On CAG Reports on UMPP & PPP for IGIA

The three final reports of the CAG on allocation of coal blocks, Ultra Mega Power Projects (UMPP) under Special Purpose Vehicles and on implementation of public-private-partnership for Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi have shocked the nation.

The report on implementation of airport brings out two major areas of wrong doing which was facilitated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Airport Authority of India (AAI). For an equity contribution of Rs. 2,450 crores, the private entity was allowed rights of commercial exploitation of 240 acres of land. The potential revenue from this land as licence fee for 58 years was projected by Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) itself at Rs. 1,63,557 of which DIAL share would be Rs. 88,337 crores. An additional land of 190.19 acres was leased out for a paltry one time payment of Rs. 6.19 crores. This is far less than even what has been charged from government institutions like Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). Apart from this, post-bid, post-contractual benefits to the private JV partner is clearly an instance of violation of the tendering process and complicity.

Further, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and later Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) allowed DIAL to collect development fees of Rs. 3,415.35 crores. The February 2009 order of the Civil Aviation Ministry is clearly a contravention of the Operation Management and Development Agreement (OMDA), AAI Act and the AERA Act. CPI(M) members in the Parliament had raised all these issues and brought it to the notice of the Prime Minister that these are grave violations of the statutory provisions almost a year back. But no attempt was made by the government to reverse this blatant act of wrong doing.

On the UMPP, the CAG has found major post-bid violation by allowing Reliance Powers Ltd. (RPL) to use excess coal from the three coal blocks allocated to the Sasan UMPP which not only vitiated the bidding process but also resulted in undue benefit to RPL. The CAG report clearly pinpoints that the overall financial largesse to RPL due to this act of commission amounts to Rs. 29,000 crores.

It is shocking that how the government nonchalantly has responded to the reports by a Constitutional Authority questioning them on grounds of Constitutional mandate. The sordid story of crony capitalism has become a hallmark of the UPA-II government. The government which comes out with tight fists over spending on food and nutrition security of the people take such a `couldn’t care less’ attitude over such huge losses to the public exchequer while benefiting corporates.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) condemns such complicit approach of the government and demands that all those responsible for this fleecing of public funds over the handing over of natural resources be brought to book and accountability fixed. The Polit Bureau also demands that all measures are initiated to retrieve the losses in violation of statutory and other agreed provisions as was ordained by the Supreme Court in the 2G spectrum case.

Farmers protest for release of Cauvery water

Over 3,500 members of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam and Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Thozhilalar Sangam affiliated to the two Communist parties were taken into custody from Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts when they tried to block roads and trains demanding release of water in the Cauvery for samba cultivation and compensation for the loss of the ‘kuruvai’ paddy crop on Thursday 16th August

The organisations resorted to the stir at 28 places across Thanjavur district leading  to the arrest of 839 members. At the Thanjavur railway station, Sami Nadarajan, district secretary of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam led to agitation to stop the Mayiladuthurai-Tiruchi Passenger. They were arrested by the police. At Thanjavur old bus stand, cadres led by Shanmugham, state general secretary of the TN Vivasayigal Sangam resorted to a road blockade and courted arrest.

In Tiruvarur district, as many as 1796 members of the farmers’ organisations were arrested. At Tiruvarur junction, cadres led by K.Balakrishnan, state president of the TN Vivasayigal sangam were arrested by the police when they tried to stop Ernakulam-Karaikal Express. At Thiruthuraipoondi CPI(M) Tiruvarur district secretary I.V.Nagarajan led the agitation. They tried to stop Thiruthuraipoondi-Pattukottai passenger. At Needamangalam cadres who tried to stop Nagore-Tiruchi Passenger were arrested by the police. Road blockades were also held at Mannargudi, Kottur, Muthupettai and Peralam.

Rail rokos were organized at Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai too. At Nagapattinam, the Tiruchi bound Karaikal-Tiruchi passenger was blockaded at around 11 a.m, while the Chennai-bound Cholan Express was blockaded at the Mayiladuthurai station. Over 502 people were secured for rail blockade at Nagapattinam, while 60 cadres were secured at Mayiladuthurai.

The  farmers associations pitched their demand for Centre’s intervention in securing early release of Cauvery water. The demonstrators demanded that the government announce a compensation of Rs.10,000 per acre for farmers, and Rs.10,000 per family for farm labourers to compensate for the kuruvai loss. Farm labourers have lost out on wages since June, due to lack of Kuruvai-based agricultural activity, they said.

Road rokos held at Keezhvelur, Keezhayur, Tharangambadi, Sirkazhi, Vedaranyam, Thalainayar, and Thirumarugal witnessed arrests of over 931 cadres, including 332 women across the district.
Source : The Hindu

The Coal Scam

The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on allocation of coal blocks and augmentation of coal production for the year ending March 2012 has come out with startling revelations.

