It was real summer rain.

I am now at Calicut.  After visiting the Exhibition in connection with the CPI(M) Party Congress  and chatting with the comrades there, I went to Arya Bhawan restaurant and had snacks instead of dinner. When I came out of the restaurant,  all of a sudden a  dust wind  started followed with very heavy rain.I stood in the veranda of a shop to avoid getting wet. It was heavy rain and all searched for some place to stand without being drenched.

The rain continued for about half an hour. The streets were all full of the rain water. All those people who have come to shopping and enjoying the Sunday got completely drenched. But all were happy that at least the rain has come.Every year one or two such rains will be there in summer.

I was also happy although I got completely wet and  had to wait a long time to get a bus to my residence.

Summer rain is a consolation to reduce the heat at the time of examinations.

The Department of Posts (DoP) is planning to set up 1,000Aautomated Teller Machines (ATMs) across six states –Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu — under its ongoing modernisation plan, according to a top official. There is aq big plan to computerize the remaining post offices also.

Many countries, including India has observed yesterday, 31st March, Earth Hour, turning of the lights for one hour. This is as per the call of the environmental group  World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to minimise use of energy and save it for the next generation.

In March 2007 Earth Hour began in, Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million individuals and over 2,000 businesses turned out their lights and took a stand against climate change. It quickly became an annual global event. More than 5,200 cities and towns in 135 countries worldwide switched off their lights for Earth Hour 2011. Earth Hour 2011 also ushered in a new era with members going Beyond the Hour to commit to lasting action for the planet. Without a doubt, Earth Hour has shown how great things can be achieved when people come together for a common cause.

In India, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Central Secretariat and many offices switched off the lights for one hour yesterday.

New Delhi, Mar 31 Passengers travelling in AC 1 and AC 2 classes will have to shell out more from tomorrow when the upward revision in higher class fares will come into effect. The fare is also being hiked in Executive class and first class as per the Rail Budget 2012-13 announcement. The revised tariff will also be applicable to tickets tickets issued in advance for journey to commence on or after April 1, 2012. “In case tickets are already issued at pre-revised rates, the difference in fares will be recovered from passengers either by TTEs in trains or by the booking offices before commemcement of the journey,” said a senior Railway Ministry official. As per the decision, passenger fares will be increased 10 paise per km in first class, 15 paisa per km for AC 2 and 30 paisa per km for AC 1 from April 1. The platform ticket is also to cost Rs 5 from tomorrow, said the official. Though there was proposal for fare hike in all classes including AC III, sleeper class, suburban and second class in the Rail Budget, new Railway Minister Mukul Roy decided for partial roll back of fares in these classes. Railways have earned Rs 28,000 crore revenue from passenger fares in 2011-12. The national transporter was aiming to earn Rs 36,000 crore in 2012-13 with the five per cent expected growth in passenger volume in 2012-13 and the hike in all classes as proposed by the former Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi. However, now with the roll back in major classes like AC III and second class, railways is expected to earn only Rs 400 crore from the hike in AC 1, AC 2 and first class fares. The revised fare list is being displayed at all stations for public and the changed fare tables are also availble on the ministry website, said the official.

31st March is important in many ways. Firstly, it is the date on which the Banks finalize the accounts. Government and many private and public organisations also finalize the accounts on the same date. The budget of the next year is to be approved by the Parliament before the start of the next financial year ie. April to March.

As far as Postal Department is concerned, this is the day on which the first Post Office in India was opened in Calcutta in 1774.  The postal services was only for the government earlier. It was from 1774 onwards that it was opened for the public, though limitedly.

There will many important events connected with 31st March. It is, anyway, an important date.

Many friends and comrades have intimated through SMSs, mails, calls and comments their heartfelt condolences to me in the last two days for my bereavement, passing away of my beloved elder sister. I thank all of them for their sharing of my grief and condolence messages.

The disclosure by the Army Chief General Singh about the poor situation of the army procurements created a storm in the Parliament.

This is not the first time that complaints about defence deals have come. India is  one of the countries which is spending maximum amount for purchase of armaments. About 10% of the world expenditure on armaments are spent by India and if the equipments are not sufficient and/ or is of  sub-standard, there is some murky business going on. It is not a question of Defence Minister A.K.Antony or General Singh, it is the credibility and security of the entire country. A serious enquiry and investigation is required without interference from any corner. Is is possible? Otherwise the earlier situation will continue with serious danger to the country.

March 27, 1977 was a day of freedom for the people of India, who were faced with the draconian Emergency imposed on the country by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi . Faced with the election debacle, Indira Gandhi promulgated the Emergency on 25th June 1975. Democratic rights were taken away, the press was made silent, free speech was taboo. Almost all opposition political leaders were put in jail. Fundamental rights bore the maximum attacks. Trade unions were derecognised and no struggles could take place. No increase in DA, even after 5 DAs were eligible. The country became one big prison, with a complete nation gagged.

Trade Union leaders were also arrested in large numbers and jailed. I was taken in to custody twice, but was released after long hours’ interrogation. But many other P&T comrades both in Kerala and W.Bengal were jailed including Com. N.J.Iyer.

The Emergency was revoked by Indira Gandhi in the miscalculation that the Congress will win in the election just announced. But the people reacted to the hated Emergency completely by routing the Congress. For the first time, a non-Congress Government, headed by Janata Party came in to power.

Let there be no such ‘Emergency’ again.

It is outrageous! The government has spent Rs.205 crore towards the foreign trips of President Smt. Pratibha Patil.During her tenure so far, she has visited 22 countries spending 79 days for the same. This is much more than the amounts and days spent by either Shri Abdul Kalam  or Shri K.R.Narayanan, former Presidents, who were more known and honoured. This information has been received through RTI. The government was very reluctant to give the information and kept it pending for a long period, but were compelled to give after continued pressure.

And interestingly Rs. 16 crore are yet to be paid to the Air india which was used by the President for the tours!