Government of India proposes to infuse Rs 1,200 crore into Air India

June 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Berlin, June 11 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Praful Patel has said that the Centre would infuse additional equity of Rs 1,200 crore into Air India over the next few months.

Interacting with media on the sidelines of the annual summit of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) here, Patel said the government’s decision is an attempt to review national carrier’s performance to decide on the future course.

He, however, said there was no decision to divest government equity in the cash-strapped national carrier at the moment.

In 2009, the Union Government gave the airline Rs 800 crore as equity.

Commenting on merger of Air India and erstwhile Indian Airlines, Patel said the ministry still studying how the equity infusion performs.

He said officials of all airlines attending the summit have opined that “mergers do not happen overnight. It is an ongoing process which has to be achieved over time. Air France-KLM have taken six years. Nobody has said merger is a one-day process.”

Commenting on strengthening of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Patel said the government was considering granting it full autonomy and support the regulator in its functioning. (ANI)

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Inspirations in the dump yard

June 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Composting wealth

In a recent survey conducted by the urban development ministry, Kanpur was rated the 10th most cleanest among 423 Indian cities. With 1,500 tonnes of waste being generated every day, the ranking points out to the efforts being undertaken to manage the solid waste in the city. Kanpur Nagar Nigam has collaborated with A2Z Maintenance and Engineering Services in a PPP initiative to treat the MSW in the city and will also generate power using this waste by setting up a 15mw power plant. “Having studied the waste management market in Kanpur, we realised that quality of waste being treated can be controlled if a private player is involved right from the beginning till the end,·collecting the waste from the source and making compost out of it,” says Amit Mittal, chairman and managing director, A2Z Maintenance and Engineering Services. The company produces 1,000 tonnes of compost in just its Kanpur facility. “We have sold about 15,000 tonnes of compost in the past three months, indicating towards the huge demand potential,” says Mittal.

Global recognition

Through a 2008 study on Indian Waste Management Services Market, Frost & Sullivan identified Antony Waste as the market leader in the municipal segment, with their presence in 14 cities in the country. Antony Waste Handling Cell Private Limited (AWHCPL) was established in 2000 and recorded a turnover of Rs 97.3 crore in 2009. AWHCPL has tied up with Lara Central De Tratamento De Residuos of Brazil for its upcoming projects at Kanjur and Mumbai. The Kanjur processing plant will process 4,000 tonnes per day (TPD) of waste and the project will run for 25 years, starting 2010. “Local municipalities can help private players by giving them a free hand in carrying out all the tasks associated with SWM,” says Prakash Kurup, senior manager (finance), Antony Waste Handling Cell. The company has also set up a transfer station in their Delhi project to transfer 600 tonnes of MSW per day, reducing the cost incurred in transporting the waste from site to dump site which is 25 km away from the work site.

Community effort

Dissatisfied with the existing system of solid waste management, the Defence Colony resident welfare association in Delhi decided to take the responsibility upon itself to make its community a cleaner and hygienic place to live in. The initiative that began in 2005 in collaboration with an environment NGO, Toxics Link, promoted re-use and recycling and also helped in providing sustained livelihood to waste collectors. Almost 30% households hand over segregated waste to the waste collectors while the remaining mixed waste is segregated by these waste collectors to recover the recyclable and reusable materials for sale. Kitchen waste is then taken to the compost pits. This has to a great extent helped in reducing the dependence on MCD dhalaos, leading to diversion of waste from landfill. The RWA is selling 1 tonne of compost per month for Rs 10 per kg.

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Local students to get priority in medical courses in Maha

June 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Jun 6 (PTI) Maharashtra Government is considering giving priority to local students seeking admissions to degree and post graduate courses in Government-run medical colleges. “We have mooted a proposal giving priority to the students domiciled in Maharashtra for graduate and PG courses in the Government-run medical colleges,” Medical Education Minister Vijaykumar Gavit told PTI. The reason to withdraw all-India quota is that only 120 students from Maharashtra get admissions in colleges in other states annually for MBBS course, while other states get 960 seats in exchange, an official from Medical Education department claimed.

There are 84 seats for 18 super speciality courses, including cardiology, nephrology, plastic surgery and urology in the state. Gavit has also proposed that the internship period for which students serve the state should be made two years and the bond amount be increased from Rs 25 lakh to Rs two crore if they fail to do so.

