Leftist leader wins in Mexico

02 Monday Jul 2018

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Mexico City, Jul 2 : Anti-establishment leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador swept to victory in Mexico’s presidential election today, in a political sea change driven by voters’ anger over endemic corruption and brutal violence.
According to exit polls, the sharp-tongued, silver-haired politician known as “AMLO” won by a large margin over his two main rivals, who both conceded defeat shortly after the polls closed — laying to rest concerns that a deeply divided country could face prolonged uncertainty over the winner.
Thousands of ecstatic supporters flooded central Mexico City’s Zocalo square and Alameda park, celebrating to the sounds of mariachi music as Lopez Obrador slowly made his way there from his campaign headquarters in a motorcade, swarmed by huge crowds.
“The government was failing. We needed a real change,” said one elated supporter, Jose Gutierrez, 44.
Runner-up Ricardo Anaya of the conservative National Action Party (PAN) and third-place candidate Jose Antonio Meade of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) both congratulated Lopez Obrador and wished him success.

One more country to the Left. Congratulations!

CENTRAL EMPLOYEES DECIDE FOR ONE DAY STRIKE ON 15TH NOVEMBER 2018

02 Monday Jul 2018

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2018 NOVEMBER 15TH NATION WIDE ONE DAY STRIKE OF
CENTRAL GOVT. EMPLOYEES
10 POINTS CHARTER OF DEMANDS OF CONFEDERATION
1. Scrap New Contributory Pension Scheme. Restore old defined benefit Pension Scheme to all employees.
2. Settle 7th CPC related issues including increase in Minimum Pay and fitment formula, HRA arrears from 01-01-2016, MACP Bench Mark, promotional heirarchy and date of effect from 01-01-2006, Option-I for pensioners and anomalies arising out of implementation of 7th CPC recommendations.
3. Fill up all vacant posts. Reintroduce Regional Recruitment for Group B & C posts. Withdraw orders for abolishing posts lying vacant for more than five years. Revive all posts abolished during 2001 to 2008 under Annual Direct Recruitment plan as per May 2001 orders of former NDA Government.
4. (a) Regularisatin of Gramin Dak Sevaks and grant of Civil Servant status. Implement remaining positive recommendations of Kamalesh Chandra committee report.
(b) Regularise all casual and contract workers including those appointed on or after 01-09-1993.
5. Ensure equal pay for equal work for all. Remove disparity in pay scales between Central Secretariat Staff and similarly placed staff working in field units of various departments.
6. Stop closure of Govt. establishments and outsourcing. Withdraw closure orders of Govt. of India Presses. Stop proposed move to close down salt department. Stop FDI and privatisation of Railways and Defence department.
7. Implement 7th CPC wage revision and pension revision of Autonomous body employees and pensioners. Grant Bonus to Autonomous body employees pending from 2016-17 onwards.
8. Remove 5% condition imposed on compassionate appointment.
9. Grant five time bound promotions to all Group B&C employees. Complete Cadre Reviews in all departments within a time-frame.
10. (a) Stop attack on trade union rights. Ensure prompt functioning of various negotiating forums under the JCM scheme at all levels.
(b) Withdraw the draconian FR-56(j) and Rule 48 of CCS Pension Rules 1972.
If necessary, affiliates can add their own departmental wise issues as PART-II of the charter of demands.

Financial position of BSNL and MTNL – A report in the media.

25 Monday Jun 2018

Posted by in BSNL, Telecom

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A report in the press regarding the financial position of BSNL and MTNL is given.Both the PSUs are in the list of NITI Ayog for privatisation or closure. The full responsibility of the loss and decline is only the result of the government to favour private telecom companies and downgrade telecom PSUs. The government which can ensure loans and concessions to the extent of thpusands of crores of rupees to Adani and Ambani has no inclination to help its own companies. Hence the present situation. The report in the press is given below:

“The prime minister’s office and the department of telecom have discussed a survival mechanism for telecom PSUs BSNL and MTNL whose revenue, market share and subscriber base continue to erode.

According to sources, under the plan 4G spectrum worth Rs 13,000 crore could be allotted to them shortly and the more vulnerable MTNL can hope to get about Rs 1,100 crore from the Centre for a fresh VRS package.

Official sources said the situation is more serious for MTNL as the listed entity is almost on the verge of breaking down, completely surviving on bank working capital loans for operations expenditure.

A few decisions are expected shortly and things could be expedited now onwards, sources said, adding that the prime minister’s office (PMO) has shown interest and concern over telecom PSUs, may be after the failure of Air India disinvestment.

Competition from private telcos, especially Jio, is breathing down their necks. As per an estimate, BSNL and MTNL need about Rs 18,000 crore immediate fund infusion for their continued operations, which includes 4G spectrum if government issues fresh equity in them.
Both the PSUs have sought 4G spectrum partly through equity routes which make the cost of spectrum for MTNL at Rs 6,500 crore for 10 Mhz in Delhi in 1800 band and 5Mhz in Mumbai in 2100 band.

