Defence Minister Antony wants high priority for coastal security

May 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 20 (ANI): Defence Minister A K Antony on Thursday asked the top brass of Navy and the Ministry to take immediate steps to ensure that proposals and assets approved by the government for Coastal Security are put in place at the earliest.

Addressing the Naval Commanders” Conference here today, Antony disclosed that the Government was equipping both Navy and Coast Guard for coastal surveillance and patrol both in terms of assets and manpower,” said Antony addressing the Naval Commanders” Conference here today.

“Proposals towards this end have been approved. It is now the responsibility of all of you to ensure that these are put in place at the earliest and used effectively and efficiently for coastal security,” he added.

The Defence Minister said the government was fully committed to the modernisation of the Navy and funds will not be allowed to become a constraint in this direction, adding that the onus of utilising allocated funds, optimally and judiciously, lies collectively on both the Navy and Defence Finance together.

“The Ministry is trying its best to suitably fine tune the procurement process from time to time to bring in more transparency, efficiency and accountability. Annual review of the Defence Procurement Procedure is one such step in the direction,” said Antony.

Antony further said the maritime frontiers, waterways and offshore resources need to be firmly secure on a permanent basis, asserting that there is a need to create necessary infrastructure for the security of Andaman and Nicobar Islands as also Lakshadweep.

“Our island territories form natural bulwarks that extend our strategic arms to our East and West and also function as the last outposts for the defence of our mainland,” said Antony.

“We need to create the necessary infrastructure in Andaman and Nicobar islands. Similarly, Lakshadweep islands, which straddle the oil artery of the world, require our undivided attention,” he added.

Referring to the threat posed by piracy, especially off the coast of Somalia, the Defence Minister said it continued to be a major concern as piracy affected the security and economy of the entire region.

He said his discussion with the Sultan and other top functionaries of Oman during the just concluded two-day visit had given us ”new hints” which India must pursue, seriously.
Turning to shipbuilding activities, Antony said the recent commissioning of the first indigenous stealth frigate INS Shivalik was a welcome development.

“There are 33 ships and submarines in various stages of construction at our shipyards,” claimed Antony, thereby calling for adherence to timelines and quality standards to meet indigenisation requirements.

“Our efforts to modernise the Navy through indigenisation will proceed at the desired pace, only if the shipyards embrace modern ideas and technology. This will enable the shipyards to produce the best quality ships in a shorter time-frame and at competitive costs,” said Antony.

“The Navy and the shipyards must interact closely with the other agencies to meet contractual timelines and adhere to the best quality standards,” he added. (ANI)

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Post 26/11, challenges of guarding India’s sea lanes greater: Antony

April 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Apr.29 (ANI): Defence Minister A K Antony on Thursday said that in the aftermath of the November 2008 Mumbai terror attack, the challenge to guard India’s sea lanes has increased considerably.

Speaking after the commissioning of the INS Shivalik, country’s first indigenous stealth frigate here, Antony said the Indian Navy’s challenge to protect the country’s sea lanes has increased as the situation across the region is becoming more and more tenuous and dangerous.

“Sea routes in the past also faced threats, now after 26/11 Mumbai attacks, security situation around us and the Indian Ocean and far-off, it is becoming more and more sensitive,” Antony said.

He underlined that piracy is fast becoming a menace in the high seas of the region, and said the Indian Navy must be prepared to take on the challenge with full force in order to protect commercial interests also.

“ The Indian Navy will have to perform its duty to protect our sea lanes. India’s foreign trade is expanding substantially every year. It will have to look after ways and means to protect commercial interests also,” Antony said.

Antony noted that with the changing scenario and increasing challenges, the modernisation of the naval force is also very important, and added that the government is aware of its responsibilities in this regard.

“ It is our duty to give all our support to the Indian Navy to strengthen maritime security. We are going to acquire more destroyers and frigates for the Indian Navy. So, I am confident that with all these modern equipments and other support, the Navy would not only be able to protect our sea lanes but also others if it is necessary for India’s national interest,” he said.