“The students should serve the state at least for two years and if they fail to do so, the bond amount of Rs two crore will be forfeited,” the minister said.

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Beer sale in Delhi touches 15 lakh mark in May

June 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) It is that time of the year when chilled beer brings good cheer. With Delhi reeling under scorching heat, beer shops are out to make hay while the sun shines — more than 15 lakh beer cases have been sold in May.

“A total of 15,228,29 beer cases were sold in last month in the capital,” said a senior excise official. Simply put, with each case containing 12 bottles, Delhi”s beer consumption should touch a new high this summer.

The sale of beer had touched 14,80,951 cases in April. While there is a growth of about 30 per cent in beer market, the Excise Department is hopeful of meeting the target of Rs 1700 crore in the current fiscal.

For those not familiar with the spirit of the season, Delhi has about 37 brands of beer in the light, strong and canned segment to choose from. “Though mild beer caters to a large part of the beer consumers, the strong beer sale is also picking up,” the official said adding, “there is also a market for canned beer.

” The sale of beer generally picks up from March and the demand peaks during May-June every year. The beer market in India, including Delhi, offers vast scope for growth, the official said.

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Rs 3 cr released for those affected by untimely snowfall

June 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Srinagar, Jun 6 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir government today released Rs 3 crore for immediate relief to those affected by untimely snowfall, rain and hailstorms in several parts of the state, which led to 10 deaths and damage to crops and property. The amount was released to divisional commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu province for further distribution among the deputy commissioners concerned, Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla said after taking stock of situation arising out of rains and snowfall in several parts of the state.

At least 10 people died and 20 others were injured due to lighting, hailstorm and unseasonal snowfall in certain areas of the state, besides heavy losses to crops and properties. The state government constituted a committee to assess the damage caused to paddy, horticulture crops and vegetables after a three-member ministerial team visited the affected areas on Friday.

The committee has been asked to submit report to the government within a week.

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Family hoping for release of kidnapped Manipur sericulture official

June 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Imphal, June 4 (ANI): Dispairing family members of an abducted official of Manipur”s Department of Sericulture, continue to hope for his safe return home.

Suspected ultras of United Kuki Liberation Army-Military Council (UKLA-MC) abducted Nameirakpam Nabakumar, a Farm Overseer (FO) of the Sericulture Department, on May 20, and are now demanding a ransom amount of rupees one crore for his safe release.

Memthoi, Nabakumar”s wife, said: “We are very worried about his well being, we do not know whom to approach and we do not know where to search him.” (ANI)

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J-K govt begins process of Kashmiri Pandits’ return to valley

May 31, 2010 By Leave a Comment

With more than 4,000 displaced families of Kashmiri Pandits wishing to return to their homes, Jammu and Kashmir government today began the process to facilitate the return of the community to the Valley.

“The families (of displaced Kashmiri Pandits) are advised to furnish their plan of return to the valley so that necessary arrangements can be made for their return,” Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants), Jammu, said in a notification issued here.

Incentives under the Prime Minister’s package for Kashmiri migrants would be made available to them, the notice said.

As many as 4,440 applications have been received from Kashmiri migrant families, who wish to return to the valley under the policy of Return and Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Migrants to Kashmir Valley, officials of the Relief and Rehabilitation Department said.

Of the 4,440 applications received, 1,682 families are still in possession of immovable assets and these applications have been referred for verification.

The families who had sold their immovable properties and have applied to return to the valley are advised to furnish details about the arrangements made by them for permanent settlement in the valley so that assistance available under the package can be provided to them, the Relief Commissioner said.

The largest number of applications – 1,237 – have been received from Srinagar district followed by 1,140 applications from Anantnag district, 462 from Baramulla, 431 from Budgam, 359 from Pulawama, 283 from Kulgam, 240 from Kupawara, 150 from Shopian and 98 from Ganderbal.

However, no application for the return of Kashmiri migrants have been received from Bandipore district.

As many as 3,000 migrant youth would be given jobs under the special employment package in this direction and interviews have been conducted for finalisation of the list.

Central Government has sanctioned a package of Rs 1,618 crore for the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants to the Valley.

As many as 38,119 families of Kashmiris are registered as migrants with the Relief Organisation in Jammu. Of these, 34,202 families are Hindus, 2,168 Muslims and 1,749 Sikhs.