The report has estimated that the allocation of coal blocks was not done in a transparent manner and since July 2004, 142 blocks were allocated to various governments and private parties. According to the CAG, these allocations lacked transparency and objectivity.

As a result, the CAG estimates that the private coal block allottees have made a whopping financial gain to the tune of Rs. 1.86 lakh crores. A substantial part of this could have accrued to the national exchequer if the decision taken way back in June 2004 to introduce competitive bidding for such allocations was implemented. The report notes that till date, the government of India has not finalized the modus operendi of competitive bidding.

Coal, like all other natural resources, is a national reserve. Given the fact that many public sector undertakings and state government undertakings and electricity boards require coal for generating power for the people and the economy, the allocation of coal reserves must be done in such a manner as to meet both the need of the governmental agencies and through a transparent and an objective competitive bidding. The CPI(M) had suggested that the reserves should be so proportioned as to meet both these objectives.

Unfortunately, the refusal by the government of the day to heed this suggestion has led to arbitrariness in coal allocations, paving the way for large-scale corruption through `sweet heart’ deals. The loss to the national exchequer is, thus, larger than the presumptive loss estimated by the CAG in the 2G spectrum scam.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) demands that the Prime Minister who held the charge of the Coal Ministry for some time when such allocations were made must answer to the Parliament and the nation why the modus operendi for transparent allocations was not worked out. All those guilty of siphoning off huge resources must be identified and brought to book. Strict monitoring and guidelines for the future must be announced with Parliament’s approval.

Maintain Amity and Peace

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) expresses concern at reports of people of North Eastern origin leaving from certain places where they are working or studying and returning to their home states. Such movement has taken place from Bangalore and certain other places sparked off by rumours or alleged threats.

Immediate steps should be taken to assure the people of North Eastern origin of their safety and security wherever they are residing. The state governments and administration should take prompt measures for this. The recent violence in the Bodoland territorial region in Assam has localized reasons and any attempts to rouse feelings in other parts of the country should be firmly curbed. The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) appeals to all sections of the people to foil any moves to disturb amity amongst the people and maintain unity and peace.

Left MPs dharna in the parliament

Left MPs   belong to  CPI(M) ,RSP, CPI, Forward Bloc. of both houses today  held a  dharna in the parliament house gate number one in the morning  demanding universal public  distributuon system,  providing of 35 kg of rice at  2 rupees, and right to food secuirty etc. During the dharna   Samjadi Party  leader Mulyam Singh  joined  them. 

 
The  Mps raised slogan like 'No priority no general we demand  universal  public distribution system", 'provides  35 KG of food grains at a maximum rate of two rupees a kilo per family per month,' 'implement the recommendations of  Swaminthan committee with  regard to minimum support rice', 'withdraw future trading in foodgrains," "Scrap the planning commissions. highly dubious povery estimates". etc 

 
This dhara was described by the leaders  of  the left members of parliament as ongoing stuggle which  the left parties is carrying out outside the parliament. After a month long  block level, district level  campaign on these issues in the month of July, as the call of the left leaders a five day dhara was held at jantar mantar in national capital from 30th july to  3rd August. On  4th August a delegation of left parties comprising of Prakah Karat, Sudhar Reedy, Debarta  biswas and Aboni Roy (RSP)  met  prime minister Manmohan Singh at his race course residence  and handed over a   memorandum listing their demands.
 

On the last day of the dhara at jantar mantaor on 3rd august the left leaders announced that the struggle will continue and  left mps will raised the issue in the parliament, and Septmber 12 will be observed all over in the country in local, block  district level as  Annasurksha Divas.
 

Today's, dhara was attended by Basudev Acharia, K Karunakaran , Tapan Sen ,Shymal Chakrboarty, Sushmita bauri Jharna Das Baidya etc  Gurudas Das gupta   of CPI, Barun Mukherjee of forward bloc ,Manohar Tirkey (RSP etc. 