Highlighting the importance of the INS Shivalik, the largest stealth frigate in the world, Antony said more than 60 percent of the components fitted in the brand new warship is indigenous, which is a great achievement in itself.

“The importance of this ship is that it is the first Indian made ship of its kind, having more than 60 percent of indigenous components,” he said. (ANI)

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MP questions irrigation shutdown legality

April 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

A northern Victorian federal MP is questioning whether water managers can legally shut down the Campaspe irrigation system.

Seventy per cent of Campaspe irrigators have voted to sell their water rights to the Commonwealth for the environment, after years of drought.

But the Liberal Member for Murray, Dr Sharman Stone, says an application has not been made to the Federal Government to buy the water.

She says under the state constitution, the Victorian Government must continue operating the system.

“Under this particular part of the constitution, and I’ve had legal advice on this, it isn’t simply a case of Goulburn Murray Water saying ‘we’re going to turn this water delivery service off – we simply think that all of you must cease having your water delivered to you’,” Dr Stone said.

The executive manager of modernisation for the northern Victoria irrigation renewal project, David Kent, disagrees with Dr Stone.

He says the community has decided to stop irrigating and the systems will be amalgamated.

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Neyveli Lignite’s power plant to be ready this fiscal

April 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Chennai, April 4 (IANS) Power equipment major Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has announced that Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited’s (NLC) 2×250 MW Circulating Fluidised Bed Combustion (CFBC) power plant will be commissioned this fiscal.

‘The project will be commissioned before the end of this fiscal. We have sorted out the technical issues,’ P.R. Shriram, BHEL’s executive director, told reporters Saturday.

CFBC technology enables burning of coal and lignite having low calorific value.

Originally scheduled for commissioning in 2008, the project got delayed as BHEL’s technology partner Lurgi refused to accede to NLC’s demand to sign the agreements, assuming the responsibility for technology.

BHEL officials said this is the first time the company is setting up a CFBC-based power plant of 250 MW and had to resolve several technical issues on plant layout, boiler erection methodology and other things.

‘There are no reference sites for us to learn from,’ Shriram said.

Agreeing that BHEL, with a Rs.34,050-crore turnover, has commissioned a 125-MW project based on CFBC technology for NLC at Barsingsar, the company’s General Manager V. Srinivasan, told IANS: ‘Scaling up is not easy as the issues involved are different.’

With BHEL bagging higher capacity orders, it is investing around Rs.200 crore for erection of huge-sized equipments.

‘Bulk of the investment will be towards buying cranes,’ Shriram said.

Reviewing the performance of BHEL’s southern region, entrusted with the task of erection and commissioning of power plants in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, he said: ‘Last fiscal we got orders worth Rs.1,770 crore and the outstanding orders are worth Rs.5,238 crore.’

He said the southern division was involved in erecting power projects worth 21,753 MW.

‘Last year we synchronised 2,280 MW with the grid and the target for the current year is 4,936 MW,’ Shriram said.

Queried about the renovation and modernisation (R&M) orders bagged by the southern region, he said: ‘Last year seven percent of the southern region’s revenues came from R&M. However, the utilities go for unorganised players for such jobs owing to several factors.’

He said the division was targeting a revenue of Rs.1,600 crore this fiscal, up from Rs.1,155 crore earned during 2009-10.

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CPI (M) central committee finds Achuthanandan guilty of indiscipline

July 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, July 12 (ANI): The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) after its two-day meet to discuss the Kerala Party matters found the Kerala CM Achuthanandan guilty of violating party’s decipline and removed him from politburo.

“The Central Committee decided that in view of the violations of the organisational principle and discipline by Com. V.S. Achuthanandan, he should be removed from the Polit Bureau. Com. Achuthanandan is the senior most leader who has made a big contribution to the Party in Kerala. The Central Committee expected Com. V.S. to fulfill his responsibilities as the Chief Minister and as a leader of the Party,” stated a communiqué of the CPI (M).