According to statistics available, about 19,338 Kashmiri migrants live in Delhi.

11 Kashmiri migrant families live in Himachal Pradesh, 924 in Haryana, 114 in Chandigarh, 319 in Punjab, 57 in Uttaranchal, 222 in UP, 43 in MP, one in Tamil Nadu, 38 in Karnataka, 208 in Maharashtra and 48 Rajasthan.

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Apex court denies relief to BPCL

May 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Supreme Court has refused to give any interim relief to state-owned BPCL which has disputed the tax demand raised by the Kerala government under the newly introduced Section 17-D of the Kerala Value Added Tax Act.

Terming the section as ‘unfair’, the oil firm alleged that the state government by enacting Section 17-D had taken away its rights existing prior to the introduction of the impugned provision which obliged an aggrieved party to deposit the entire assessed tax amount, even if it is disputed, as a precondition for filing an appeal before the appellate forum .

While refusing to stay the high court judgment that directed fresh assessment, an apex court Bench has issued limited notice to the Kerala government on “the question of validity of Section 17-D of the Kerala Value Added Tax Act”. The matter will come up for hearing on July 22.

BPCL said the rider in Section 17-D introduced by the Finance Act, 2007 was confiscatory in nature as it disentitled a party from pursuing the right of appeal against a wrong assessment order.” “The high court erred in not appreciating that there was no justification in proceeding to complete the assessment under Section 17D of the KGST Act,” the petition filed through advocate Parijat Sinha stated. Senior counsel CA Sundaram, appearing for BPCL, said that the oil firm had filed Form II before the state commercial authorities conceding total inter-state sales turnover of Rs 267.8 crore for 2001-02.

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Planning agency gets BMC deadline to stop digging

May 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, May 29 — To ease pressure on the city’s already clogged traffic, and to avoid water logging this monsoon, the BMC has asked the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority to stop digging and piling work in the run up to the monsoon. The downside is that this is likely to delay work on the skywalk and Metro rail projects.

The BMC has set May 31 as the deadline for digging and piling for the skywalk and Metro-Monorail construction. No digging of roads will be allowed during the rains, the BMC has said in its letter sent to the MMRDA as part of its pre-monsoon preparation.

“We’ve instructed them not to perform digging and piling on roads until September-end. If any digging work is found on roads or pavements, officials from the relevant ward will take action against them,” said A V Ralkar, chief engineer, Roads and Traffic.

The BMC has set aside Rs 40 crore for the repair of potholes and roads as pre-monsoon preparations, as well as road repair work during the monsoon. “Of the Rs 40 crore, Rs 10 crore will be spent until May 31, the rest will be used for monsoon repair projects such as the usual pre-Ganeshostav work,” Ralkar added.

“This will definitely delay ongoing work but will not affect us much since we’ve almost completed our digging and piling work,” said an MMRDA official on condition of anonymity. Last year, the BMC got several complaints from locals, who complained of difficulties due to road digging and piling work.

In a bid to improve the city’s transport infrastructure, MMRDA has launched work on a number of development projects across the city.

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Kalmadi now wants road tax cut, Govt says it’s fed up

May 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

After getting freebies of all kinds, the Organising Committee (OC) is now asking for exemption for their sponsors as well. In a new memorandum sent to the Delhi government, Organising Committee chief Suresh Kalmadi has asked for VAT and road tax exemption for over 200 cars that they will get as sponsorship.

The OC has been holding dialogue with Maruti, Tata and Mahindra to get these cars. However, nothing has been finalised as yet. To make the deal more lucrative for them, the OC is asking for waiver on VAT while purchasing the cars and exemptions on road tax while registering it. This will cost the Delhi government nearly Rs 38 crore, said a senior finance official.

“Kalmadi has submitted a memorandum to us. Games organisers have pressed for such waivers quite regularly, claiming that it is our responsibility as the host state. Frankly, we are fed up of it now,” said a senior government official.

Kalmadi has also reminded the government of his pending request for waiving off 12.5 per cent VAT on all purchases made for the Games. They have also requested the government to provide food to volunteers during the fortnight of the Games.

