from New Delhi. Home Ministry sources stated that there may be additional provisions released later in the budget or assistance can also be provided through other sources and agencies. On the other hand, it was also stated that while the state government had submitted a reconstruction and rehabilitation package totaling Rs 7,400 crore, it would take time for the Central government to study and examine the Detailed Project ...
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