Besides, the committee examined the report submitted by the Polit Bureau on the SNC Lavalin contract for the renovation and modernisation of three hydroelectric projects in Kerala which were entered into by the UDF government in 1995-96 and which were subsequently implemented by the LDF government.

The Central Committee was of the view that Comrade Pinarayi Vijayan, secretary of the Kerala State Committee and the Electricity Minister in the then LDF government between 1996-98 was not involved in any corrupt practice whatsoever.

The Committee reiterated that the Party will fight the case politically and legally,” said a communiqué of the CPI (M) on Sunday.

“The Kerala State Committee should unify the entire Party and go to the people with the political and organisational tasks which have been spelt out in the review of the Lok Sabha elections, stated the release.

The Central Committee authorised the Polit Bureau to take necessary steps to implement the Central Committee’s decisions. (ANI)

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Antony says final price of Gorshkov only after completion of negotiations

July 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, July 8 (ANI): Replying to a query in the Rajya Sabha, Defence Minister A K Antony today said that the final price of the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier for the Navy would be known only after completion of the ongoing price negotiations.

“The Russian side has been invited for price negotiations and the details of the final prices would be known only after completion of these negotiations,” Antony said.

He said that the delivery acceptance trials of the ship are expected to be completed in December 2012.

Antony said that after the Russian side had submitted a revised master schedule indicating delays in delivery and increase in price, the government had agreed to conduct negotiations for finalising a repair and re-equipping contract for the aircraft carrier.

Earlier, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said last week that modernisation of the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier should be completed as soon as possible so that it can be delivered to India in 2012, as the project had become the sole irritant in Russian-Indian relations.

“This is the first, very difficult experience. The ship must be finished. Otherwise there will be serious consequences,” Medvedev said.

India and Russia have yet to agree on the cost of overhauling the Admiral Gorshkov for the Indian Navy to be renamed Vikramaditya, RIA Novosti reports.

Under the original 1.5 billion dollars 2004 contract between Russia’s state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport and the Indian Navy, which includes delivery of MiG-29K fighters, the work on the aircraft carrier was to have been completed in 2008.

However, Russia later claimed it had underestimated the scale and the cost of the modernization, and asked for an additional 1.4 billion dollars, which New Delhi said was “exorbitant.”

Indian officials familiar with negotiations said the eventual figure would be closer to the 2.2 billion dollars estimate.

The aircraft carrier is currently docked at the Sevmash shipyard in northern Russia, with over 2,000 workers employed on the project. (ANI)

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Chief Ministers of Naxal-affected states to meet in August

July 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, July 7 (ANI): Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has said that a meeting of Chief Ministers of Naxal-affected states will be held next month to discuss their menace.

The Maoist problem will be discussed in detail during the meeting and plans to tackle the threat posed by the Naxals to internal security will also be fine-tuned, Chidambaram said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The Home Minister also asked the Chief Ministers of the affected states to renew their appeal to the Naxal leaders to lay down arms and come to the negotiating table.

The appeal came at the suggestion of SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, who claimed that he had successfully resolved the problem in some districts in Uttar Pradesh through talks.

The chief ministers will be briefed about the plans drawn up to tackle the Naxal menace, Chidambaram said admitting that the problem has become intense and grave in the last two months.

Chidambaram said there was no concrete evidence about Naxals getting funds from foreign countries.

The Naxals are able to collect money from within the country using illegal means like looting banks and armouries, and also from tribals who support them, he said.

Chidambaram said the Centre has allocated Rs 1250 crore to the states for modernisation of the police forces. (ANI)

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Oz Foreign Minister defends Dalai Lama meeting in Dharamshala

July 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Melbourne, July 5 (ANI): Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has maintained that the Australian parliamentary delegation’s decision to meet the Dalai Lama in India was entirely appropriate despite Chinese condemnation.

