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Prime minister’s news conference

May 24, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave his rare news conference on Monday to mark the ruling coalition’s first year in office.

Following are the highlights of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s news conference:

ECONOMY

* Expects inflation to moderate to 5-6 percent by December 2010

* Expects 8.5 percent GDP growth in FY11

* Medium-term target to achieve 10 percent economic growth annually

* Prices showing signs of moderating trend

* Prices continue to be matter of deep concern

* Government attaches highest priority on containing inflation

* Together with state governments will take more steps to bring down prices

DIPLOMACY

* Nuclear agreement with the United States will move forward

POLITICS

* Prime Minister hopes all political parties will support nuclear liability bill

(Compiled by Bappa Majumdar, Rajesh Kumar Singh and Abhijit Neogy; editing by Malini Menon)

(For more business news on Reuters Money visit http://www.reutersmoney.in)

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Uproar in Parliament over Nuclear Liability Bill

May 7, 2010 By vani 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 vani 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.

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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Bhopal gas victims seek details of Nuclear Liability Bill from PMO

May 5, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 5 (ANI): Victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, described as one of the world”s worst ever industrial disasters, have filed a Right to Information (RTI) petition with the Prime Minister”s Office (PMO) here.

The RTI plea wants to know whether the Central Government took into consideration the disaster of gas leak at the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal in 1984 while drafting the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill with the USA.

Representatives of three non-governmental organisations (NGOs) – Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh, Bhopal Group for Information and Action and Children against Dow Carbide – accompanied the victims to the PMO.

It may be recalled that over 50 victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy walked over 800 kilometres on foot from Bhopal to New Delhi and met the Prime Minister in 2008.
The government had then their assured them that an empowered commission would be constituted to address grievances and would initiate remedial measures.

Citing that assurance of 2008, the protestors alleged that nothing has been done so far.
“When we came on a foot march to New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister in 2008, at that time the government assured us that they would form an empowered commission to address the demands of victims like removal of hazardous waste, treatment of contaminated water, pensions to widows etc. among others but we have not received anything,” said Zakiya, a victim.

The protestors also questioned the amount included in the Nuclear Liability Bill. The Bill which proposes a liability cap of 300 million dollars on the supplier in case of a mishap.
“They want to find out how the cap of 450 million dollars was fixed because this is even less than what the Bhopalis were paid as compensation and which was not sufficient enough to meet the medical expenses for five years,” noted Satinath Sarangi, an activist of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action.

In the early hours of December 3, 1984, around 40 metric tonnes of toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked into the atmosphere and was carried by wind to surrounding slums.

The government says around 3,500 died in the disaster. Rights activists, however, claim that 25,000 people have died so far. (ANI)

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CPI (M) Politburo meeting begins today

May 4, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 4 (ANI): The CPI (M) Politburo would hold a day-long meeting on Tuesday, which would be followed by a three-day session of the party”s Central Committee here.

The prevailing political situation, including assembly polls in Bihar and upcoming elections to local bodies in West Bengal, would be discussed.

The party would also discuss seat sharing arrangements with other parties, including the Left, in the Bihar assembly polls.

The party would also debate foreign policy issues.

Legislations on nuclear liability, women”s reservation, foreign education providers and food security are also likely to be discussed during the meeting.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of the defeat of the Left-sponsored cut motion in the Lok Sabha to demand reduction in prices of petrol, diesel and fertiliser. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Assembly polls, backdrop, central committee, cpi, diesel, education providers, food security, Foreign Education, foreign policy, lok sabha, New Delhi, Nuclear Liability, politburo, political situation, s central, upcoming elections, west bengal

Indo-US civil nuclear deal is proceeding smoothly: Nirupama Rao

March 16, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Washington, Mar. 16 (ANI): Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao has said that the implementation of the Indo-US civil nuclear deal is “proceeding smoothly and satisfactorily”.

Rao, who is on a six-day official visit to Washington, addressed the meeting of USA-India High Technology Cooperation Group (HTCG) meeting, hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce.

“The implementation of civil nuclear deal is proceeding smoothly and satisfactorily that is first point I would like to make and as far the introduction of civil nuclear liability bill in Parliament is concerned it is ready for introduction and in all likelihood it will be introduced after recess,” said Rao.

She also cautioned the international community that integration process in Afghanistan should only include the forces (Taliban) that have abandoned the path of violence and abide by the values of democracy.