The Delhi government is levying a flurry of taxes on Delhi residents to raise the Rs 1,300 crore more revenue required to fund the Games preparations. The government has also given close to Rs 250 crore as exemptions. Waiving luxury tax on hotels where participants will stay will alone cost the exchequer close to Rs 33 crore.

HC’s 5 directivesThe Delhi High Court on Wednesday drafted a five-point directive for the state for the benefit of Commonwealth Games workers. * Make “all possible” efforts to register maximum number of workers * Provide identity cards * Labour department to monitor issuance of passbooks * Provide education to as many children of the workers as possible * Assure medical facilities along with all other benefits

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Two held with idols worth Rs.20 crore

May 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Lucknow, May 27 (IANS) Two men have been arrested from an Uttar Pradesh town with two ‘ashtdhatu’ (eight-medal) antique idols worth Rs.20 crore in the international market, police said Thursday.

Shahabuddin and Ashok Prasad opened fire as they were nabbed Wednesday evening in Taryasujan, 350 km from here.

‘Acting on a tip-off, we intercepted the two. They opened fire at us. After a one-hour gunfight, we managed to arrest them,’ police inspector Nitish Srivastava told reporters.

‘We are yet to ascertain the place from where the two men brought the idols as they gave contradictory statements. They are being interrogated.’

The two have confessed that they have been operating for the last five years in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh.

While Shahabuddin is from Uttar Pradesh, Prasad hails from Bihar. Both are in their early 40s.

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Cleaning Yamuna is not easy at all

May 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 26 — The Interceptor Sewer Network will bring sewage to 17 sewage treatment plants in Delhi but after treatment, the water quality will only be fit for horticultural purposes, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has conceded in an RTI reply. The biological oxygen demand of the water to be discharged into Yamuna after treatment is a high 11-12 milligrams per litre, whereas, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), it has to be under 5 milligrams per litre to be “fit for bathing”.

Official records also show that Engineers India Limited, which is carrying out the project, will be intercepting only 108 of the 231 sub-drains that bring sewage into Yamuna. This is apart from the 22 large drains, like Najafgarh, Shahadara and the supplementary drain.

According to the Delhi government, this ambitious project is the last solution left to clean the dead river after all else has failed. As much as Rs 1,500 crore has already been spent over the years on some project or the other, attempting to clean the Yamuna.

“We do not have the technology in the Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) to turn sewage into water fit for bathing,” admitted Santosh Vaidya, Additional CEO, Delhi Jal Board (DJB). “But from being very dirty, we can say the Yamuna will be less dirty.

” In other words, as much as Rs 1,357 crore of public money is being spent to lay a few pipes and bring sewage into STPs. “But as far as cleaning the Yamuna is concerned, that is not happening.

Not with this project,” said Himanshu Thakkar, head of South Asian Network of Dams, Rivers and People. The DJB claims the cost of total cleaning of the water is too steep.

“While now, the cost of treatment is around 1Rs .5 crore per million gallons per day, that for high-end sophisticated treatment of the sewage is about Rs 7 crore,” Vaidya says.

“To fund that, we need a policy decision,” Vaidya adds. “They are misleading the public into believing that this huge project will clean the Yamuna,” said Vinod Jain of NGO Tapas, which has been fighting a legal battle with the authorities to clean up the Yamuna for years.

“But what they are actually doing is wasting thousands of crores to just lay a few pipes,” Jain added. What is the project? The idea is to tap all the sewage generated in Delhi and channel it into the existing 17 sewage treatment plants.

Cost: Rs 1357 crore What is wrong? The project underestimates the amount of sewage Delhi generates, thus upsetting the whole theory behind catching all the sewage before discharging it into Yamuna. It treats only 108 of the 231 subdrains that carry sewage parallel to the main drains.

It will not treat the entire 3800 million litres per day of sewage Delhi generates. What can be done with Rs 1357 crore? Rs 1357 crore is 4 times the cost of Chandraayan-India’s mission to moon.

It is twice the cost of building a new terminal at the IGI Airport.

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NHAI to widen Delhi-Agra highway into six-lane road

May 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 27 — Drive along the National Highway 2, commonly known as the Delhi-Agra highway, is all set to get better. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has signed an agreement with Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group-led Reliance Infrastructure to widen and improve 180-km long stretch of the highway. The project, which would cost Rs 2,960 crore, includes widening the road to six lanes and constructing service roads, pedestrian facilities and bus bays along the stretch. This will not only improve the drive along the highway, which is important from tourism point of view, but will also reduce travelling time between the Capital and the historic city, NHAI officials said. Senior NHAI officials said the concession period, during which the construction agency would charge toll from vehicles using the road, would be of 26 years and will also include the construction period.