“This is a reflection of Australia’s democratic strengths. It is entirely appropriate for a parliamentary delegation to visit India and entirely appropriate for a parliamentary delegation to make contact with the Dalai Lama if it so chooses,” The Age quoted Smith, as saying.

According to Smith, Chinese officials had made a low level condemnation of a meeting between the Australian parliamentary delegation and the Dalai Lama in India last week.

Smith said Australia had made strong calls for China to engage in dialogue with the Dalai Lama, and strong remarks about Chinese human rights abuses in Tibet.

He added that Australia had also made the point to China that it needed to be more transparent in explaining the strategic justification for the enhancement of its military forces.

Earlier, Australia’s former Prime Minister Paul Keating had criticised the Kevin Rudd government for being excessively defensive towards China in the new Defence White Paper.

On this, Smith said Australia wasn’t being defensive at all, and enjoyed a positive, productive and forward-looking relationship with China.

“On the question of China and its military modernisation … the Australian government, including the prime minister and I, have made the point to China that as China emerges as a growing economy and as an economic power, of course its military capacity and its military deployments and its military assets will increase,” he said.

“That is a natural thing. What we do need to have more from China is what is the particularly strategic underpinning of this military enhancement.”

Smith said China talked of emerging into a harmonious environment while Australia talked in terms of China being a responsible international stakeholder.

“We are confident that will occur but we are not starry-eyed about our relationship with China. There are a range of things where we have differing views with China including human rights issues,” he said. (ANI)

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Russia confirms delivery of Admiral Gorshkov in 2012

July 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Moscow, July 2 (ANI): Russian President Dmitry Medvedev today said that modernisation of the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier should be completed as soon as possible so that it can be delivered to India in 2012, as the project had become the sole irritant in Russian-Indian relations.

“This is the first, very difficult experience. The ship must be finished. Otherwise there will be serious consequences,” Medvedev said.

India and Russia have yet to agree on the cost of overhauling the Admiral Gorshkov for the Indian Navy to be renamed Vikramaditya, RIA Novosti reports.

Under the original 1.5 billion dollars 2004 contract between Russia’s state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport and the Indian Navy, which includes delivery of MiG-29K fighters, the work on the aircraft carrier was to have been completed in 2008.

However, Russia later claimed it had underestimated the scale and the cost of the modernization, and asked for an additional 1.4 billion dollars, which New Delhi said was “exorbitant.”

Indian officials familiar with negotiations said the eventual figure would be closer to the 2.2 billion dollars estimate.

The aircraft carrier is currently docked at the Sevmash shipyard in northern Russia, with over 2,000 workers employed on the project. (ANI)

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A K Antony assures armed forces of adequate funds for modernization

June 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi June 25 (ANI): Defence Minister A K Antony has assured the top brass that funds will never be a constraint for the modernisation of the Armed Forces and their welfare.

Antony, however, asked them to improve efficacy and efficiency of delivery mechanisms at all levels and sought the cooperation of all senior officials to eradicate corruption and urged them to ensure ‘impeccable honesty, integrity and transparency in all transactions’.

The Defence Minister emphasized the need to achieve greater indigenisation in Defence sector. He called for increased and better synergy between the DRDO and the Armed Forces to achieve at least 70 % indigenisation in our procurements within the next ten years.

He was addressing the inaugural day of the two-day conference of the unified commanders in the national capital on Thursday.

The Defence Minister asked the top brass of the all the three services to adopt and further strengthen the tri-services approach to security related issues, as victory in modern warfare can be achieved only through jointness.

‘The traditional approach of combating threats with individual services acting according to their own plans must be shed. Jointness seeks the development of core competence by each service and synergising these capabilities.

Furthering his point the Defence Minister said, jointness allows each service to maximise its yield by utilising its core competences to achieve a common goal. Therefore, it is our duty to resort to joint planning and develop integrated capabilities’, he said.

