Tripura – The Best Governed State in India

26 Thursday Dec 2013

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I am attaching below an assessment of the Communist Government of Tripura as reported by PTI. It can be seen that not only the Communists for a fifth term but also have implemented many social welfare measures which benefitted the people.

Agartala, Dec 25 : The ruling Left Front won a fifth consecutive term in Tripura in 2013 which also saw the northeastern state making considerable progress in areas like power generation and connectivity.

Inflicting a crushing blow on Congress and other opponents, the Left Front led by 64-year-old Chief Minister Manik Sarkar bagged 50 seats in the March Assembly elections.

The state also provided 86.27 days of work on an average to a rural household under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

According to State Rural Development Minister Jitendra Chowdhury, “When the national average is 39, the state could provide 86.27 days of work to the job card holders. Tripura secured first position in implementation of the Act.”

The state also introduced for the first time in the country PVC Electoral Photo Identity Cards (PVC EPICs) in November as mandated by the Election Commission.

News magazine ‘India Today’ adjudged Tripura as the best governed state in the country for undertaking developmental works for the common masses and felicitated Sarkar.

Though insurgency was on the wane, the Tripura government decided to extend the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in 34 police station areas for another six months from January 1 to wipe it out completely.

For the first time, the central committee meeting of the CPI-M was held in the state from December 15-17 which decided to maintain equal distance from Congress and BJP and form an electoral alliance with the other secular forces for the coming parliamentary elections.

It also decided to project Tripura as a model state of development.

Northeast’s biggest gas-fired thermal project at Palatana in Gomati district was dedicated to the nation by President Pranab Mukherjee on June 21 to cater to seven of the eight states in the region facing power shortage.

The 726 MW project combined with linked transmission project and upstream gas supply network have attracted investments of around Rs 10,000 crore in the region. The National Highway Authority of India approved a proposal of the state government for conversion of the Agartala-Sabroom national highway into four-lane.

However, in a setback, the Agartala-Dhaka bus service was temporarily suspended due to continuous strike called by Opposition parties in Bangladesh since November. Trade between
the two countries through the Integrated Check Post at Akhaura, near here was also disrupted.

The governments of India and Bangladesh, however, made considerable progress on the proposed rail network from Agartala to Akhaura in in the neighbouring country. Work for laying tracks would begin soon after the survey is completed.Of the 15.054 km track, only five km will fall on the Indian side.

According to Tripura Transport Minister Manik Dey,extension of the railway line from Agartala to Sabroom, about 110 km from here, would be completed by March 2015. Sabroom is about 70 km from Chittagong Port.

Vice President Hamid Ansari inaugurated northeast’s biggest museum housed in Ujjayanta Palace of the erstwhile Manikya dynasty. The two-storeyed palace spread over about one sq km area served as the State Legislative Assembly till 2011.

The government also announced that Agartala airport would be upgraded to international standards by 2016 at a cost of Rs
300 crore.

The state government has long been demanding that the airport be declared an international one for connectivity to Dhaka and Chittagong.

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde inaugurated an Integrated Check Post on November 17 near Indo-Bangla international border at Akhaura here. The Akhaura ICP is the second biggest between the two countries after Benapole-Petrapole in West Bengal.

AAP Government in Delhi on 28th December 2013

26 Thursday Dec 2013

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It is reported that the Aam Aadmi Party headed by Arvind Kejrival will form the Government at Delhi by taking oath on 28th December at Ramlila Grounds in front of lakhs of people. There is no doubt that this is most welcome as there will be a government in Delhi which is different from the most corrupt and compromised governments of Congress and BJP which ruled there earlier. The capital city with hundreds of VVIPs, including politicians, corporates, big business tycoons as also hard core criminals can not be tamed unless a strong and committed government is there. Whether the AAP will be able to deliver the goods? Whether the Congress will allow the AAP to do these as also welfare measures?
I just remember the time, 1957, when for the first time in India, Communist party won in a state, Kerala. There was doubt, whether the centre will allow the government to be formed. The government was formed with E.M.S.Namboodiripad as Chief Minister.Within few months it brought Land Reforms, Educational Bill and other welfare measures. The Congress tried all machinations to dislodge it, but failed. At that stage the Centre intervened and dismissed it under Article 356 on the plea of fail of law and order. Every body will even now agree that was the best government.
In the same way Congress may be waiting for a chance to dislodge AAP government at a time suitable to them. Congress is not magnanimous to allow the AAP to cement their position by their welfare measures. Let us watch the developments.

66 years after Independence, 4.4 crore live in slums, 60% rural people have no toilet facilities.

25 Wednesday Dec 2013

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It is 66 years since India got Independence. But the life of crores of people have not improved. As per the 2012 report (69th round NSSO Report) of the National Sample Survey Organisation, the government body which collects many datas for government, 4.4 crore people are still living in slums, which have no basic necessities and facilities. These are temporary houses, crowded and with complete unhygienic conditions. According to NSSO report, there are such 33,150 slums mainly in Maharashtra, A.P.,W.Bengal, Gujarat etc.
The report also mentions that 60% of the rural households do not have toilet facilities. For the urban area, it is 8.8%. They have to use public spaces for their natural calls. Those who travel by trains can see the people utilising the spaces near the Railway tracks for this purpose.
About 25% in the urban and 55% in the rural areas do not have potable water to drink.
While the Prime Minister and the Planning Commission are all shouting loud about the GDP Growth etc. they do not care about poor, whether rural or urban. There may be only very rare countries in the world, where the benefit of growth has mostly gone to the rich and the poor has become poorer. The ruling class always speak about the poor and oppressed, but ignore them in their welfare.
A change is a must to this sorry situation.