BSNL needs 5 Mhz in 2,100 band for rest of India operations which too comes to about Rs 6,500 crore as 50 per cent of the cost of spectrum and the rest of the spectrum cost is expected to be covered through government equity.

While BSNL meets its opex and capex through borrowings and service revenues, MTNL needs government support for meeting working capital needs. It also needs Rs 2,800 crore interest amount reimbursement on an old loan taken for spectrum and Rs 1,100 crore for financing a VRS for 5,000 employees.

MTNL has a bloating staff strength of 30,000, while BSNL has over 2 lakh employees. The financials of MTNL is so bad that it is carrying on with working capital loans on a government guarantee.

MTNL had told DoT that it is operating under three main constraints — a high manpower numbering 25,000, a Rs 17,500-crore loan burden and lack of investment in the last seven years.

To tackle the manpower problem, MTNL had suggested the government to fund its VRS programme as and when it takes place since the majority of this 25,000 staff is from the DoT. The PSU has worked out that for offering voluntary retirement to 5,000 employees, it will need at least Rs 1,100 crore,

The PSU is saddled with a debt of Rs 17,500 crore, out of which the interest component is Rs 1,450 crore. MTNL had earlier written to the DoT to allow it to carve out the land &and buildings and the debt so that the MTNL balance sheet becomes debt-free, without putting any burden on the exchequer.

Air India, MTNL and BSNL are among the top five loss making PSUs in the DPE list.

MTNL’s debt stands at a staggering Rs 17,000 crore and its annual interest burden is close to Rs 1,450 crore. Bruised by competition from private sector players, MTNL’s losses stood at Rs 2,893 crore in 2014-15, Rs 2,005 crore in 2015-16, and Rs 2,970 crore in 2016-17.

Telecom minister Manoj Sinha, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha in February had pointed out that both BSNL and MTNL have been incurring losses for a number of years, and therefore have been declared as incipient sick according to the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) guidelines.

BSNL’s revenues in FY17 declined to Rs 31,533 crore against Rs 32,411 crore. The PSU was hoping to turn the corner by being profitable in 2018- 19, which is now shifted to 2019-20, if it starts 4G services and the competition eases. Its net loss marginally narrowed to Rs 4,793 crore against Rs 4,859 crore in the previous fiscal..

The accumulated loss of BSNL has now swelled to over Rs 36,000 crore ($6 billion), with the company making losses since 2009-10.

While MTNL has a negative market share with subscribers declining every quarter, BSNL’s market share in mobile market is 10 per cent.”

It is a shame Mr. Prime Minister!

24 Sunday Jun 2018

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Refusal of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet the Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, who had requested for meetings to discuss urgent issues of the state with him, is discriminatory and against federal principles. It is a shame Mr. Prime minister!

Centre sells PSUs, Kerala make PSUs profitable

24 Sunday Jun 2018

Posted by in General, Kerala LDF Government

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Due to the anti-PSU and pro-corporate policy of the central government, most of the central PSUs are on the way to loss. The government is aggressively disinvesting or selling them against the interest of the nation and the concerned workers. National carrier Air India, BSNL, MTNL – all prestigious PSUs are for sale.

In Kerala, you see another picture. During the Congress / UDF regime almost all the 45 or so PSUs were in loss and it amounted to about Rs. 134 crore. During the last two years of LDF rule with Pinarayi Vijayan as Chief Minister, some of them have already turned profitable and the total profit of the PSUs has come up to Rs.100 crore, wiping out the earlier loss. A great change indeed!

Further the State government has offered to take over the central PSUs in the state which are proposed to be sold. But the centre says that it will be sold only to private corporates. in one case, it stated that the state government can participate in the auction along with the private companies! What a generosity!

This is the difference between the Modi Government and the Pinarayi Government. The former wants to sell the nation’s assets, while the latter wants them to improve and to increase the national assets.

Former Chief Justice SC heads RSS forum to ‘ensure compromises’ in civil disputes

23 Saturday Jun 2018

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A news item in the Theprint.in is given below for information without any comments:

Former CJI heads RSS forum to ‘ensure compromises’ in civil disputes

The Nyaya Chaupal is to be headed by the former chief justice of India R.C. Lahoti |
R.C. Lahoti insists that the forum will not impinge on the jurisdiction of courts; RSS affiliate says it will address “crumbling family structure”.

New Delhi: An RSS affiliate has formed a unique forum, consisting primarily of senior advocates and retired judges, which it says will help ensure compromises in civil cases such as family feuds, property disputes and those involving neighbours among others.