Referring to China Antony said, India has always tried to maintain friendly relations with that country. There is enough space for both India and China to grow into influential nations in the evolving international order. But there are complex unresolved issues between the two countries. India believes that these should be resolved through peaceful means.

On Sri Lanka, Antony said, for lasting peace within, Colombo needs to backup its military gains against the LTTE with a political devolution package that satisfies the aspiration of Tamils within a united Sri Lanka

Underlining the importance of the Indian ocean region Antony said, It is imperative for our armed forces to ensure that the sea lanes of communication are not dominated by any one power to the exclusion of others’.

Antony said the Government is trying its best to provide financial resources, surveillance equipment and adequate manpower to bolster Coastal Security and asked the services to make optimum use of available resources both in terms of infrastructure and manpower. He said the onus lies on security forces, intelligence agencies and coastal police stations to work in tandem. (ANI)

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A K Antony assures armed forces of adequate fund for modernization

June 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi June 25 (ANI): Defence Minister A K Antony assured the top brass that funds will never be a constraint for the modernisation of the Armed Forces and their welfare.

Antony however asked them on improving efficacy and efficiency of our delivery mechanisms at all levels and sought the cooperation of all senior officials to eradicate corruption and urged them to ensure ‘impeccable honesty, integrity and transparency in all transactions’.

The defence Minister emphasized the need to achieve greater indigenisation in Defence Sector. He called for increased and better synergy between the DRDO and the Armed Forces to achieve at least 70 % indigenisation in our procurements within the next ten years.

He was addressing the inaugural day of the two-day conference of the unified commanders in New Delhi.

The Defence Minister asked the top brass of the all the three services to adopt and further strengthen the tri-services approach to security related issues, as victory in modern warfare can be achieved only through jointness.

‘The traditional approach of combating threats with individual services acting according to their own plans must be shed. Jointness seeks the development of core competence by each service and synergising these capabilities.

Furthering his point the Defence Minister said, jointness allows each service to maximise its yield by utilising its core competences to achieve a common goal. Therefore, it is our duty to resort to joint planning and develop integrated capabilities’, he said.

Referring to China Antony said, India has always tried to maintain friendly relations with that country. There is enough space for both India and China to grow into influential nations in the evolving international order. But there are complex unresolved issues between the two countries. India believes that these should be resolved through peaceful means.

On Sri Lanka, he said, for lasting peace within, Colombo needs to backup its military gains against the LTTE with a political devolution package that satisfies the aspiration of Tamils within a united Sri Lanka

Underlining the importance of the Indian ocean region Antony said, It is imperative for our armed forces to ensure that the sea lanes of communication are not dominated by any one power to the exclusion of others’.

Antony said the Government is trying its best to provide financial resources, surveillance equipment and adequate manpower to bolster Coastal Security and asked the services to make optimum use of available resources both in terms of infrastructure and manpower. He said the onus lies on security forces, intelligence agencies and coastal police stations to work in tandem. (ANI)

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India and US discuss modernisation, increased presence of Chinese Navy

May 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 14 (ANI): India and the United States today discussed various issues concerning the South Asian region like the rapid modernization of the Chinese armed forces, peace and stability in the region in wake of rise of the Taliban in Pakistanand Afghanistan.

Admiral Timothy J Keating, the US Pacific Command chief, who is on a daylong visit to India, today met Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta, National Security Adviser MK Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon.

The head of the US Pacific Command is in India on the invitation of Admiral Mehta and will be soon handing over his command to his successor Admiral Robert Willard.

Admiral Keating said: ” Yes we discussed growth of Chinese armed forces and the fact that the PLA Navy is deployed in the Gulf of Aden conducting anti-piracy operations.”

He said that Chinese Navy is still not a Blue Water Navy, and added that deploying couple of ships for couple of months in Gulf of Aden does not qualify it for the same.

The top US general’s visit comes just after Indian, American and Japanese warships participated in the ‘Malabar’ war games off the coast of Japan from April 29 to May 3.