 
Later on raising the issue in  zero hour  CPI(M) MP Basudev Acharia  said in  Lok Sabha that  Left Parties organized five-day dharna from 30th July, 2012 to 3rd August, 2012 demanding Food Security Bill which was introduced in this House last year. We do not want it in that form. A fresh Food Security Bill should be brought before this House because this Bill, in the present form, will not provide food security to the entire population of our country. By introducing targeted Public Distribution System, the poor people of our country have been divided into BPL and APL. Now the proposal is to change the nomenclature from BPL and APL to priority and general. This proposed Bill also wants to divide the poor people of our country. Acharia said that One-fourth of our population remain hungry and they go to bed empty stomach. We have one of the highest mal-nutritioned population in the world. The hon. Prime Minister once said that it is a national shame. We have the highest number of women who are suffering from mal-nutrition. He said that they  demanded universalisation of Public Distribution System in place of Targeted Public Distribution System. The entire population should be brought under the Public istribution System. Each family should be provided with 35 kilograms of foodgrains at Rs. 2/- per kilogram of food grains. There are some States where 30 to 35 kilograms of food grains are provided at just Rs. 1/- per kilogram of food grains. In the State of Tamil Nadu it is provided free of cost. In the proposed Food Security Bill, there is a provision of distribution of 25 kilograms of foodgrains at Rs. 3/- per kilogram has been proposed. We demand universal Public Distribution System should be introduced. Farmers also should get remunerative prices for their grains as per the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. Now, the MSP being provided to farmers does not meet their production costs. The prices of fertilizers have been increased by 100 per cent. The prices of seeds and other agricultural inputs have been increased. When there is an increase of 40 per cent, the corresponding increase in MSP is just 13 per cent during the Kharif season. So, we demand that the right to food security of our people should be protected and the proposed Food Security Bill should be adequately amended. Universal Public Distribution System should be introduced and each family should be provided with 35 kilograms of foodgrains at Rs. 2/-. We demand that the poor people of our country should be provided with food security.,he added He was supported:  R. Thamaraiselvan (DMK) Maheswar Hazari (Janta Dal-United), Sk. Saidul Haque ,CPI(M), Shivkumar Udasi (BJP),T.K.S.Elangovan ,((DMK), Nama Nageswar Rao ,(TDP),Hukumdev Narain Yadav (BJP),P. Lingam ,(CPI),. Susmita Bauri ,(CPI-M), Nripendranath Roy ,(Forward BLOc)Bhudeo Choudhary ,(Janatadal-united),. Rama Devi ,(BJP Baidyanath Prasad Mahato (Janata Dal-United. Ashwamedh Devi (Janata dal), 

 
In rajya sabha the matter was brought ot the notice of the house by  Prasanta  Chatterjee.

“Delay in relief for Vaachathi victims shameful”

Even after many months after judgment in Vaachathi case was pronounced by the Dharmapuri Court, the victims are yet to get compensation from Tamil Nadu government. It is absolutely shameful and outrageous, said Brinda Karat, Polit Buro member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) here on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters here on the sidelines of the sixth State-level Conference of the Tamil Nadu Tribal Association, she said that “both the Dravidian parties, — the DMK and the AIADMK — had not been on the side of the victims, but they have been unfortunately on the side of those who had sought to cover up this case’’. The government is spending crores of rupees for several schemes, but continues to deny compensation to the Vaachathi victims.

The government is keen to protect those who are responsible for the crime and also cover up this crime. The message of the government is that even if they (Vaachathi victims) fight for 20 years to get the judgment in the court of law, nothing will happen, because the government is powerful, hence, fighting against it will prove futile, she adds. She said that the message of CPI (M) is that it fought for 20 years to get the judgement, proved correct by every single enquiry and therefore, the party will fight, because it is not a question of money, it is a question of dignity and it is a shame on the part of Tamil Nadu Government and their attitude, she adds.

Slams government attitude

She said that the office-bearers of the TNTA met the Minister concerned during April, and he had categorically assured them that the issue would be considered within a month, but nothing happened after that; the victims were cheated, it is a shame on the part of Tamil Nadu government and their attitude, she said.

Periyar’s movement

Tamil Nadu was a symbol of social reforms, in defence of marginalised communities.

“What was the social reform led by the Thanthai Periyar? What was the value for Periyar’s movement? It was to defend the rights of the marginalised community. But today, the government speaks in a name of Dravidian culture exploiting the most marginalised and vulnerable Malayalee tribal community.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) salute the people of Vaachathi, they sent a message to not only the tribal people of Tamil Nadu but to the entire tribal people living in the country that “do not compromise injustice’’ she added.

Atrocities meted out to the Tamils in Sri Lanka should be investigated by a credible Commission of Enquiry and those responsible must be punished, demanded Ms. Karat, Politburo Member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) here on Sunday.

The issue of Tamils facing in Sri Lanka is a grave concern.

The CPI (M) showing great concern over this and demanding that the Sri Lankan government should find out a political solution on the basis of the protection of the rights of the Tamils without any delay.

The party also demands that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government at the centre should take immediate initiative and have a clear vision, there should not be any oscillation, as it will not help in this situation., she adds. Main issue here is how to look at the problem and how to approach the problem politically. The union government should have consistent stand to ensure justice for the Tamils living in Sri Lanka and also ensure that the guilty should be punished, Ms. Karat said.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)