Karnataka Circle BSNLCCWF Achieve Long Pending Demands

25 Wednesday Dec 2013

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The BSNLCCWF Karnataka Circle under the leader ship of President Com. C.K.Gundanna and Circle secretary Com. Mahantesh has been organising sustained struggles to improve the lot of the workers. Recently when Com.VAN Namboodiri, All India President visited Bangalore he along with Coms. Gundanna and mahantesh met the CGMT and Dy. Regional Commissioner in this connection who assured settlement of the issues.
Yesterday Com. Mahantesh Circle Secretary along with DS BSNLEU Com. Mahadevappa and Com. Balaji Rao, CITU and others met GM Mysore and discussed the issues. GM assured early settlement of the issues.

In Mandya SSA agitation is going on on the issue of contract workers.

Wish You All A Merry X-mas!

25 Wednesday Dec 2013

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Today,the world over people are celebrating X-mas, the Birth of Jesus Christ more than 2000 years back. In India also, just like other festivals, X-Mas is also celebrated by all people without consideration of religion etc.
On this day, My Best Wishes and Greetings to all our Comrades, Friends and Well Wishers a Very Merry and Happy X-mas!

Stalin and Mao – Birthdays celebrated

24 Tuesday Dec 2013

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Mao-Zedong’s 120th Birthday is being celebrated in China on 26th December and the Party Journal has already published an article praising his leading China forward.

The Birthday of Joseph Stalin, who ruled Russia and was the Secretary of the Party from 1922 to 1952 till his death was also in December. It was celebrated in his home town Gori, but not much elsewhere.

History has its own jokes, twists and turns.

PSUs surplus cash will be taken by Centre

24 Tuesday Dec 2013

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The Central Government is thinking of taking the cash surplus of the profitable PSUs by ordering higher % of dividend to them. These PSUs include BEL, BHEL, Coal India, BPCL, Gail, MMTC, NALCO,NLC,NTPC, Oil India, ONGC etc.
The Government is expecting about Rs. 27,000 crore more as dividend from these PSUs in addition to the Rs. 37,000 they are liable to pay.

The policy of the government is intended to divest all the cash surplus of the Profitable PSUs. The cash surplus of Rs. 40,000 crore with BSNL was taken over by government in the name of spectrum charges, notional loan etc. by the government. Now in the other PSUs it is increasing the % of dividend. Once any PSU becomes sick, then there is no help, though it is the policy and action of the government which made it loss making.
Whatever be the name of taking the money from the PSUs, the main intention is to make the PSUs sick. Of course the government will get the money also.
This anti-PSU policy has to be opposed and defeated by the people.

Adarsh Society Scam Report rejected by Maharashtra Government

24 Tuesday Dec 2013

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The Justice (Retd) J.A.Patil report in the Adarsh Society Scam which indicted four former Chief Ministers of Maharashtra Government among many other bigwigs, who got unauthorised allotments in the Society flats, has been unceremoniously rejected by the Maharashtra Government. The former Chief Ministers include Sushil Kumar Shinde (present Central home minister), Ashok Chavan, S.N.patil and Vilas Rao Deshmukh. It was tabled in the floor of the Maharashtra Assembly on 20th December, the last day of the session and the Government, then and there, rejected it. What else the Government will do when its four former Chief Ministers are indicted?
Corruption at high level and defending the same and converting inquiry reports has become the order of the day.
Inquiries and their reports are being made a mockery by those who are indicted.
Postscript: It is interesting that Rahul Gandhi, Vice-president of Congress called upon the Nation to end corruption two days back. But what about the scam report against the Congress Chief Ministers in Maharashtra? Any action?

CBI starts inquiry on HZL Disinvestment and sale

24 Tuesday Dec 2013

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The CBI has registered Preliminary Enquiry in the sale of Hindustan Zinc Limited to Vedanta causing a loss of thousands of crores of rupees to the government. This happened in 2002 when the NDA government was in power.
It was the same way that the Balco was also sold at a minimal price incurring huge loss to the government.

Railway Workers Strike Ballot – 90% support strike

24 Tuesday Dec 2013

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About 90% railways workers have opted for strike in the strike ballot taken by the All India Railwaymens’ Federation (AIRF), which is the biggest and recognised union.
The strike is being planned on the demands of wage revision, filling up of the more than one lakh vacancies, rescinding of the new pension scheme which is detrimental to the interest of workers etc.
There are about 13 lakh workers in Railways, which is the biggest
employer in the country. A strike by the railway workers will have serious implication for the country.
The historical strike of the railway workers in 1974 on the demand of Bonus and other issues paralysed the government which took drastic, inhuman measures to suppress the strike. The demand of Bonus was granted by the Janatha Government.