“We believe that any integration process should include only those who abjure violence, give up arm struggle, terrorism and are willing to abide by the values of democracy, pluralism and human rights,” she said.

“There is every risk otherwise that Taliban would resurrect themselves as they have in the past when we think that they have been defeated or we are rid-off their hardcore elements,” added Rao,” she added.

Seven Indians, including three Army officers, were killed and nine injured in the attack in Afghanistan on February 26. (ANI)

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Ambassador Roemer hopeful of Parliament’s nod on N-liability Bill

March 16, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Mar 15 (ANI): United States Ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer on Monday expressed hope that the Nuclear Liability Bill would help strengthen trust between the two countries.

Interacting with the media on the sidelines of a handloom fair, here, Ambassador Roemer opined that the India-US nuclear deal is an important issue and hoped that the Indian parliament would endorse the agreement at the earliest.

“Now we are hopeful and optimistic that this (passing of Nuclear liability bill) will happen sooner than later and that India will step up to its responsibility and obligation to complete this deal so that we can continue to not only to broaden our trust and our confidence,” Ambassador Roemer said.

“This (Indo-US nuclear agreement) is an important deal that the United States and India need to be able to finish and complete and part of this completion is for the parliament to pass this Bill, “ he added.

On Monday, the Union Government deferred the tabling of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill in the Lok Sabha following protests by the Opposition parties.

Further, Ambassador Roemer lauded Prime Minister Manmohan Singh”s commitment towards the deal and noted that both India and the USA share the same vision.

“We respect and we expect the process here in India, the legislative process. We highly respect Manmohan Singh”s leadership. He is committed through the Republican administration, Bush”s administration to get this done, Democratic administration with President Obama to get this done,” Ambassador Roemer said

“We have a very good relations with the Parliament and the beauty of this partnerships has been that Democrats and Republicans, BJP members and Congress members, Mr. Vajpayee and now Mr. Singh, have all supported this deal and so we are hopeful with that broad support and the critical need that Indians want electricity and want this plan to go up so that the rural communities can get light and their children can read at night. That is a shared vision of both our countries,” he added.

For the UPA led Government, the Nuclear Liability Bill is vital for the implementation of the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal. It is keen to have this cleared before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits the United States in April.

The Bill pegs the maximum amount of liability in case of each nuclear accident at three billion rupees (66,021,128 US dollars) to be paid by the operator of the nuclear plant.

However, the draft bill also has provisions that would enable the government to increase or decrease the amount of liability of any operator.(ANI)

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India wants to move forward on nuclear deal

May 22, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington: India has assured US industry that the India-US civil nuclear deal was very high on the priority of the new government and it would very much like to move forward on it.

Noting that the US did the “heavy hitting” in getting the nuclear deal through, Indian Ambassador Meera Shankar told the US-India Business Council (USIBC) on Thursday that India was keen at commercial deals with US manufacturers for building nuclear reactors.

To facilitate the process, New Delhi was looking at speeding up negotiations on arrangements to give effect to India’s right to reprocess US origin spent fuel and wanted to pursue this vigorously.

New Delhi was also looking at expediting joining the international nuclear liability convention, another issue of concern for US nuclear suppliers, she said.

On its side, flowing from the nuclear deal, New Delhi wanted a liberalisation of export procedures for high technology goods and services to make them more facilitative to trade instead of restrictive, she said noting that the US was the single largest source for technical collaboration in India.

Noting that India no longer has a problem with the credibility of reforms, Shankar hoped that the US companies will take advantage of the enormous potential of cooperation and take their business relationship to the next level.

“If ever there was a time to raise the US-India profile, this is our moment!” USIBC President Ron Somers said greeting the ambassador.

“The astonishing electoral outcome in India provides a rare opportunity for USIBC – as the premier business advocacy association promoting deeper US-India ties – to awaken the Obama Administration and India to the absolute excitement which was so perfectly expressed last week by the people of India,” he said.

“With a new government in India now in formation, and the Obama administration presently staffing key posts that will shape US-India engagement for the long future, our companies have much at stake to make certain that momentum is regained, our trajectory is pointed ever-upward, and our countries are united against petty backsliding and protectionism,” Somers said.

USIBC, formed in 1975 to deepen trade and strengthen commercial ties between the two countries has a membership of 300 companies, representing the top companies investing in India joined by Indian global companies.

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