As this road connects Delhi with Faridabad, Mathura and Agra, and also leads to Mumbai and other southern parts of India, more than 30,000 vehicles use this stretch every day and vehicular population on this highway grows by six per cent annually, an NHAI official said.

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Displaced Bru families returning to their homes in Mizoram

May 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi /Aizwal, May 21 (ANI): All 154 Bru families who were displaced from Mizoram in November 2009 returned to their homes on Friday in 78 jeeps with one police escort for every 10 jeeps.

The Mizoram Government and the Tripura Government provided the transport and security facilities.

According to the Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR), a total of 210 Bru families will return by 26 May 2010.

“In the midst of communal tensions in Manipur and Meghalaya, the return of the Brus for the first time since they fled to Tripura in 1997 indeed provides a unique opportunity to Mizoram to identify itself as the most peaceful state in North East India,” the ACHR said in a statement.

ACHR Director Suhas Chakma said the Mizoram must seize the opportunity to resolve the Bru crisis once and for all.

On 15 February, the Bru Coordination Committee submitted its demands to the Union Home Ministry for the return of the Brus displaced in

November 2009.

The Home Ministry, after holding discussion with the Mizoram Government had informed the ACHR that it had sanctioned grants-in-aid of Rs. 2.43 crore to the Mizoram for meeting expenditure on repatriation and rehabilitation of Bru families.

This assistance would be utilized by State Government of Mizoram for providing housing assistance at Rs. 38,500 per Bru family whose huts were burnt, free ration to such families for a period of 9 months, cost of transportation from Tripura to the Bru villages in Mizoram, the Ministry stated.

Apart from these, assistance include cost of preparation of land for Jhum cultivation to Bru families who did not flee to Tripura, household kits and implements and for meeting cost of construction of barracks, sentry posts etc. for State Armed Police and India Reserve (IR) battalions who would be deployed in relevant areas for facilitating peaceful repatriation and rehabilitation of Bru migrants.(ANI)

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Enforcement Directorate to quiz Ketan Desai

May 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 21 (ANI): The former President of the Medical Council of India (MCI), Ketan Desai, will be questioned by the Enforcement Directorate from Friday for his alleged role in a bribery case involving over Rs 20 million.

The Enforcement Directorate that has booked Desai under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act was earlier granted permission by the court to interrogate him.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Desai on April 22 for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs two crore to give permission to a Punjab medical college to recruit a fresh batch of students without having requisite infrastructure.

Besides Desai, three other accomplices, middleman Jitendar Pal Singh, Kamaljeet Singh, a faculty member of Gyan Sagar Medical College, and the college”s Vice Chairman Sukhvinder Singh, were also arrested.

CBI also conducted raids in Punjab and Gujarat to trace Desai”s other associates and the assets he has acquired.

This is not the first time Desai has been accused of corruption.

In 2001, he had stepped down as MCI president after the Delhi High Court indicted him on corruption charges. (ANI)

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Jayalalithaa looses plea to quash disproportionate assets case

May 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 11 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa urging it to quash the proceedings initiated by the Special Court against her in disproportionate assets case.

A bench comprising Justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar dismissed her plea that the Karnataka High Court had erred, while holding that the trial court order taking congnisance of the complaint on June 5, 1997, did not suffer from any illegality or irregularity.

Earlier on March 19, the apex court had ordered the resumption of Jayalalithaa”s trial in the fourteen-year-old corruption case.

She had approached the apex court challenging the March 10 verdict of the Karnataka High Court.

In her lawsuit, Jayalalithaa contended the March 10 High Court order had glossed over the fact that the charge sheet against her was not able to make out any case against her.

The High Court had rejected Jayalalithaa”s plea for quashing a 1997 order of a Chennai trial court, which took cognisance of Tamil Nadu Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption”s complaint that she amassed wealth disproportionate to her known sources of income during that period.

The High Court had said Jayalalithaa was ”ably represented by eminent lawyers” and had participated in the trial of the case during which 200 witnesses were examined and cross-examined over a 13-year period.

