Category Archives: General

Gujarat Model – Prices of School Books doubled!

10 Wednesday Jun 2015

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We do not know about how much development is taking place in Gujarat as per the widely acclaimed Gujarat Model.

But one report has come. All the books to be used from class I to Class VI has been doubled or more than doubled. When the poor students are not even able to purchase with the present price, how can they purchase with the doubled price. See how much the prices have increased:

” For standard one, the price of a set of textbooks has gone up from Rs. 61 last year, to Rs. 158 this year.  Standard two students will have to pay Rs.131 instead of Rs. 61, books for third standard are priced at Rs. 185 compared to Rs. 78 last year. The price for fourth standard books are pegged at Rs. 199 which was Rs. 111 last year, and for fifth standard, the cost of books have gone up from Rs. 71 last year to Rs. 170 this year.”

So, this is the Gujarat Model! Robbing the poor students and keep them away from the school! Wonderful Gujarat Model Shri Modi! (Courtesy : Ganashakti)

CPI(M) Donates Rs. 3.25 Crore to Nepal Relief Fund

10 Wednesday Jun 2015

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Kathmandu, Jun 10 : CPI(M) General Secretary Com. Sitaram Yechury  donated Rs 3 crore 25 lakh to Nepal Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund after collecting the money from Indian people to help the quake-hit nation.

Yechuri, who arrived in Nepal yesterday on a two-day private visit, handed over a cheque of Rupees 3.25 crore equivalent to over Nepali Rupees 5.20 crore to Prime Minister Shri Sushil Koirala at his official residence at Baluwatar.

Yechury said he had collected the money from the people of India at the grass-roots level for providing relief to the earthquake-affected people of Nepal.

 

HSBC cut 50,000 jobs, mainly in Brazil and Turkey.

10 Wednesday Jun 2015

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HSBC, probably the biggest financial institution in the world, is proposing to reduce its employees by about 50,000. This is mainly due its closure of branches  in Brazil  and Turkey. It has got more than 2.66 lakh workers in its roll.

This is the system of the private companies. Wherever they get profits they do business. When there is loss, they close up and go elsewhere. What will happen to the workers is no concern of these MNCs.

Why MNCs alone? Now, the NDA government is going to bring a bill changing the labour laws through which any private company with less than 500 workers can do ‘hire and fire’ without any intervention from the government. The Modi government has become the saviour of the private capital and the workers are no concern to them.

It is only through united and sustained struggles that the workers can exist and advance. That is what history has taught us.

Bonus eligibility to be raised from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 15,000 monthly.

10 Wednesday Jun 2015

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Several lakhs of workers in the organised sector will benefit as the Narendra Modi government is set to raise the salary threshold for mandatory bonus for workers from Rs 10,000 a month at present to Rs 15,000 and the minimum bounty from an annual RS 3,500 now to Rs 4,500. The proposal, agreed to by employers’ associations at a recent meeting of an inter-ministerial group, would require Parliament’s approval as the Payments of Bonus Act, 1965, requires to be amended for this purpose.

While the minimum bonus is a legal liability on the firms concerned, whether or not they make a profits, these firms are also required to pay the workers a higher bonus if their “allocable surplus” exceeds the amount payable as minimum bonus, subject to a cap (20%) of the salaries.

If the new proposal takes affect, the maximum bonus payable by profit-making ventures would be close to Rs 11,000 as against Rs 8,400 now.

 

Arrest of Delhi Law Minister an arbitrary exercise of power, the Lt. Governor should resign – CPI(M)

09 Tuesday Jun 2015

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The CPI(M) has issued the following Press Statement:

“The arrest of the Law Minister of Delhi Jitender Singh Tomar by the police is a shocking instance of  arbitrary exercise of power by the Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung.  The Delhi police is  under the jurisdiction of the Lt. Governor.  The arrest has been effected when the matter of an alleged false degree acquired by the Minister is before the court.

The BJP government at the Centre is using the Lt. Governor to ride roughshod over the elected state government of Delhi.  The Lt. Governor has by a series of actions showed that he will not abide by democratic and federal norms.  He should quit office immediately.”

Trilateral discussions between India, Japan and Australia – US behind the scene

08 Monday Jun 2015

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The change in the foreign policy of the Modi Government is coming more and more in the open. The latest is the trilateral meeting of India, Japan and Australia at New Delhi starting today. Though US is not directly a participant, it can be assumed that it is the main brain and co-ordinator.

No such co-ordination involving all these US allies were held till last UPA regime. Now the BJP government is directly going for the strategic partnership with US and its allies.

This will certainly have adverse impacts with India’s relation with its neighbors, China and Russia.

Modi Government abandoning decade old Palestine Policy

07 Sunday Jun 2015

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It is now clear that the Modi Government is abandoning the foreign policy which India has been following since independence on the Palestine issue. India always supported the demand of the Palestine people for their own nation.  But now, with the proposed visit of Prime Minister Modi to Israel, a change is going to take place. It is more and more turning to US and its strategic partners. The recent visit to Japan, Australia and now to Israel clearly shows the trend.

Abandoning Palestine for Israel is not good. The Indian people are against it. The government of India should not deviate from its Palestinian policy. The opposition parties should take the lead in compelling the government to continue the earlier policy.

IIT- Madras compelled to lift ban on APSC – a success for freedom of speech

07 Sunday Jun 2015

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At last the IIT-Madras management has been compelled to lift the ban on Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC), a students group functioning there. It was banned a few days back by the management allegedly for criticising the Prime Minister and centre’s policies.

There have been strong protests through out the country against this unjustified attack on freedom of speech. In Delhi and many other centres, students protested and organised dharna, demonstrations etc. Many were arrested and detained.

The IIT-Madras Management was compelled to lift the ban facing the strong protest. After discussion with the students group, the ban has been lifted today.

Congratulations to the students bodies for their success in upholding the freedom of speech.

NRI Remittance to Kerala crosses Rupees one lakh Crore.

07 Sunday Jun 2015

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It is well known that large number of Keralites are working in other countries and they are also remitting money back to their families. But the latest report shows that the amount is not small, but considerable.

According to a report in the press, the NRI remittances to Kerala has crossed Rs. 1 Lakh crore. This includes not only Gulf Countries, where maximum NRIs are there, but other countries like UK, US etc.

Despite, certain restrictions for expats in some countries, the remittances have only increased. Congratulations to the hard working Kerala expats!

Bank Employees get Paternity Leave

06 Saturday Jun 2015

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As per the new wage agreement, Bank Employees will get paternity leave up to 15 days to look after the new born child or before the delivery of the spouse. Paternity Leave is already in existence in the Central Services as per the recommendations of the VI CPC. The Paternity Leave system should be extended to all PSUs and private companies, wherever it has not been  implemented so far.