Rejecting Chinese views that such military groupings are the axis of democracy, Admiral Keating said that there is a possibility of China’s participation in the further edition of the Malabar exercise, and added that the PLA Navy should regularly take part in bilateral and multilateral exercises.

Replying to a question, Admiral Keating said he has made Indian authorities aware of US’ concern regarding three bilateral deals including Logistics Support Agreement, which would ensure free access to US warships and aircraft to India for refuelling and replenishment of supplies.

He further said that the United States shares long standing friendship in military field with India and New Delhi is a good friend and strong partner of Washington.

Commenting on May 1 incident in which two Chinese fishing boats closed in on and maneuvered dangerously close to the USNS Victorious in international waters in the Yellow Sea, Admiral Keating said that the recent harassment of US Navy ships by the PLA Navy is “troublesome.”

Earlier on March 8, five Chinese vessels surrounded and harassed the USNS Impeccable 80 nautical miles off Hainan Island.

“We view Chinese behaviour with concern and our State Department has issued demarche on several occasions. We want Chinese ships to operate in lawful manner,” the head of the US Pacific Command added.

Admiral Keating further said that piracy has been tremendously reduced in the Malacca Straight due to a joint effort between Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and the US.

“Some 40 percent of world trade, or 50,000 ships a year, pass through the straight dividing the Indian from the Pacific Oceans.

Three years ago, pirates launched 50 attacks a year, now down to five,” he said. By Praful Kumar Singh (ANI)

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Pakistan Air Force assured of latest equipment

May 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Islamabad, May 7 (IANS) Pakistan will focus on ramping up indigenous capabilities and entering joint ventures with foreign manufacturers to ensure its air force acquires the latest equipment, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Thursday.

Speaking to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) chief, Air Chief Marshal Qamar Suleman, Gilani said the government would also provide the necessary resources for upgrading its professional capabilities, APP reported.

The prime minister asked Suleman to ensure that under his command, the PAF continues to be equipped with the latest technology and was ever-ready to meet any challenges.

According to Gilani, the force had played a key role in defending the country in addition to supporting the civil administration in relief and rehabilitation measures during natural calamities.

On his part, Suleman apprised the prime minister of various measures taken by the PAF to optimise its effectiveness and efficiency. He also informed the prime minister about the upgradation and modernisation that was underway in the PAF.

The PAF operates 407 combat jets. Its fleet strength is a little over 600 if VIP aircraft, trainers, transports and helicopters are included.

The PAF is currently in the process of inducting the JF-17 Thunder combat jet that has been jointly developed and manufactured with China. Eight of the 150 aircraft ordered have been delivered.

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Congress calls for shutdown in Kerala over Pinarayi clean chit(Lead:Pinarayi)

May 6, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Kochi, May 6 (ANI): An angry Congress party on Wednesday called for a 12-hour shutdown across Kerala in response to the clean chit given to CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in connection with the SNC Lavalin graft case.

Kerala Advocate General C P Sudhakara Prasad said Vijayan need not to be prosecuted in the case relating to renovation and modernisation of three hydel projects in the state in late 1990s.

Vijayan, who had been under the scanner in the case, was State Electricity Minister when the SNC Lavalin scam broke out 12 years ago.

SNC Lavalin power scandal is one of the biggest financial scams to rock Kerala.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India report indicted a CPI(M)-led government of the mid-1990s for a Rs 374.50 crore loss to the exchequer.

Vijayan figured as the ninth accused in a charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Later, the CBI moved to seek the Government”s consent to prosecute him.

Claus Trendl, Senior Vice President of the Canadian firm SNC Lavalin, has been arraigned as the eleventh accused and A Francis, former Joint Secretary (Power) as the tenth accused. There are totally eleven accused in the case.

Among the other accused are: K Mohanachandran, Former Principal Secretary (Power) and former Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) Chairman, who is the first accused, G Rajashekharan Nair, former Member (Accounts) (second accused) and P A Sidharthan Menon, former KSEB Chairman.