“It is not open for her now to seek quashing of the proceedings on the premise that the order taking cognisance of the offence passed on 5th June, 1997, is a nullity and is not in accordance with law,” it had said in the order.

Jayalalithaa is accused of amassing Rs.66.65 crore between 1991 and 1996 when she was the chief minister. (ANI)

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Uproar in Parliament over Nuclear Liability Bill

May 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 7 (ANI): The controversial Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday, amidst a walkout staged by opposition.

As Minister of State for Science and Technology, Prithviraj Chavan sought permission to introduce the Bill, CPI (M) members Basudeb Acharia and Ramchandra Dome, BJP leaders M M Joshi, Yashwant Sinha and CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said the proposed Bill would violate Article 21 of the Constitution, a fundamental right that guarantees right to life.

They said the Bill also compromises the right of victims to approach courts for enhanced compensation.

Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj said her party had conveyed to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh that the Bill should be amended but the government was adamant on introducing it in the present form.

“It”s illegal and unconstitutional,” said Yashwant Sinha.

He also accused the government of acting under US pressure.

The passage of the Bill is considered important for starting nuclear commerce between India and international community.
It also paves the way for appointment of claims commissioner and establishment of nuclear damage claims commission.

Earlier, the government had listed the bill for introduction on March 15, but had to defer it at the last moment after it realised that it did not have the requisite numbers to see its introduction in the Lok Sabha.

In the present form, the Bill limits liability to the operator for each nuclear incident at Rs 500 crore, which is the main issue of contention. (ANI)

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Nuclear Liability Bill to be introduced in Parliament today

May 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 7 (ANI): The UPA Government is likely to introduce the controversial Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill in the Lok Sabha on Friday, the last day of the current Budget session.

The Bill is listed in the schedule of business for the Lower House for today.

It is expected that the government would refer it to a Parliamentary Standing Committee after winning a trial of strength in Lok Sabha during opposition-sponsored cut motions.

The Left is likely to ask for a division when the government introduces the proposed legislation.

Earlier, the government had listed the bill for introduction on March 15, but had to defer it at the last moment after it realised that it did not have the requisite numbers to see its introduction in the Lok Sabha.

In the present form, the Bill limits liability to the operator for each nuclear incident at Rs 500 crore, which is the main issue of contention. (ANI)

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MPLADS constitutionally valid, says Supreme Court

May 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 6 (ANI): In landmark judgement, the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the constitutional validity of the MP’s Local Area Development (MPLAD) Fund.

A Constitutional Bench of the apex court consisting Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan and Justices R V Raveendran, D K Jain, P Sathasivam and J M Panchal delivered the judgement while setting aside a petition filed by Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party president Prof Bhim Singh.

In his petition, Singh had questioned the constitutional validity of the MPLAD fund and stated that the MPLAD fund has lead to a lot of corruption.

In 1999, the MPLADS was challenged on the ground that it intruded into the autonomy and functioning of local authorities – village panchayats and municipalities – created under a constitutional amendment.

In 2006, a three-Judge Bench had referred the matter to a five-Judge Constitution Bench saying important questions of law needed to be settled.

After pending adjudication for years, a constitution Bench of the apex court had reserved its verdict in November 2009 on the issue.

The Court had to conduct some more hearings after the Union Government requested permission to make more submissions.

Under the MPLAD Fund, members of both Lok Sabha and Rjya Sabha gets two crore in each fiscal, which could be used for both planned as well as unplanned projects.

The MPLAD Fund was the brainchild of the then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao. In 1993, Rao’s Government allotted one crore to each MPs for development activities in their respective constituency.

In 1998, the NDA Government led by A B Vajpayee hiked the MPLAD fund to two crore.

In April this year, the Planning Commission had rejected the proposal of some MPs to enhance MPLAD funds to Rs five crore from Rs two crore.

The scheme had come under judicial scrutiny in the wake of a sting operation “Duryo-Dhan” in 2005 that had shown some MPs demanding money from contractors to award work for projects under MPLAD scheme.

The expose had led to the expulsion of the members from both the Houses of Parliament.

The MPLAD scheme was in the news also in 2006 following allegations that trusts run by Election Commissioner Navin Chawla”s family got funds from the scheme. (ANI)

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