The forum, called the Nyaya Chaupal, is to be headed by the former chief justice of India R.C. Lahoti. Other prominent members include former Supreme Court judge Anil R. Dave, Supreme Court lawyer Govind Goel, and advocate Alok Kumar, who is also the VHP international working president.

The chaupal is the brainchild of RSS affiliate Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad (ABAP). Its first workshop was held on 7 March and was attended by RSS leader Krishna Gopal, Lahoti, Dave and RSS representatives from 16 states.

According to ABAP, the Nyaya Chaupal has been formed as civil disputes are an outcome of the “crumbling family structure in the new societal order”. The forum, it adds, will also involve eminent people of the area to resolve civil cases of any type through dialogue.

The concept is based on the role gram panchayats play in villages.

Those associated with the Nyaya Chaupal insist that it will not impinge on the jurisdiction of the courts. “The aim is not to connect with the judiciary or interact with them. We don’t aim to run a parallel system. The aim is to build an environment in our surroundings where there will be no disputes,” Lahoti said in a documentary made on the forum.

To launch 1000s of such teams

The chaupal will form teams of eminent people who will resolve civil cases; it believes it will be able to form 1,000 such teams across the country.

So far, retired judges have held workshops for those who will form part of the chaupals; each team is expected to have 10 “respectable personalities” of the area.

Maintaining that the forum should not be considered as a system parallel to the judiciary, Bharat Bhushan, head of Delhi Nyaya Chaupal, said the need for such a body was felt as even mediation centres, monitored by courts, pose the same difficulties as the courts.

“Even in these mediation centres, one has to wait for dates and pay a minimum fee. The touch of a friend and well-wisher is missing. We found that in most cases, if there is a person who can reason with those involved and sort things out, many people won’t even have to come to courts,” Bhushan said.

“When professionals and eminent people reason with the warring parties, most cases get resolved,” he added.

To reach out to people, the chaupal will do aggressive campaigning and form an active website.

“These people whose disputes are solved before it gets to the courts will be our ambassadors,” Dave said at the March workshop.

The chaupal also pointed to the backlog in the judicial system. According to chaupaluntil 2017, there were 3.5 crore cases pending in various courts including those of domestic and personal disputes. Of these, 60,000 are pending in Supreme Court, 42 lakh in the various high courts and 2.7 crore in the lower judiciary.
(Theprint.in)

National Emergency of 1975 – DA denied

23 Saturday Jun 2018

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The National Emergency of 1975 was used to deny DA to the central government employees. Five installments of DA were due during this period, but the same was denied to the CG employees.

It was only after the Janatha Government came that the due installments of DA were paid.

Demonetisation to the benefit of BJP, Amit Shah and Friends

23 Saturday Jun 2018

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The information received through RTI regarding the exchange of currency worth Rs. 745.58 crores within six days of demonetisation in Ahmedabad District Co-operative Bank in Gujarat is in the news. What is important is that one of its directors is Amit Shah BJP President and was the Chairman earlier. In another co-operative Bank which is headed by a minister of the BJP government in Gujarat has received Rs.693.19 crores.  Almost Rs. 1500 crores have been deposited in these two banks alone. There was an earlier report that the BJP in Bengal has deposited currency worth hundreds of crores in similar manner.

Though the public suffered for months sue to monetisation, BJP and its connected institutions utilised the opportunity for their own benefits.

 

Hats off to Justice J. Chelameswar!

23 Saturday Jun 2018

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The present senior most Judge in Supreme Court, Justice J.Chelameswar, retired from service yesterday, after a transparent and praiseworthy career, including 7 years in the apex court. He has delivered landmark judgments, which are quoted frequently. He was strongly opposed to the unjustified interference of the government in the judiciary. It was at his initiative, that four senior most Judges of the Supreme Court held a Press Conference and expressed their anguish at what is happening in the Supreme Court, including the issue of promotion of Uttarakhand Chief Justice K.M.Joseph to the Supreme Court.

Justice Chelameswar vacated his official bungalow yesterday itself and returned to his home in Hyderabad.( Remember here that a large number of M.P.s, senior officers, judges and others continue stay in the official bungalows, even after their term, retirement etc. against the existing orders to vacate them.) He is reported to have stated that he will not accept any government commission etc. after his retirement.

We admire you Justice Chelameswar. Your further service to the country will be appreciated.

Prime Minister has no time to meet Kerala Chief Minister

22 Friday Jun 2018

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It is reported that Prime Minister Modi did not give time to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to meet him to discuss some important issues, including the construction of Railway Coach Factory at Kanjikode, Palakkad. It is also reported that this is not the first time that Prime Minister is declining to meet the Kerala Chief Minister.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was waiting for more than one week to meet the Governor at the latter’s office.

Is the Federal Structure of the nation being demolished by the central government and the Prime Minister? It will be a dangerous precedence.