Three hydel power stations had to be upgraded at Pallivasal, Sengulam and Panniar. Tenders were invited and was finalised to an Indian consortium and a Canadian MNC.

The foreign company quoted Rs 2.42 crore per MW, the Indian consortium – BHEL and LandT – sought Rs 1.25 per MW. The contract went to the higher bidder, contrary to normal practice. (ANI)

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CPI-M’s Pinarayi Vijayan gets a clean chit in SNC Lavalin case

May 6, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Kochi, May 6 (ANI): CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has been given a cheat in connection with the SNC Lavalin graft case.

Kerala Advocate General C P Sudhakara Prasad said Vijayan need not to be prosecuted in the case relating to renovation and modernisation of three hydel projects in the state in late 1990s.

Vijayan, who had been under the scanner in the case, was State Electricity Minister when the SNC Lavalin scam broke out 12 years ago.

SNC Lavalin power scandal is one of the biggest financial scams to rock Kerala.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India report indicted a CPI(M)-led government of the mid-1990s for a Rs 374.50 crore loss to the exchequer.

Vijayan figured as the ninth accused in a charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Later, the CBI moved to seek the Government’s consent to prosecute him.

Claus Trendl, Senior Vice President of the Canadian firm SNC Lavalin, has been arraigned as the eleventh accused and A Francis, former Joint Secretary (Power) as the tenth accused. There are totally eleven accused in the case.

Among the other accused are: K Mohanachandran, Former Principal Secretary (Power) and former Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) Chairman, who is the first accused, G Rajashekharan Nair, former Member (Accounts) (second accused) and P A Sidharthan Menon, former KSEB Chairman.

Three hydel power stations had to be upgraded at Pallivasal, Sengulam and Panniar. Tenders were invited and was finalised to an Indian consortium and a Canadian MNC.

The foreign company quoted Rs 2.42 crore per MW, the Indian consortium – BHEL and LandT – sought Rs 1.25 per MW. The contract went to the higher bidder, contrary to normal practice. (ANI)

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Prime Minister lashes at state govt. of Uttar Pradesh

April 25, 2009 By 1 Comment

Kanpur, Apr 25 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has said that his Central Government is not getting cooperation and feedback from the Uttar Pradesh Government of the various SCHEMES for the development of the state.

“I have to say with great disappointment that we are not getting proper assistance of the Uttar Pradesh Government for the development of the state. We don’t want to play any politics with development. We know that without the development of country’s biggest state, India cannot progress and move forward,” said Dr. Singh while addressing an election rally here on Friday.

In his address, Dr. Singh also said that the government headed by him had been determined to combat terror.

“We have a strong determination to fight terror. Our government has taken various steps in this regard. We are making our intelligence agencies further stronger. We are paying extra attention towards the training modernisation of our security agencies,” he added.

Union Minister of State for Home Shriprakash Jaiswal is the Congress party candidate from Kanpur.

Uttar Pradesh will witness quadrilateral contest between the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Samajwadi Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress party.

The polling will be held here under third phase on April 30. (ANI)

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Apex court to hear graft case against Vijayan in May

April 22, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) The Supreme Court Monday decided it will hear in May a lawsuit that alleges delay in sanction by the Kerala government to prosecute former state power minister and Communist Party of India-Marxist state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in a corruption case.

The aex court had initially declined to hear the public interest lawsuit and dismissed it. But on MOnday, a bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice P. Sathasivam decided to hear it in May after counsel for K.B. Suresh, who brought the PIL, insisted it has merit.

Kerala-based scribe T.P. Nandkumar has approached the apex court against a Kerala High Court order of Feb 12, 2009, that dismissed his contention that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was delaying the trial of Pinarayi Vijayan and two state bureaucrats on the pretext that the government has not given permission to prosecute them.

The other two accused in the case, besides Vijayan, are former power secretary K. Mohana Chandran and former joint secretary (power) A Francis.

Nandkmar had contended before the high court that the CBI, which probed the graft case, did not need any government approval to prosecute them as they were not entitled to legal protection from trial for corrupt acts.

Vjayan faced a CBI probe for his alleged role in awarding a contract in 1997 for renovation and modernisation of two hydro-power plants in the state to Canadian firm SNC Lavalin without any competitive bidding.

The government’s official auditor later found that the award of the contract by the Kerala State Electricity Board to the Canadian firm at the behest of the minister had resulted in a loss of Rs.3.5 billion to the state exchequer.

The contract had allegedly been given to the Canadian firm ignoring a Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited report, which had said that the renovation of three power plants could have been achieved at a cost of less than Rs.1 billion.

Nandkumar had approached the high court alleging that the state government was not keen to prosecute Vijayan and two bureaucrats though a corruption case against them was lodged in February 2005.

He also contended that that there has been no progress in the investigation.

But the high court disposed of scribe’s plea after the state government said that the CBI has approached it for approval for trial of the former minister and the bureaucrats, and that it was examining the plea.
Indo Asian News Service

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Sonia Gandhi calls Advani a slave of the RSS

April 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Bidar (Karnataka), Apr 15 (ANI): Continuing her attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L K Advani, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday termed him a “slave of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)”.

Addressing an election rally here, Sonia Gandhi called Advani incompetent and a leader who couldn’t take decisions on his own.

“It is Advani, who is a slave of the RSS because he wants to protect his chair. This is the reason why he fulfills each and every wish of the RSS,” claimed Gandhi.

Condemning Advani for repeatedly calling Manmohan Singh a weak Prime Minister, Gandhi asked Advani whether he could take any decision without fear of the RSS.

She further accused Advani of rendering a “secular certificate” to Mohammad Ali Jinnah during his visit to Pakistan in 2005.

Advani, who was the BJP chief then, had resigned from his post following widespread criticism by the RSS and its allied bodies for his statement in Pakistan praising Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

She blamed the BJP for being “sympathetic towards terrorists” and pointed out that it was the NDA, which had permitted the release of terrorists during the 1999 Kandahar plane hijack episode.

Taking credit for handling the 26/11 Mumbai attacks case efficiently, Gandhi said the “diplomatic tackling of the Mumbai terror attacks by the UPA Government had compelled Pakistan to concede responsibility on the issue”.

Noting the achievements of her party, Sonia asserted that the Congress had achieved a lot for the nation since its independence from British colonial rule.

She said that the Congress had taken initiatives in several development projects including modernisation of the country, nationalisation of banks, empowerment of women through Panchayat Raj institutions or signing the nuclear agreement. (ANI)

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Russia to deliver retrofitted Gorshkov to India in 2012

April 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Vinay Shukla Moscow, Apr 10 (PTI) After months of suspense, Russia will deliver retrofitted Gorshkov aircraft carrier to India in 2012 and talks are on to settle the enhanced price tag which Moscow has been asking for, according to a top arms exporter. “Negotiations are currently underway about the setting up of delivery in 2012 and finalising increasing cost of warship,” CEO of Rosoboronexport Corporation Anatoly Isaikin said.

He said the Indians understand that the initial price quoted was obviously low and should be revised upwards. The 44-thousand ton Kiev class carrier ‘Admiral Gorshkov’, under the deal signed in 2004, was to be retrofitted for USD 616 million for induction as ‘INS Vikramaditya’ in the Indian Navy in August 2008.

The Rosoboronexport official attributed the massive slippage in the project to the deal being signed hastily without proper technical and economic calculations. However, this money was not enough (to complete the work).

This is also a lesson for us, Isaikin told government daily ‘Rossiskaya Gazeta’. Isaikin, who heads Russia’s arms export state monopoly, said half of the work has been completed and Indian naval team is supervising the modernisation work.

Earlier, the spokesman of Severodvinsk-based SevMash Shipyard said that India has made some advance payment pending the final price negotiations and the work is at full swing. PTI.

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